Alexis Grace!? Really, America!?

We're down to only three female contestants right now, and when one of (if not the) most talented contestant is sent packing before being able to participate in the Idol tour, it says a lot about the integrity of this competition and who it that's doing the speed dialing every week.

This week's theme was Motown, which meant the Idols could either do a cheep imitation of some old-fashioned classics, or could really change them up and make them their own:

F

10. Scott MacIntyre (You Can't Hurry Love)--I say the same thing every week--Scott is a sweet guy with a good voice and a sad story, but he is consistently getting more and more boring. Even an up-tempo song couldn't keep me from falling asleep. The fact that he's still here and Alexis is not blows my mind.

9. Michael Sarver (Ain't Too Proud to Beg)--Just like Scott, Michael is a nice guy, but has absolutely no artistry or style. Everything he has done thus far has been completely forgettable.

D

8. Megan (For Once in My Life)--I was all for Megan once she sang "Rockin' Robin," but two bad performances in a row make me worried about her. This was totally the wrong song for her.

7. Lil Rounds (Heatwave)--the judges were completely right here. Lil can sing, but she brings nothing new to her music. Everything is a bland carbon copy with no style or wow factor.

C

6. Adam Lambert (Tracks of my Tears)--despite Kara's need to give Adam a standing ovation, I'm still not impressed. Slicking back your hair does not make you different--Kris, Anoop and Matt have been giving the same kinds of slow, sensitive performances for week without America batting an eyelash. It was a step up from his usual screaming, however.

5. Danny (Get Ready)--still not a huge fan, but this was Danny's best performance to date for me. The song was upbeat and fun, and Danny's somewhat raspy voice was a perfect fit. Still, he once again brought nothing new to the arrangement.

B

4. Anoop Desai (Ooh Baby Baby)--Anoop really brought himself back last week, and decided to play it safe and give a somewhat similar performance. While not as good as last time, it suited his smooth, rich voice perfectly and should keep him around for at least another week.

3. Matt Giraud (Let's Get it On)--Matt has really been surprising me over the last two weeks. This was the perfect song choice for him and pretty darn good performance. I just worry about him feeling to similar to former contestant Chris Richardson (who wasn't a success after Idol), or worse, a Justin Timberlake wannabe.

A

2. Kris Allen (How Sweet it Is)--Kris is on a roll. His song choices are consistently smart and despite what Simon said, I think it's the fact that he is completely un-conceited (Adam Lambert, cough cough) that makes him feel so fresh and intriguing. His performance this week reminded me of Jason Castro's "Daydream" from last season a bit--quirky and light, but fantastic vocally.

1. Allison Iraheta (Papa Was a Rolling Stone)--With Alexis gone, I'm planning to throw a little more weight behind Allison. She's smart and knows exactly what to choose each week to complement her voice and style. This week she was bluesy, sultry, and all-around fantastic. I wish we could have more contestants like her every year.

Again, I'm going to predict either Scott or Michael to be ousted this week, with Megan or Allison being the undeserving dark horses. Who knows though, it could be anyone this season. I never saw someone this good go so early before:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=has50rnhdeE&feature=related

- Kristen

There is no excuse for packin' on the extra pounds anymore. FitTV, a cable station that offers 20 hours of fitness and health programming every day, is your own personal, free at home gym. So get your butt off the couch and turn on the TV!

This might be the coolest thing ever! It's a fast, easy, and fun way to work out, and it's a great alternative for people who are a tad intimidated by the gym (or the muscle men benching 300 pounds everywhere you turn).

FitTV is the only network dedicated to fitness and keeping exercise accessible and fun for everyone. The station offers a plethora of workout choices, from Pilates and aerobics to body sculpting, yoga, belly dancing and hip hop. There are so many different ways to workout that boredom is completely nonexistent, which is a lot of people's problem when it comes to working out.

FitTV is armed with young and cheerful instructors clad in workout gear and hard bodies that make you work that much harder! There are also exotic locations. You may be in your living room, but the instructors are helping you tone your bod from the golden sands of Hawaii. If the instructors aren't inspiration enough than the gorgeous beaches are; after all swimsuit season is right around the corner!

