'So You Think You Can Dance' recap: The edge of glory

First of all, I would like to apologize to those I offended Wednesday night by suggesting that Lady Gaga is anything but a genius in anything she does. Might I suggest that you bestow upon me the same gracious point of view that Gagus Christ proffers in her music: God makes no mistakes. Even when it comes to humble TV

critics. 

Anyway, Lady Gaga performed, and those who read me regularly know I’m a fan of anyone who actually sings when they sing and whose talents seem like they’d be evident even without the aid of costumes, intricate lighting and backing tracks. Actually, I was a little surprised that Lady Gaga’s performance was as straightforward as it was. She performed part of "The Edge of Glory" and "You and I" (the song Haley Reinhart debuted on "American Idol") without much ado in terms of gimmickry or unusual props. In fact, I was kind of coveting the bottom half of her leather-studded dress. Lady Gaga's persona may make me roll my eyes sometimes, but when it comes to talent, she’s the real deal.

She was in good company because all the performances were wonderful. I haven’t been loving the group numbers that much this season but I really enjoyed Tyce Diorio’s circus-themed opening number. First, the costumes, makeup and set were gorgeous, but I especially loved that he decided to really show the people in the circus, including their romantic relationships, instead of just making the piece creepy and weird. It was imaginative and romantic and I liked how it ended as if the lid was being gently closed on a music box. 

Can we talk about LXD though? Wow. Their "Bernini’s Angels" dance may have been my favorite guest performance thus far of the season. Everyone was so crisp and cool and I loved how each dancer had something unique to do, from the guys who twined round each other like puzzle pieces to the girl who came out on stage helicoptering her arms. And the flipping! And the guy who slid out across the stage on his head!  It also didn’t hurt that everybody in the group was extraordinarily good-looking. It was an amazing display of talent that just happened to be badass to boot.

When it came to the results, there wasn’t as much drama. It’s no surprise that Melanie and Sasha made the Top 4. I also wasn’t shocked that Marko made it either, although I must be so used to Ricky having to perform a solo that I didn’t expect him to be safe.  

I agreed with Nigel that I wasn’t that impressed by Caitlynn’s or Jordan’s solo (Jordan had to live up to "Nutbush City Limits" from the night before). Both Jess and Tadd’s solos were impressive in their own way, Jess’ for the sheer number of moves he crammed into it and Tadd’s because he somehow hung from a pole, parallel to the floor. 

When it came down to who was eliminated, I think the judges went more with the spirit of the competition than who necessarily "deserved" to be there. I think Jordan and Caitlynn were pretty well-matched in terms of talent, but I see Caitlynn being a bit more of a chameleon and that works better for the show. In terms of ability and training, I think there’s no question that Jess was superior to Tadd, but Tadd’s more of the fan favorite, and the competition is about America’s favorite dancer, lest we forget. 

Did you agree with the decision? And who would you love to see as a guest performer on "SYTYCD"? I’m still holding out hope for Robyn.

'Idol's' Pia Toscano signs record deal with Interscope

"American Idol’s" Pia Toscano has officially signed a recording contract with Interscope Records, THR has confirmed. She will release her debut single, “This Time,” on July 12 and perform the song as part of her set during this summer’s American Idol Live! Tour.

The track comes courtesy of Esther Dean, who has written several hit singles for Rihanna, including “S&M,” “Rude Boy” and “What’s My Name,” and is currently featured on Nicki Minaj’s smash “Superbass.” Dean wrote and co-produced “This Time,” an acoustic guitar and beat-driven track.
Toscano will continue to work on her debut album, which is due out later this year. Producer Rodney Jerkins, who has recorded three songs with Toscano, told THR in May that fans can expect a “big, diva-sounding record.”
Toscano shot the cover art for the album at Los Angeles' Smudge Studio in late June.
Although she was voted out in ninth place, Toscano was widely regarded as a frontrunner for much of the competition. Upon her ouster, celebrities such as Tom Hanks, Jennifer Hudson and Alyssa Milano expressed their outrage on Twitter, while Ashton Kutcher told On Air With Ryan Seacrest, “I think she was probably the best pure singer on the show, and she’s got all the makings of what it means to be a star.”
Says Toscano in a statement being released on Wednesday: ““I am thrilled to be joining the Interscope and 19 Recordings family. [Interscope Geffen A&M Chairman] Jimmy Iovine was an amazing mentor during my time on Idol and I’m looking forward to working with him and everyone at Interscope Records and 19 Recordings. This is a dream come true.”
Last month, THR reported that Toscano along with season 10 alums Haley Reinhart and James Durbin had signed representation deals with Red Light Management (working in tandem with 19 Entertainment). "I feel like I'm in really good hands," said Toscano. "The most important thing for me is feeling safe with my team. I think they have a good vision for me and where my career is going to go."
The "Idol" summer tour kicks off July 6 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and runs through September 10, when the Top 11 take their final bow in Rochester, New York.

The Voice: Million-dollar quartet

I’m not going to bitch about the final four because, given the teams and circumstances, it’s as it should be.
I love Nakia. I love Frenchie. But I knew they were going home.
I will, however, bitch about this all-star <em>Under Pressure</em>. Nonexistent harmonies and no chemistry. MAKE IT GO AWAY.
Each finalist will do one original and one duet with their coach. Let’s go!
Javier Colon: Stitch by Stitch. Expectedly solid, and it probably sounds terrific on record.

I’d just like a little more OOMPH sometimes from Javier. He’s been stronger in past weeks. But he’ll have a career regardless of what happens. Trust.
Dia Frampton: I Won’t Back Down. Dia and Blake in matching suits and shades. Cute. But he completely overshadows her onstage. Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea. The shy-girl schtick just ain’t cutting it. Am I the only one who’s tired of it?
Vicci Martinez: Afraid to Sleep. ’80s power ballad for the win. Can’t you hear Heart singing this? All teased hair and heavy eye makeup and money notes and a creepy children’s choir. I like it. And I love Vicci.
Beverly McClellan: Beautiful. Savvy move, XTina, doing one of your most enduring hits as the duet. Beverly brings conviction to everything she does. But it’s a bit like the oversinging Olympics.
Dia Frampton: Inventing Shadows. Much stronger on her original song, though it lacks some punch in the chorus. It always seems like Dia’s on half a sleeping pill. SOMEONE WAKE HER FULLY UP, PLEASE. (And remind her that she’s released several records.)
Javier Colon: Man in the Mirror. A great vocal for both guys. Adam helps but doesn’t outshine Javier. It’s a triumphant moment. Can anyone beat Javier at this point?
Beverly McClellan: Love Sick. All right now! I’m loving this. It sounds modern but still totally true to Beverly. She’s grown every week, and this is a shining moment. Easily the best original of the night.
Vicci Martinez: Love is a Battlefield. I’m loving this, too, an homage to the original video and MJ’s Beat It and Mad Max and ’80s angst. Where are my shoulder pads?
So who’s got this? Javier, as we anticipated from the beginning? Or will one of the ladies take it? (I’d secretly — shhh! — love Bev to win.

Finale Ratings: 'Oprah' Breaks Record, 'American Idol' Soars

"The Oprah Winfrey Show" finale delivered a highest overnight rating for the program in 17 years. The last episode which aired May 25 received a 13.3 household rating, according to preliminary ratings from Nielsen. That was the biggest since a February 21, 1994 episode titled "People Shed Their Disguises" which generated a 13.4 rating. The Wednesday installment was the culminate in a three-day farewell episodes of "Oprah". The Monday and Tuesday episodes, which were star-studded, delivered a 10.2 rating and a 10.7 rating respectively. In the meantime, "American Idol" ended the tenth season with a huge rating.

The final result show which crowned Scotty McCreery as the champion averaged 28.2 million viewers with a 8.9 rating in 18-49 demographic. It was up 9% in the demo and 17% in total viewers from 2010. "Idol" finale also beat "Dancing with the Stars" season ender (20.9 million, 4.5), which aired on Tuesday, by 32% in total viewers. However, "DWTS" finale knocked down "Idol" penultimate episode which aired on the same day.

