The Bachelor, Ep. 20.5

And...they're off to Mexico City, Mexico!

1-on-1 Date: Amanda
Olivia was sure her name was going to be the name on the date card. She can't understand why Amanda would be getting a date, because she has kids and she thinks she is all wrong for him. She thinks because she has kids, she won't be coming back from their date. [Hint: this is foreshadowing for an incident coming up later.]

Ben wakes Amanda up at 4:30 in the morning for their date. He can't wait to see their faces when he catches them by surprise all asleep. He was greeted with the usual responses. Lauren H with her retainer was pretty funny. However, did someone tell Amanda that he was going to do this, because she woke up with perfect hair and makeup...like perfect.

They went for a hot air balloon ride over the city.

She shared that she was nervous to open up to him about her life and who she is, besides her kids. She doesn't want to scare him by talking about her failed marriage. She said she got married when her oldest daughter was 6 months old. She said there were red flags, like he wasn't the nicest person all the time and she and her girls weren't always a priority to him. After getting pregnant with her second daughter, she found things on his phone about other women. He said he admires her for all she's been through. It breaks his heart that someone would do that to her and her daughters. He isn't sure why someone like her would be interested in someone like him, but he's very appreciative. He said he never wants her to be embarassed or ashamed of her past. He doesn't want her to hold anything back for fear of what he might think. And with that, she got the rose.

Group Date: Emily, Becca, JoJo, Leah, Jennifer, Olivia, Jubilee, Lauren B, Caila

American Idol: Top 51 & Top 24 Spoilers!

If you're like me, you often find it hard to sift through all of the quick performances and blink-and-you'll-miss name flashes on the screen, to try to determine exactly who of the singers we saw in auditions made it and who didn't. In my last recap, I mentioned a few names/faces I was still unsure about because we didn't really see them in the first 2 Hollywood rounds.

Well, the site The Idol Pad has published a list of the Top 51 after the Hollywood Round, and the Top 24! I'm sure this site has existed for awhile, but why am I just now finding it on Idol's final season?! This would have been so helpful in years past! So, if you just want to know who makes it past the next couple rounds, without having to try to catch it on the show and be worried about your favorites. Let's just find out now and be done with it.

All I can say is, that it is pretty obvious that they REALLY want a girl to win this season, because there are literally twice as many girls as there are guys in the top 51. That is ridiculous!

All credit goes to The Idol Pad for the following spoilers. Keep in mind, these spoilers might not be 100% correct - we won't know until the episodes air.

If you want to be surprised, please don't read any further!

American Idol, Ep. 15.8

Hollywood Week continues...

Last night, we saw the "Lines of 10" round. We saw a lot of familiar faces, most of whom made will move on. I'm quite disturbed by the absence of Adam Lasher and Mackenzie Bourg! Where were they? Did they make it through?! Also missing were early standouts Lindita, Kory Wheeler, John Wayne Shultz, Elvie Shane, and Brandyn Burnette. Fingers crossed that they snuck in!

Round 2: Group Round
They choose their group, their song, their choreography etc. They will perform in groups of 3 or 4.

So, the groups get started, and I see Adam Lasher! Whew! One down...let's see the rest!

Team Blue Eyes: Jordan Sasser, Kory Wheeler, Kelsie Watts, Jenna Renae

"Treasure" by Bruno Mars

Korey! He made it! I like the guys a lot more than the girls. Jordan and Korey did an awesome job. The girls were nothing special at all. 

Moving on: all 4

Team Milk & Cookies: Jenn Blosil, Sara Sturm, Lynnzee Fraye, Bri Ray

"Drag Me Down" by One Direction

Funny that these 4 found each other because they all sing EXACTLY the same! They all have this scratchy/squeaky sound. Jenn is just driving me bonkers...I can't stand her! Her voice is the most scratchy and most annoying, and she is just on another planet. I kind of liked Bri and Lynnzee. I liked the version of the song that they did, it was a really cool vibe.

Moving on: all 4

Ooh x 2: Amelia Eisenhauer, Tristan McIntosh, Lee Jean, ?

"Too Close" by Alex Clare

I don't know if I'm sold on Amelia. There's just something about that I don't really care for. Tristan did well again, but she seems to be trying too hard.

Moving on: all 4

Avalon Young, ?, ?

"DJ Got Us Falling in Love" by Usher

Wow, Avalon! She sounded great on this song! I'm really starting to like her a lot.

Moving on: all 3

Jeneve Rose Mitchell, ?, ?

"I Need You" by Lady Antebellum

Jeneve was so much better without her cello or bass, or whatever that was. She might actually be able to sing! The instrument playing was so pitiful that it drowned out her vocals and made them seem really bad. These 3 really harmonized very well...impressive!

Moving on: all 3

Chynna Sherrod, Terrian, ?, ?

"Rather Be" by Clean Bandit

Wow, the harmony! That was really good! The one last girl who sang the high note was a bit off, but other than that it was a great performance.

Moving on: all 4

Trent Harmon

"Rather Be" by Clean Bandit

Because he has mono, he is told he has to perform by himself to protect the other contestants. Poor guy! I think he would do better if he wasn't sick. I really want to like him because he did so well in his audition, but there is just too many weird things going on with his voice. There are some really nice things he's doing, but I just don't know if it's enough. But Harry says "the song sounds better in mono."

Moving on: Trent! Making history as the first solo performance on group day :)

Singing Out Loud: Michelle Marie, Ashley Lusk, Lindsey Carrier, Shelbie Z

"Undo It" by Carrie Underwood

Shelbie is really annoying me...way more than when she was on The Voice. She has got quite the attitude on her! And then there's Michelle...can you say "immature"? I'm not impressed with any of these 4. Michelle just annoys me to no end. They sounded good together, but nothing spectacular.

Moving on: Michelle, Ashley, Shelbie Z

Elvie Shane, John Wayne Shultz, Jessica Cabral, ?

"Too Close" by Alex Clare

We really only heard Elvie sing. I have to say it wasn't as good as his audition, but I still like his voice. He might have been trying a little too hard.

Moving on: John, Jessica, ?

Ashley Lilinoe, Mackenzie Bourg, Juno, ?

"Renegade" by X Ambassadors

Ashley didn't look like she was really trying...but then that is kind of exactly how she did in her audition. She is just way, way, too relaxed. It was pretty painful. The focus was on her and Ryan's voice over was saying that some people don't perform the way you expect, and the ones you think will do really good choke. And then out of nowhere, there's Mackenzie!!! Immediately, I'm terrified because I'm thinking he's going to be one of "those" that Ryan is talking about. Personally, I always love what he sings, and I thought he did a good job. I'm so nervous!

Moving on: Juno, Mackenzie, (Kayla or Michaela...couldn't make out what Harry said) Woohoo for Mackenzie!!!! He's still alive!!!

Cameron Richard, ?, ?

"Too Close" by Alex Clare

Cameron singing this song was hilarious! He just cracks me up.

Moving on: ?, we just know that Cameron is not

Chicken Noodle Soup: Dalton Rapattoni, Kassy Levels, Anatalia Villaranda

"Treasure" by Bruno Mars

Anatalia got kicked out of Envy and was lucky to find Dalton and Kassy, who needed a new member since Poh abandoned them. Poh decided to up and quit. She just left the group stranded. They couldn't find Poh and someone from the show called her. Her dad picked up and said she couldn't do this. O...M...G. Seriously?! Her sister did the show last season, you can't tell me she didn't know what it was going to be like. I knew from the beginning that she was not taking this seriously at all. That just proves it. She better not have ruined this for Dalton. After all the drama and little time to rehearse, they sounded amazing! Dalton is a star on that stage! I absolutely adore him! Anatalia sounded great and Kassy was good too. They were magic and I'm so glad they found each other! Dalton just makes me giddy with excitement and I get goosebumps every time he sings. He is something special, I'm tellin' ya!