FitTV also includes lifestyle programing on nutrition and weight loss, and a video-on-demand service allows viewers to call up favorite shows at will. It is so easy to just pick the workout you are feelin' that day, and pairing the exercise with the nutrition and weight loss information really makes FitTV a big hit. It is just one of the newest additions to the "get fit" craze!

-Vanessa

Oh how the mighty have fallen. Just when we thought this competition was sealed, the underdog contestants came out with guns blazing and wouldn't let Idol take them down without a fight:

D/F

11. Scott MacIntyre (Wild Angels) -- I wanted to like Scott. I tried. He's a nice, honest guy who tries his best. But I'm sorry, I can't take it any more. Scott is the most boring thing that has every happened to American Idol. This performance was identical to last week's. I'm falling asleep just thinking about it.

10. Michael Sarver (Ain't Goin' Down Til the Sun Comes Up) -- Michael was another one I tried to like (and still somewhat do), but his performances are also getting progressively more boring. I give him props for attempting a really difficult song, but the overflow of lyrics made him hard to understand and did nothing to show off his vocal ability.

9. Adam Lambert (Ring of Fire) -- I don't even know what to say. I'm leaving the country if America picks him to win this thing. Yeah, it was different. Yeah, he tried. Yea, there is a tiny smidge of a voice under all that screaming. But this strange, over the top, self-indulgent whine-fest just sealed it for me. I hate this guy. And Paula comparing the performance to Led Zeppelin's "Kashmir?" I think I just threw up a little.

P.S. That is not how you cover a Johnny Cash song. THIS is how you cover a Johnny Cash song:

C

8. Lil Rounds (Independence Day) -- I'm not as infatuated with Lil Rounds as the judges usually are, so I'm glad they finally gave her some constructive criticism. She had a real opportunity to take a song out of her comfort zone and turn it into a powerful R&B cover, but instead, got somewhat lazy and added no personality or pizazz to the performance.

7. Danny Gokey (Jesus, Take the Wheel) -- Oh, give me a break! Can you imagine what a Danny Gokey album would sound like? It would be filled with cheesy, inspirational ballads formerly sung by women. Danny's song choices are so unimaginative. While the second half was sung quite well, the first half was flat and totally off-key.

6. Megan Joy Corkrey (Walkin' After Midnight) -- This was alright, but no way near as good as last week's fantastic "Rockin' Robin" like Simon said it was. The performance was very so/so, but I'm going to give her a pass this week since she had the flu. And what is with her all of sudden only being known as "Megan Joy?" I'll add the middle name, but I refuse to refer to her without the last name.

B

5. Matt Giraud (So Small) -- Matt has been solid in the competition, but nothing so far has made him stand out as an artist with a marketability factor. I won't go so far as to say it was the best performance of the night (as Randy did), but I think it was a great, current song choice and a step-up of a performance for Matt.

4. Alexis Grace (Jolene) -- While not as good as the last two weeks (mostly because of losing what the judges called her "dirty" factor), this was another excellent performance by the exceptionally talented Alexis. Next week, however, I'd like her to return to her usual bluesy style. This song was not for her.

A

3. Allison Iraheta (Blame It On Your Heart) -- Allison is not necessarily my favorite, but I can't deny that she delivers consistently knock-out performances every week. Her voice is strong and it seems like whatever she does, she can't miss. I'd like to see her change it up and do something a little slower next week.

2. Anoop Desai (You Were Always On My Mind) -- Finally!! Here's the talent I knew Anoop always had. He was at a critical stage in the competition after a hokey performance of "Beat It" last week, but he totally stepped up his game and delivered his best vocal performance to date.

1. Kris Allen (Make You Feel My Love) -- Kris has been one of my side-project favorites this year, but nothing he had done so far was memorable or seemed to make him a crowd favorite. This song choice was perfection and his delivery was flawless. His voice is miles more pleasant than Danny's and is a fresh, subtle alternative to Adam's min-numbing screams. The only thing that bothered me was the inclusion of this as a Garth Brook's country song. Um, I believe it was written by this guy named Bob Dylan. Ever heard of him, American Idol?

Also if you want to hear another great cover of the song, check out Adele's. It's fantastic:

I'm thinking either Michael or Scott will go next...or Adam (a girl can only dream)!