Scotty McCreery Wins 'American Idol'

Lady Gaga, Beyoncé and Bono perform on star-studded season 10 finale. Either way, a teenage country singer was going to take home the season 10 "American Idol" crown Wednesday night (May 25), it was just a matter of whether it was Scotty McCreery or Lauren Alaina. After Tuesday night's final performance episode, Fox announced that more than 122 million votes poured in, marking a new record in "Idol" history, bringing the season total to more than 730 million votes. And while Scotty looked like the unbeatable favorite, there was some doubt going into the finale, thanks to Lauren's gutsy performance just 24 hours before and her knockout delivery of what could have been her "Idol" coronation tune, "Like My Mother Does."

Two hours into the final show, Seacrest finally got the golden envelope, and McCreery and Alaina gave each other a playful, youthful shove in anticipation of the news. To almost no one's surprise, the name inside was Scotty's, and the Garner, North Carolina, baseball star and church choir member burst into tears, bending over with his hands on his knees as the giant screen behind him flashed "Scotty Wins!" A smiling Alaina gave him a warm kiss, and the two pals embraced as judge Jennifer Lopez walked over to present a microphone-shaped trophy to the 17-year-old country crooner who never wavered from his signature, deep-voiced delivery throughout the competition. The rest of the season's finalists engulfed Scotty in a group hug as Seacrest brought him center stage and raised his hand like a boxing champ after a 12-round brawl to end it all. "It's been a year since me and Lauren Alaina tried out, and me and her have been together since day one and we're gonna stay together. ... Never in my wildest dreams," said a shell-shocked McCreery. "I gotta thank the Lord first, he got me here." Handing the platinum microphone off to James Durbin, McCreery moseyed out to the audience to hug his folks and his family (but not disappointed actor Jack Black), as he sang his coronation tune, "I Love You This Big," stopping along the way to hug each finalist and tell them he loved them while sparks and confetti rained down on his big moment. As the song ended, he crumpled into a heap center stage for a good cry and then a few more embraces for the rest of the cast. The performance-packed two-hour finale opened with the season's top 13 -- dressed in white and silver lamé -- taking a peppy, Broadway jukebox musical-style run at Lady Gaga's "Born This Way." Speaking of Gaga, Mother Monster returned to the "Idol" stage for a surprisingly sedate performance of "The Edge of Glory." Standing at the top of a rocky crag while wearing an elaborate diamond-shaped headdress and black cape that she tossed aside to reveal a metal-studded leather bikini, Gaga mostly stood in place until a male dancer approached to engage her in a hip-to-hip ballet interlude that ended with a lover's leap. He wanted to bring metal back, and fourth-place finisher James Durbin got his chance. Slipping into some studded metal duds to rock the stage with hard-rock legends Judas Priest on their classics "Living After Midnight" and "Breaking the Law," Durbin traded snarling vocals with singer Rob Halford and unleashed some of his signature rebel howls to the likely confusion of many in the audience and at home. Jacob Lusk hooked up with gospel great Kirk Franklin and R&B legend Gladys Knight for Franklin's sanctified "I Smile"; bearded lover-man Casey Abrams threw down with "Kung Fu Panda 2" star Black on a greasy, scat-tastic romp through Queen's "Fat Bottomed Girls"; and the ladies of "Idol" (minus Lauren) did a sassy medley of Beyoncé songs, including "Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It)," "Irreplaceable," "Get Me Bodied" and "If I Were a Boy." Things were seeming a bit long until B herself showed up to show the girls how it's done, with a fierce, heel-stomping "Crazy in Love." Queen B got another chance a bit later, debuting her emotional new ballad "1+1," from her upcoming album 4. With composers Bono and The Edge in tow, Reeve Carney, star of the troubled Broadway musical "Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark," sang the meditative beat-rock ballad "Rise Above," capably trading vocals with the Irish rock icon in a pleading voice that was eerily reminiscent of Bono's own plaintive wail. The top 13 guys also got a chance, singing Prince's "Kiss," which allowed Stefano Langone to break out his squeaky falsetto and Paul McDonald to do his scarecrow dance once more for Tom Jones' "She's a Lady," before Sir Jones himself came out to bring it home with "It's Not Unusual." Haley Reinhart got to show off her jazz roots during a duet with musical icon Tony Bennett on a finger-snappin' "Steppin' Out," which included a bit of soft-shoe and fancy dance moves from the duo. One of the night's biggest surprises was the reunion of the two remaining members of 1990s girl group TLC with rapper Lil Jon and the top 13 girls for "Scrubs" and "Waterfalls." Finally, it was time for McCreery to get the spotlight, sharing a microphone and holding his own with Tim McGraw on "Live Like You Were Dying." Also getting a chance to shine after mentoring the "Idol" contestants behind-the-scenes all season was Latin star Marc Anthony, who brought some salsa fire with "Aguanile," during which he was joined by wife Lopez, who showed off her dancing assets during a Sheila E. timbale breakdown. In keeping with the judges' sharp use of the biggest platform in TV to plug themselves, Steven Tyler took the spotlight to sing an abbreviated version of Aerosmith's "Dream On," though, curiously, not his new debut solo single. Alaina also got her time to shine, singing a grinding version of Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats," with a California-beach-babe-looking Underwood sauntering out to trade sassy verses, with the two Southern gals making beautiful music together. And so season 10 ended with the coronation of the first country "Idol" winner since season four's Underwood, who just happens to be the biggest star in the show's history. So Scotty's got that going for him. Don't miss a special edition of "Idol Party Live" Thursday at noon on MTV.com for analysis, finale red-carpet coverage and the last "Idol in 60 Seconds" of season 10. Get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty! In the meantime, get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

Lady Gaga's "Born This Way" Best Buy Party

Pushing her non-stop promotional efforts into the night, Lady Gaga turned up for an appearance at a Best Buy store in New York City on Monday night (May 23).

Scantily clad in a an all-black bondage inspired ensemble, the "Judas" singer was on-hand for the launch of her new album, Born This Way, which was released worldwide earlier in the day.

As for how Gaga managed to record new music for the album all the while being constantly touring on the road, "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest revealed the answer on his radio show earlier today.

"She recorded most of the album in a studio — on wheels," Seacrest explained. "After her shows she’d hop into a converted bus, that had a studio in it, and record tracks all night as they rolled down the highway to her next stop, and then early in the morning, they’d pull over and she’d get out of that converted bus and onto her sleeping bus and rest as much as she could until rolling into another city for another show.”

Haley Reinhart: Judges' criticism intended 'to push me further'

In an American Idol season where the judges are being noticed for their kindness more than their critiques, Haley Reinhart took more flak than just about anybody. While the judges, particularly Randy Jackson and Jennifer Lopez, offered words of support to the other singers, they'd harp on some aspect or another of Haley's performance.

As a result, the 20-year-old singer from Wheeling, Ill., finished in the Bottom Three four times before her elimination last night. Yet time and again she came back -- sometimes within a single show -- to give performances strong enough to keep her in the game.

"I believe their intentions were simply to push me along further," Haley says of the judges. Now, she's looking forward to singing for the fans on the summer's American Idols Live! tour.

"I'm going to enjoy just letting loose, knowing that I'm not going to get judged one more time. I'm just going to love that crowd and look out into each and every seat and show them how much I appreciate them."

She's also looking forward to recording an album, which she expects to have "a sultry, bluesy rock feel."

Haley talked with reporters in a conference call as she rode to rehearsals for next week's finale. Here's an edited transcript of that call.

Over the past few weeks, there has been a giant groundswell of support for you. A lot of celebrities and past Idols like Adam Lambert have supported you on Twitter. Have you been attuned to what people have said about you? Has that been extra motivation?

Definitely. I'm not too big on the blogs. I don't like to look into anything that could possibly be negative. But I look at the tweets. I pretty much ready everybody's that they send me. Getting that support from Adam was just amazing. He's spectacular. He's one of the best to ever set foot on that stage.

If you could take one cover that you did this past season and put it on your debut album, what would it be?

There were so many different types of songs. Bennie and the Jets launched a lot of different stuff for me. I took a different route with the song. I started it slow and jazzier, like I wanted to. That would be pretty cool. There's a bunch of different ones I could think of.

