Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Well, the outcome on American Idol Thursday night could have been more unfair.

Spunky little Hollie Cavanagh could have been sent home after turning in the performance of her life on Wednesday.

That, folks, would have been a real travesty.

The recap …

Stock rising: Joshua Ledet has strung together four killer performances in the past two weeks. I used to worry whether he had the popularity to go deep into the competition. No longer. He’s visited the bottom three just once, in that strange week Jessica Sanchez needed a save. Now, the judges might want to tone down their rhetoric. One of the top two Idols ever? One of the best singers in the last 50 years? A bit overstated, judges, don’t you think?

Stock should be rising: Hollie Cavanagh earned Idol’s all-time perseverance award last week after surviving four trips to the bottom three over the span of five weeks. Right now, it looks like she deserves another — most improved contestant. Her performance of “River Deep, Mountain High” was light years better than just a couple of weeks back when she looked absolutely robotic on “What a Feeling.”

Bizarre moment of the night: OK, it’s no secret Jimmy Iovine thinks Jessica Sanchez needs to act and sing younger. He’s said it before. But I about lost it Thursday night when Jennifer Lopez started giving Jessica advice on what might be too risque. Jennifer, who had no qualms about doing a butt wiggle in last year’s finale, whose blatantly sexual videos have debuted on this so-called family show named American Idol, should not be dispensing such advice. My advice to Jessica: Just keep singing like you’ve been singing.

Stock should be sinking: Jimmy said about Phillip Phillips what the judges should have said Wednesday night. He’s coasting. He has been coasting for about a month now. Empty praise on performance night doesn’t change that fact. Season 11 has been special. It will be less special if Phillip wins because, right now, he’s the fourth-best performer left on the show. And Wednesday night, he was the fifth-best.

For a look at what Jimmy said about all the contestants, head here.

For a look at why Skylar fans need not fret and why the cute boy Idol tag isn’t dead yet, head here.

And check back tomorrow for photos from the results show and an exit interview with Skylar.