Idol Chatter & Voice Views

Clearly, the judges are now grading on a curve on America Idol.

Or at least that’s the case for Harry Connick Jr.

Caleb Johnson performs on American Idol Top 12 night. (FOX Photo)

On a night with lots of middling and very few superior performances, Harry had lots of criticism to dole out Wednesday night.

Much of it was justified. Some of it was right on the mark.

But, let’s see, the very excitable Malaya Watson got credit from Harry for not going “off the rails” with her performance.

In other words, it didn’t turn into a train wreck?

Meanwhile, Caleb Johnson provided one of the night’s few highlights. Harry wondered what he’s going to bring to rock and roll that’s fresh.

Hold it, we expect this guy to change an entire genre? In just the second week of the finals?

On to the recap…

Best of the night: On “Home” week, Caleb performed Rush’s “Working Man,” saying it’s one of his favorite songs by his favorite band. I am not a fan of Rush. I am a fan of contestants who deliver a really good vocal or a really good performance on Idol. Guess what? Caleb did both. In fact, he was the only contestant to do both Wednesday night. His was the best performance of the night, and the decision wasn’t even close, even if he hasn’t quite changed rock and roll. Yet.

Runners-up: Sam Woolf delivered a really nice vocal on “Just One” by Blind Pilot. There weren’t a lot of dynamics to the performance, something the judges were quick to point out. But I wouldn’t mind listening to that performance again, and I can’t say I’m anxious to relive too many of the others. All that said, I felt like slapping the producers upside the head throughout Sam’s performance for pointing the camera at adoring female fans rather than focusing on Sam. We get it, Idol. He’s cute. And he plays guitar. And you’re hoping that attracts viewers.

Emily Piriz performs on American Idol Wednesday night. (FOX Photo)

Among the rest of the Top 12, Ben Briley wasn’t as good as a week ago, but was certainly the best of the male country threesome. Emily Piriz keeps flirting with disaster and sorta, kinda pulling it off. This week she danced and sang her way through a Jennifer Lopez song, and did well enough to earn praise from the judge herself.

Worst of the night: This is easy. M.K Nobilette looked scared to death the minute she hit the stage and her vocal promptly strayed all over the place. Of the Wednesday song choices, “Drops of Jupiter” was among my favorites. I don’t want to hear M.K. sing it again. In fact, that was so clearly the worst performance of the night it should have marked M.K.’s last on the Idol stage.

Please keep them: Jena Irene Asciutto and Jess Meuse have the potential to make American Idol Season 12 a whole lot more enjoyable than it has been so far, if they get to stick around long enough to do it. I worry about Jena because she was forced to sing first and turned in a “happy” little throw-away performance. Jess performed third, sounded great for 30 seconds, then veered off course. Folks, save them. They can do better.

Baffled by the judges: You already know why I’m baffled by Harry. I explained that earlier. For the second straight week, M.K. got much kinder critiques than she deserved.

Judges’ line of the night Jennifer, after standing up and demonstrating a hair whip of the sort Harry wished Emily had done while singing “Let’s Get Loud”: “I have a really short skirt on, so that was dangerous.”

Sam Woolf sings to adoring fans on American Idol. (FOX Photo)

Idol’s latest dumb idea: For the first time, Idol showed during-the-show results Wednesday night. Well, sort of. After the first six singers performed, they showed us how they were doing in the voting so far. After the second set of six performed, we got to see results for those six singers. Huh? What does this prove? What’s the significance? Majesty Rose had just walked off the stage after her show-closing performance. Might that be why she was sixth out of six performers during the second-half of the show?

What should happen Thursday night: A bottom three of M.K. Nobilette, Dexter Roberts and Malaya Watson. Malaya was most improved this week, but she also had the most room for improvement.

What will happen Thursday: A bottom three of M.K. Nobilette, Jess Meuse and Malaya Watson. And M.K. had better go home.