Also, the only time in AI history that we had an all the same gender top 3 was Season 3 when it was all girls- and that was one of the most uninteresting top 3′s.

I just can’t see an all boy top 3. One girl might sneak in there because she would be getting ALL the votes of the people who like female singers.

Blake had an advantage last year being the only boy in the top 4 and I think whatever girl is left this year may have that advantage too.

I think TPTB may try to keep Syesha around, but I am just not sure her fanbase is strong enough. She’s been a bottom feeder way too much.

Clive Will Survive à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  Will BMG?

Clive Davis got kicked upstairs yesterday at Sony BMG. Heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s going to be emeritus. The 76 year old was replaced by 49 year old Barry Weiss, who ran Jive/Zomba Records, as head of the BMG side of the company. Clive, says BMG, will be called Chief Creative Officer.

To cinch Davisà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s power status change, BMG dumped Cliveà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s much liked lieutenant Charles Goldstuck, whoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s worked diligently at the company for years plugging holes in the dykes.

Havenà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t we been here before? Didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t BMG try to offload Davis in 2000, only to have him start J Records and beat them at their own game?

Barry Weiss is a nice guy, and he comes from the biz thanks to late, beloved dad Hy Weiss, who produced a lot of cool pop singles in the early 60s.

Still, when you stack J/Arista Records against Zomba/Jive, the results are very 2008. The former has consisted of Alicia Keys, Santana, Gavin DeGraw, Leona Lewis, Rod Stewart, Dido, Sarah McLachlan, etc à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  all real musicians, no artifice. Even the American Idol winners à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ Fantasia, Carrie Underwood à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’  can actually sing.

Zomba/Jive is a triumph of style over substance: Britney, Justin, NSync, whatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s left of the Backstreet Boys, dancer Chris Brown, and a potpourri of indistinguishable hip hoppers.

I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t know if Clive Davis wants to go another round with BMG, or if heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ll just be happy as the companyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s standard bearer. I do know that the record business is just about over, and that with Clive removed from the picture on a daily basis, the end is one step nearer.

How will this effect the future Idol contracts? Clive was definitely into Idol because it was artist development. By the time they got to BMG, the artists had experience and the company didn’t have to put a lot of money into them. Plus they bring fans, the company doesn’t have to build up a fan base. Normally the rec. contract was for 3 albums, 3 years, but that may change. Look to see if Clive is in the audience at the finals.

Hmmm….I’m thinking that Whitney Houston long-delayed album had more to do with it….and I betcha the company cuts Whitney loose….Clive was her best friend in the record business and wanted her comeback to be huge, but it’s been 2 years already….

Position 3-4 would be fantastic for Jason. He can have fun on tour without the pressure of recording. Heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s been improving a lot and has lots of natural talent, but he is the least experienced. The tour should help him hone his performance skills. Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢d like to see him take his time making an album. Maybe sign to an indie label. I see Cookie as more ready to go. I just hope they donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t sic Chad from Nickelback on him.

ETA: That being said, Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m going to vote to keep Jason on my teevee as long as possible.

I’m there with you, PJ. I just don’t want ANY girl squeezing Jason out of that #3 position, particularly Carly.

So much is going on tonight. I know Lacey is Mormon. Was she visiting David A. and Brooke or is this all a result of IGB? David Cook isn’t a Mormon, right? She wasn’t a favorite of mine, but the girl could dance!

I was watching Fox & Friends early this morning and Simon was being interviewed from his home. He said he believes Archuleta and Cook will battle it out in the finale; but he also added: “Don’t count Jason Castro out.”

I don’t have an opinion on David’s dancer, since I only saw the show a few times.

I think being married or having a known girlfriend is actually better for the Idol guys. It keeps the fans more connected with the artist and less with the à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“fantasy boyfriend.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ 

I agree with that. I’m happy for Cookie if he’s found a girl to date. This must be a hard time to be alone. I also don’t find the girl in question objectionable at all, except for the fact that you’d have to spend holidays with her perpetually annoying brother.

Michael Johns is married and that hasn’t hurt a bit in developing a female following.

I guess I don’t understand why fans get upset that these guys have girlfriends. It isn’t like any of us are going to date them anyway. Having said that, it usually doesn’t work out because of their busy schedules. Just ask Carrie Underwood. She has won almost every award known to country music, and, yet, her love life remains almost nil. Her career is her life at this point. Give Daughtry credit, he was married going into AI, and, it hasn’t hurt him at all. I do admire the fact, that to date, he has kept his marriage intact.

“It was a last minute thing and thought it would be a whole lot of fun to do some additional backgrounds for my good buddy. It brought back a lot memories minus the preasure! thank goodness! Plus you gotta remember i come from a background of being in singing groups and i tell you, what a treat and how good it feels to harmonize, especially with the talented beautiful ladies you see every week on the show. It was just great seeing and catching up a little with the staff and the judges. I also met the finalists this season and what a nice bunch! of course it was results day, so some of them were a little uneasy. I even joked with them and said “it’s ok, none of you have to go home this week. I went home once, I can do it again so all of you can stay” LOL!”

Wow, at the big news about Clive Davis. Expect more teen oriented music from now on.