'Idol' chat: Bon Jovi beats the Bushes

David Hiltbrand: Welcome Idol fans. I apologize for starting late. In honor of Bon Jovi night, we are joined by our own Jersey girl, Amy Rosenberg. What did you think of last night, Amy?

Amy Rosenberg: Jon Bon Jovi AND Antonella Barba in the house -- a true Jersey night, Hiltbrand. Nice Philly Soul shoutout on the T-shirt, even if it is his team. But the contestants really took JBJ down to size, didn't they? I only know you from Oprah - ouch. Plus the whole attitude they had of, wow, this is so weird, this thing called, what was it again? Rock music. Strange show.

David: Very bizarre. Simon ripping Phil as inauthentic? When has Idol ever been authentic?

Amy: I thought Simon had an authentic rock moment there with LaKiKi.

David: The glee with which Ryan dragged her down to kiss Simon - "on the lips, on the lips" he kept insisting - seemed rather juvenile to me.

Amy: Right, Ryan's like a one-note guy with Simon, trying to get in the ick factor. But I thought the Simon-LaKisha smooch was a fine moment, kind of Jagger-esque even. Tho Simon did seem to be having a minor freakout after about whether there were lipstick smudges … LaKisha got it done big time last night.

Kathy: I think Lakisha is not getting the credit she truly deserves. She is extremely talented and I am not sure if this is a singing contest or a popularity contest. I believe Lakisha can outsing any of the other contests. I also believe that she is shy and sometimes has trouble belting out the songs, but when she does, she is AWESOME. I would buy her CDs. I truly hope that she is not eliminated, but if she is, that someone will sign her a record label because I know my daughters and I will be first in line to buy them, along with so many others that I know are huge fans of hers.

Amy: I agree, Kathy. LaKisha disappointed me last week, but last night, she brought her A game. A little banter with Ryan, refusing to sit on that dumb stool, bringing something something, and then the defiantly bluesy This Ain't a Love Song. I thought LaKisha was very winning, but last week's show had a lot of votes cast, and now may count too much in the results. Not fair.

Maria. S: Yikes, what WAS Jordin thinking with that song choice?! I fear for her, and tried to vote several times.

Amy: You know, I liked her last night, and I just listened back to it again on YouTube, and I still think it was OK. Maybe a little shrieky, but that's the nature of the beast. I was surprised when they took her down, thought they were overcompensating for overpraising the Carousel flashback last week. What do you think, Hiltbrand?

David: I have to disagree on LaKisha. I think she is out of place in this contest and will depart tonight. And as for Jordin, she has disappointed me two weeks in a row. She looked remarkably uncomfortable last night. And her rendition was shaky, as if she was singing in a motorcycle sidecar going 80 miles per hour.

Amy: You didn't go for LaKisha, huh? I'm surprised at that. How about Blake, you've never been a big Blake fan. But I thought he was great last night, he's the only one that ever so fleetingly makes me forget I'm watching American Idol.

David: OMG! Blake? I think we're stuck in an Electric Boogaloo flashback. He is so '80s. And his appearance? He looked like he was in a South American Duran Duran tribute band last night. Or like a backup bass player for A-Ha. Fortunately there is a cardinal rule on Idol: You mess with your hair, you have to go! So hopefully he gets the axe tonight.

Amy: Hmm, I definitely see your point about that hair, that was unfortunate. But I think they mess with all their hair at some point. The only hair thing we can count on is that at some point, a strand of Lakisha's will get stuck to her lipgloss, it's happened every week. But I think you're missing the Blake boat, Hilty. B-b-b-b-lake's bringing a little electronica groove vibe thing to the proceedings, and I think it's going to take him to the finale.

liz: not usually a Melinda fan, but man - she tore the stage up last nite! wow!

Amy: I totally agree, Liz. I've been hating Melinda every week, but the minute she started singing, i knew she had it. The funny thing was, it wasn't really the rock style that she had to overcome, it was having to be sarcastic, Have a Nice Day. Even though deep down we know her whole gosh golly thing is just a put on, she did seem genuinely uncomfortable with the meanness of the song. but she was good, she should do this kind of song more often. Bring out her inner mean girl...

Jeff: Blake and Melinda in the finals. You heard it here first.

Amy: Jeff, I'm all about Blake taking it to the finish line against either Melinda or LaKisha. But Melinda seems more likely. As for Phil, the shiny baldheaded man, I think he's going out in a Blaze of Glory, tho I keep hoping for REM night so he can sing Shiny Happy People...

David: At this point I think it will take a silver stake through the heart to finish off Phil. He reminds me of some cheap nightclub version of Nosferatu. Man, is he getting arrogant.

Amy: You're right. Phil's going to be your next American Idol.

David: How about that cameo for our commander-in-chief? I think he was tring to reach Nashville Star.

Amy: Or at least his teeth and head will be.

Amy: Teeth and hair referring to Phil, not our commander in chief!

David: What did you think of John (Dorian Gray) Bon Jovi as a "mentor"?

Amy: I think everyone wants in on the Massive Idol Audience to boost their ratings and why should George Bush be any different? As for JBJ, I thought he was winningly skeptical of Chris' ability to pull off Wanted Dead or Alive. Kind of rolled his eyes. JBJ looks so young for a middle aged guy. Must be that Perth Amboy water.

David: I was stunned when he said about LaKisha, "I would bet money she's not going home this week singing this song." I sure hope he isn't betting on his arena football team because he's clearly on a worse losing streak than Tony Soprano.

Amy: I kind of cringed when he told Melinda to bring home the church vibe on the song, assuming she was a gospel-singing church lady, and she was like, OK, i go to church...

David: He clearly has good performance instincts. And his songs must be harder to sing than they look because his songbook clearly flummoxed out six would-be Idols.

Amy: I'm standing by Blake and LaKisha and Melinda as successfully tackling the complexities of Jon Bon Jovi ... but you know, this show always makes you give the established stars another look, because the contestants make their songs sound so lame.

David: If you believe Simon (and I usually do) Chris and Phil walk the plank tonight. What is your prediction?

Amy: I was just thinking Chris and Phil, but I'm very wary of last week's 70 million votes, and so I think LaKisha could still go. But Chris for sure, he seemed defeated before he even sang, poor little falsetto JT lookalike boy, we had high hopes for him once upon a time.

David: Thus Spake the Jersey Girl. See you next week, folks, when we have narrowed the field to four.

Amy: Gotta go hit the beach, bye Hilty.

David: Use sun block. Phil told me it really helps.