Idol Chatter

Nobody

was voted off "American Idol" last night. Music writer Jonathan Takiff and TV writer Ellen Gray weigh in.

Ellen: No one got the boot, in what Ryan Seacrest had been touting as "the most shocking result ever." Because no one wanted to put a damper on all that "Idol Gives Back" fundraising, they're holding off announcing the results of the 70 million votes cast.

Next week, they'll be added to the total and the bottom two will get the boot.

Jon: That was the resolution to last night's teaser promising "the most shocking results ever in the history of our show."

As Ryan Seacrest put it, "How could we let anybody go on a charity night?"

WHO WE'D HAVE

SENT HOME

Ellen: Blake Lewis. I can "Imagine" a lot of people singing that one better.

Jon: I've really had it with smooth operator Blake Lewis. He's more about the modern look and stylistic attitude than about digging into the music and the emotion.

The dude could just as easily have been singing the phone book as John Lennon's "Imagine."

WE JUDGE THE JUDGES

Ellen: Faced with "songs of hope and inspiration" (which I can only hope will be balanced at some point by a night of "songs of pointlessness and despair"), Simon was hamstrung, forced to focus on the contestants' sincerity as much as their pipes.

Not a pretty picture.

Jon: Why did the gang of three lay into LaKisha, for the sin of taking on a signature song of former A.I. fave Fantasia?

The gospel truth and dramatic escalation of "I Believe" fit her personality perfectly.

But I'm guessing the judges decided it was time for Ms. Jones to take the fall, and weren't about to let the reality of the situation cloud their decision.

How very presidential of them! *