Elliott steals the show

Wow. Did Elliott knock it out of the park last night or what? His performance of Donny Hathaway's "A Song for You" was nearly perfect. It didn't exactly reduce me to tears, but then again I'm not on medication or wearing a push-up bra tight enough to squeeze the coherent thoughts right out of my brain. (Besides ... oh, well, nevermind ...)

Tonight will be interesting. There is no way at all that Elliott, who pretty much stole the night, should go. But if you look at the "Idol" polls, Elliott is always at the bottom or in the bottom two. Did last night turn all that around for him or have people established their favorites so strongly that they will vote for them no matter what the performance is like? I think that's how Kellie Pickler keeps surviving. ("I'm sorry!") And I don't think Taylor Hicks will go for a while, despite a performance last night that, well, I can't really comment on because I think I dozed off a couple of times. As for Katharine McPhee, who seems to have the momentum as the frontrunner -- I didn't really understand the judges' pretty harsh criticism last night, unless it was an attempt to keep her from running away with the thing. If you think back to other seasons I remember times it seemed like out of nowhere the judges were suddenly slapping down the one who becoming a heavy favorite. As for Chris Daughtry -- I know people really love him and he certainly has the rock authenticity that Bo Bice wakes up in a cold sweat over, but I find him -- um, a little dull? ("I'm sorry!")

So I think Elliott should be safe early on tonight, but who knows? That's why we're all hooked on it, eh?