-Kristen

The Today show's annual "Where in the World Is Matt Lauer?" week has been put on hold for 2009. The popular segment sends Lauer to exotic and beautiful sites such as the pyramids of Egypt or the Taj Mahal and viewers get the chanced to guess his location according to clues given each day.

Sadly, this year the trip was canceled due to the failing economy. Executive producer Jim Bell says they asked fans to send in destination suggestions and many thought that, in these rough financial times, they felt the extravagant travel sent the wrong message. Even though this might be the case, I am still a tad depressed that I'm not going to see Matt jetting to all the beautiful locations that I can only dream of traveling to. I think people may have overreacted about sending the wrong message because yes, the economy is in ruins but, it would be nice to see some cool, fun, and exotic places to keep my spirits up. Oh well. If you are a glass half full person like I tend to be, there is a bright side. Instead, the NBC morning show will spend a week in May hitting up more affordable vacation spots throughout the United States. Good save, NBC. It's a more realistic approach to traveling which is always refreshing, and it won't completely replace "Where in the World Is Matt Lauer?", but it will serve as a sufficient replacement.

-Vanessa

So the top 13 are here, and I have to say, I was disappointed on two fronts.

First of all--Michael Jackson night? Not only am I not a fan of his at all, but who could possibly top David Cook's "Billie Jean" cover from last season?

Secondly, the judges were completely off the mark on almost everything. It's become a repeat of last year, where mediocre David Archuleta-type performers are being set up as the standard of perfection (Danny Gokey, Adam Lambert, Lil Rounds), while the truly talented and unique are critiqued for the most minor issues a la Carly Smithson (Megan Corkrey, Alexis Grace). Kara, who I had once expected to be this year's judging savior, has become just another Paula/Randy clone. Sigh.

The D/F Team:

13.) Scott McIntyre ("Keep the Faith") -- I wanted to like Scott, but I was so utterly bored by his performance, I didn't know what to do. His style is bland and forgettable and I don't believe I would honestly ever buy a song from him. His vocals also weren't that fantastic...and I'm hoping that someone backstage will finally do something about his hair. Cut it. Now!

12.) Adam Lambert ("Black and White") -- Yes, that's right, I put him this low. I don't care what the judges or 90 percent of America says, I will never, ever understand this guy's appeal. His facial expressions are so skeezy, and all I wanted to do was shout to my television, "Please. Stop. Screeching!" He's obnoxious. There, I said it.

11.) Jasmine Murray ("I'll Be There") -- I will give Jasmine credit for choosing a good song and for singing it rather well, but I find her completely unremarkable in both vocal ability and originality. She's boring and forgettable, and while I wanted to like her after Hollywood week, I've become increasingly bored with her after each performance.

The C Team:

10.) Anoop Desai ("Beat It") -- Before cutting to commercial break, we caught a glimpse of Anoop doing the "Thriller" dance and I was convinced that was the song he would be doing. How great would that have been?? Instead, he chose "Beat It" and gave a performance that was not nearly as bad as Simon made it out to be, but left me scratching my head once again at what kind of artist Anoop wants to be.

9.) Danny Gokey ("PYT") -- Much like Adam, I am completely stumped as to why the judges are throwing so much weight behind this guy. Nothing about his performance was exciting or original, and I'm getting the impression that like David Archuleta, Danny will never see a bad review from the judges this season. I will give him points though for actually singing the song, as opposed to Adam, who just screams.

8.) Michel Sarver ("You Are Not Alone") -- I can't help but like Michel. He's a sweetheart with a nice voice who really does seem to be trying his best. No, I don't think he's memorable, and no, I don't think he'll win, but with all the bloated egos on this stage, his innocence is refreshing.

The B Team:

7.) Lil Rounds ("The Way You Make Me Feel") -- Lil is another artist I'm on the fence about, and is sort of like the female Danny Gokey. She's a nice girl and it's no argument that she can sing, but there is nothing special about her that makes her stand out among other great singers. Her performance, however, was fun, and she did do well. I just wish the judges would calm down a bit about her.

