The American Idol Top 12: Antonella Cut!
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Episode 19
Antonella Barba, who's been the most controversial contestant of season 6, finally got her walking papers on Thursday's elimination episode. Though it probably wasn't a total surprise to see the Point Pleasant, N.J., native go, after the judges' less-than-lukewarm reception to her tepid vocals, there were shocks in store when the Top 12 was announced.Sanjaya Malakar made the cut and it was Sundance Head who got sent home. Seemed perfectly reasonable to me. Sundance had volume, but his voice tended to go out of control and turn into a hurtling projectile of sound with all sorts of sharp edges: a rabbit standing in the way could lose its skin. Sanjaya sings quietly, not always on key, but in a certain register his voice works well.
As the judges were lamenting Sundance's rejection, Sanjaya joined the others on the bench and practically crouched in terror and pity. Then Sanjaya got over it and clapped and smiled along with everyone else. It's showbiz. Pity and terror only go so far.
The trickier question for America's Idol voters is this: Why did you send Sabrina Sloan home instead of Haley Scarnato? Sabrina wasn't a singer who interested me much, but Haley isn't a singer who interests me at all. Was this once again a case of Simon saying something so sharply negative – he told Haley he had trouble even remembering her name – that it gets turned against him? Didn't that happen the previous week too, when he clearly hurt Haley's feelings by telling her she was especially vulnerable for elimination?
Or does Simon do this on purpose as some sort of sick endgame, the kind of thing indulged in by politicians? I mean, I know I sure would. In fact, I hope Sanjaya wins! I'm in the mood to see the judges completely confounded.
Ryan Seacrest announced a huge charity project that will bring Borat to the American Idol stage. Get ready for jokes about Kazakhstani Idol.
For more from last night, see AOL's Idol coverage.
