Sorry to be late on this. I was doing trivia night at the Local. My friend Jim and I were using our “bar bucks” from a previous miracle second place finish. Although we started well (3rd place at halftime), we fell apart in the second half and ended up in dead last among 21 teams. Our last attempt to salvage ourselves failed when we couldn’t come up with the two James Michener novels titled after foreign countries. (I got “Poland,” missed “Mexico.” Jim had no clue.)

This was actually a pretty darn entertaining hour. They showed another high number of good singers (nine) and that clueless “American Juniors” alum inadvertently provided some of the most sublimely funny moments this season. My favorites: Ilsy, Brittany, Suzanne and especially Robbie.

And we won’t soon forgot the first gal, memorably known now as the burping butcher, Shannon Broughton of Okeechobee, Fla.. She will also be known as the over-singer after that excruciating first note of Janis Joplin’s “Cry Baby.” (Then again, Janis’s version isn’t markedly different at the start.) “I had a late night last night. You just made me feel a lot worse,” Simon. “That was like the Hungarian Janis Joplin.” She then started singing another song. “It sounds like you’re eating while you sing,” he said. “Your mouth is doing weird weird things.” Paula said: “You have melody problems.” “Wow, I’ve never had somebody tell me I sing bad before,” Shannon said. “This is crazy to me.” “Most people don’t actually know what they’re talking about. That’s why you have to meet people like me,” Simon said. She’s in shock, genuine shock. Her mom’s in more shock before. “She never heard no before,” said Paula, who is about as mean as we’ve ever seen her (relatively speaking.)

Robbie Carrico, one of the spoiiler 24, from Melbourne, Calif. has style, panache, and a great voice. “You got a nice voice. It was kinda cool,” Randy said. Simon’s on the fence but says yes. I liked him a lot more than Randy or Simon. Go Robbie!

After the commercial break, a cavalcade of unnamed crappy singers beckon. Then there’s gypsy music singer Ghaleb Emachah from Miami, who isn’t half bad but not great either. He ruins the upper end of Marc Anthony and it’s over. “I’d like you if I was drunk,” Simon said. “Sober, I don’t think it works.” Paula says the strong accent is problematic, then gets annoyed by Simon. Randy says yes. Wow! Simon says no. Paula is acting odd, then says yes and hugs him. Huh? How did this guy make it?

Best pal combo: Corliss Smith of Jacksonville first. She’s not quite there in the looks department but has a quality voice, working over Randy. Brittany Wescott is better, much better. She’s radiant. She sings to Simon, who even claps along! Both make it!

Fantasia story alert: Suzanne Toon, 21, of Clearwater, Fl., had a daughter two years earlier and is a single mom. She’s a bit rusty and teary-eyed. “I’m sick of struggling,” she said. She has something about her that’s special. “A seductive voice,” Randy said.

Jasmine “remember her?” Trias callback: Ramiele Malubay of Miramar, Fl. wants to be the first Asian-American “Idol” and actually has a good voice. “You are a fine singer and fine performer,” Paula said. “I don’t think you’re a contemporary singer. I think you’re more like a hotel singer,” Simon said. (It’s nice to see the mean Simon for a change.) Despite a no from Simon, she makes it through. She is yet another Spoiler 24 we may be seeing again. I liked her, didn’t love her.

Sob story: Syesha Mercado has a drug-addicted dad recently out of rehab. She’s also a spoiler 24! She has a fine voice and a vibrant personality. But I agree with Simon that she seems a bit overwrought. And she does “Think” by Aretha Franklin as several prior contestants have done (Kat, Diana, LaKisha and Fantasia, for instance.) I feel like I’ve seen it before. Oh, well.

Natashia Blach works “At Last.” (Shouldn’t that song be retired?). Ilsy Lorena Pinot is amazing! What a smile! I love her!

Wow. Nine good singers in 40 minutes? That’s got to be a record.

Ben Hausbach is abysmal. Carroy Bethea is, as Simon said, over the top. Grant Rhea sounds like a gal. Fabienne Hyppolite was plain annoying. Ditto with nasally Richard Valles doing Rascal Flatts.

Then there’s an “American Juniors” flashback, not that anybody even watched that show. (I didn’t.) Simon sarcastically says he loved that show to the contestant Julie Dubela, who was a top 20 finalist from that show. She doesn’t have a clue that he’s being sarcastic. In fact, she even demonstrates the song she sang on “American Juniors” to the other contestants. Hilarious and frightening at once! She’s got some polish but it feels very stage theater. “Have you ever been called precocious?” Simon asked. “What does that mean?” she said. “Overrehearsed, overdramatic,” Simon said. She does the desperate second song while they are talking. Simon suggests she become an actress. “It’s over,” he says. Wow. SImon’s rough! “Overindulged,” he adds after she leaves. The producers are classic by showing her singing “Rainy Days and Mondays” from “American Juniors.” That was one of my favorite audition bits ever!

The final guy makes a ridiculous entrance. Brandon Black of Pompano Beach does “I’ll Make Love To You” then cuts to an original: “I’m the next American Idol.” This is one of those absurdist auditions. “The audition was verging on desperation,” Simon said. “The weird wig. The horrible dialogue. The terrible singing.” Simon and Randy leave. B-bye.

Only 17 made it through Miami, the least of the six cities so far. The final tally now is we’ve seen 48 of the 142 Hollywood-bound contestants and 10 of the 24 supposed finalists. Atlanta is the last city next Tuesday. Based on what we heard, they condensed auditions to just one day here and Randy, Paula and Simon saw fewer than 50 people. That’s not a good thing. I wouldn’t be surprised if fewer than 20 people made it through from our fine city. We’ll see in six days!