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The News-Review created an “American Idol” panel, a handful of avid fans from Douglas County and beyond, to weigh in on the show each week. After watching the show each Tuesday night, they’ll send their predictions in before the show’s results air the following night.
<b>Name:</b> Janice Sullivan
<b>Age:</b> 57
<b>Hometown:</b> Crescent City, Calif.
<b>Who had the best performance and why?</b> Blake has an ability to choose music that he makes his very own, unlike the other “Idols.” Blake has progressed weekly. He has mucho (much) showmanship.
<b>Who will be eliminated from this round and why?</b> Haley, who tried to sing, “I Hear the Beat,” should go home and try out for musicals. Phil is a close second. He is very dry, has a nice voice, but little moxie. Simon says, “Lifeless.”
<b>Were there any surprises?</b> Only that Sanjaya is still appearing, weekly, with very little improvement. I would be surprised if he’s cut soon, if ever!
<b>Name:</b> Nancy Patton
<b>Age:</b> 54
<b>Hometown:</b> Sweet Home
<b>Who had the best performance and why?</b> Blake. Using the Latin theme, Jennifer Lopez said it needs to have “passion.” Blake gave the Marc Anthony song great passion. I also think Lakisha is consistent every week.
<b>Who will be eliminated from this round and why?</b> Sanjaya, he is a joke. His voice has absolutely no quality in comparison to the other great singers on this show. All the pre-teens and the “Vote For Worst” group have messed this awesome competition up where they continually vote for this kid. I hope this is his last week, but with what we have seen so far in the voting, it is doubtful.
<b>Were there any surprises?</b> I loved it when Ryan introduced Sanjaya as “the embodiment of Latin passion.” I don’t think so. He tried, though, with his new hairstyle and mustache and goatee.
<b>Name:</b> Melissa Thomas
<b>Age:</b> 35
<b>Hometown:</b> Oakland
<b>Who had the best performance and why?</b> As every week, Lakisha and Melinda performed very well. Lakisha had all the moves to go along with her great song. Jordan had a great week also. She really “brought it.” Of course, they all need to bring their “A” game to stay in the competition.
<b>Who will be eliminated from this round and why?</b> This is a hard one. It’s going to be down to Phil and Haley and Chris Richardson. The only thing keeping Haley in is that she likes to show her legs. All her songs were boring. I would say that Chris will be the one to go. His was like a karaoke performance.
<b>Were there any surprises?</b> I would say the surprise was Chris. Everybody expects him to go far and after tonight, he might as well be singing in a hotel lounge. He lacked it all.
<b>Name:</b> Ava Rosenblum
<b>Age:</b> 54
<b>Hometown:</b> Edina, Minn.
<b>Who had the best performance and why?</b> Sanjaya. He was the only performer who captured the romance of the Latin genre.
<b>Who will be eliminated from this round and why?</b> This is becoming impossible to call. I would guess Phil or Chris Richardson.
<b>Were there any surprises?</b> Sanjaya is beginning to emerge as a star. And everyone else’s performance was pretty boring, a real snoozer of an A.I. I was surprised they couldn’t rise to Latin music, with J.Lo present, no less. Actually, Phil was pretty good.
<b>Name:</b> Louise Lapointe
<b>Age:</b> 45
<b>Hometown:</b> Roseburg
<b>Who had the best performance and why?</b> To sum it up, the guys did the best by far! Blake Lewis was outstanding, his voice is crystal-clear and beautiful. He rocked tonight and as always, gets my vote. If he doesn’t win this, he will be close. For the first time, Sanjaya has proved why he should still be in this. He was my second favorite tonight. What a truly lovely performance this was.
<b>Who will be eliminated from this round and why?</b> Haley Scarnato is going to go home tonight, is my guess. After rewatching the tape, the band and background singers did most of her song. Really! As she walked around the stage, she didn’t do much more than “Ooh,” and “Aah,” while they continued the song. She was not too strong in the vocals that she did sing.
<b>Were there any surprises?</b> Yes, Sanjaya!! He was really great tonight. Also, the other girls surprised me tonight. I figured these girls would bring down the house with the style of songs. Lakisha is becoming invisible to me. Melinda was OK, and Jordan was good, but it just wasn’t their night to shine.
<b>Name:</b> Heather Horvath
<b>Age:</b> 27
<b>Hometown:</b> Sutherlin
<b>Who had the best performance and why?</b> The best performance tonight was definitely Blake. His vocals were right on, and boy, what a great job! He sounded so much like Marc Anthony during it. As Randy would say, we have a hot one tonight! I think Blake is going to go far in this competition.
<b>Who will be eliminated from this round and why?</b> I think Haley is going to be eliminated this week. I don’t feel that she’s putting her all into it anymore. Unfortunately for her, this is a singing competition, not a modeling competition. I do believe the bottom two will be Haley and Phil.
<b>Were there any surprises?</b> Actually, there were surprises this week. Sanjaya didn’t sound too bad — that was a big surprise. And I don’t think Jordan and Lakisha sang as good as they usually sing. They didn’t put their all into it this week.