Moving on: all 3!!

Envy: Andrew Nazarbekian, Sonika Vaid, Stephany Negrete

"Problem" by Ariana Grande

Funny that the group that bullied Anatalia out of their group, is now still having problems without her. Whoa, Andrew can hit some high notes! Sonika sounds better than she did last night and is showing a little more personality. They started out a little weak, but they really did well at the end. I like the way they ended the song with the harmony.

Moving on: all 3

Trick or Treat Tribe: Kylle Thomasson, Kacye Haynes, Jon Klasasen, Marcio Donaldson

"Uptown Funk" by Bruno Mars

When it started I couldn't tell if this was going to be a disaster or something really good. By the middle, it was clear it was a great performance. It was a little gimmicky, but their voices were really good, and they divided the parts well. 

Moving on: all 4

Smooth Soul: Daniel Farmer, Joy Dove, Lindita

"Domino" by Jessie J

OK, so this is the comedy group! We all know that Daniel is full of himself and always cracking a joke. Joy Dove (you remember her from the audition the girl who couldn't stop clapping her name) - she proceeds to take her shoes off because they are the devil. Harry said they have enough soul without those soles. Ha! They asked if they looked for a 4th member and they said that they thought about looking for another male, but found out that Daniel was enough man for all of them. Ha! They all have good voices, but I think they spent more time goofing off than trying to actually learn the song. It's very rough around the edges. Lindita is clearly the best singer of the 3 and she blew a gasket at the end on those last notes! Harry couldn't believe that Joy let Lindita finish the song like that. 

Moving on: Joy, Lindita

Los Barriquas: Eliz Camacho, Gianna Isabella, Dana Ordway

"Hit 'Em Up Style" by Blu Cantrell

They obviously had some major problems. Gianna forgot a bunch of words unfortunately. Eliz and Dana, who we haven't really seen yet, have good voices. When they weren't messing up, I liked what they did with the song.

Moving on: Gianna, Dana

Good Vibes: Joe Dahman, Alesana Tolai, Olivia Thai, Jessica Paige

"Me and My Broken Heart" by Rixton

Great song! Why didn't more groups choose this song! It's one of my favorites, so kudos to this group for picking it! But...it's a very hard song. They didn't do as good of a job as I would have liked. It's such a peppy song, and Harry was right that they seemed sad and complacent. 

Moving on: Jessica

CJ Johnson, Jess Kellner, Jessica Baker, Zach Joseph

"Renegades" by X Ambassadors

It was OK, but not great.

Moving on: Joe, Jess, Jessica

Thomas Muglia, Joey Hendricks, Bryson Dunn, Thomas Stringfellow

"Renegades" by X Ambassadors

We heard this song back-to-back, and this group did something kind of cool with it. It's not a very upbeat song, but they slowed it down a little more and it really suited all of their voices. Thomas Stringfellow is the only one I recognize, but they all sounded really good. There were times that they didn't quite sound good all the time together, though.

Moving on: Thomas and Thomas

Rebirth: Manny Torres, Malie Delgado, Christian Eason

"Too Close" by Alex Clare

I go the goosies!!! This group! Holy crap! I think it might be the best of the night! I just adore Manny. His voice is so amazing. I loved his opening and Malie and Christian's backgrounds...that was just cool! They all sounded great individually, and even better harmonizing! That was an absolutely killer performance. They performed the heck out of that song. Wow...just wow!

Moving on: all 3

Soul Cats: Laurel Wright, Marshall Cunningham, Drew Angus, John Arthur Greene

"Stayin' Alive" by The BeeGees

Yikes! Forgotten lyrics all over the place. That was a train wreck.

Moving on: Laurel, Marshall

The Sistas - La'Porsha Renae, Tonie Starr, Marlena Johnson

"Stayin' Alive" by The BeeGees

After Shelbie Z abandoned them, La'Porsha decided to have pity on them and left Rebirth to join The Sistas. She looks like she should have been with them all along. And why was Shelbie with that group? She's all country and they are all R&B...doesn't seem like the right fit, and probably why she left. So, they saved this group til last, so I'm sure it's because they all make it. It's clear they are trying to make us love La'Porsha by all the air time she has gotten so far this season. I will say they harmonized very well. It was actually a really good performance. They even had some good choreography. They were worried about messing up the words, and they did good until Marlena. She forgot a lot of them, but she did what the last group didn't do, which was keep singing and make it sound good, and not look like she was forgetting the words.

Moving on: all 3

Leaving without much explanation:

Josiah Siska - the guy with the extremely deep voice

Jaci Butler - green hair girl who should have never made it past last night's performance

Brian Dale Brown - the guy who does Scooby Do and did the most ridiculous, over the top version of "Unchained Melody"

Next week...

OK, I'm really nervous. We didn't technically see Adam Lasher's group performance. He was included in a montage with the theme of bad dancing/choreography. Nothing was specifically said who went through and who was eliminated. Does that mean he didn't make it? 

And, I'm scared for Dalton...the preview for the next episode showed him having trouble with his guitar and saying "it all went downhill from there". Oh no! Please tell me he's OK!!

We still have yet to see Brandyn Burnette. I think I briefly saw Joseph Wicker (aka Ryan Gosling look-a-like), but he wasn't in a group that we saw. So maybe...just maybe...Adam and John Wayne are still there? Crossing my fingers!

And what about Emily Brooke? So many questions!

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American Idol, Ep. 15.7

Hollywood Week Begins!

I'm going to apologize right now and just say that I'm rather exhausted, and I am not in the mood to try to keep track of all the individual singers and what groups they end up in, what songs everyone sings, etc. Sorry. I'll do my best to recap who stays and who goes, and maybe a few words to describe my impression of some notable performances.

Round 1: Lines of 10 - solo performance = 1/2 go home

Moving On
Jordan Sasser - pretty good, still love his personality
Dalton Rapattoni - this guy could be my favorite, I seriously love him to death!
Jaci Butler - did not like this performance at all it was way too over the top and fake

Jenn Blosil - still too squeaky and scratchy for me, sounds like it would be painful
Thomas Stringfellow - another good performance
Olivia Rox - pretty good, didn't hear much

Jessica Cabral - one of my favorite girls so far, she just SINGS and doesn't it beautifully
Sonika Vaid - she was an early favorite after her audition, but she might just not be dynamic enough to be interesting, pretty voice though

La'Porsha Renae - still not as impressed as the judges are, I don't like how she pronounces some of her words
Joseph Wicker (aka Ryan Gosling look-a-like) -- I think...we didn't get to see him, but he seemed pretty happy

Daniel Farmer - decent singer, but he's a dime a dozen
Manny Torres - another favorite, love this guy! And he picks really good songs

Lee Jean - he has such a nice and easy way about him
Shelbie Z - good, but I've seen better

Jeneve Rose Mitchell - really wish she wouldn't have brought that dumb cello, still don't like her and I don't think she's a good singer at all; this competition is going to be way too much for her; and she was the only one to make it from her line? Seriously?!

Gianna Isabella - seriously talented, but she might have been a little flat
Tristan McIntosh - good voice, and some big, strong notes

Michelle Marie - OK voice, but her personality is going to get very annoying, very quickly

Trent Harmon - poor guy just got diagnosed with mono, but he killed it like a true champ, I like him, but he goes a little too over the top
Poh - she seemed like she wasn't taking the song seriously, not impressed
Emily Brooke - I like her, and she kind of reminds me of Emily Ann Roberts from this past season of The Voice

Notable Cuts
Melanie Tierce - another great performance, might not be a one-trick pony
...and she didn't make it????!!! What?! The judges were moved to tears in her audition and she did nothing wrong in this performance. I am shocked! I really thought if anyone from her line, it would have been Sonika not to make it.

