Idol Gives Back

We open this heartwarming show with President and Mrs Obama. What a difference from the last time this show was on and the Bush's opened. Enough said on that.

Ryan is hosting the show in the studio and Queen Latifah hosts from the Pasadena Civic Center. The Idol Top 12 do an opening number in all white -- Crystal got a nice spotlight. And finally the number was live. Funny how the numbers are choreographed for the contestants to just walk around the stage and make new formations together. So weird.

Here comes the heavy stuff. Jennifer Garner in Kentucky. Victoria Beckham with two kids from California live on stage. Nice stories of how help can help. I like the old format where the judges and Ryan were in the bigger venue. This feels a little stripped down, but maybe we don't need the glitz to help.

Rusell Brand and Jonah Hill do a bit about getting their celeb friends to help that fell flat. Surprise - they don't have celeb friends. Wah, wah. Ryan is so off this season. His weird banter with the top 7 about they are feeling did nothing.

Black Eyed Peas perform. I noticed at the Victoria's Secret show that this group has super dynamic songs, but their performance is similar to the Idol Top 12 -- each group member just walks around the stage. They like digital effects. Will I Am was off and the mix of the music was not good. Boring. Fergie did everything she could to save it. It probably sounded good to the live audience. And Rock That Body is appropriate to Idol Gives Back?

Ryan in Kenya discussing Malaria. Harsh showing of a woman dying. After the break, I thought they were going to go to results, but it was a George Lopez skit where Lopez judges the judges. He did okay with Randy, was funny with Kara, bombed with Ellen and bombed with Simon. No wonder why Conan is getting his time slot.

Ford Commercial and then they really go to results - yuck I don't like this in the middle of the show. Crystal and Casey get brought to the center. Neither has been in the bottom 3 before. Crystal is safe and Casey is in the bottom three. NO! Aaron and Lee come to the center. Lee is safe and Aaron is in the bottom three. Fine. Now a performance? This is not inspirational.

Joss Stone and Jeff Beck. Once again, not an inspirational song. Sad moment with Kara and little babies in Africa. Morgan Freeman (the man who is sleeping with his step granddaughter) comes out. I shouldn't say bad things since he is trying to help. Randy goes with Morgan to Mississippi.

Alicia Keys comes out and sing Unthinkable - great song but not inspiring!! Who put this show together? Let me take it over! Oh she goes into Empire State of Mind. Great song, but not inspiring. I should stop with this comment because maybe I missed the point of the show (although the past 3 were inspiring). My new shortened version of this comment is TINI. THIS IS NOT INSPIRING.

Back to Russell and Jonah who tried using celeb look alikes but then had OctoMom -- and it was really her TINI. Jim Carrey came out and ran away. TINI.

Carrie Underwood comes out and sings her song Change which is on her album. THIS IS INSPIRING. FINALLY, the right moment. Can I also just say that Carrie did an amazing performance of John Fogerty's Traveling Band with Miranda Lambert on Sunday night's ACM Awards. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6oOZRKshrtM Miranda is one of my favorites and won album of the year and female vocalist of the year on Sunday and it was just an amazing night. Wow 36 cents of every ticket is going to Save the Children from her upcoming tour -- that is super cool.

Ellen DeGeneres spoke about Feeding America with David Arquette. Elliot Yamin and Kara were in Angola and you can see their efforts online -- really? Out of two hours, you couldn't get rid of Russell Brand and Jonah Hill and show the actual full story on AIR? TINI

Ryan sat down with Bill and Melinda Gates. Ryan attempts at a serious journalistic interview. Failure. TINI.

Wanda Sykes came out and was funny. With the exception of the nipple jokes to Simon -- not in good taste and was only funny when Jimmy Kimmel did it a few years ago. Back to results. Casey and Aaron in bottom 3. Crystal and Lee are safe. Siobhan, Mike and Tim go to center of the stage. Siobhan is safe. Mike is safe. Tim is in bottom three. Should have been Mike, Tim and Aaron. Not Casey.

Back to being inspired. David Cook hits the stage. And goes to Ethiopia and sings better than most of the Idols this season while sitting in a poor village. He is amazing. So sweet. Oh Annie Lennox piece -- this always brings me to tears. She is truly amazing. My tears have started. Annie couldn't get to the US because of the volcano. Wait -- the little girl she was visiting is doing better! What an amazing story. WOW. Annie comes on via satellite. This woman is inspiring.

Mary J comes out with an all star band and they do Stairway to Heaven. Simon does his story with an amazing Dr Jon. Idol is on my last nerve with going over on time. Thank god I'm home tonight. Uh here is a word of advice. Kill the results dramatics and the not funny skits. Give us a tight show of the inspiring videos, inspirational singing and then just say who has to go home. Done and dusted.

Elton John -- he has a real story to tell. He is very involved. Beautiful Your Song.

Back to results. Next week Shania is the mentor and they sing her songs. Tough week for the guys, but there could be cool stuff. Aaron is safe and my heart skips. Tim is going home. Okay, that's okay, he redeemed himself. And at least Casey is safe.

I might just be jaded, but this season is not holding up for me. Come on Top 6, BRING IT with the country!!!!!!!!!!!!

Good night my friends and remember, don't be ashamed of your obsessions...

Someone used my catch phrase last night (yes you Lauren) and I gotta say, I think it is the next biggest Idol catch phrase. Forget Dawg and Seacrest out - -I declare "Don't be ashamed of your obsessions" the next big thing. There, I said it.