American Idol 8 - Top 13 Results

Since the Internet leaks like a rusty ship, the big "twist" on American Idol tonight was already common knowledge by lunchtime today. Taking a page from the French version of Idol, the judges now have an immunity card they can use once to save a contestant they think has been voted off too early. They can use it once and only up until the Top 5. When they finally use the "Judges' Save," no one will go home that night, but the next week the two with lowest scores go home. 

After the usual humiliating group sing (some of the worst dancing. EVER.) and the free Ford commercial they're all required to star in, the season's weirdness continued with the Top 13 moving into a big mansion, which hasn't been done since Season 2. It's a good thing Jasmine Murray didn't get too comfortable at the manse, because she was gone before Kanye West performed. Speaking of Kanye, there hasn't been this much vocoder used since Cher sang "Believe" back in 1998. I'm just sayin...  

Kelly Clarkson, after years of dissing Idol, she came back to the show last year after her third album went down like the Hindenburg. She's back on the Clive Davis train and has a big hit single with "My Life Would Suck Without You," which sounds just like "Since U Been Gone." Some DJ should do a mash-up called "Since U Sucked the Life Out Of Me." She's still my favorite Idol even if she's sold out her own artistic sensibility for pop glory. 

After the break, it was down to Anoop(Dawg) and Jorge on the chopping block, and poor little Jorge was given a one-way ticket back to Puerto Rico. The judges opted not to use their immunity card tonight. He looked so sad singing "Never Can Say Goodbye" as he was saying goodbye. I really liked that little mo.