Harrison Cohen - a little to perky, but at least he gives an energetic performance, definitely not the best singer, but I kind of like him
...not really surprised he didn't make it

Melany Huber - she still impresses me
...wait, what?! OMG! She has such a good voice, I can't believe she didn't make it!!!

Kyrsti Jewel - way too over the top, and the song was terrible and it was just painful and too loud

Kerry Courtney

Brook Sample

Usen Isong

Reanna Molinero

Ethan Kuntz

Jake Dillon - oh no!!!

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The Bachelor, Ep. 20.4

Just as having twins on in the same season is something new...so is taking twins on a "sort of" 2-on-1 date. They are all traveling to Las Vegas, NV, which is where Emily and Haley are from. I literally can't wait to watch this awkwardness go down.

1-on-1 Date: JoJo - helicopter ride to Valley of Fire State Park

4 episodes in and we finally get to see something of JoJo. First they enjoy some champagne on the roof. Then, their ride arrives...and proceeds to blow everything! The table goes flying! He sneaks a kiss behind the fallen table, while the other girls look on. Olivia was going on and on...and on...and on about how comfortable she is with her relationship with Ben. And how she is totally fine with him seeing other girls because he's her "piece" and he can't possibly have a connection with anyone else like the one he has with her. And then the kiss, and now she's all sad because he's going away with JoJo and he's going to fall in love with her while she is stuck at the hotel. Wow, that escalated quickly.

We saw about 2 seconds of their time in the helicopter, and before we know it, we are at the evening portion of the date. JoJo said her last relationship of a year and a half ended 5 months ago. She gave everything to him and he was not giving back to her and she wasn't the only one in his life. That experience worries her about the future and being with someone who won't reciprocate her feelings. He asked her if she was ready to move on and she said she was. She was glad that she felt safe enough to talk about her past with Ben. He gave her the rose and said (not to her) that he could be falling for her and the more he learns about her the more he likes her.

To end the date, they go outside and are treated to a "surprise" fireworks display. All the girls can see this from their suite...and jealousy ensues. Olivia feels like she is being cheated on. The twins are jealous that they haven't gotten to watch fireworks on top of the roof in their own city.

Group Date: Talent show - Lauren H, Rachel, Lauren B, Amber, Leah, Jen, Olivia, Amanda, Jubilee, Caila, Emily, Haley

Amazing Race Season 28 Preview & Cast Bios

This season on Amazing Race, all of the teams have one thing in common: social media. All of the teams have acheived fame via social media platforms such as: YouTube, Vine, and Instagram.

Race Details:
11 teams of 2 started the race on November, 15, 2015. Unlike other seasons, each team actually began the race in their hometowns, instead of all together at a starting line. Phil Keoghan live-streamed the teams' arrivals at the first clue location at the Monumento a la Revolución in Mexico City, Mexico. The race concluded on December 6, 2015

Cities Traveled: 18
Countries Traveled: 10
New Locations: Cartagena, Colombia; Tbilisi, Georgia; Yerevan, Armenia
Miles Traveled: 27,000

Season 28 of The Amazing Race starts Friday, February 12.

The Racers:

Survivor Season 32 Preview & Cast Bios

It's here - your Survivor Season 32 Cast Bios and Season preview! Everything you need to know about the new season, which starts Wednesday, Feb. 17, with a 90-minute premiere.

Season Name: Survivor: Kaôh Rōng (aka "Koh Rong")
Location: Cambodia
Theme: Brains vs. Brawn vs. Beauty 2
Tribes: 3
Castaways: 18
Filmed: March 30 - May 7, 2015
(Note: Season 32 actually filmed before Season 31 and is airing out of order)

Season Preview:

Idol Twist: Hidden immunity idols will continue to work as they always have in the past - you find an idol, you can play it before the votes are read to save yourself or someone else. However, individual idols will now also have a "super" power. If 2 people both find a hidden immunity idol, they can combine their idols to make a dual-purpose "super idol". They can choose to play their idols AFTER the votes are read to save the person who was just voted out. The idols will fit together, as each will be shaped as one-half of a Yin-Yang symbol, with a hole and a connector on the side that allows the two idols to be slotted together, Each tribe's idol will look slightly different. The Brains tribe's idol has a crocodile, the Brawn tribe's idol has a tiger, and the Beauty tribe's idol has a snake.

This new rule means that only those who find an idol will know about the potential power. There is always a risk of sharing if you have an idol, but in this case, it's necessary in order to be played after the votes are read. If players choose to share this power with the rest of the tribe as a scare tactic, it may or may not work, as the power seems as though it could easily be made up. The ultimate power would be for a single person to find 2 individual immunities. In this case, they could play both idols after the votes are read to save themselves (or a more unlikely scenario - to save someone else).

Injuries/Evacuations: 3 total (humidity, cuts, people getting infected and then trying so hard on the challenges); there were also possible evacuations for eliminated contestants at Ponderosa

Jeff Probst is calling this "the most punishing season in Survivor history". "From the extreme of an evacuation to something as small as a really bad sunburn, every day truly posed a new risk to this group. The heat, the rain, the bugs, and the infections were a daily obstacle."

The Tribes

Brains - Chan Loh

Brawn - To Tang

Beauty - Gondol

The Castaways

American Idol, Ep. 15.6

Auditions #6: San Francisco - The last of the auditions for Season 15! Next week, we're on to Hollywood week! Fingers crossed for the singers I love...don't want to lose any to the dreaded Hollywood week.


Going to Hollywood!

Jessica Cabral, 21
She looks so familiar...where have I seen her before? She has a beautiful voice. Strong and powerful, but also a quiet tenderness. She has a nice range, nice vibrato...just the right amount of everything. I really like her. J. Lo compared her to Kelly Clarkson, and I didn't notice it at first, but she does have a very similar tone.

Brian Dale Brown, 27
"Unchained Melody" by Righteous Brothers
He's tried out 10 times, and I can see why he's never made it this far before. Can anyone say "over the top"? I think he could actually be good, but he does a VERY forced growl at the top of his lungs. If he could just sing and not be so dramatic and make such a production of it. It was kind of a joke, even though I think he was actually being kind of serious. I'm glad the judges recognized and called him out for being over the top. I'm not sure if he can take this competition seriously...he's pretty crazy.

Melanie Huber, 17
"Talking to the Moon" by Bruno Mars
What a story - she was diagnosed with Stage 3 Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma. She had chemo and now she's cancer-free! What a voice and what an inspiration! She had true emotion and it was really good.

Rachel Karryn, 20
Her Grandpa played guitar for her. She was OK, but we didn't get to hear much.

Caroline Byrne, 25
Her brother played guitar for her. I didn't care for the song, but we didn't really hear enough to get an idea of how good she is.

Bianca Espinal, 22
Her dad played guitar for her.I actually really liked her voice.

Chynna Sherrod, 16
"One Last Time" by Ariana Grande
I liked her slowed-down version of the song. I like her voice, but I'm not sure I was wowed. Probably not very memorable in the long run.

Lillian Glanton, 15
"Country Boyfriend" - original song
Wow, I don't know if I've ever heard such a thick country drawl like the one she's got! It's really hard to understand her. The words to the song show her age, but the music was actually pretty good. She's good, but not great. She definitely needs a few years.

Kayce Haynes, 23
"Brother" by Needtobreathe
He's cute! He reminds me of Gunner from the show Nashville a little bit. Oh wow, he's got an amazing voice! I love this song and he did an amazing job! I don't necessarily like the weird faces he made while he was singing, but he sure sounded good. His voice reminds me of the lead singer of Thriving Ivory, which you don't hear a lot. I also heard (after Harry mentioned it), a little bit of Bon Jovi as well.

