Before the credits, Ryan tells us how the judges filled 17 spots in the Top 30 during last night's two-hour show. They'd better snap it up for this last hour if they're going to finish up. We're picking up where we left off, with Casey Thrasher and C.J. Harris waiting to hear which one of them got the Alabama country boy spot. Harry gently breaks the news to Casey that it's him. And then he has to turn to C.J. and tell him what C.J. has no doubt figured out already: that he got a spot too. WHAAAT? Okay, forget what I said before; I don't want the Top 30 getting filled up this quickly if it's going to happen like that.
The stress is beginning to tell on Marielle Sellars, who freaks out when someone reminds her that MK made it, meaning there's one less spot for her than she thought. Fortunately, the very first contestant we saw this season doesn't have to wait much longer, as Ryan calls her up . We see that Marielle sang "Wrecking Ball" during yesterday's solo round, as if to underscore her resemblance to Miley Cyrus. She comes into the judgment room with the TV making her striped dress look like a portal to another dimension. Harry recalls how they had her tell the camera at her first audition that she's the American Idol, but they've gone back and forth on her since then, as she's shown some inconsistency in Hollywood. Marielle promises to bring it every time from now on, and Harry busts her on her presumption and then tells her it's accurate because she's staying. Marielle's reaction to this is to forget how to breathe. Which is unfortunate, because that's a skill she's going to need going forward in this competition, I would think.
We come back from the ads and it's only 1:00 PM in Hollywood. Seems like longer, and I'm not even there. Jena Ascuitto is heading up , and she spends most of the time correcting everyone that her name is pronounced "Gina" and not "Jenna." Harry says he's just going to come right out and tell her the news, but before we hear what it is, we get to hear Jena singing her original song at the piano yesterday and doing pretty well. Back in the judgment room, Harry comes right out and tells her that she's in the Top 15. Not only that, he dubs her the "sleeper." Jena's more flattered by this than worried about how that turned out for Angie Miller last year. That is, after she understands that it wasn't a reference to how she took a nap today. Rejoining her mom outside, she barely takes a moment to celebrate before turning to the camera and severely reminding the world, "It's Gina. Not Jenna." Aw, America's going to love her.
Caleb Johnson -- the big shouter from two years ago -- is making his second walk to final judgment. Yesterday he treated the judges to a heavy version of "Radioactive" that had Jennifer chair-dancing and half the audience on its feet. He's obviously not going anywhere, though Harry worries that Caleb might be doing a bit from Rock of Ages, just all the time. In the judgment room, Harry asks him if he thinks he's a good singer… and a really good singer… which Caleb thinks he is, on both counts. Harry's concern is whether Caleb is "relevant today," so the decision is… put to Twitter until after the ads.
And for once, Twitter has encountered someone it hates, because 80% of the votes think he's going home, which he is not. Why so negative all of a sudden, Twitter? I'm wondering if somebody swapped the yeses and nos. Anyway, Caleb overshares about another instance where he soiled his pants in eighth grade before he hugs the judges, causing Harry to ask for a moist towelette.
Ethan Harris, who went to the Detroit audition with a Keith Urban song, says he had a great solo round. That's because he didn't hear the judges talking about his crap song choice after he sang. He makes it to the judgment room, and Jennifer tells him that he "had some tough moments," and she feels bad about some of the people they're turning away. Not that he's one of them. Yes, Ethan is staying. For now.
Sarina Joi Crowe is , and singing "Wrecking Ball" didn't work out as well for her as it did for some others, because she's gone. Nalani Quintello, whose name means nothing to me, is also given the axe. David Oliver Willis, who did "Bring It on Home to Me" last night with his guitar, is told he's a good singer with a good voice, but he's also gone. This is more like it.
Majesty Rose York is , the one who came to her first audition with the flower headband. She forgot her words during the solo round yesterday, which would be good for an automatic ejection in the Randy Jackson era, but this group is willing to cut her some slack. "I just want to go cry in a corner now," she says happily, while David Oliver Willis cries in a corner unhappily.
