The one where I say Judd Harris got a bum rap

I got three of four predictions right for the first week. I feel awful, though, because Fox played things below the belt, man.

I never liked Judd Harris to begin with, but I certainly didn't think he would be the first to be booted off American Idol. He had charisma, he sang the songs on-key, he was having fun. A little too Elvis for my taste, but he was good, certainly better than Travis Tucker or Scott Savol, whose song selection was horrendous. Jared Yates deserved to be booted out; he looked defeated the minute his song was over, and I have no respect for contestants who give up the fight.

As for the ladies, well, Sarah Mather was an obvious choice, but I was torn between Melinda Lira's uninspired Power of Love and the godawfully boring How Am I Supposed to Live Without You from Amanda Avila (come on, Joseph Murena sang that one out of the ballpark, despite the saccharine dripping from his flavor saver). I think, contrary to what Randy Jackson thought, it's not a good think to look or sound like Kelly Clarkson, because she's already there. Why would America want another Kelly? I think Lira got the boot for that.

Furthermore, Fox's ridiculous one-hour drama was wrong, wrong, wrong! While Ryan Seacrest never told certain contestant groups they were safe (or not), the action was misleading and WRONG. Poor Judd, the look on his face will haunt me until dinner.