Zach Person, 18
"Nextdoor Neighbor Blues" by Gary Clark, Jr.
Wow, I did not expect him to sound like that and be that good! I didn't like the song, but I kind of like him. Very interesting.

Colette Lush, 19
"Who's Loving You" by Jackson 5
What's with this song? This is the second time we've seen it now. I can't decide if she's fun or annoying...she's kind of borderline. I really like her voice though. I didn't expect her to sound like that.

Avalon Young, 21
"XO" by Beyonce
She's a self-proclaimed tomboy, and she reminds me a lot of Kristen Stewart in the way she talks. Her voice is nothing like what I expected at all! She has a very unique and interesting tone. I loved her guitar playing to this song and her vocals were really cool. I think she has one of the most truly genuine voices we've heard.

Usen Isong, 23
"Not the Only One" by Sam Smith
He came in very jokey and I wasn't sure if he was going to be a joke when he sang or not. The first notes were very surprising. He can sing! I like the beginning a lot better than how he ended it. If he can take it seriously, he could be a lot of fun to have around later in the competition.

Jaci Butler, 19
"It Will Rain" by Bruno Mars
I can't say I love her look, but she's got a pretty good voice. She could work on her weird body movements while she's singing...that was a little bit annoying. That was an interesting slow/dramatic song choice for someone from an alternative rock band.

Stephany Negrete, 21
'Who's Loving You" by Jackson 5
Seriously, this song AGAIN?! That makes 3 that we've heard now. She is gorgeous. She has a nice voice, but it's nothing spectacular. Maybe with a different song. She didn't seem to be connected to what she was singing at all. I got nothing out of that. Boring and so predictable.

Manny Torres, 20
"This Love" by Marroon 5
Finally a great song choice! I love what he did with it! So cool! He's got a great voice! He has charisma and a very likable personality. The more he sang, the more I loved it! Great audition! Lots of potential with this guy! I totally agree with Keith's assessment that he had so much energy, but he kept it focused instead of letting it go all crazy all over the place. That was a good way of describing him. Last audition...I'm kind of sad! But they ended on a great note!

Noteworthy Singers Who Didn't Make the Cut

Cody Ostrenga, 23
"Proud Mary" by Tina Turner
How do you describe this guy? So he does rodeo riding where you shoot at targets, and he also belly dances? He's cute, but he definitely talks like he's gay. The judges have him running around like crazy, and yet I'm still thinking that he's going to be a good singer. But..no...he's wild and crazy just like his personality. His notes are all over the place.

Gina Naomi Baez, 27
"Lips are Moving" by Meghan Trainor
She's got such a cute dog! I think she has an OK voice, but it's definitely nothing special. She kind of came off as fake.

Justin Sullivan, 22
"Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)" by Kelly Clarkson
So, he's majorly obsessed with Kelly! It started out quite gimmicky (no thanks to Harry). However, he does have a nice voice. He had quite a few pitch issues though, unfortunately. He has potential, but they don't have enough time for him to get it.

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American Idol, Ep. 15.5

Auditions #5
Guest Appearances: Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken, Kris Allen, Taylor Hicks, Nick Fradiani, Lee DeWyze

We're already in the final week of auditions! This season is going by too quickly! I still haven't heard anyone who stood out as an obvious winner. I've seen a lot of good singers, but I don't know that I've seen the one yet. Like when Phillip Phillips and Caleb Johnson auditioned...I just knew. I sure hope someone this week stands out, because I need to make a good pick for winner this season to walk away with the final "Queen of the Idol Picks" trophy!

Going to Hollywood!

Miranda "Poh" Scott, 17
"Fairytale" by Sara Bareilles
Her sister is Shi from last season. Let's just say her personality doesn't seem to be near as annoying as her sister, and I don't really think they look that much alike. Her voice was interesting. She sounded like she had a cold...I'm not sure if she actually did or if her voice is just a little scratchy. I kind of liked it, but I don't know that I was that impressed with her. Oh, and her nickname, "Poh"...yeah she got that because Poh was her favorite tellytubby growing up. Umm...OK.

Amelia Eisenhower, 15
"Many Rivers" by Annie Lennox
Her opening package with her talking about her katana really made me wonder if she was going to be any good or not. Then she came in with a fiddle and I was sure she was going to be a joke. However, I was pleasantly surprised by her very lovely voice. I don't know how to describe her voice, other than "straight"...she just sang, without any frilly, fancy notes or quirks. I would have liked to hear her on a song that I've heard before to get a real sense for her voice, but it was a good audition. Maybe not all that memorable, though.

Joy Dove, 21
"Jumbalaya"
Her personality is huge! I did not care for the song...at all. I don't think it showed us that she can sing at all. I did not think she was as great as the judges did. So yeah, she sang loud, but I don't really think what she did was great singing.

Mackenzie Bourg, 23

Mackenzie on Season 3 of The Voice

Medley of the Coaches - "Stupid Boy" by Keith Urban / "Come by Me" by Harry Connick, Jr. / "Love Don't Cost a Thing" by Jennifer Lopez
OK, so I did NOT recognize Mackenzie at all...until his name popped up on the screen (same glasses, different hair)! Mackenzie Bourg!!!!! He was on The Voice several seasons ago, and I absolutely loved him!!!! I was so bummed when he was eliminated, and I thought he was sent home way too soon (but there were so many good singers in his season). I can't believe he's back! I'm so excited! He is very original and that showed through with his choice to do his own version of a medley of songs from each of judges...so clever! He made J. Lo's song really his own and really changed that song the most. It was absolutely beautiful and I'm in love with him and his voice again! So, he didn't win The Voice, but...with the caliber of singers on The Voice being higher than American Idol...I think he could EASILY win Idol! I'm so excited!!!   So...I said at the top of this blog that I haven't heard the winner yet...well...it could just be Mackenzie!
Note: I actually guessed it was Season 3 of The Voice...and yep, it was Season 3...I'm just that good. And he was so memorable to me that I could pinpoint the last time I saw him. I did have to look up when he was eliminated, and it was on the first live show.

Jenna Renae, 23
She has a nice voice, but it's nothing we've never heard before. I think she had some flat notes. Good, but not great, so I don't think she'll go very far.

Adam Lasher, 28

Jimmy Fallon recreating Adam's look

"Knockin' on Heaven's Door" by Bob Dylan
OMG! OMG! OMG! As soon as he said they might remember him and that he had a headband last time...I instantly knew who he was! I didn't remember his name, but I remembered that I loved him and I was devastated when he was eliminated last season. I had high hopes of him making it far, and he didn't even make it to the top 24. In case you don't remember his name either, he was the guy who was featured on The Tonight Show in one of Jimmy Fallon's skits where people send him pictures of people who look like him. He was a little rough around the edges looks-wise. But now? Holy crap is he hot! He's clean shaven, his hair is shorter, he's wearing a very handsome suit, and he is incredibly hot! So now, he's got the voice AND the looks.

Adam now - MUCH improved, no?

Uh-oh! Mackenzie just got some competition! I'm so excited he came back! I wish he would have done a different song, but I still love him. Clearly they saved some of the best ones for the last week of auditions!

Another fun fact about Adam that I totally forgot, is that he is Carlos Santana's nephew!


Emily Brooke, 16
"Careless" by RaeLynn
I remember her a little bit from last season. She has a very strong country voice. She's got a little bit of uniqueness in her voice that kind of separates her from the same sound of a lot of other female country singers.


Noteworthy Singers Who Didn't Make the Cut

Andrew and Aaron Birdwell, 27, 
Another twin audition failure. I have no idea what they were singing. It was just bad.

