In case you missed it, here’s what happened in the first half-hour…
Ryan gave Simon a chance to explain his eye roll and I swear I heard Simon’s voice quiver. He was clearly upset about the whole thing. AND they played the actual tape of Simon’s conversation with Paula to prove he was telling the truth…
Ryan did another man-on-the-street piece to ask people what they thought about the show…
We got a group sing of “I’m Alright.” LaKisha horribly over-enunciated again and Phil proved once again that country is good for him. Jordin showed some serious harmony chops and Melinda and Blake made sweet music together…
We met the American Idol Challenge winner, who is from Ohio!...
A taped piece where the Idols told what they’re listening to now. Chris says he’s listening to Peter Noone’s greatest hits, because “he saved [his] life”…
A taped performance by Fergie of her new single, “Big Girls Don’t Cry,” that they tried very hard to pass off as live. Blake even gave her a standing ovation when Ryan introduced her. It was a good performance but there was a strange moment when a little girl came awkwardly up to her to hold her hand. It was clearly planned, but someone should have told the little girl to smile or something…
The Ford ad to “I Ran.” The Idols play spies trying to steal a suitcase from each other. Sanjaya was in a “Matrix” outfit. It was actually kind of cool…
The “Idol Gives Back” plug which named the artists we already knew AND a duet we’ll “have to see to believe” as two of music’s biggest stars come together. There’s also now a MySpace page for the event…
Now on with the show…