Beautiful. I totally changed Carole King's. It was beautiful the way it was written, but I changed it up and kind of funkified it. That was a different kind of cover.

It was fun seeing you sing with your dad. Tell us what it was like singing with your dad for the first time when you were 8 years old.

My parents have basically taught me the rules of the stage since I was 8. The first big thing I ever got to do, it was on my 9th birthday that day. I got to play the International Tattoo Festival. It was huge! I sang Blue by LeAnn Rimes. That's when I had figured out I could yodel. I heard LeAnn doing it and was captivated by it.

I think I was overwhelmed and probably cried afterward, but it was an amazing feeling.

Going from that to Wednesday, it has always been a dream of mine to get somewhere. Just as important to me, it would be an honor to have my mom and my dad with me up there. I got to go home and play with their band. Having him on the stage and giving him a couple licks to show America what he can do was so special to me.

Paul McDonald said that hanging around with the teenagers on this show was like going back to high school. What were the culture differences this last week when you were hanging with Scotty and Lauren?

I've grown up on the stage and I've grown up around adult crowds, so I've taken a lot of that with me. It's been fun, you know. Lauren, she takes me back to when I was younger. Five years can be a big difference. It's been really fun to hang out with them. I like being a goofball, so I always make the best out of it and have a good time.

The judges were more critical of you than they were of Lauren and Scotty. Did you think that helped or hindered you in the competition?

It could go both ways. I believe their intentions were simply to push me along further. It was apparent that they liked to get me to where I could be at the top of my game, get me a little fired up inside so I came out with something that they didn't expect. As far as if it hindered anything, I got to top three, so that was quite all right.

Would you have done anything different Wednesday, if you could go back?

I don't live in regret. I do nitpick; I'm a Virgo. Other than that, I don't regret anything. Each step along this way has got me to where I am today. All these different songs and the genres I got to show off in the early stages, I wouldn't trade that in for the world. I got to show versatility, and I'm proud to do that.

What do you believe America learned about you during the season?

I think I took a lot of risks early on, when you usually do the opposite. Maybe they didn't know how to take me, because I went along with the themes from week to week. I started getting into my own little niche -- the rock, bluesy, sultry feel. I think America started to catch on, and they kept me around.

What did your dad tell you after the show last night?

He was on cloud nine. He said he had a blast, that this was my best concert ever. This was a keepsake for life that we'll always have. Nothing can take that away from us.

You were in the Bottom Three four times before last night. Did you get the feeling it was only a matter of time before you'd be voted off? Or did it give you a feeling of invincibility because you survived so many times?

I kind of go with Option B a little bit more. I don't like to sell myself short. I believe that taking that all in stride and realizing that I had been in it so many times and I was still around, so there was something going on. I just gotta step my game up even more week to week.

Would it be fair to say you were angry last night when you heard the verdict?

Not at all. Not angry. Of course, everybody's going to be surprised with the verdict. All in all, I accepted it quickly and took it with a grain of salt. I said, "Hey, this happened for a reason. This is a good thing. This happened for a reason, and it only means that I am going to start my career as a solo artist even sooner."

Some people had this view of you as being aloof and not friendly on the show. But none of the people I talked to that know you gave me that impression. You talked about being a goofball. Do you think America didn't really see the person that other people see you as, back home?

Definitely. It's easy to get depicted in different way on the show. It's all in the way the cards end up playing out. I'm usually messing around with all the camera guys. Like, we're all cracking up together. I like to have a good time. I'm usually always bubbly. It's different to see what comes out, in all reality.

You're on that stage, and you've got to perform in front of the judges. It's not like you've got a one-on-one where you can talk and show everybody a little bit of that personality you have inside. It's really hard to get that all out in a minute and a half. It's time now that I've got to really get out there.

We talked about how the judges were harder on you from week to week than they were other contestants. You seemed to react to that on the show. Did you ever talk to any of the other contestants about how the judges were treating you? Did they ever say anything to you?

I don't know. It was apparent on stage, even, Lauren and them coming up to me, and they just don't understand it. The only thing that I can get out of it is that they really waned to push my buttons, push me as far as I could possibly go, to get whatever they wanted to get out of me. Most of the time, it was fire that they wanted, so I would try to take it out on stage. It is what it is.

Randy and them tell me, "It's all love." I'm like, "I understand. You want to see what you can get out of me."

You looked floored last night when you heard the news. How hard was it to pull yourself together? What did you think?

You literally have seconds to think about it. So I took a second to think about it. And then I said, "All right. All right." And I just kept saying it. "Okay. This is it. Guess what? I have to sing a song in about five seconds. Let's move on to that; let's have a good time with that and show America why they kept me there so long." Give them a good show.

What was it like backstage after the show?

I got offstage, and I was at peace with everything. I had that moment where I realized how much I was going to miss everybody, even the stage crew. Everybody is such a great big family, and I've gotten really close. That's one of the most wonderful parts of this whole experience, is to create bonds to everybody and make sure it's an enjoyable experience throughout. I knew I would miss them. But, then again, I'm going to see them, like, today. It's just that reality check.

Everybody was still supportive. They've got my back. I love everybody back there.

A couple other Chicago area folks who didn't make it all the way to the top -- Jennifer Hudson, Crystal Bowersox -- have gone on to do great things. What confidence does that give you going forward?

That's all the confidence the world. I absolutely adore Jennifer Hudson and what strength that woman has. Being a fellow Chicagoan, it's great to see what she has conquered. It gives so much hope and faith to me.

Having Crystal on the show and seeing her, in second place, getting to do the kind of music that she really wants to do in life, it's as a beautiful thing. I'm excited for the future.

What goals do you have for your time on stage during the upcoming tour?

Performing, it's such a different ballgame in front of the judges. Performing on stage is what I've done since I was kid. It's the passion that has started from the very beginning for me. And that's what I'm going to enjoy, just letting loose, knowing that I'm not going to get judged one more time. I'm just going to love that crowd and look out into each and every seat and show them how much I appreciate them and want to be there for them.

After he got voted off, Casey made it clear you guys were never dating, even though a bunch of rumors had floated. What was your reaction when you heard those rumors?

It started a long time ago. I forget which week. It was when we started bonding and getting really close. We could confide in each other and had a different kind of connection from all the rest. So we would sit by each other and all that jazz. I'm pretty sure that's when it all started.

We laughed about it. Obviously, we have a strong relationship. Maybe not dating, but the musicality between us has been wonderful.

Do you think the rumors helped our hurt either one of you in the competition? Did they become a distraction?

Not really. And we never really gave into them at all. We never said yes or no. That's probably the better thing to do.

We got so many questions about it. Either way, it's not going to hurt anybody. We had a lot of fun with it. We played the game.

The trip back home that you made, what will be the biggest memory you'll take from that?

It was raining out. It was very gloomy, yet I had 30,000-plus people waiting out for hours in that rain. I saw so many familiar faces, and it really got me. I took it right to heart.

Definitely the highlight of the whole thing -- other than everybody who showed up and gave me support -- was getting my parents and their band up there playing wiht me. We winged everything about it. We did Sweet Home Chicago. It was a really fun gig.

Have you ever gone to see one of the summer Idol tours?

No. I've watched the show since it started, but I haven't gotten to see the tour, so I'm really excited to see what it's going to be like.

The judges' advice can go from one extreme to the other each week. As a contestant, how hard is it to figure out what they're really asking for?

If I do get the positive, I stick with that. I'll take every kind of criticism in.

Steven, he really helped me out, to make me feel good about a lot of those performances that I got harsh critiques on. It balanced out. I really appreciated what Steven had to say, being the great musician that he is.

Do you sort of sing past the judges, figuring they don't matter as much as the voters?

Everybody's always saying, "It's not up to them, it's up to America." And that's ture. Thankfully, America let me stick around until I got to the Top Three. That's more than I could have imagined. It's just a blessing.

What do you think your album will be like?

I have a lot of ideas, even from now to the future, of what I'd like to do. I'd love to do an album that's sultry, bluesy rock. I absolutely love jazz, so if I can slip that in somewhere or, even, in the future, get more into jazz, but I'm definitely loving the sultry, bluesy rock feel.