Mario Bonds, 27
"Inseparable" by Natalie Cole
Ooh, I hate this song! You want to root for him because he's blind and has a great personality, but I didn't love his voice. He can definitely sing, but I'm not a fan of his style at all. He reminds me a lot of Blessing Offor from The Voice, Season 7. I'm actually stunned that the judges didn't put him through. They usually eat this stuff up with a spoon and totally love the loud and soulful singing. I do feel bad for him, though, because you could tell that he wanted it so badly. And to see him walked out by his guide and he was sobbing. So sad!

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The Bachelor, Ep. 20.3

Well hello there, Ben! --------------------------------------->
It's a great day because it's Monday, which means we get to see Ben! Yay! And it looks like we're in for a lot of drama tonight!

Let's get started!

We start with the girls in the house, and a couple girls are talking about Olivia and how deep down there's a mean girl inside her. She just knows how to put on a good show in front of the cameras.

1-on-1 Date: Lauren B - fly around Agoura Hills/Malibu on a plane
We haven't seen much of her since the first night. Ben said that she is someone who stood out to him the first night right out of the limo, but he doesn't really know her yet.

Ben drives her to an airport. She is used to flying because she's a flight attendant. But, they aren't flying in just any airplane, it's a single engine, open plane with a propeller on the front. Yeah, I would be pretty scared. It was rather annoying trying to listen to their conversation on the headsets that had so much feedback that they had to do a bunch of subtitles. Then there was some awkward kissing as they weren't aware of the mouthpieces on their headsets, so there was a lot of weird head tilts.

After the plane ride, they go for a walk out in the middle of nowhere. Then magically, a hot tub appears. OK, so this is now the 2nd time he has been in a hot tub with a girl that has been in a very weird and random place (first time was with Caila in the middle of the store). Romantic for them, being all alone in the wilderness, but super weird to see....them in a hot tub, in the middle of the open wilderness.

American Idol, Ep. 15.4

Auditions #4: Denver & Little Rock (Does anyone else wonder why they aren't showing all of the auditions from each city as a group like they normally do? It seems odd to keep switching back and forth between cities.)

Guest Appearances: Kris Allen, Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken

Going to Hollywood!

Amber Lynn, 28
"Unaware" by Allen Stone
Not impressed at all. Her voice was so quiet at times I wasn't sure if she was actually singing. Maybe it was just the song? Harry blamed James (see below) for rushing the song with his guitar playing. Wow, that's a first.

James Dawson VIII, 23
"Sun comes Up" by John Legend
Weird facial expressions and I can't tell if he's being serious or not. He was doing some really weird things with his voice. I can't even describe it. I liked his personality so I really wanted to like this, but I didn't really. Again, it could have been the song choice. I agree with Harry saying that his voice was a little affected. I think he might ust be good at faking that he can sing and that when it comes to Hollywood week, he'll completely bomb. We'll see. To be fair, he wasn't even going to audition but Amber (above) told him that he shouldn't just play guitar for her but he should audition too. He really sees himself as a guitar player and not a singer. On a side note, who does this guy remind me of? I can't put my finger on it...it's gonna bug me...

Chris "CJ" Johnson, 28
"You Make My Dreams Come True" by  Hall & Oates
Interesting song choice, but I like it! He's got a great voice. I liked his take on the song, it showed some originality and his personality. Easily the best of the show so far (but the bar wasn't set real high).

Ethan Kuntz, 15
"Stormy Monday" by Allman Brothers
He looks like he's 12! I'm not sure he's quite ready for this just yet, especially for this type of music. He's got a lot of potential, but he's not going to go too far in the competition, I don't think. I think a different song would have been better.

Mary Williams, 23
"Til I Make it on My Own" by Tammy Wynette
Beautiful country voice, but it was kind of a boring performance. I found it kind of funny that she looked so confused by what the judges were saying as they were critiquing her. I'm wondering if she really knows much about music. Interesting that Keith said no, and basically agreed with me - him being the resident country singer on the panel, and being the only one to say no.

Terrian, 18
"Happy" by Pharrell
She's really good. I love her positive outlook on life and the competition. The song might not have allowed her to show everything she can do. She could have sung it a little more "happy" to match the song, but it was still pretty good.

Thomas Stringfellow, 17
"Give Me Love" by Ed Sheeran
Thank you for not singing another stinking country song! Great song choice, and he has an amazing voice! I love it! The falsetto was great, but he did have a little weird squeaky thing that happened a little too often for me. But, overall, I really liked it. He definitely added his own personality to it.

Tywan "Tank" Jackson, 29
"Superstar" by Luther Vandross
So, first things first, his story about developing his own dance class to help him lose weight sounds very familiar. I'm pretty sure he tried out for So You Think You Can Dance. OK, so Googling it and...I'm shocked that I can't find anything to validate that! However, I found his dance studio page and it says he's had callbacks for America's Got Talent and X Factor. So...just about every other show except SYTYCD. No, I hate this song! He was OK, but the high note wasn't good. It wasn't smart to do the big dance routine right before singing...he was out of breath.

John Wayne Shultz, 27
"The Dance" by Garth Brooks
He lost out to Scotty McCreary for the last spot in Season 10. Wow, 2 Garth Brooks songs in one show...don't know if I can take it. He's got a good voice for country, but he falls into the category of "male country singer-itis", in that he sounds like every other male country singer out there. Boring. He's so cute, but I can't listen to too much of that.

Jordyn Simone, 15
"Who's Loving You" by Jackson 5
I thought she started out pretty good, but there were a few questionable things in the middle, and the high notes at the end were not that great. I can tell the judges are going to love her. She definitely doesn't look or sound 15.

American Idol, Ep. 15.3

Auditions #3: Philadelphia
Guest Appearance: Clay Aiken


Going to Hollywood!

Gianna Isabella, 15
"House of the Rising Sun" by The Animals
Her mom is Brenda K. Starr, and this girl seems destined to be a star as well. Another incredible 15-year-old singer this season. She's got a lot of depth and she sounds so mature for her age. I love her cute, bubbly personality - she's so adorable.

Isaac Cole, 15
"Love Like Crazy" by Lee Brice
What do you know, another farmer...they're coming out of the woodwork this season apparently. Right off the bat, I hate his hairstyle. It's like young Justin Bieber all over again...I always hated that pulled forward look. He's got an OK voice. I wouldn't say I was blown away. But like Keith said, he had the line of the day. When he asked if he should do an a cappella song or his one with the guitar, and they responded with whichever one was going to show his voice the best -- he then said "I'm going to sing my a cappella song with the guitar." Ha! The judges said he wasn't quite ready - he said last year they didn't think Clark was ready either, and he's a quick learner. BUT - they all ended up saying "yes". I did like that Harry told him that he's not from the south and doesn't speak with a twang, so he shouldn't try to sing with one, he should be himself. Yes!

Sara Sturn, 17
"Lips are Moving" by Meghan Trainor
I do not think she is quite ready. There were some good things happening, but it seemed pretty "one-note". She kind of just sang loud through the whole song, and the song didn't really seem to go anywhere. I really wanted to like this, and it wasn't bad, but I just wasn't moved or excited by it.

Jenn Bosil, 23
"Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons
Wow, this girl is bonkers...not quite sure how to take her. She came in so quirky and weird and then as soon as she started to play the piano, she got so serious. I loved the arrangement of the song. I liked her voice a lot, except the more she sang, the squeakier her voice got and the breaks that were kind of endearing and interesting at the beginning started to get a little nails on the chalkboard. I think she could easily get annoying to hear week after week, BUT if she can keep the vocal breaks in her voice to a minimum, she could actually be really good.

Harrison Cohen, 17
"No Time" - original song
I wasn't so sure if he was going to be good or a joke. I really love the guitar music to this song! It's so catchy! His voice was surprising! I liked a lot about that! I actually really loved this song! I would totally buy that! I could totally hear something like that on the radio.

