Two weeks down...

So, see anyone you know on American Idol last night? They rolled into Jersey/New York for the Wednesday night edition. I was ecstatic. Not really -- I had three hours of the show to cram in after missing Tuesday's. Either way, I'll direct you back to an earlier entry where I said I can get other stuff done while watching the show. Cooking, magazines, writing...

First off on this week's offerings, I'll say I was glad to hear some singers that really impressed me. I'll say it a bunch this season: this really isn't the type of music I'm into and I'm a terrible person to be judging these contestants, but there were finally some faces I could see myself rooting for whenever these awful auditions are over -- the teen who'd bailed on school in Ohio and run off to N.J./N.Y.; the Peabo Bryson-sounding guy who opened the second day of the N.J./N.Y. auditions; and the dude with the weird name and famous dad in Memphis.

But the bad entrants continue to dominate the air time, and I have to keep telling myself how much fun it is to mock stupid people. They give us such gems as: "I feel that I should be the next American Idol because I have an outstanding voice and I have an outstanding vocal...s." And, in all seriousness, even I know you don't roll up to the judges to sing a Toto song. (Or being a jerk... or begging... or... TOTO? REALLY?) It's the greatest feeling you'll get during the whole two hours is when someone graciously takes their ribbing, waves and takes off.

I'm glad they got the intelligent people to represent Jersey, for the record, but they also found some stellar local singers -- lending more credit to the idea that we at the Shore need to drop the whole cover band thing...

Back to the judges, I REALLY love how they'll pawn the bad/marginal singers off on each other so they don't have to be the one to make the call (or throw the first jab). "Paula, what do you think?" I really don't love them without Simon around though. There's no guts, just "sorry see you later."

In general I'm glad the past two episodes included a greater number of winners than last week (though they can't give up on the bread-and-butter). When I don't have to sit through the Idol sideshow, I fear I may enjoy myself.

Again: Toto, really?

Oh yeah, people, stop giving Seacrest crap. He's entertaining. You're gonna be seeing him every New Year's Eve for the rest of your life, anyway, so get used to him.