On the show, you got to work with Lady Gaga, Jimmy Iovine, Beyonce. What did you take away from them?

It was really cool. I wasn't really that nervous. I was excited to meet them, but I wasn't really nervous.

The experience was so surreal. Then again, I walked up to them and I felt like we were both artists, and they treated me like that. The feedback that they gave me was so wonderful, every time, on an off camera. I walked away on cloud nine.

Who was the best mentor that you learned something from?

As far as mentors? I had a great time with Lady Gaga and Beyonce. And Sheryl Crow. She's definitely somebody I look up to and have grown up with. I could see me going into some of that kind of feel, her earlier stuff, especially.

They were all so down to earth and very generous with their comments and their feedback to me. It was very sweet all around.

What qualities do Scotty and Lauren have that make them the American Idol?

As far as the viewers of the show, this is perfect for them. We have a very young audience out there. They're both just so darn cute. They've got the country calling for them. This is a country year.

I'm excited to see what happens. But I definitely can see the young America being very captivated by these two.

Go out on a limb and predict who's going to be the winner.

Nah, you know I can't do that!

It's a close one. And it's such a close one because they're in such a close lane, as far as country goes. It's anybody's game, man.

As you start to think about your album, who would you like to work with?

I love classic rock. I've just grown up with rock 'n' roll in my life. If I could do something with Steven Tyler, that'd be fantastic.

There are plenty of people out there that I'd love to collaborate with. I adore Esperanza Spalding and Janelle Monae Those are women I think are very unique and powerful in their own way. I hope to do something just as cool, you know?

If you could pick one moment you want people to remember from the show, what would it be?

Well, I picked Bennie and the Jets last night, because that was a big turning point. I had good performances leading up to that, starting with You Really Got a Hold on Me.

With Bennie and the Jets, I had a whole vision of how I wanted that to pan out. It was may arrangement, how I started it off, jazzy and a little bit slower, then it rocked out by the end of it. I planned out that whole thing on the piano. It worked out very well. So I guess I would say that performance.

A lot of times people say you might be better off not winning, because you can make more of your own album. Do you think you might be better off not having been in the finale, that you might get more space to do what you want to do?

You never know. I'm excited to go out there and try to do exactly what I want to do. This is a great position for me to be in. I'm excited for the future.

Haley Reinhart takes a tumble in American Idol semi-final

It's a race to the finale on "American Idol" as the last three contestants face a grueling three rounds of singing to decide who stays and who goes. Unfortunately, one of the finalists experienced a bit of a misstep.

After Scott McCreery and Lauren Alaina sang their songs "Amazed" and "Wild One" respectively, Haley Reinhart slipped on the steps while performing "What Is And What Should Never Be." Despite her slight stumble, judges awarded her the first round thanks to her vivacious performance, even garnishing positive and playful comments from Steven Tyler.

"Haley, did you fall for me," Steven asked playfully. "It's not about how many times you fall, it's how many times you get back up."

In round two, Scott stole the spotlight with his country rendition of "Are You Gonna Kiss Me Or Not," as all the judges appreciated his beautifully sung chorus. Lauren came with "If I Die Young" and Haley followed up with "Rhiannon," and although there were no qualms with either performance, they simply weren't enough to overtake Scott's sweet song.

Round three was a different animal as the judges were split when deciding who took the final round. While Steven stuck with his choice for Haley, Randy Jackson and Jennifer Lopez couldn't pick against Laura and her song, "I Hope You Dance." When asked, Jennifer stated, "I think Lauren gave us one of the best performances of the night. Goose pimples don't lie."

Take a look at clips of the contestant's performances and don't miss tomorrow's "American Idol" to see who makes it to the finale!

Fox Lineup Includes Simon Cowell, Dinosaurs, Mean Girls

After sustaining "American Idol" in the wake of Simon Cowell's departure, Fox Broadcasting is now bringing the wise-cracking talent judge back to its network in the fall to headline an ambitious slate of new shows, including several comedies and a drama with dinosaurs.

On Monday, Fox unveiled the details of its fall line-up, which includes "The X Factor," the splashy talent show that Mr. Cowell will judge, as well as "Terra Nova," a big-budget science-fiction drama about a family that travels back in time, executive-produced by Steven Spielberg. "The X Factor," already a hit in Britain, will air Wednesday and Thursday nights, the same time slots during which "American Idol" is currently running.

 "We feel we have the gold standard in both 'Idol' and 'X factor,'" Fox Networks Group chairman of entertainment Peter Rice said on a conference call Monday morning. "There's an excitement and a buzz around ['X Factor'] that we've never seen before. We had more people show up for the audition than we ever had on Idol."

Fox is part of News Corp., which also owns The Wall Street Journal.

In addition to its talent shows, Fox will add four new comedies to its roster of prime-time shows, which includes returning programs such as "Glee." A number of shows are disappearing from Fox's schedule, most notably "America's Most Wanted." The long-running Saturday evening show hadn't made money for the network for years, according to Fox Entertainment President Kevin Reilly, and will now run as just a series of specials.

Network executives said that they expect "The X Factor" to draw similar audiences to "American Idol," which has continued to draw huge viewership. Just this season, "Idol" saw its audience increase by 3% and is averaging more than 24 million viewers a week.

Both "X Factor" and "Idol" may face general competition from NBC's stab at the genre, "The Voice." But on Monday, Fox's executives said they were confident in Mr. Cowell's ability to draw fans. "In Simon Cowell we have the absolute star of the genre at the pinnacle of his game," Mr. Rice said.

Overall, Fox says it will finish its TV season first in adults 18 years old to 49 years old. It averaged 9.7 million viewers this season, according to Nielsen Co., leaving it in second place behind CBS, which averaged 11.7 million viewers.

Looking ahead, Fox executives are focusing on "Terra Nova" as well as a slate of new comedies to keep younger viewers watching. It is bringing back "Raising Hope" and aggressively pushing two new shows, including "New Girl" starring Zooey Deschanel, which runs on Tuesday nights, and "I Hate My Teenage Daughter," which focuses on two mothers who realize their daughters have become so-called mean girls and will run on Wednesdays after "The X Factor."

"Terra Nova," which follows a family that travels back to the time to when dinosaurs ruled the earth, was originally supposed to premiere earlier, but will now run in the fall. Its first two-hour episode involved more than 250 sets. "It is unlike anything you've ever seen before," Mr. Reilly said Monday, adding that all 13 episodes of the show would run this fall "short of disaster."

Other dramas that Fox is launching mid-season include a new show from J.J. Abrams called "Alcatraz" after the infamous prison, as well as "The Finder," a one-hour procedural that follows an Iraq war veteran who turns a combat injury into a gift.

IDOL 411: James Durbin Stops 'Believin'; Haley 'Reinharts' Into Next Week

Is anyone else fuming right now?

"American Idol" revealed its top three finalists for Season 10 on Thursday night, and sadly, rocker James Durbin will not be a "hometown hero."

We knew Scotty McCreery would (rightfully) be in the top three after his perfectly timed 9/11 tribute, but the verdict doesn't seem fair. James, who basically gave a rock concert every single week and who never once landed in the bottom three as far as we can recall, was sent home, while Haley "Reinharted" into next week after "losing" round one on Wednesday.

That's not to say we don't like Haley. She has a cool rock 'n' roll vibe, and her second performance was Broadway-worthy this week. And while Lauren Alaina has been a little inconsistent throughout the season, she gave an especially beautiful performance of Martina McBride's "Anyway" on Wednesday, which she tastefully dedicated to victims of the storms in the South.

But James really deserved to be in the top three. In fact, it was only a week or so that Randy said the competition was "his to lose."

Is Paula Abdul fourth 'X Factor' judge?

Taping for the new Fox singing contest "X Factor" is scheduled to start Sunday. But only three of the expected four judges have been announced.

While the clock is ticking, the identity of the show's fourth judge, though widely expected to be Paula Abdul, remains unconfirmed.

Previously announced judges include pop superstar Cheryl Cole and Grammy-winning producer Antonio "L.A." Reid, as well as Abdul's former "American Idol" mate, Simon Cowell.

