American Idol's Final 12 Men's Excellent Start to the "Live" Shows

In the picture are 11 of the final 12 men/boys on American Idol. I believe Casey Abrams is missing from the photo due to being ill.

Casey Abrams may have been ill prior to last night's show, but he'd obviously recovered by the time he performed last, last night. Last, and best of the night.

I'd forgotten American Idol was on last night. Turned on my TV expecting to watch Glee.

I did not realize til this morning that what I was watching was not a live American Idol show. It was pre-taped in front of a live audience.

Every aspect of American Idol, to me, seems slicked up and made more glitzy. Hollywood Week had much more elaborate stages and sets than previous American Idol seasons.

And then, last night, we got our first look at the new American Idol stage. This may be the most glitzy TV stage in the world.

If I am understanding correctly voters eliminate 7 of the 12. Then the judges pick one of the rejectees. I think that is how it works.

Of the 12 I liked Casey Abrams best.

The judges swooned over Jacob Lusk. I didn't.

 Paul McDonald I like, except for the beard and the blinding white smile.

Scotty McCreery seemed years older than his 17. He did very well.

Robbie Rosen seems like a nice kid.

James Durbin, the kid with the tail and the tales of woe, he really knocked out a rocking version of Judas Priest's "You Got Another Thing Coming." I like him. But he needs to lose the tail.

Brett Loewenstern sang the Jim Morrison classic "Light My Fire." It did not like mine. Don't care for this kid and his overly mannered style. And that bush of copper curls really needs to go.

Tim Halperin, I think, got the most negativity from the judges. He didn't seem all that bad to me.

Jordan Dorsey also got a lot of judge negativity for his Usher "OMG" choice. I liked that song and I like this guy's way of singing it.

Jovany Barreto  has a cool name. Other than the name nothing much impressed me.

The first up of the night was the little Harry Potter lookalike with the odd name of Clint Jun Gamboa. He sang Stevie Wonder's "Superstition." I have heard that song way too many times. The judges thought his rendition was brilliant.

I don't remember ever watching American Idol at this stage when the fast forward button did not get heavy use. Last night I made no use of the fast forward button.

Methinks American Idol has actually found some really good talent this year. And is well rid of Simon Cowell.