Finally, a top 24

Repeatedly tonight, Ryan said that this season the talent is "the best it's ever been." Really? After watching tonight's Idol reveal of the final 24, I can't say I felt all that much excitement. Perhaps it's because I don't think we'd ever seen four of the guys before, and there were another three or four of the girls who we hadn't seen since their audition and were all blond and hard to tell apart.

Plus, after last year's debacle, I don't even think it's worth analyzing the top 24 until we see them in front of an audience. Sanjaya and Antonella somehow made it to this point last year, and they were horrible once they actually had to sing on the show. But a couple people who have caught my eye include Michael Johns (he's got the white soul thing mixed with a little rocker thing and he just sounds good), Syesha Mercado (don't know why exactly, but I think she'll be a contender) and David Hernandez (I liked his version of "Love the One You're With.") I don't quite get the David Achuleta thing (he's fine, but not that great), and I cannot believe how much they're pimping Carly Smithson. All that crying comes across as annoying, especially because it's been so heavily reported that she actually had a record deal--but only sold 300 reecords. (By the way, the use of the term pimping is my tribute to David Shuster. Hope MSNBC stops caving to Hillary and brings you back one of these days.)

As for Simon's bizarre speech telling Kyle, the guy in the tie, that he wishes they would have kept him: What's wrong with you? That guy was the next Kevin Covais waiting to happen? On Tuesday night, Simon used a phrase to describe someone else--a phrase he's often used: Something like "That has nothing to do with what's happening the music industry now." How is Kyle representing something happening in the music industry now? He's a glee club singer. He'd be the male Diana DeGarmo with an inferior voice. Simon, you're usually right, but sometimes you don't make complete sense. (And I don't mean to dump on Kyle, he's got a nice voice and seems like an interesting guy, but he has no chance of winning American Idol.)

As I said, I'm not chomping at the bit waiting to see the debut of the final 24, but maybe they'll surprise me. And remember, get lots of rest this weekend. There's five hours of American Idol next week--two on Tuesday, two on Wednesday and one on Thursday. Sure, there's not much else on with the writer's strike just ending, but that's still exhausting. I'm going to bed.