"The X Factor," based on Cowell's hit British show, will debut this fall on Fox. The likely choice of Abdul to be included is an open secret, fueled in part by Cowell's recent remarks that he would like to work with her again.

On Friday, negotiations with Abdul were continuing, according to a person familiar with the talks who spoke on the condition of anonymity because Fox and the show's producers had not authorized public comment.

Abdul is a dancer, choreographer and recording artist who reigned on "Idol" as the nice, if sometimes dizzy-seeming, judge who often clashed with Cowell, who played the role of bullyboy.

There was no immediate comment from Fox or from Abdul's agent or publicist.

In January, she debuted on CBS with her own talent competition, "Live to Dance," which was a flop.

"The X Factor" is open to solo singers and vocal groups age 12 and up. The winner gets a $5 million record contract.

Casey Abrams Likens 'American Idol' Judges' Input To 'Jelly Beans'

It's a lot to take in. Imagine being on TV for the first time in your life, in front of several hundred screaming fans in a Los Angeles studio and more than 20 million at home, and not only performing a cover of a song you may not even know, but listening to feedback on your work from three judges, mentor/ record industry legend Jimmy Iovine and the show's producers.

It can be a head-swimming proposition, but for just-booted "American Idol" bass-slapper Casey Abrams, filtering all of that information was not as hard as it sounds.

 "I tended to listen to the coaches more," he said of the "Idol" team of behind-the-scenes vocal coaches that includes associate music director and arranger Michael Orland. "He's sick and he's funny in a weird way. And I just trusted him musically."

But Abrams, who studied music and music theory at California's Idyllwild Arts Academy, also combined that with the words of wisdom from the producers, Iovine and the judges' comments from the previous week. "You piece it together and it's like the jelly beans in a big jar," Abrams explained. "You're not gonna be like, 'Hey producer what do you think? Oh, you think that?' "

In other words, none of those other voices are enough to push a performance in one direction or another, but rather, they're all pieces of a tapestry. There are always those weird flavors in a jelly bean jar, though, like your cotton candy or root beer, right?

"The buttered-popcorn jelly bean would have to be J.Lo," Abrams said of the judge he famously smooched on the show. "Right? She's buttery?"

Don't miss "Idol Party Live" every Thursday at noon on MTV.com for analysis, celebrity guests and even some karaoke — get in the conversation by tweeting with the hashtag #idolparty! In the meantime, get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions.

TV networks are deciding who's in and who's out

As TV executives huddle in screening rooms the next few days, watching pilots for proposed fall series, they're having to adjust to a couple of big surprises.Not long ago few would have predicted that "American Idol" would still be TV's No. 1 show, even without Simon Cowell. And even fewer would have guessed that the most-watched comedy, "Two and a Half Men," would be facing life without Charlie Sheen.In fact, it's been a rough year for broadcasters all around. The major networks got pummeled by critics for a slate of uninspired new offerings last fall, which no doubt helps explain why each suffered notable ratings erosion this season. No. 4 NBC was hammered the worst, with double-digit declines in major categories, according to the Nielsen Co.So executives are facing tough decisions about the futures of some onetime audience favorites that might be bulldozed to make way for new series.

Among the long-running shows that are, in the industry's lingo, "on the bubble": ABC's family drama "Brothers & Sisters," NBC's perennially endangered comic caper "Chuck" and Fox's crime drama "Lie to Me." Their fates are likely to depend on how appealing the new pilots seem when executives watch them.Other series, such as NBC's heavily publicized "The Event," ABC's superhero drama "No Ordinary Family" and CBS' "The Defenders," are considered near-certain bets for cancellation.Despite its high ratings, "Two and a Half Men" should also be added to the "bubble" list, since Sheen was fired from the show amid a spectacular public meltdown and CBS and Warner Bros., the studio that makes the show, are scrambling to adapt the comedy without its big star. Most insiders consider it a foregone conclusion the show will return in some form, but the details have yet to be worked out."That's a decision they're going to have to make," Brad Adgate, an analyst at Horizon Media in New York, said of CBS. "If you don't have 'Two and a Half Men' on Monday night, what do you put there?"Luckily for CBS executives, their network is the one perhaps best-positioned to handle such uncertainty heading into the "upfronts," the annual selling season that begins later this month, when networks present their fall schedules to advertisers in New York. CBS is the most-watched network by far, although it's also the oldest-skewing, with an average viewer age of 55. Tuesday night, for example, is rock-solid on CBS with the "NCIS" franchise, one of the most popular on TV.Because it has the fewest holes in its lineup, CBS ordered just 16 drama and comedy pilots, compared with 22 for NBC and 24 for ABC. (Fox also ordered 16, but it programs just two hours on weeknights compared to three for its rivals.)But the Sheen case has created a major strategic problem. This season the network moved its sitcom "The Big Bang Theory" to Thursdays, where it has helped the network establish a comedy base on that night for the first time in years. "We got the beachhead we wanted," said Kelly Kahl, CBS' scheduling chief.If the network has to move ahead without "Two and a Half Men," executives might be forced to roll "Big Bang" back to Monday as well as delay a plan to try comedies on Wednesday. CBS officials have made it clear that they would not welcome such a retreat.Another complication for CBS: The enduring strength of "Idol." Many observers expected Fox's singing contest to fall apart without the snarky presence of Cowell, the show's putative star, who left to develop "The X Factor" for Fox this fall.But with new judges Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez, "Idol" has remained a ratings powerhouse, even after its regular pattern was shifted from Tuesday-Wednesday to Wednesday-Thursday. Indeed, Fox is poised again to win the ratings race among viewers ages 18 to 49 — the category most advertisers covet — by at least half a ratings point over its nearest challenger, CBS."We confounded everybody," said Preston Beckman, Fox's scheduling guru, who added that the strength of the show "was always about the kids" who compete and not necessarily the judges.That doesn't mean Fox faces no challenges. The network served up one of this season's biggest flops, the drama "Lone Star," which was yanked after two airings. And Fox faces risky launches in the fall for "X Factor" and especially "Terra Nova," a costly sci-fi epic that is already generating rumors of production woes. Beckman characterized both premieres as top priorities for Fox. "X Factor" is considered a likely bet for Wednesday and Thursday this fall, the same slots occupied by "Idol."ABC finds itself in a much dicier position. Top shows such as "Desperate Housewives" and "Grey's Anatomy" are aging. "Dancing With the Stars" is heavily dependent on casting and draws a relatively old audience. With the exception of the much-admired comedy "Modern Family," the network has gone years without creating a new hit. It remains unclear whether top programmer Paul Lee, who has been in the post less than a year, can engineer a turnaround this coming season."They really need hits," Adgate said. "Their franchise shows continue to show some audience erosion."Then there's NBC, which has been in a ratings free fall for the last few seasons. Bob Greenblatt, the former top Showtime programmer brought in by new owner Comcast, faces a steep hill in trying to make the network competitive again, with Monday and Wednesday nights in need of near-total makeovers.The one bright spot for NBC? Strong ratings for the premiere of "The Voice," the singing competition with star judges Christina Aguilera, Adam Levine, Cee Lo Green and Blake Shelton. Many insiders consider it likely that the show will be retained for the fall schedule and likely be kept on Tuesdays, to avoid a conflict with "X Factor."Of course, it's still early, and much will depend on what happens in those dark screening rooms the next few days.The good news for the networks? This pilot season is looking a lot stronger than last year's.Looking over the list of 88 scripted pilots, Adgate said: "It seems like the networks are focusing more on the untraditional, are getting away from the typical dramas and comedies you get year in, year out."

'Dancing With the Stars' recap: Some Were Born to Sing the Blues(Foto Gallery)

In a rare crossover between hit shows on different networks, controversial American Idol evictee Pia Toscano appeared as the headline act on ABC's Dancing with the Stars tonight.

Fox obviously know they've been forced to let a star slip through their fingers as they asked Toscano, 22, to open Thursday night's Idol show with others who had been eliminated.

But Dancing with the Stars gave the New Yorker top billing tonight, ahead of popular classic acts Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block, who appeared together.

