Idol Results: They did NOT!

I said yesterday that it could be anyone going home last night but I don't think I really believed it because, well, whoa!

The first 20 minutes are not even worth talking about except didn't it look like Kenny had been voted off when everyone came out to hug him goodbye?

Ryan split the contestants into groups of 3 and I was immediately relieved when Christ -- good LORD, did I just type that?! - when Chris joined Taylor and saved him by association. Kellie completed the group of "Simon's Chosen Ones" and they were all obviously safe. More worrisome for me was the grouping of Ace, Bucky and Katharine. If I was to assemble my dream Bottom 3, Ace and Bucky would be in it. And I would be wrong because they were all safe and the actual Bottom 3 had 3 of the best singers: Mandisa, Elliot and Paris. Shocked, I say.

Ryan toys with everyone and after about 45 minutes of commercials we are told that Mandisa is going home. Whoa! No, I didn't think she was going to win the thing, but I did think she would be around until the Top 4, and she certainly deserved to stay longer than Ace or Bucky. But American Idol is not a singing competition, no matter how hard I wish it to be one, and I don't think Mandisa had a fan base big enough to make her a real contender in a popularity contest. Maybe her holy-roller antics hurt her, maybe not. But she was a great performer and I think the competition will suffer without her.

Doesn't Elliot seem like such a nice guy?

I think it's very cool that they'll all get to sing with the actual members of Queen next week and all, but I have a really bad feeling about this.