John Arthur Greene, 27
"Somebody Like You" by Keith Urban
Oh my gosh, this guy has the saddest story! He accidentally shot and killed his brother when he was 8 and his brother was 5, when they were playing hide-and-seek. Wow. He grew up on a farm and both of his parents were pastors. He sang a country song and he said he's actually on Broadway right now. Interesting. I think he had an OK voice, but he was really rushing the song. Honestly, as much as I wanted to like it, I would say it was pretty mediocre, even for country. Harry said no, but J. Lo and Keith both said yes to see what else he can do.

Noteworthy Singers Who Didn't Make the Cut

Derek Huffman, 21
"Angel" by Shaggy
So he brought his own boom box and played his music! I actually really liked his voice. It was maybe a little superficial and amateur, but I think he can actually sing. He might not have been taking the audition too seriously, and I think that hurt him. They did appreciate his creativity and being the first one to bring his own music - it was like karaoke!

Ellis Banks, 25
"Born This Way" by Lady Gaga
Just when you think he's going to be a serious singer with some sort of sad backstory, he walks in with a shiny banana hammock, robe and a "Jesus" headpiece that looks kind of like something Rick James would wear. And the judges lucked out because he made one for each of them! So, needless to say, this audition was going nowhere. The song was appropriate, though.

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The Bachelor, Ep. 20.2

So, Lace admits that she had too much to drink on night 1. She said that's not her at all and hopes to make a better impression. However, the more she talks, the more she still sounds drunk. Is this possible? She said she's not crazy...but even having to say that out loud suggests that she just might be. Yikes.

No Date this Week: Jami, Rachel, Lauren B, Leah

Group Date: Teams of 2: Jubilee/Lace, Jen/LB, Mandi/Amber, Becca/JoJo, Lauren H/Jackie; they go to a high school ("Bachelor High") and compete answering questions in various school subjects.

OMG! Chris is the principal...he's wearing some dorky glasses, a vest...too funny!

Chris tells the girls to find a partner and then find their locker. Inside, they each get a backpack.

Round 1: ingredients/supplies in the backpack they need to make a volcano erupt; 1st 3 teams to get it to erupt move on. Lace is useless and her team is out.

Round 2: bobbing for apples and passing them only using their mouths; Jackie gets distracted and can't get her apple and her team is out

Round 3: studying Indiana - find the state and put it on the map of the USA where it belongs. It is so sad that they are having this much trouble; Becca and Jojo put the state sideways and put it where Pennsylvania is. Yikes! That is embarrassing.

Round 4: shoot a freethrow - first team to both score wins; Amber and Mandi win

American Idol, Ep. 15.2

Auditions #2: San Francisco and Little Rock
Former Idol Guest Appearances: Kris Allen, Lee DeWyze

Going to Hollywood!

Cameron Richard, 15
"Give Me Love" by Ed Sheeran
Great story, great song, serious talent! Another talented young one! His voice is a little too in his throat, but he's got skills.

Daniel Farmer, 24
"How Does it Feel?" by D'Angelo
He's a little too confident in himself. He's got a decent voice, but I don't care for the song. The body grinding toward J. Lo was a bit much. His falsetto was a little bit too screamy for me and the runs were a little bit too all over the place.

American Idol, Ep. 15.1

Season 15: The Farewell Season! I can't believe it's all coming to an end after this season! I hope the talent is amazing and I hope the show goes out on a high note.

So let's start the party, and the first episode of remembering the awesome past seasons!

Back as our judges for the season are Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez, and Harry Connick, Jr. I love this panel and I'm so glad they are back for the final season!

Auditions #1: Atlanta
Let the reunion begin! Making guest appearances as pre-screening judges: Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken, Kris Allen, Taylor Hicks, Lee DeWyze

Auditions #2: Denver

Going to Hollywood!

The Bachelor, Ep. 20.1

Can Ben get any cuter? Seriously...so adorable! I am so ready for a full season of nothing but Ben! I just wish there weren't so many girls getting in the way :/

Let's get this started!

Ben gets some advice from Sean Lowe, Jason Mesnick, and Chris Soules. I get why Sean and Jason are there, but Chris wasn't exactly successful in his journey. His advice was to "kiss them all!" Yeah, that worked out well for you in the end. I wouldn't exactly say a 3-month engagement is somthing to strive for here. I think Sean had the best advice, and he was honest in saying that he didn't start having feelings for Catherine from the beginning - she kind of snuck up on him.

First Impressions - Girls' Video Packages

The Bachelor, Season 20: Ben's Girls & Episode-by-Episode Spoilers

Who's ready for the hottest bachelor ever (in my opinion)?! This girl!

As always, below are the girls who will be vying for Ben's heart and the final rose. Thanks to RealitySteve, you can also find out what happens in each episode and who Ben picks in the end...should you not be able to wait a few months to find out :) Keep scrolling past the bios for all of the juicy spoilers (or click here)!

Ben's season premieres Monday night, Jan. 4 at 8:00 on ABC.

Ben's Bio
Age: 26
Occupation: Software Salesman
Hometown: Warsaw, IN (lives in Denver, CO)


Ben's Girls

Survivor, Ep. 31.14: Finale

I can't believe we are at the finale already! I don't want this season to end! I'll just get this out of the way now: GO SPENCER!!!! If not Spencer, I would like to see Keith win, but that's pretty unlikely. I would be OK with a Jeremy win, because he has played a pretty flawless game and was never really a target. He deserves to win, but I also think Spencer has a very good argument. It will be tough for him to beat Jeremy head-to-head, but I think he could beat anybody else. Wentworth could put up a good fight as well, but I think she would definitely lose to Jeremy. I don't think that Tasha and Kimmi have really any chance of winning. They have done nothing. It's going to be fun and exciting, regardless of the outcome.

I am interested to see how this plays out because there are 6 people left, not 5! That means 3 Tribals before the final Tribal? Normally it's just 2.

Here we go!

The Voice, Ep. 9.24 & 9.25: Finale

The Finale! We're down to the last 4 singers and the winner will be crowned tomorrow night.

Jordan Smith (Team Adam)

"Climb Every Mountain" from Sound of Music
For the first time, he sounded a little off on the low notes at the beginning. It started out pretty slow and a little boring. But as soon as he started to swell into his upper register, where he excels, it became amazing as usual. I didn't care for the instrumental accompaniment. I actually think I would have liked it more a capella. I loved the little changes and ad-libs he added at the end. The end was so explosive and huge, just like he does every week. This guy wants to win, and he most definitely deserves it.
My Score: A-

"God Only Knows" by The Beach Boys w/ Adam
Interesting...Adam's singer 2 seasons ago, Matt McAndrew also did this song. I'm not a big fan of this song, but man Adam and Jordan sound so good in unison! This is the most subdued song we've seen Jordan do all season. It was nice, but nothing earth-shattering.
My Score: A


"Mary Did You Know"
Perfection. No more words needed. Jordan gives me goosebumps on every single performance. If he doesn't win this season tomorrow night, it will be an absolute travesty. Jeffery may be good, but you CANNOT convince me that he is better than Jordan. You just can't.
My Score: A+

Let's just re-confirm this for the millionth time: Jordan deserves to win this hands-down. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. He is in another league all his own. PLEASE do your part and vote for him! Do NOT think that he's a shoo-in and that you don't need to vote! That is EXACTLY how upsets happen! The country voting block for The Voice is strong every season. They latch on to every country singer in the competition and vote like mad. That is why Barrett is still here, and that's how he somehow beat out Jeffery last week. We do NOT want that to continue. Make your voice heard (no pun intended). Jordan has been by far the most consistent, the most compelling, and the most deserving of the win since he sang the first note of his audition. I knew he was something special from that blind audition when we all thought he was a woman, and were blown away when they showed us his face. His story has been amazing, but his voice speaks (sings) for itself. His talent is undeniable and it should be rewarded. So go vote! NBC.com,, on Facebook, The Voice App, or buy his songs on iTunes!