Toscano was also allowed to have rumoured boyfriend Mark Ballas, 26 , dance beside her as she belted out a tune by Chrissie Hynde's Pretenders.

Indeed, the supposed couple seemed to want to address the rumours definitively by making their first appearance together before an advertising break.

Ballas protectively clamped the beauty to him, clutching her nude skintight dress - notably not reaching out in the same way to dancer Karina Sminoff, who also performed with them, and was standing to his left as he held Pia on the right.

He and Smirnoff danced while Toscano belted out The Pretenders classic, I'll Stand By You, appropriate considering the cosy set-up, though I'll twirl by you would've been more precise.

Presenter Tom Bergeron congratulated Toscano after the ballad and said that from their side of 'the corridor,' they couldn't understand why she'd been voted off Idol.

He then said he'd been asking to find out if she was dating Ballas but that he wouldn't go there, so instead enquired as to whether or not the pro-dancer is a good kisser, Toscano replied with a beaming smile: 'He is a wonderful person.'

Also grinning despite being eliminated from the show was wrestler Chris Jericho, who left only one night after landing in last place on the smash hit show.

'It's actually good timing that I got eliminated because I have to fly over to England for the royal wedding,' Jericho joked after learning his fate tonight.

He and his professional dance partner, Cheryl Burke, collected 22 points out of 30 on Monday for a tango that one judge described as 'cold, uneventful and a bit lumpy.'

Judges' scores are combined with viewer votes to determine which celebrity is eliminated each week.

'Let's be honest: It wasn't my best dance, and at this point in the competition, you have to be your best every week or this is what happens,' Jericho said.

He added: 'I'm proud of all the dances we did and I'm proud to show that a WWE guy and a rock 'n' roll singer can go this far and do this.'

Burke told her partner he exceeded her expectations every week

'You've turned into an amazing dancer and an amazing friend,' she said.

Jericho joins previously eliminated contestants Sugar Ray Leonard, Wendy Williams, Mike Catherwood and Petra Nemcova.

Tonight's episode also featured that performance by New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys, and was opened by Hanson.

The boy turned man bands sang new tune together, Don't Turn Out the Lights, and their individual hits Step By Step and I Want It That Way.

Returning to perform two dances next week will be remaining contestants Hines Ward, Kirstie Alley - who was praised for confidence in her sexuality - Chelsea Kane, Kendra Wilkinson, Ralph Macchio and Romeo.

American Idol Drops One Like It's Nothing

Well, it wasn't coming into Thursday's elimination show, when the fates of seven bright-eyed hopefuls still hung in the balance.

What did we learn tonight, besides that Casey Abrams, James Durbin and Scotty McCreery should never sing "Viva La Vida" all together ever again?

Nothing new, really.

Stefano Langone and Jacob Lusk made up the bottom two and the trapdoor ultimately opened underneath Stefano.

It was the Ne-Yo, we tell you, the Ne-Yo! If you want to do dance-party R&B on this show...just don't.

Hence, it was the end of the road for the 21-year-old wild card from Kent, Wash., who recovered from a devastating accident in just enough time to give his singing career a jolt by trying out for Idol.

"It started my career, and that's something you can't put a price on. That's everything," he told Ryan Seacrest after the elimination. "I'm just so blessed, I came this far, and it's great! It really is!"

So, another close shave for Jacob, who avoided the bottom three last week after performing Simon & Garfunkle's "Bridge Over Trouble Water," but was right back in it after last night's emotional rendition of Luther Vandross' "Dance With My Father."

But who was alongside them in the bottom three?

"Scotty, wow, you are safe," Ryan informed the perpetually safe country singer, sending him to sit with Casey, James and Lauren Alaina, and sending Haley Reinhart to fill the last bottom-three stool—for about 30 seconds.

Instead of making her wait through Katy Perry and Kanye West's "E.T" performance, Ryan sidled up to Haley, told her to return with him to the middle of the stage, and then shooed her off to safety.

And then there were six. Next week, Haley, Casey, Lauren, James, Jacob and Scotty will try to weave a pretty tapestry with the tunes of Carole King.

NatGeo to re-air ‘Restrepo’ after filmmaker’s death in Libya

The National Geographic Channel announced Thursday that it will re-telecast the documentary “Restrepo” at 9 p.m. Monday, after news that Tim Hetherington — one of two men who made the film — was killed Wednesday while covering the combat in Libya.

In January 2010, the channel acquired the global broadcast rights to “Restrepo,” in which Hetherington and journalist Sebastian Junger (author of “The Perfect Storm”) chronicled the deployment of a U.S. Army platoon stationed at one of the most dangerous outposts in Afghanistan.

NatGeo ran the Academy Award-nominated film in November. The replay will include a tribute to Hetherington, NatGeo said.

The movie focuses on a remote 15-man outpost in the Korengal Valley called Restrepo, which was named for a medic who was killed in action.

On Aug. 7, Hetherington and Junger went to the Summer TV Press Tour to talk about “Restrepo.” Hetherington was asked what makes him “need to go and do all this difficult work?” and whether there was “any adrenaline or any sort of thing like that that’s also something that you seek out.”

“It’s important to cover stories that gave meaning to me,” Hetherington answered.

“You know, adrenaline is a small part of that, but it’s not really the reason why I go back,” he said. “The same for the soldiers when they fight. Soldiers fight in war for, ultimately, brotherhood. The adrenaline is a part of it but not the driving factor.”

‘Idol’ shift

Fox is moving “American Idol” back to Tuesday and Wednesday nights — but only for the season finale.

The final performance episode will air May 24. The final results night, when the winner (cough — James Durbin — cough) is crowned, will air May 25.

Why the move?

The official 2010-11 TV season ends the night of May 25. If this season’s final “American Idol” results show aired Thursday night that week, as it has all this season, Fox would not get to include the show’s sure-to-be-big ratings in the network’s season average.

Last season’s finale was no barnburner, and it managed to clock 24 million viewers. Fox doesn’t have many shows that attract 24 million viewers. Heck, Fox doesn’t have any other shows that have 24 million viewers.

Fox had decided to move the hit reality series from its traditional Tuesday-Wednesday play pattern and air it instead Wednesday and Thursday nights to establish a beachhead on Thursday night. CBS had moved its Thursday reality hit “Survivor” to Wednesday, so there was plenty of room for “Idol” on Thursday.

Thursday night is big in the broadcast-TV world — it’s when movie studios really like to start pitching their weekend openings in a big way, for instance, because we apparently decide Thursday night what movie we’re going to see that weekend.

It’s also apparently the night we decide what new car we’re going to go test-drive that weekend, and which new washer and dryer we want to look at. Weird, I know — but the networks have research. Put “Idol” on Thursdays and movie studios, car companies and appliance retailers come pouring in, wanting to reach their potential customers — and willing to pay “Idol” ad rates. Everybody wins.

Oprah books Frey

Truth-challenged author James Frey and Oprah Winfrey will continue their use-use relationship next month when he appears on one of her very last shows while she is Queen of Syndicated Daytime Talk TV.

Oprah’s Harpo Productions won’t say what day he’ll show up — just that it will be “sometime in May.”

Naturally, Oprah’s looking to attract the biggest audiences possible for her final few episodes so she can go out with a bang.

Frey will appear for the whole hour, to talk about his new novel, “The Final Testament of the Holy Bible.”

When last we saw Frey and Oprah together on her show, in January 2006, he was on the receiving end of quite a verbal walloping. Oprah was understandably upset. First, she endorsed the guy’s memoir, “A Million Little Pieces,” and had him on her show to plug the book, which promptly shot to 2 million copies sold.

Then, when rumors started that Frey had partially fabricated the story, Oprah stood by him in interviews, causing pundits and navel-gazers to look at her squiggly-eyed and write unpleasant things about her credibility.

Then, it became painfully clear that he had, in fact, fabricated parts of his story.

So there he was, on Oprah’s show, with his tail between his legs while being lit into by the Queen of Syndicated Daytime Talk TV — after she’d first told her viewers, “I made a mistake” defending Frey and his book. On that show, Frey for the first time acknowledged that in writing “A Million Little Pieces,” he systematically lied.