6.) Matt Giraud ("Human Nature") -- I liked seeing Matt behind the piano tonight and I think it was an underrated performance. I continually find myself impressed by his song choices (even "Viva La Vida") and I'm interested to see what kinds of Justin Timberlake-like music he would make outside of Idol.

5.) Jorge Garcia ("Never Can Say Goodbye") -- I can't put my finger on why, but I kinda sorta love Jorge. He reminds me of Marc Anthony (an artists I don't really listen too) and his musical style is a bit cheesy, but there is something about his goofy charm that keeps me smiling, and I think he easily has one of the best voices in the competition.

4.) Kris Allen ("Remember the Time") -- I think Kris has the potential to be this year's sleeper hit. Last year, David Archuleta was supposed to be the heartthrob, while Michael Johns rose up to knock him out of that spot, while this year, I think Kris could knock out Adam Lambert for the female population's affection (in a perfect world). I think he sang really well and has a ton of charm.

The A Team:

3.) Allison Iraheta ("Give in to Me") -- I'm starting to see this as the season of the girls. Allison came out of nowhere to wind up being one of the best singers in the competition. And best of all (like Paula said), she actually knows what kind of artist she wants to be and "stays true" to it.

2 Alexis Grace ("Dirty Diana") -- While not quite as phenomenal as her first performance, I still think Alexis is miles above almost all of her competitors. Her voice is so raw and fresh and real-world, and I am sick over how the judges treated her in the five seconds they had to comment. It's Carly Smithson all over again...

1 Megan Corkrey ( "Rockin' Robin") -- I can't say enough about how much I love Megan. Forget Simon, this was one of the best song choices in Idol history. Megan was natural and cool and added such a quirky spin on an old classic. She was the only one to take a risk, and not only did it pay off, it made me want to buy her album right now.

I think either Scott or Jasmine will go, but I wouldn't be surprised if the misunderstood Megan becomes of the first shocker of the season.

And by the way, if you loved Season 7, give a listen to this. I cannot get it out of my head!

- Kristen

The Gossip Girl spin-off has found its Lily! Brittany Snow is set to star in the project, a prequel chronicling the wild teen years of Lily van der Woodsen in Los Angeles during the 1980s. Brittany Snow should make a great Lily. Her spunk that has come forth in previous roles, such as Hairspray, should make her perfect for a wild teen.

Also cast in the spin-off is Shilo Fernandez (Jericho), who will play Owen, a hot Valley punk guy with biting wit.

Krysten Ritter was previously cast to play Lily's sister the black sheep of the family. The spin-off centers on Lily Rhodes who experiences a falling-out with her parents and is forced to move in with her sister, Carol (Ritter).

All too quickly, Lily has to transition from a life of luxury and education at a wealthy boarding school to living in the San Fernando Valley she once made fun of and dare we say it, go to public school. Caught between the two contrasting worlds, Lily dives head first into the crazy Hollywood lifestyle of the '80s. The pilot for the spin-off will air May 11 as a Gossip Girl episode. As a lover of Gossip Girl I have some high hopes for this spin-off. It will be interesting to see where Serena's wild side comes from.

-Vanessa

The first show for Late Night with Jimmy Fallon has a couple of pretty big guests lined up. Fallon takes over as host of Late Night on Monday, March 2, and his first guest will be Oscar winner Robert De Niro. The night's musical guest will be Van Morrison, who will be performing "Astral Weeks."

Other guests scheduled for Fallon's first week will be 30 Rock star Tina Fey, Cameron Diaz, Watchmen star Billy Crudup, Drew Barrymore, Ludacris and Santogold. These stars should easily bring in a large audience for the new host.

The Roots will serve as Fallon's house band, and bring a hip-hop aura to the set. Recently he hired comic A.D. Miles as the show's head writer and Saturday Night Live scribe Steve Higgins as the "Late Night" announcer.

Fallon has chosen his first week of guests very well in my opinion. He will probably attract more of a younger audience with these guests, which may not be the demographic that Late Night was aiming for. However, Fallon will start his Late Night run off strong, and he will be a fresh face to the long standing show.

-Vanessa

Wisteria Lane is about to lose one of its residents! What desperate housewife is it? I'll give you a hint: the tall, loud-mouth blond-bombshell. Yes, you guessed it; Nicollette Sheridan is reported to leave her role as Edie Britt on ABC's Desperate Housewives.