Emily Ann Roberts (Team Blake)

Survivor, Ep. 31.13

Our first Joe-less episode of the season. Go Spencer! Actually, I shouldn't say that, because we will get to see him briefly sitting with the jury!

Orkun Camp
Ugh! I don't want to hear what any of them have to say after voting out Joe. Especially Abi! Kelley thinks they all have an equal chance to win challenges. Ha...that's what they think..it's Keith and Spencer now, all the way! Keith wished he would have been in the loop about the vote. Tasha wants to keep an eye on Keith since he voted for her. Well, it's her own fault for not letting him in on the plan.

Jeremy and Spencer talk, and they are not feeling great about their decision. Nice...wish you would have thought about that more before you turned on Joe! They need to make sure that Tasha and Kimmi are really with them. They hope the all-girl alliance isn't real.

Reward Challenge

The Voice, Ep. 9.22 & 9.23

Top 9

Team Adam

Shelby Brown
"Even God Must Get the Blues" by Jo Dee Messina
I don't know this song, and I'm pretty bored by it for some reason. I think she's singing it beautifully, but I'm so preoccupied that I don't care to listen to it that closely. I'm not sure it's going to be enough for her to make it past the 5-person cut tomorrow night.
My Score: B+

Amy Vachal
"To Make You Feel My Love" by Bob Dylan
Sorry, I only know this as Adele's song. I've got to hand it to Amy for hanging in this long and for how much she has improved in my eyes. She went from Madi Davis bad to actually tolerable to pretty decent. She still isn't my favorite, but I applaud her for taking risks and branching out into better genres than where she started. This was a beautiful, raw performance, just like Adam wanted it to be. I still miss Blaine and Keith though, and wish they were chosen to stay over her...that will never change.
My Score: A-

Jordan Smith
"Somebody to Love" by Queen
Great song choice, I think he's going to rock it! He has not had a bad song choice yet. The choir is a nice touch, but let's face it: Jordan sings big enough to encompass an entire choir. He blasted those notes and put that choir to shame! THAT'S how to belt a song without screaming! Just pure power. Those high notes! I still don't know how he manages to amaze me every single week! He took this song to the stratosphere and to a whole 'nother level! Those ending notes that Adam told him to go crazy on? Yep, he did that and totally outdid Christena Aguilera. Like I've been saying since Jordan's audition: can we PLEASE just crown him the winner and be done with it? You can't beat this guy, you just can't. If he doesn't win, something was rigged, because he literally brought the house down. Adam was so moved that he ran onto stage and gave him a hug...took his mic and dropped it. LOL
My Score: A+++

Team Blake

Barrett Baber
"Ghost" by Ella Henderson
I am very excited to see if he can take a very popular pop song and make it into country. It does have a slightly country/bluegrass feel, so I actually don't think it will sound too much different, with the exception of his heavy country twang. This was an interesting performance. I'm not sure what to think. I can't tell if I liked it or not. Because it's a song I know and love, that definitely helps. He's doing much better with his pitch in these past couple weeks. He ended really strongly. I actually think this was one of his better performances.
My Score: A-

Zach Seabaugh
"The Climb" by Miley Cyrus
Interesting song choice, but I love it! Is this the first time we've seen him play the guitar? He is usually moving all over the stage, but for this one he is in front of the stationary microphone with his guitar. It's a nice change of pace. Doing a pop song allows us to hear just how good his voice is, when it is stripped from his forced country twang. His natural twang isn't near as severe as what he does on the overly country songs, and I have to say I like this so much better (big surprise)! This was a great performance, and his voice sounded amazing. It helps that it's a song I know, and it's not a country song. His last big notes, were incredible. Loved it! Who cares about country, this is what he should be singing!
My Score: A+

Emily Ann Roberts
"9 to 5" by Dolly Parton
I'm not a huge fan of Dolly Parton's music, but my all-time favorite song of hers is "Little Sparrow" (introduced to it by an amazing performance of it by David Cook on American Idol). I would have LOVED to hear her sing it! We've seen Emily do some fun and upbeat song like this the past couple weeks, so the tender, emotional song would have been a nice change of pace. That said, she really rocked this song (no surprise). She's just so cute and so talented - not just for her young age, but for any age! She should be on the radio right now. I love her quirky facial expressions, they just make me smile.
My Score: A

Team Gwen

Jeffery Austin
"Believe" by Cher
Hmm...this should be interesting. I actually really, really liked his version! It was very opposite to the Cher version. He always sings well, but this was really exceptional this week. Maybe it's just because he's finally doing a song I know. He sang with so much power and emotion. He always does, but there was something different this week. Wow.
My Score: A+

Braiden Sunshine
"Amazing Grace"
I think Braiden needs to decide what kind of an artist he wants to be. He's in a rock band back home, but he hasn't "rocked" the rock songs he's done. When he's done his best performances, he's done kind of the crooning style. I think this should be a really good song for him. This was just a very simple, raw performance - as it should be. As far as hymns go on this show, unfortunately, as good as this was, it doesn't hold a candle to what Jordan has done. I think vocally it is definitely one of his best performances. A couple of the high notes were a bit of a stretch, but he got there.
My Score: 

Team Pharrell

Madi Davis
"Big Girls Don't Cry" by The Four Seasons
Yuck, yuck, yuck. She is picking worse and worse songs every week. I seriously can't stand her style and her voice anymore. I am so ready for her to go. I don't know how anyone is voting for her. I seriously couldn't listen to the whole thing, it was just too painful. Just a matter of taste, because clearly she can sing...but why she wastes her talent doing junk like this is beyond me. I REALLY wish she would never, ever, throw in her little spoken words...so annoying! And she does that on like every song! It felt like this song was never going to end.
My Score: C-

Predictions

Should Be Going Home: Madi, Barrett, Amy, Shelby, Braiden
Will Be Going Home: Braiden, Shelby, Zach, Madi, Amy

Results

Safe and in the final 4: Jordan, Emily, Barrett
Middle 3 performing for the Instant Save: Jeffery, Madi, Zach
Zach - Not his best performance of a country classic, but it was nice. It's not going to be enough to save him, though.

Madi - Her best song choice on the show ("Don't Dream it's Over")! Couldn't have come at a better time! She sang it close to the original which was another bonus! However, she's not going to beat Jeffery, that's all there is to it. She had some iffy notes, but otherwise, it was her best performance in my opinion.

Jeffery - It's clear that they want him to be saved because they saved him for last. I don't think he should have any trouble beating Madi and Zach. The coaches have been saying that he could win the show since the beginning, so I would be shocked if he doesn't make it through. LOVED his song choice! You can't go wrong with Ed Sheeran's "Make It Rain". This is perfect for him! I'm so glad he finally chose a popular, fairly current song. This is sure to give him a "Jordan" moment and be more than enough to save him. Very nicely done Jeffery! Apparently he was saving all of his best stuff for his "save me" moment. That was awesome!

Instant Save: Jeffery
Going Home: Braiden, Shelby, Amy, Zach, Madi (Wow, did I call that or what?!)