“I feel that you betrayed millions of readers. . . . That bothers me greatly. . . . I feel that you conned us all,” Oprah pounded and pounded some more.

It was brilliant television.

“She was unrelenting,” William Bastone, founder of the Smoking Gun Web site — which had eviscerated Frey’s book — told The Washington Post. “I thought she was incredible. I thought she was fabulous.”

(In fall 2008, Oprah reportedly contacted Frey to apologize for that on-screen drubbing.)

Now, Oprah has a show to wrap up and historic ratings to try to achieve. Frey has a new novel to plug, about the second coming of Jesus in contemporary times as an active bisexual former alcoholic with a prostitute girlfriend who aborts her first child.

Oprah and Frey: on again. It’s a match made in heaven.

'American Idol': James Durbin finds his Muse

Musically speaking, James Durbin and Casey Abrams may not be everyone's cup of tea. But there's no denying that, with their envelope-pushing ways, the two California kids are bringing the most edge and energy to "American Idol" as the show steams toward its stretch run.

They hogged the spotlight during Wednesday's Top 7 presentation of "music from the 21st century" -- Durbin with his soaring rendition of Muse's "Uprising," and Abrams with his revved-up version of Maroon 5's "Harder to Breathe."

And both singers had the judges raving, but only Abrams had Jennifer Lopez blushing after he sealed his performance with a kiss.

Depending on your perspective, Durbin either looked like a rock 'n' roll storm trooper, or a homeless dude off the beaches of Santa Cruz as he took to the stage in dark tattered overcoat.

(He said was going for a "post-apocalyptic" vibe). Accompanied by a marching-band drum section (surely a first in "Idol" history), Durbin, as always, dove full-throttle into the song, which closed out with the kind of super-high notes that may have shattered TV screens in some homes.

JLo was blown away. "Wow. I think that was the highest we've ever heard you sing," she remarked.

Added Steven Tyler, "I love it that you're out of your mind, beautifully so."

Not to be totally outdone, Abrams strapped on an electric guitar and did what some may have thought impossible -- bring some intensity and passion to a Maroon 5 song. But he softened things up at the end, approaching the judges' table and planting a peck on J.Lo's cheek. A brazen move for the bearded wonder from Idyllwild. It isn't everyday, after all, that you get to kiss the "most beautiful woman in the world," according to People magazine.

"You did what I've been trying to do for four months," blurted Steven Tyler, who tossed in some expletives that woke up the guy in charge of the "bleep" button.

JLo said she loved Abrams' performance -- and that his "soft lips" weren't bad either.

The judges also found plenty to like about Jacob Lusk's touching performance of the Luther Vandross classic, "Dance with my Father," which had an emotional Lusk recalling his own late father. In addition, Haley Reinhart's gutsy take on Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" received glowing reviews.

But one singer accustomed to praise -- country warbler Scotty McCreery -- finally heard a touch of criticism (long overdue, from my standpoint). His listless version of "Swingin' " by LeAnn Rimes was called "safe and kinda boring" by Randy Jackson, and JLo said, "we were expecting more from Scotty."

Before the Top 7 did their thing, fans of Thia Megia got a treat when the East Bay singer returned with other eliminated contestants (Pia Toscano, Naima Adedapo, Karen Rodriguez, Ashthon Jones and Paul McDonald) for a rousing group sing of Pink's "So What."

"We miss this group," chirpped Jackson when it was over. "Come back. Come back."

Lopez chose 'Idol' over 'X Factor'

Jennifer Lopez turned down a role on the U.S. version of 'The X Factor' to become a judge on 'American Idol'.

The 41-year-old singer was approached by 'X Factor' boss and former 'American Idol' judge Simon Cowell about joining the show's much-speculated judging panel but decided to take part in Simon Fuller's rival talent search instead because it has been around for longer and "seemed a better fit".

She said: "We did talk about 'The X Factor' for a little bit. But at the end of the day, thinking about my career and everything that was going on, when the opportunity to do 'Idol' came along it seemed a better fit.

"'Idol' has been a show for so many years. It's an institution. To be involved in something like that felt really great."

The mother-of-two -- who reportedly signed a US$12m deal to join the panel of 'American Idol', alongside Aerosmith's Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson -- says although she is enjoying mentoring young hopefuls she is unsure whether she will return to the show next year.

She told the Daily Star newspaper: "I don't know if I will do another season. I'm taking it day by day at the moment and we'll see what happens.

"I've been having a great time, I can't lie. I'm really enjoying it and having fun and enjoying working with the contestants."

Jennifer particularly likes being on the show because while she shares her experience and knowledge with contestants she gains inspiration from them.

She said: "You can't help but learn from them. You're talking about performing and singing and when you're watching them you see them and think: 'I do that.' It's been a great exchange back and forth."

'American Idol' recap: Motown Madness

It was Motown Week on American Idol, which meant a lot of white blazers, plenty of scrambling to Wikipedia the 1960s, and "a massive amount of pressure," considering that the Top 10 who survive tonight's elimination will end up on the season 10 summer tour. At the top of the show, Ryan began to descend the Stairway to Heaven, and then before we knew it -- about a year later -- it was time for the singing. Here's how it all went down.

Randy Jackson's Mini Recap for Busy People: "They're all really good tonight. They all showed up tonight."

Wow, thanks Dawg! That's so cool, that you're blogging.

Casey Abrams kicked things off with a growlin' and howlin' rendition of Marvin Gaye’s “I Heard It Through the Grapevine." I thought it was pretty standard Casey fare, but the judges found it more mind-blowing than I did. Steven called out Casey's "crazy out of control ego" as essential for working artists today, and J. Lo wracked her brain thinking of anyone who could possible compare to Casey. "Is there anybody out there right now like you? You might be, like, the guy right now!" Hold your horses, woman, this is just the first song. Even though the violinists ended up dominating Casey visually when he was back up on the stage, I loved that there was a live orchestra at all. The strings are such a vital part of that song. Strings! They're amazing. They might be, like, the band section right now. I was not a fan of the flatter, straighter hair on Casey -- it reminded me of the low-flow shower head episode of Seinfeld, which is always special, but not a great look for real life.

Thia Megia looked like an upside-down flower tottering around in stilettos as she sang Martha and the Vandellas’ "(Love Is Like a) Heat Wave.” I felt extremely uncomfortable watching this exquisite robot try so hard to have fun. Also, I find this song hilarious in that its most distinctive element is, obviously, someone yelling out "HEAT WAVE" over and over. It's almost a directive, like "DANCE PARTY." It's preposterous! Like who is this lady and why is she so emphatic about the weather? You sort of have to be kidding in order to pull it off. And I sort of get the impression that Thia has never made a joke in her entire little life. The judges, of course, loved it. "Okay! Okay! Okay!" began J. Lo, and if she'd ended her critique right there, we would have been on the same page. They were all thrilled that Thia had taken the bold step of trying extremely hard to loosen up. This one's losing steam, I think. Its battery could die at any moment.

Even though I still think he has trouble staying in tune, we can go ahead and count Jacob Lusk's “You’re All I Need to Get By" as one of the best performances of the season -- controlled, but still powerful and soulful. I really, really dig the quality of his voice, and just wish his transitions from very high to very low (and vice versa) weren't often so jarring. He gets it, though. The performance quality is there and he actually connects to lyrics. In fact, what I loved most about this performance was how clear it was that Jacob loved this song. His phrasing on some of those last text-heavy lines was so natural, it was almost conversational. He didn't take it over the top. It was just a very mature performance. Pink cuff links never hurt anyone, is all I'm saying. Hmm, was it just me or did J. Lo seem extra horny last night with all that chatter about how Jacob made us beg for those notes? Seems like these contestants had her squirming around a lot in that swivel chair. It could have something to do with the extra coats of oil on her freshly shaved legs. Maybe all of this -- season 10 in general! -- is an artful extension of J. Lo's ad campaign for Venus. Whoa.