<b>Name:</b> Janice Sullivan
<b>Age:</b> 57
<b>Hometown:</b> Crescent City, Calif.
<b>Who had the best performance and why?</b> Blake has an ability to choose music that he makes his very own, unlike the other “Idols.” Blake has progressed weekly. He has mucho (much) showmanship.
<b>Who will be eliminated from this round and why?</b> Haley, who tried to sing, “I Hear the Beat,” should go home and try out for musicals. Phil is a close second. He is very dry, has a nice voice, but little moxie. Simon says, “Lifeless.”
<b>Were there any surprises?</b> Only that Sanjaya is still appearing, weekly, with very little improvement. I would be surprised if he’s cut soon, if ever!
<b>Name:</b> Nancy Patton
<b>Age:</b> 54
<b>Hometown:</b> Sweet Home
<b>Who had the best performance and why?</b> Blake. Using the Latin theme, Jennifer Lopez said it needs to have “passion.” Blake gave the Marc Anthony song great passion. I also think Lakisha is consistent every week.
<b>Who will be eliminated from this round and why?</b> Sanjaya, he is a joke. His voice has absolutely no quality in comparison to the other great singers on this show. All the pre-teens and the “Vote For Worst” group have messed this awesome competition up where they continually vote for this kid. I hope this is his last week, but with what we have seen so far in the voting, it is doubtful.
<b>Were there any surprises?</b> I loved it when Ryan introduced Sanjaya as “the embodiment of Latin passion.” I don’t think so. He tried, though, with his new hairstyle and mustache and goatee.
<b>Name:</b> Melissa Thomas
<b>Age:</b> 35
<b>Hometown:</b> Oakland
<b>Who had the best performance and why?</b> As every week, Lakisha and Melinda performed very well. Lakisha had all the moves to go along with her great song. Jordan had a great week also. She really “brought it.” Of course, they all need to bring their “A” game to stay in the competition.
<b>Who will be eliminated from this round and why?</b> This is a hard one. It’s going to be down to Phil and Haley and Chris Richardson. The only thing keeping Haley in is that she likes to show her legs. All her songs were boring. I would say that Chris will be the one to go. His was like a karaoke performance.
<b>Were there any surprises?</b> I would say the surprise was Chris. Everybody expects him to go far and after tonight, he might as well be singing in a hotel lounge. He lacked it all.
<b>Name:</b> Ava Rosenblum
<b>Age:</b> 54
<b>Hometown:</b> Edina, Minn.
<b>Who had the best performance and why?</b> Sanjaya. He was the only performer who captured the romance of the Latin genre.
<b>Who will be eliminated from this round and why?</b> This is becoming impossible to call. I would guess Phil or Chris Richardson.
<b>Were there any surprises?</b> Sanjaya is beginning to emerge as a star. And everyone else’s performance was pretty boring, a real snoozer of an A.I. I was surprised they couldn’t rise to Latin music, with J.Lo present, no less. Actually, Phil was pretty good.
<b>Name:</b> Louise Lapointe
<b>Age:</b> 45
<b>Hometown:</b> Roseburg
<b>Who had the best performance and why?</b> To sum it up, the guys did the best by far! Blake Lewis was outstanding, his voice is crystal-clear and beautiful. He rocked tonight and as always, gets my vote. If he doesn’t win this, he will be close. For the first time, Sanjaya has proved why he should still be in this. He was my second favorite tonight. What a truly lovely performance this was.
<b>Who will be eliminated from this round and why?</b> Haley Scarnato is going to go home tonight, is my guess. After rewatching the tape, the band and background singers did most of her song. Really! As she walked around the stage, she didn’t do much more than “Ooh,” and “Aah,” while they continued the song. She was not too strong in the vocals that she did sing.
<b>Were there any surprises?</b> Yes, Sanjaya!! He was really great tonight. Also, the other girls surprised me tonight. I figured these girls would bring down the house with the style of songs. Lakisha is becoming invisible to me. Melinda was OK, and Jordan was good, but it just wasn’t their night to shine.
<b>Name:</b> Heather Horvath
<b>Age:</b> 27
<b>Hometown:</b> Sutherlin
<b>Who had the best performance and why?</b> The best performance tonight was definitely Blake. His vocals were right on, and boy, what a great job! He sounded so much like Marc Anthony during it. As Randy would say, we have a hot one tonight! I think Blake is going to go far in this competition.
<b>Who will be eliminated from this round and why?</b> I think Haley is going to be eliminated this week. I don’t feel that she’s putting her all into it anymore. Unfortunately for her, this is a singing competition, not a modeling competition. I do believe the bottom two will be Haley and Phil.
<b>Were there any surprises?</b> Actually, there were surprises this week. Sanjaya didn’t sound too bad — that was a big surprise. And I don’t think Jordan and Lakisha sang as good as they usually sing. They didn’t put their all into it this week.