Final 4: Jordan, Emily, Barrett, Jeffery

I am pretty OK with these results. I absolutely wanted Jordan, Emily, and Jeffery in the finale. My 4th spot was a little iffy. I like Braiden, but he's been inconsistent. I like Zach, but only when he does more pop than country. I like Shelby, but she is a little forgettable. I liked Barrett at the beginning, but his country twang was starting to get on my nerves; however, he did a pop song last night and it was much better. I was definitely OK with losing Madi for sure (I had my fingers crossed). Amy has grown on me, but not enough to give her a finale spot. So, all in all, the 3 I wanted made it, and I guess I'm OK with Barrett. If I had to choose a country guy, I would have probably given it to Zach because I've liked more of his performances than Barrett. And, it doesn't hurt that he's gorgeous.

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Survivor, Ep. 31.12

So, all the Survivor bloggers and former players think that this will be the week that Spencer turns his attention to Joe. I sure hope not! And I sure hope that whoever gets hurt tonight doesn't have to go home, because one thing we know for a fact is: it was a guy.

Orkun Camp
Jeremy is feeling out of the loop for the first time and he doesn't like it. Kimmi was blindsided and she doesn't want that to happen again. She wants Joe out if he doesn't win immunity. She thinks that the 4 girls could make it happen. Yikes. I think this is the most airtime Kimmi has seen all season. Does that mean that she is going next? That's what happened to Wigles.

Reward Challenge - Family Visits!
It's time for the loved ones to pay a visit!

Jeremy - his wife Val (and they're having a boy!)
Tasha - her cousin Christina
Spencer - his girlfriend Marcella (and he just told her he loves her...for the first time!!!)
Abi - her mom Vera
Keith - his wife Dana
Wentworth - her dad Dale
Joe - his dad Pat (awe!!!! and he thanked everyone for giving him that moment...double awe!)
Kimmi - her dad (Ron? couldn't hear his name)

Challenge: retrieve bags and go over a balance beam and then solve a word puzzle with the blocks; winner gets time with their loved one and they pick someone to go with them to the barbeque

Keith has 2 bags. Joe is whipping his rope and he nails Keith a couple times. But, the gentleman that he is, he takes time to say sorry to Keith :) Joe, Keith and Kimmi are neck-and-neck at the spinning pole. Kimmi and Keith both fall off the beam because they are too dizzy.

Keith is the first to make it across the beam to start working on his puzzle. Jeremy is next, then Wentworth, and Joe. Spencer follows. Keith is completely confused and he can't figure out the word.

Abi is the first to think she has the word. They have to put the letters on a vertical pole. Wentworth also thinks she has it. Spencer is trying to cheat. Joe is trying to cheat. Doesn't matter, because Wentworth wins. Abi admits she had the wrong word.

I'm glad Joe didn't win...that's a bad spot to be in. Wentworth gets to pick 3 people. She picks: Keith, Abi, and Kimmi. Then Probst tells her to pick one more. She picked Joe because she said she knows how much this reward meant to him.  That's rough...only 3 people are left out: Spencer, Jeremy and Tasha. I think that's the biggest group they've had be allowed to visit with their loved ones.

 Orkun Camp
While everyone is at reward, Spencer, Tasha, and Jeremy decide on a final 3 alliance. Of course, Joe's name is the first name that comes up. Spencer said he gave him a pass last time because he needed him to make a move. He knows that he won't have too many opportunities to do it, so he's going to have to take him out the first chance he gets now.

Immunity Challenge
Challenge: balance a wooden statue on a pole; as time goes, more sections are added to the pole
Ooh....twist! 2 immunities! One guy and one girl!

First section added, and everyone made the transition. Every 5 minutes, a section is added. Lots of wobbling going on at 20 minutes and 10 feet of pole. Still no one has dropped it....until Kimmi's drops. Abi's goes soon after.

At 25 minutes, Tasha's falls and Wentworth wins immunity.

Spencer's falls, Jeremy drops! Keith and Joe for immunity! They add another section. Joe's looks like his pole is so bent. Oh man, 30 minutes and time to add another section. This is the last section. Oh my gosh...I can't take this! They are both moving a lot. Keith's moved a lot but he saved it. They have 16 feet of pole, I have no idea how they are doing it. Oh no, Joe's is bending so much! Come on, Keith...drop it! Keith's is so close to dropping, but he saved it somehow. Oh man, my little heart is pounding! Come on Joe...just one more win, come on! You can't last this long and then lose it. They are in it for 1 hour and 20 minutes! You have got to be kidding me! How in the world.

And then disaster! Joe like passes out! Oh no! He's not moving! Did he hit his head?! Gah! Commercial! Talk about like the worst possible thing to happen. I sure hope he's OK. And this is exactly what I was afraid of...lasting for an extremely long time in the challenge against only one other person and then to fail. And then be hurt yet...so sad...

Oh Joe...breaking my heart! He said he just wanted it so badly and his legs gave out. He cried and just said he wanted it so bad. Awe! You're killing me! Thankfully, he's going to be fine, so he doesn't have to be pulled from the game. On the negative side, he is absolutely getting voted out tonight. I'm afraid there are no more miracles for Joe. Of everyone left, I would just like to see Abi go first and then I wouldn't feel so bad for him losing to any of the others.

Orkun Camp

The Voice, Ep. 9.20 & 9.21

Top 10

Team Adam

Shelby Brown
"Go Rest High On That Mountain" by Vince Gill
The low notes at the beginning were a little bit of a struggle (just like the lyrics said). Her long held-out notes were really strong. She had a personal connection to the song (her grandfather loved Vince Gill and the song was played at his memorial), and you could feel that from her. It also hit home for me, having just lost my grandfather. Very nice performance.
My Score: A-

Amy Vachal
"Bye, Bye, Bye" by *NSYNC
I'm definitely not sure how I feel about this. I, of course, grew up being a huge *NSYNC fan. I'm wondering how she's going to change this up. What is this? Am I actually starting to become an Amy fan? Crazy! Clearly goes to show that song choice is everything! When she was singing old elevator-music-style songs, she was completely snoozeworthy. Now that she's singing contemporary hits in her own way, they are becoming chart-toppers on iTunes. And they're actually cool and interesting. I liked this even more than what she did to Taylor Swift's "Blank Space" last week. This was such a different version, but it was clearly her style. Wow.
My Score: A

Jordan Smith
"Hallelujah" by Leonard Cohen
I have been waiting for him to sing this song! I've said it before, and I'll say it again: it doesn't matter how many times I hear this song by so many different artists, year after year, I just absolutely love it. Do I even have to say that Jordan was amazing? If you didn't get chills during this, you must be dead inside and/or deaf. Seriously.
My Score: A+

Team Blake

Emily Ann Roberts
"She's Got You" by Patsy Cline
The more I hear Emily, the more I like her. Country or not, this girl can sing. Her tone is simply gorgeous! Usually, a country twang in the voice is about like nails on a chalkboard. But with Emily, the twang isn't forced and it just blends into the song so well. This was a song I didn't know, but she sang it beautifully, as usual.
My Score: A

Zach Seabaugh
"Crazy Little Thing Called Love" by Queen
Zach has been letting me down in the last few weeks. This song seems like a better fit for him. It was going great until the band/back-up vocals came in...that was just plain weird and awkward. I wondered if he would bring back the Elvis hips that he introduced to us a few weeks back, and sure enough, they were back in full swing (pun intended). He actually stayed pretty much in tune for the whole song. I think this is probably my favorite performance of his. Part of that has to do with the song choice -- it wasn't country, and it was a pretty well-known song. I like that he kind of put his own little spin on it. The production on this was something you'd see on a finale! They really went all-out and he performed the heck out of it all over the stage. Good for him!
My Score: A

Barrett Baber
"I'd Just Love to Lay You Down" by Conway Twitty
Seriously, what scrap heap are they pulling some of these ancient, unknown (to me) songs? Surprisingly, this wasn't a bad performance. His vocals were better this week. It was nice to see him just doing something on a chair with his guitar. Definitely one of his better performances.
My Score: A-

Team Gwen