Briston Maroney, this year's whiniest emo singer, did his thing yesterday for a judges' panel that appeared pretty indifferent to it. Today, he comes in with his guitar strapped on, because that's not weird or anything, after that weird guy did it on last night's show. Harry shares how he wanted to move to New York when he was 14, the year after his mother died, but his dad wouldn't let him because he wasn't ready. Bristan's face crumples in anticipation of his rejection, but Harry's story turns into how Bristan gets to stay in the top 30. "You are a wicked man," Bristan tells him, not inaccurately.
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Another pair heads into the elevator: returnees Briana Oakley and Brandi Neelly, who can't seem to work the damn thing. Lucky for them this isn't American Elevator Operator. Both of them seem to have sung well yesterday, Brandy getting the high-clap from Jennifer and Keith, and Breana blowing out a big note at the end. In the judgment room, Harry talks to them about how there were some mistakes made yesterday and they've both been here before so they know what it's like to get a no. Keith says they have to narrow it down to the best, so they're both going into the Top 30. Their return trip on the elevator is much happier than the one. Now the judges are just trying out different ways to mess with them.
Kenzie Hall is melting down in the hot seat, until Harry brings her a box of tissues. Her performance of "Your Song" yesterday was pretty obnoxious, but her Macklemore song with the rapid-fire lyrics at the first Hollywood round was good enough to override that, so she's still in it. What I like about her exit is the way her mom hugs her before she's clear on whether Kenzie said "did it" or "didn't." Hugs either way is the point.
Savion Wright heads up , playing himself into the room on his ukulele like he's trying to tip the scales against himself. During yesterday's solo round, Harry was less impressed than with the original song he did at his first audition. Keith stretches the news out so long for Savion that it seems like it can't possibly be no -- but it is. Keith invites him back, but he's pretty devastated in the moment. At least he doesn't play his ukulele walking out. Too busy crying.
By now, there are only four people still in the holding room, and only two spots left. Austin Wolfe and Sandie Lee are brought up together to find out who the last girl in the Top 30 will be. Sandie sang "Bring It on Home to Me" yesterday, while Austin did "Radioactive" both at her first audition and yesterday's solo round. Now, normally my money wouldn't be on the skinny little white teenager, but I don't think we've ever seen the other one before. Keith says only one of them can go through, and it's going to be… the one we already know. Shocker, right? The judges are feeling good about their decision, saying Austin can sang. So it was clearly a foregone conclusion for them too.
That leaves only two guys holding out for the one remaining spot in the Top 30. One of them is super-twangy country singer Ben Briley, who belted out "Stars" instead of a yesterday -- perhaps unwisely -- though he just about pulled it off. The other is Neko Starr, who was one of the contestants on the bubble who had to sing in the airplane hangar immediately on arrival in Hollywood. I don't think there are many of those folks left. Plus he had to sing "Halo" while sick yesterday. I just hope he didn't mention that part before he started, knowing how Harry hates that. Ryan accompanies them both onto the elevator and into the judges' room, because there's nobody left in the holding room to schmooze.
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He leads them all the way to the two hot seats and ducks out of the shot while Harry and Keith talk about how the two of them are so different and they like them both so much, and Jennifer tells them that because this has never happened before in the history of anything, they're going to handle this a little differently. Namely, they'll let America decide on which of them gets the last spot. Aw, judges -- you were so close. Ben just looks relieved that he's not gone yet, while Neko looks as if he's already realized what this actually means: they aren't going to find out the results for weeks. We get the first voting instructions of the season, which are more complicated every year. And you know, if I've never voted before, I'm sure as hell not going to start with a "super-vote," whatever that is.
Finally, Ryan signs off while standing in front of the top 29 -- and with Ben and Neko at his side, both of them looking forward to days and days of limbo and uncertainty. I just hope neither of them is going to have to quit his job.
And there's more bad news, with regard to week. There will be three nights of Idol: Women singing Tuesday, men singing Wednesday, and results on Thursday. That's not the bad news. The bad news is that Randy Jackson is going to be back. Let's just get through it together.
M. Giant is a Minneapolis- based writer with a wife, a son, and a number of cats that seems to have settled at around two. Learn waaaay too much about him at Velcrometer, follow him on Twitter, or just e-mail him at m.giant[at]gmail.com.
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