American Idol Top 36

Hold on, folks, it's time for my second annual American Idol blog! (Don't look for the first one here; it's completely irrelevant by now, anyway.) I started working on this commentary on the Top 36 last week, and I still haven't posted it. Tonight, 12 of them will be competing, and of those 12, only 3 will make it through: the top guy, the top girl, and the third-highest vote getter. Here's a list of the Top 36, in the order they were announced last Wednesday:

Anoop Desai
Von Smith
Alex Wagner-Trugman
Adam Lambert
Taylor Vaifenua
Jasmine Murray
Arianna Afsar
Casey Carlson
Megan Corkrey
Mishavonna Henson
Stevie Wright
Felicia Barton
Kendall Beard
Kristen McNamara
Alexis Grace
Scott Mcintyre
Lil Rounds
Jesse Langseth
Allison Iraheta
Danny Gokey
Ricky Braddy
Matt Giraud
Ju'not Joyner
Jorge Nunez
Brent Keith
Stephen Fowler
Nick Mitchell (Norman Gentle)
Jackie Tohn
Tatiana del Toro
Nathaniel Marshall
Jeanine Vailes
Kai Kalama
Anne Marie Boskovich
Kris Allen
Matt Breitzke
Michael Sarver

I'm limiting my commentary to the 12 who are performing tonight. First, the guys:

Anoop Desai. He's my candidate for the top guy tonight. Really, really talented.
Brent Keith. He was on Nashville Star, which as far as I can tell is the country equivalent of American Idol. I don't like him at all, and I hope this is the last we'll be seeing of him this season.
Danny Gokey. He's a talented singer who will get the sympathy vote because his wife died recently. I think he'll be the third-place finisher.
Matt Breitzke. One of the two blue-collar guys. He's fun, but I don't think he'll make it through this round.
Ricky Braddy. I do not remember this guy at all, and Googling him didn't help. I guess he's another country singer. I've already picked two guys as going through, so it doesn't matter, anyway.
Stephen Fowler. I like Stephen, I really do. He's the one who forgot his lyrics last week and walked offstage - and still made it through. That's a lot of talent. But he's got some great competition, too. Maybe he'll get put back in on the wild-card judges' vote.

Now the girls: (I was going to say "women" but that sounded odd)

Alexis Grace. Single mom, bleached blonde hair with pink highlights. She can sing, too.
Anne Marie Boskovich. During her first audition, the judges sent off to change her appearance. They thought she could present herself better. Obviously she succeeded. According to stuff I’ve found online, she sang in the Little Mermaid 2 when she was 13. She’s good. She's my pick for girls' winner tonight.
Casey Carlson. Who? I was having trouble placing her, so I listened to her audition, which somebody has kindly put up on YouTube. She's not very talented, and I don't know how she got this far.
Jackie Tohn. I vaguely remember her. When I Googled her, I learned she's an actress. I don't think she's getting through this week.
Stevie Wright. She was named for Stevie Nicks, who (as my kids hear me say frequently) "got my life." (I can explain that in another entry, if anybody's interested.) I don't think she'll get through this round, although I think she deserves her place in the Top 36.
And, last but far from least:
Tatiana del Toro. If she gets through, it'll either be Vote for the Worst or the American Idol producers wanting to keep her around. They love her, and have been showing us All Things Tatiana from her audition. First it was her annoying giggle and her weird outfit. (Think vanity table skirt.) Then it was her frequent tears and loud protests, her begging and pleading, her tearful and noisy rejoicing when she got through. I think she has a decent voice, but I'm sick to death of her dramatics.

So there you have it. Anoop Desai and Anne Marie Boskovich as top vote getters in their gender. Danny Gokey as the other one who will place. Tatiana del Toro may get through, but it won't be because of her talent.