<![CDATA[The "American Idol" Top 12: Handicapping The Race - Gawker Comments]]> <![CDATA[The "American Idol" Top 12: Handicapping The Race - Gawker Comments]]> <![CDATA[The "American Idol" Top 12: Handicapping The Race]]> I can't imagine, no pun intended, attending a concert to watch Little Archie perform. Certainly he has a good voice, but with all the tongue flipping in evidence, I'd be too distracted to hear what the kid's singing. Happens to me when I watch him now - hello - HD TV.

Then the gasping part...last week as he sprightly raced like a wee leprechaun to his chrome toned seat, his wheezing had me concerned his inhaler was hopefully nearby.

I am loving the flowers-in-his-dreads guy. Those pics from the AI Top 12 extravaganza made me smile. "Hallelujah", hippy boy!

IdolBlues

]]> <![CDATA[The "American Idol" Top 12: Handicapping The Race]]> Could have sworn Brooke White was at least 27, but she's apparently 24. David's probably there for the unintentional laugh factor. There was a little short guy like him last year I think? Didn't get too far, as far as Hernandez should have gotten.

jasonelias

]]> <![CDATA[The "American Idol" Top 12: Handicapping The Race]]> Idol performances are apparently able to chart on iTunes top songs...right now Jason Castro is in the top 100. Things are spread pretty thin right now with 12 contestants, but imagine when there are only a few contestants left; the iTunes rankings might become a big player in the voting.

Mary

]]> <![CDATA[The "American Idol" Top 12: Handicapping The Race]]> @extracrispy: Probably because he's a closet Pocket Gay!

Since Danny (my favorite Pocket Gay) was eliminated last night, I'm transferring the love to a fellow gay Mormon. I don't know about anyone else's reasons.

scarletvirtue

]]> <![CDATA[The "American Idol" Top 12: Handicapping The Race]]> @Maura: @Chris Molanphy: @Chris N.:

1) I think Maura is underestimating Chikeze (10). I like him, a lot, and I think he has the potential to stick around for a while. I think he really stepped it up this week, and if he can stick around one more week -- likely, in a field that includes Kristy Lee and Amanda, at least -- he'll start to develop a stronger following. Plus, look at how "white" that picture is. He and Syesha can really stand out if they R&B-flavor their numbers.

2) I also think Maura is overestimating Brooke (4), and underestimating Carly (5) -- and America's preferences for them. Carly's got the goods, and I think her biggest challenges will be whether she connects with the audience personality-wise (Melinda Doolittle) and whether fans will always think she's safe and not vote for her (Daughtry?). As for Brooke, Maura's previous write-ups were pretty lukewarm about her, while Maura's sense of where the voting was going has been very good. Stick with your instincts, I'd say.

Rob Murphy

]]> <![CDATA[The "American Idol" Top 12: Handicapping The Race]]> @Maura Johnston: I just realized that you didn't mention Blake Lewis. My god, did he suck or what?

extracrispy

]]> <![CDATA[The "American Idol" Top 12: Handicapping The Race]]> @Maura Johnston:

Okay, my memory is shaky. I drink. Still, now they have someone to throw their votes at.

whoneedslight

]]> <![CDATA[The "American Idol" Top 12: Handicapping The Race]]> @Maura Johnston: Except he didn't realize he was a country singer until a week or two before he got booted! Remember? The judges told Stacey, "Y'know, you sound good singing country -- maybe you should try that more often." Kid's totally releasing Nashville material now, and it was all the show's doing; he thought he was a pop singer going in.

Chris Molanphy

]]> <![CDATA[The "American Idol" Top 12: Handicapping The Race]]> Brandon Davis?

egg cream

]]> <![CDATA[The "American Idol" Top 12: Handicapping The Race]]> @whoneedslight: last year only had one country singer (phil) in the top 12 too.

[www.americanidol.com]

Maura Johnston

]]> <![CDATA[The "American Idol" Top 12: Handicapping The Race]]> @Chris N.: Teh gays are voting for the Mormon. I have no idea why.

extracrispy

]]> <![CDATA[The "American Idol" Top 12: Handicapping The Race]]> I totally feared Chikeze was going home, although I actually liked both of them. I really thought there was a silent gay voting bloc out there that would get Danny Noriega through to the final 12.

Chris N.

]]> <![CDATA[The "American Idol" Top 12: Handicapping The Race]]> I agree on all counts. However, this seems to be the first season of Idol in a long time without a lot of country singers. For that reason alone, Kristy Lee Cook may hang in there for a while.

whoneedslight

]]> <![CDATA[The "American Idol" Top 12: Handicapping The Race]]> @Maura Johnston: Welcome to the party.

arch05

]]> <![CDATA[The "American Idol" Top 12: Handicapping The Race]]> @Chris Molanphy: I do. (It definitely helps the quality of the pictures that I take of my TV.) I actually switched to HD viewing right before the last audition episodes, and those big pans of the crowd were completely transformed.

Maura Johnston

]]> <![CDATA[The "American Idol" Top 12: Handicapping The Race]]> LOL at the INXS joke!

I question the impact of Vote for the Worst. They've been pushing Danny Noriega for weeks, and he still got voted off.

extracrispy

]]> <![CDATA[The "American Idol" Top 12: Handicapping The Race]]> I want you to be right about Johns and Smithson, but I think you're underestimating how hard the judges will try to will them into the top five. Again, hope I'm wrong.

Do you actually watch the show in HD?

Chris Molanphy

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