In what has been perhaps, the best performance ever by any guest on American Idol, Jennifer Lopez tore the house down last night with an electrifying performance of her latest single, "Qué Hiciste." From the almost strong vocals (She was a bit off key in some parts but it didn't matter. At least she hit all her high notes) to the pyro to the wind machines and choreography, Jennifer showed the finalists how it's done, Jenny from the Block-style. What surprises me even more is that she got a standing ovation from the audience and from the judges, even Simon who rarely does. I was so proud of her because this was a big deal.
Oh yeah and there was an elimination last night. An elimination that really, really made me sad. She clocked in, she clocked out. And after delivering a sexy rendition of "Turn the Beat Around," the Idol workday has finally come to an end for Haley Scarnato. Some folks might blame the Texas-based songbird's demise on the fact that Simon pointedly commented on her rising-hemline strategy during last night's critique. However I did notice this week flagging enthusiasm on her part in the face of weekly verbal assaults from the judging panel. Witness the way she responded to Ryan Seacrest's "good luck" wish tonight, delivering the word "thanks" with a disdain even more naked than her gams have been for the last few weeks of the competition.
That said, Haley played the role of the Long-Legged Engine That Could with aplomb and, whether intentional or not, humor. I loved it when she defended her hotpants-and-sheer-top combo as not "completely inappropriate," and that weary, post-Latin-night backstage remark of "I guess I'm gonna go put a robe on" made me realize that Haley was at least a teensy bit in on the joke. I thought she also bought a sexy edge to the show that was sorely lacking. I did feel really bad for her and I think she will find something to do and I'm sure none of those gigs will be capped off by patronizing "pretty girl" comments from Paula Abdul.
And although Haley was not joined in the bottom three tonight by Sanjaya Malakar, I can't really argue with America's choice of Phil Stacey, but, Chris Richardson? The former's grinning insistence tonight that he was "just blessed to be here" seemed to imply he thought he was going home. Chris did not deserve it. His performace of "Smooth" was not great, but not bottom three bad.
As for Sanjaya, while I still contend he has no business being in the top seven, I will give him credit for his winning contributions to tonight's bloated, slightly surreal one-hour results show. There was his scared-amused expression as the show opened and Ryan asked who'd be going home; there was his whispered (what else?) "Te quiero" during the group rendition of "'Bailamos"; and there was that freakishly easy face-morph into Melinda during the weekly Ford "music video." I will not, however, give props to the kid's on-camera remark about wanting to score J. Lo's phone number and keep it a secret from her husband. The charming vocal coach didn't deserve such a creepy parting gift.
Next week we get Martina McBride and Country Music.
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