American Idol Season 8Top 36 Group 2 Results

The next three Season 8 finalists are:

Allison Iraheta
Kris Allen
Adam Lambert



Ryan Seacrest tells us there were 25 million votes this week. Next week they'll be lucky if there are 25 viewers. Alexis Grace, Danny Gokey and Michael Sarver are sitting on their silver "finalist stools" with three empty ones behind them. Who will fill them? Well, like last week, everyone knows with dead certainty who the top boy and top girl are. The only remaining question is who came in third.

The group number this week is Ne-Yo's "Closer." The singing isn't as painful as last week's group number, but the dancing might be worse. Even some of the girls (Allison Iraheta are you listening?) can't dance. Nick Mitchell is told to decides to show up as Nick Mitchell. But we know in his heart of hearts Normund Gentle is dying to pop out. He looks about as uncomfortable as a contestant can look during the dance number. Barely dances and even looks like he only knows some of the words.

Watch video of the Group 2 dance number to "Closer" by Ne-Yo

It's time for a commercial break, but not before Ryan warns us to stay tuned because a previously "unseen audition" from Season 8 will be hidden within the break. It's a mediocre audition -- nothing outrageously bad or good -- of someone we've never seen before and will never see again. They don't even ID the person. Nobody is going to fall for this pitiful producers' ploy a second time. Ha!

After the break, we sit through the inevitable recap of Group 2's performances. Then it's time to dim the lights and find out who tonight's first finalist is. Seacrest calls Allison Iraheta down from the bleachers, goes over her judges' remarks then tells her to step to the side. Next Jesse Langseth goes through the same process and finally Matt Breitzke. Knowing there was no way that Mishavonna got a finalist spot, we are hoping that perhaps Jesse had made the finals. Our hopes are dashed when Jesse is put in Allison's group. Allison is named Season 8's fourth finalist and reprises "Alone." It might even be better than her performance the night before.

Watch video of Allison Iraheta becoming a finalist and singing "Alone"

Next, Ryan calls Megan Corkrey and Kris Allen down to the stage. Hmmm, the two contestants who were less than stellar on Wednesday, but whom Simon Cowell was trying to get viewers to vote for. But wait! Ryan also calls down Matt Giraud and Jeanine Vailes, then says one of these four will join the Top 12. Well, it's a no-brainer that it's not Jeanine, and Ryan cuts her loose first. But an intriguing group is left. It has to include that elusive third-place finisher. According to DialIdol, the three remaining onstage most likely finished (given the margin of error), third (Matt G.), sixth (Kris) and seventh (Megan). (DialIdol had Jesse placing fourth and Matt B. finishing fifth, but they're already eliminated.) So, who will it be? Matt G. is cut first. We're back to Megan and Kris. And *Kris* gets the coveted fifth finalist's stool. That comes as somewhat of a surprise. He sings "Man in the Mirror" and it's still less than stellar, maybe even worse than Wednesday.

Watch video of Kris Allen becoming a finalist and singing "Man in the Mirror"

A lovely looking Brooke White returns to the "Idol" stage to sing her first single, which coincidentally was released Thursday on iTunes. She co-wrote the tune, called "Hold Up My Heart," and accompanies herself on piano. We nostalgically recall her Carole King-ish voice as she begins to sing, and think how not one of these contestants can hold a candle to last season's fourth-place finisher. We like the song. It won't be a power hit, but has a nice shot at charting.

Watch video of Brooke White singing "Hold Up My Heart"

Ryan tells us there are five contestants, one finialist seat -- and no drama -- left. Mishavonna Henson, Kai Kalama, Nick Mitchell, Adam Lambert and Jasmine Murray are called to the stage. Ryan goes over the judges' critiques with Mishavonna, Kai and Jasmine and they are quickly dispatched back to the bleachers.

Watch video of Mishavonna Henson, Kai Kalama and Jasmine Murray being eliminated

So, it's down to Nick and Adam. Does anyone in the entire world really believe that Nick will live to sing "And I Am Telling You" another time? Especially after the judges nearly peed their pants over Adam's performance on Wednesday? Drum roll. Yes, Adam the poseur gets the sixth Top 12 seat, but not before an annoying reprise of "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction." As Simon said Wednesday, it is a love it or hate it performance. We choose the latter.

Watch video of Adam Lambert becoming a finalist and singing "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction"

Ryan then introduces the taped dance clip of the final 12 contestants, Group 3: Arianna Afsar, Ju'Not Joyner, Kristen McNamara, Nathaniel Marshall, Lil Rounds, Jorge Nuñez, Kendall Beard, Scott MacIntyre, Felicia Barton, Von Smith, Taylor Vaifanua, Alex Wagner-Trugman

Watch video of Group 3 dance

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