This isn't the first time it's been reported the actress will end her run on Wisteria Lane. At the end of the fourth season, she moved to Boston, and was absent from Wisteria Lane during the five-year time jump that took place between Seasons 4 and 5 before returning at the beginning of this season.

How is she getting the boot this time? Edie finds out her husband, Dave, plans to kill her, and almost does. She then runs out of the house, but poor Edie gets in an accident, somehow involving her car and an electrical wire. What a way to go. Nothing's too flashy for good old Edie. Sources have said that Sheridan has never been creator, Marc Cherry's, favorite, most likely because of her inability to keep her mouth shut (on and off camera).The show might lose a little of it's oomph without the crazy antics of Edie Britt, but it shouldn't suffer too much. Bree, Susan, Gaby, and Lynette will hold down the fort for sure.

-Vanessa

The real Idol competition has finally arrived! The first 12 of the top 36 contestants performed and now it's in America's hands to decide which three will move on to the finals.

I think this first live episode was all about song choice. There were so many moments that left me scratching my head at what some contestants thought were logical picks. This year's semi-finals had no themes (like last year's God-awful 60s, 70s and 80s rounds) and it was a one-shot chance for the performers to show America who they would like to be as recording artists. Barely any of them (even the good ones) did that.

Here are my picks for who did the best and worst this week:

The "D/F" Team:

* Stevie Wright (You Belong With Me)--I had semi-high hopes for young Stevie, but man, was this painful to watch. I'm not sure what happened here. The song was much too low for her voice and wound up sounding like (to borrow a repeated phrase from Simon) karaoke with a capital K. It was so weird and out of tune, and I feel sad that Stevie will have to leave on such a terrible note.

* Stephen Fowler (Rock With You)--I was already suspicious of Stephen after he bombed in Hollywood week but was still given a free pass over the much more interesting Jamar Rogers. His voice was good, but I don't think there was bigger cheesefest all night than this. The arrangement was so out of date and I couldn't believe that out of all the songs there are in the world to sing, this is what Stephen said yes to.

* Jackie Tohn (A Little Less Conversation)--oh Jackie, I wanted to like you. This performance, however, was a mess. It was so self-indulgent, and while there were hints of a great voice, Jackie masked it with a weird mixture of growling and screeching that just did not sound good. And what was with that legging/sneaker combo? I was not impressed.

The "C" Team:

· Brent Keith (Hicktown)--Brent definitely can sing, but this may be the most forgettable performance of the night. Maybe I'm biased as a non-country fan, but between Carrie Underwood and Taylor Swift, there definitely is some contemporary and interesting country on the radio right now, and unfortunately, that was not it.

· Casey Carlson (Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic)--I don't think that Casey was a complete disaster. She has that Demi Lovato/commercial look and her voice isn't half bad. I also commend her for picking something a little different. The performance, however, came out sounding much too karaoke and the pitch of the song didn't allow her to exert any power.

· Anne Marie Boskovich (Natural Woman)--I liked Anne Marie from the beginning and I still like her. Her voice is natural and controlled. But I just can't let her get away with picking such a clichéd song. Time after time, the judges tell contestants not to pick Whitney or Aretha, and while she sang it well, it doesn't tell me anything about what kind of artist she wants to be.

The "B" Team:

* Michael Sarver (I Don't Wanna Be)--I'm really interested in the fact that Michael has a country accent but somehow seems to sound soulful when he sings. It's a weird mix that I oddly like. He isn't blowing my mind or anything, but I think he's a nice guy that I wouldn't be sad to see move on.

* Anoop Desai (Angel of Mine)--I was totally in the "I Heart Anoop" fan club before this but now I'm not as sure. I think he has a great voice and is geeky-adorable, not to mention his Hollywood week "My Prerogative" was ballsy and fun, but "Angel of Mine" was such a stupid choice of song. What was he thinking?

* Ricky Braddy (A Song For You)--We haven't seen much from Ricky, but the guy can really sing! I definitely agree with Simon that Ricky has "no star quality," but there is no denying that he sung the hell out of this song. My one big problem was that my all-time favorite Idol performance is Season 5's Elliot Yamin singing this same song. Ricky was great, but Elliot's version blew me away.