And woe. Poor Lauren Alaina, who had to follow Jacob's ladies-only front row hug parade with her version of the Supremes’ “You Keep Me Hangin’ On.” I feel like she needs a new narrative each week -- last time, she was sick; this time, people are mean to her on the internet. (Sounds like the Deej needs to have a heart-to-heart with Uncle Jesse. They can jam afterwards!) This competition's D.J. Tanner won't let her naysayers bring her down. Set her free, why don't you, bully? In terms of content, though, I enjoyed Lauren's performance and somehow didn't even mind that she nearly felt up Randy. I'm always struck by how strong her voice is, even when she's clearly not going full-throttle. I don't like when she gets too breathless, but I do appreciate her twang and liked the way the intentionally went sharp on "hanging on." Are we loving or loathing the way Lauren giggles into the mic after her final notes? I keep changing my mind. I love to laugh, but I hate faker bakers. (Update: The original version actually contained a giggle at the end. I think I'm going with my final answer is "love"!)

Stefano Langone probably made a mistake in choosing Lionel Richie’s “Hello” after David Cook sang it so memorably in season 7. It's not like the song should be totally off-limits or anything, but Stefano hadn't ever even heard it! This is really not something that should be admitted out loud. It bothers me when people pick songs that are new to them, because a live performance requires a certain level of credibility beyond "it was on the list so I memorized it." That's not knowing a song and feeling a song, which is a shame because Stefano strikes me as someone who cares about emotional impact. He probably just didn't know any of the available songs, period. Maybe? How? I don't know. It's baffling. J. Lo encouraged him to connect with the lyrics as if he was telling a story or writing a letter. (Writing a letter! How archaic. Is that like texting?) "I don't want the intensity to come from you wanting to do well," she said. "I want it to come from because your heart is breaking." Randy chimed in: "Ooooooh!" I agreed with Randy here, but then Dawg went downhill. "You've been in relationships," he half-announced, half-asked Stefano. Sure, he's got things going on. "Ryan and you, you know," Randy continued. And at that, Ryan inhaled sharply, remembering how tenderly Stefano had clutched his shoulder just moments before, in fear that Ryan's rose petal breath would become too garlicky from Stefano's mom's leftovers. (For more Ryan/Stefano fan fiction, try my new life partner Richard Lawson's 'Idol' recaps when you're done here. You'll quietly say "I love you" just as you finish.)

After risking her life to walk down Ryan's death stairs in six-inch heels, a flat-ironed Haley Reinhart sang the Miracles’ “You Really Got a Hold On Me.” It was the perfect song choice for someone who kind of slurs and purrs her way through the music anyway. Jimmy and his team of dreamcatchers worked with Haley on her physical performance quality this week, but I didn't really notice an improvement. She was all sensual and sex-oozing, same as ever. Actually, now that I'm throwing some significant brain power into this, Haley and Scotty both seemed to be leaning to one side nearly the whole time last night. Is this insane? Was I the one leaning? I really think it was them. Anyway, Randy found a way to pat himself on the back while complimenting how Haley had become "the singer we always thought you were," and even said he detected "a little Janis" [Joplin] in there. J. Lo said Haley may have the most soulful voice of anyone in the competition… on the girls' side. My estimation of Haley went way up during her post-performance check-in, when she imitated Sally Field. "You like me! You really like me!" Well, yeah, now I do! Good for her for even knowing about that. Conversely, Pia's pre-packaged pageant answer backstage put me to sleep.

Scotty McCreery, a big-time baller, has fallen into a bad habit of starting out seated and then getting up only to walk around uncomfortably and avoid letting any part of his fingertips touch the microphone. He's so silly like that. The producers and Scotty put a country spin on Stevie Wonder’s version of “For Once In My Life” that sounded pretty good, even if it's not really my thing. I've noticed that Scotty's very fond of pointing cattily to the audience as if including them in his interpretation of the lyrics, which you'd think would be engaging but just doesn't really work. He also makes a lot of "Check me out!" faces each time he looks in a new direction or boldly takes a step. I wish I wasn't so annoyed by someone who scored a nine-point basketball shot from the balcony of a mansion. This creature should be my hero. But this was definitely one of Scotty's smugger weeks. I may not be that into him right now, but Steven said Scotty "tweaked" him, Randy called him a "young lady killer," and J. Lo swooned too, saying "every time you hit that note at the end you get me all over again." Huh. Even my sister wrote in via email: "I did like the end with his low voice and creepy look." What?! I guess I need to get on board and better appreciate things that are creepy. I'll have whatever you ladies are having. Let's trip out.

"I feel like this song gets me," said Pia Toscano about Stevie Wonder’s “All in Love Is Fair." It seemed like an absurdly self-centered thing to say on camera, but the more I think about it, the more I get it. And the more songs get me! For music lovers, this really is the point of music -- the enthralling (and at times terrifying, depressing, illuminating, etc.) chance to internalize a song and feel like it was written for you. So even though this was the same ballad she always sings, at least Pia's heart was in this and she felt connected to the song. Pretty much the exact opposite of Stefano. J. Lo thinks Pia can have a career like Celine Dion and do two-hour concerts one day. Not so fast, said Randy, who ordered Pia to not sing yet another ballad next week. Good move by R. Jacks! Pia is unnecessarily becoming as niche as Scotty is in this competition -- and she's not a 17-year-old wide-eyed country boy/ladykiller/recent basketball star, so she better watch out. Put your sneakers on, girl, and kick some ass!

The boy with the cougar pin, Paul McDonald, went with a folk-rock version of the Miracles’ “Tracks of My Tears” -- another song commonly considered to be "owned on the Idol stage" by someone else (season 8's Adam Lambert). Paul was more of a success than Stefano because he put his own spin on the song. Ew, sorry I just turned into Randy. The point is, no one was thinking about Adam because enough new and strange Paul McDonald stuff was happening on stage. In fact, after he finished, I was dying to listen to both the original version and Adam's. Is that good or bad for Paul? Interest is interest, I suppose. I do wish Paul had sung the whole song like he did the last few lines -- not only did he seem more comfortable in his own straitjacket skin, but he finally acknowledged the gravity of the song and lyrics during those final moments. Even Randy was gushing. "Dude, when you sing tender at the very end, oh my God, dude. Definitely got the husky thing going on." Randy actually says these things. Constantly! J. Lo said Paul "had like a tear in his voice," which is kind of profound. "You're the complete package," she continued. "All you need is a producer, and there you go!" She would know!

But J. Lo didn't get her first goosebumps of the night (always a milestone, like the first Maks booty pop of each DWTS season) until Naima Adedapo belted out Martha and the Vandellas’ "Dancing in the Street." A lot of Naima's singing sounds like yelling to me, but I guess this was a fairly accurate copy of the original song. The random African dance thrown in at the end didn't seem so out of place to me because my mind associates this song with the audition montage for the DTV dance contest in Girls Just Want to Have Fun. The whole point of that scene is "Look at all these nuts! Dancing!" So I was already there. It made sense to me. Everything made sense…except those pants. The judges raved about her risk-taking and Naima even got an "It was E to the Z, ooh, tweedle-y dee" from Steven. That's almost never the case. Still, I can see the dance being a turnoff to many voters. If Simon were still at that table, he'd be using one of his favorite words, indulgent, quite a bit with Naima. Hey, it's better than being boring. HEAT WAVE!

James Durbin loves that dance cam. His “Living for the City” started out awkward, but as soon as he jigged on over to his favorite dance ramp and revved up the vocal power, the performance fell into place. Still, at one point near the end of the song (I originally wrote dance, yikes), the camera panned to Steven and he was just sitting there completely motionless. Nothing was happening, but it was such an intense nothing, if you know what I mean. Perhaps Steven was wondering, as I was, whether James' lapel skulls were attached to his jacket or printed on a scarf. Oh, and the security tail was back. "You are serious business up there," said J. Lo, once the crowd had finally died down and she knew she was being heard. The Durbs does need to stand at attention a little sooner to listen to the judges when they deign to speak to him. I'm sure suddenly having adoring female fans behind the stage is very exciting, but Jennifer Lopez could be about to tell you how stunning you look tonight, at any moment. You gotta be ready.

Anyway, bottom line: Some of the high notes James hits are just insane. In a good way. Take it from Steven Tyler: "Sometimes it takes a little bit of crazy to make a difference in this world," said our wise old loon in his most piercing commentary of the night.