The "A" Team:

* Tatiana Del Toro (I'm Saving All My Love For You)--Yes, you read that right. Crazy Tatiana gets an A. Despite all the insanity and the dramatics, I challenge anyone to tell me that Tatiana can't sing--she has good tone and can hit almost all the notes. The judges weren't as quick to praise her, but I say get over it! Yes, she's unbelievably bizarre and her toned-down personally during the show was even creepier than her usual crazy one, but she's still one of the best singers in the competition.

* Danny Gokey (Hero)--Before the episode even aired, I KNEW Danny would be the last performance of the night. Does Fox really expect us to believe the order is all random? Danny IS great--his tone is rich and he hits all his notes with ease. But the fact that Idol is pimping him out to be the next great superstar reeks of David Archuleta. I just can't let myself ultimately root for the original man on top. Plus, "Hero?" Really? Does it get any more unoriginal than that? (And jeez Kara, calm down! I take back everything I said about her being the competent judge, only Simon knows what he's talking about.)

* Alexis Grace (I Never Loved a Man [The Way That I Love You])--OMG I LOVE her! I usually measure my feeling about a performance by how likely I am to download it, and Alexis' was the only one I really want to hear again. Fantastic song choice, fantastic vocals, and fantastic presence. Alexis is soulful, confident and unique. I agree judges--she is the one to watch.

While I think Danny and Alexis are a lock for this week's top 3, I'm not so sure about Tatiana. I think she deserves it, but America and I don't tend to agree. My margin of error says that either Tatiana, Ricky or Anoop will be the third chosen to move on.

--Kristen

Love is in the air...and on your TV screen! In honor of this Saturday's lovefest (and because I'm a girl), here are my top 10 favorite mushy, gushy, adorable and vomit-inducing TV couples of ALL time:

10. Robin & Barney--How I Met Your Mother

Not necessarily a couple yet, but we know that's where they're headed. Barney's subtle pining for his emotional-equal Robin is one of the best new additions to this already hilarious show.

9. Angela & Jordan--My So-Called Life

The show only lasted one season, and the two really had nothing in common besides Angela's love for the way bad boy Jordan "leaned." But man, they were fun to watch. (If you've never seen it and you like high school drama, get the series on DVD. You'll love it, I promise!)

8. Monica and Chandler--Friends

I never saw this unlikely duo coming, but when they got together, it was perfection. Monica cured Chandler of his commitmentphobia, and he gave her what she's wanted since episode one--a husband.

7. Carrie & Mr. Big-- Sex and the City

It took six years filled with hook-ups, break-ups, an affair, a broken engagement and a broken marriage for Big to finally go to Paris and tell Carrie that she was the "one."

6. Seth & Summer--The O.C.

This show was supposed to be about Ryan and Marissa, but the ditzy, popular girl and the nerd-next-door stole the show with their unconventional romance and by always snagging to best lines--it also helped that Summer didn't die in a car crash.

5. Blair & Chuck--Gossip Girl

Who cares about Dan and Serena? Those two absolutely nauseate me. I'd rather see Blair and Chuck's crafty, scheming, overly-dramatic, and surprisingly sweet "relationship" any day.

4. Ross & Rachel--Friends

Ross and Rachel are the quintessential American couple. For 10 seasons, we watched them pine, fall in love, go "on a break," get married, get annulled, and have a baby, all while knowing that by the series finale, they'd realize how much they belonged together.

3. Rory & Jess--Gilmore Girls

When I was 13 and started watching Gilmore Girls, I was aaaalllll about Dean...until brooding bad boy Jess arrived. He and Rory were the perfect bookworm pair, and even though Jess left Rory without a word, he was still ten times better than her next boyfriend, Logan.

2. Kevin & Winnie--The Wonder Years

Growing up, The Wonder Years was (and still is) my favorite show. Kevin and Winnie are childhood romance personified and every moment of this fantastic series makes me want to be 12 years old again.

1. Jim & Pam--The Office

Admit it--the reason you started watching The Office in season one was "Jam's" awkwardly adorable crushes on one another and their hilarious office pranks. It doesn't get any better than these two.

--Kristen