This will be the holding spot for the results tonight. Can we finally say goodbye to poor Jason Castro, who seems ready to leave the “Idol” bubble and just relax in a smoky backroom somewhere and chill. He was already halfway there on stage last night!

In other “Idol” news:

-Paula Adbul — in damage control mode — did her weekly call to Q100 a week early to try to explain her, um, confusion last night. But she never really does. She said she did catch part of Jason’s second performance at dress rehearsal on a monitor. She also said the format change was thrown at the judges at the last second and the entire hour felt rushed and chaotic.

Check out an excerpt here..

Bert confronted her about her pain medication for her bad back and that the meds affect her more some days than others. Her response: “That’s a very sweet and thoughtful. I do have pain in my neck.I don’t take anything that makes me do anything to act different, especially on show days. I’ve never been drunk in my life. I’ve never done recreational anything in my life… I am a happy workaholic.”

Here’s the holding spot for the Neil Diamond top 5 show.

Each contestant now has to sing two songs.

Personally, I don’t think “Idol” can do much to keep ratings from falling. It’s just a question of stemming the losses. I think they have done a good job this year by getting rid of the “Sanjaya” sideshows, providing us more personal info about the contestants and giving us better vocalists. The instruments were a good new addition. I’m not 100% sold on the mosh pit but I don’t think it’s a detriment. I wish the would keep the band closer to the singers on the new set. It was fun having them near by this past week - their presence really energized Syesha.

Fox is now doing market research asking fans about the show. More info here in Broadcasting & Cable, where you can download the survey.:

“We’re not in denial,” Fox scheduling chief Preston Beckman told me. “It’s still the biggest show on TV, but that doesn’t mean there are things we can’t do. The feedback from this year you’ll probably see on the show next year.”

They have asked viewers if they’d like to see Hollywood earlier in the year with flashbacks to the auditions instead. That could be kind of fun, though there are people who only watch the auditions. In fact, “Idol” has consistently drawn more viewers, often 20 to 30% more, during the auditions than the actual competition.

They ask people for their suggestions on how to improve the obviously graying show. Throw yours out! If I get some good ones, I’ll post them and maybe someone can pass that along to Beckman!

Here’s other “Idol” news:

-Fresh theory on sliding ratings: not enough modern songs. MSNBC points out correctly that forcing themes upon the contestants during the semifinals was a mistake and that only four songs from the past decade have been sung. While this was common the first couple of seasons, more recent songs have become more the norm in recent seasons until this year.

-Fun stuff ousted “Idol” contestants get to do while killing time after being eliminated but before the “Idol” tour starts: I was in DC over the weekend, visiting friends and doing absolutely nothing “Idol” related. Yet I then find out Michael Johns was invited to the White House Correspondents Dinner — and I wasn’t! My friends and I did drive by the hotel where the dinner was held and saw folks in tuxes and fancy dresses but I missed Michael. He was the guest of sports analyst Tony Kornheiser.

-Jordin Sparks is recovering quickly and might be back to singing as early as next week and join the Alicia Keys tour, according to her mom.

-Here are executive producer Nigel Lythgoe’s comments from a TV Guide interview about Carly’s departure.:

“I was very sad,” he admitted. “I think Carly is extremely talented, a brilliant voice. I was sorry to lose Michael and I was certainly sorry to lose Carly.” He dismissed the idea that Michael, an Australian, and Carly, who is Irish, were ousted due to having been born abroad. Carly was in the top four last week,” he pointed out. “Most times, America votes for the best performance of the night. I think this week, we saw America getting behind people they’ve supported over a series of weeks.”*

-And Claymates, don’t worry. It’s coming: my Clay Aiken interview later this week! I’ll post it Friday and provide folks info about your May 5 album release party at Manuel’s Tavern that evening. For now, you can read this interview he did with Billboard magazine.

I’m in D.C. this weekend visiting friends so this will probably have to tide you over until Monday.

Phil Stacey, the Navy family man and “Idol” finalist last year, always struck me as an aw-shucks nice guy without a terribly distinctive persona despite his bald head and decent vocal prowess. But he did have a real passion for country music while on the show.

So Lyric Street Records (Rascal Flatts, Josh Gracin) signed him. His new self-titled CD is set to hit stores on Tuesday.

I readily admit I came into this interview kind of cold, without any prepared questions. But Stacey was conversational, friendly and properly grateful for the opportunity to have a career.

“We go through valleys and peaks where we feel like we’re on top of the world,” Stacey said. “I got to say: this entire thing has been the peak of a mountain. I feel like I’ve been living this dream for a year and a half.”

“I would never make the claim that I’m anything special,” he added, with proper modesty. “I love music… I feel very undeserving of the incredible life I’ve had.”

Here’s the video for his first single, “If You Didn’t Love Me.” The single, a mid-tempo love song, just broached the top 30.

The song is “really what I’m about,” he said. “I’m a man who is where he is because of the loving encouragement of an amazing wife. And I’m thrilled to show my acknowledgment to the world.”

He hopes his album sells. “I’d love to sell a million records,” he said. “But more than anything, I want my music to touch somebody.”

He said he is frequently mistaken for Chris Daughtry given his bald pate. The funniest moment he said was when he was at the Empire State Building during the “Idol” tour last year and a bunch of gals came up to him and one said, “You look like that guy from ‘American Idol.’ ” Then some gal started singing “It’s Not Over.” “I said, ‘Chris Daughtry! That’s awesome.’ I never told them I was on the show. For a sec, he considered pretending to be Daughtry, but “I thought Chris might be offended.”

Stacey said it’s fortunate his wife likes his shaved head, which he’s had since college. So he’s not even 100% sure if he’s balding.

He said though he’s a songwriter, he decided to pick from 600 songs made available to him from Music Row. He tried to pick songs that reflect his own life, which he says is going well. So he had to deliberately pick one break up song. “It was too sunshiney without it,” he said. And he included a couple of Christian-based tunes. He stays in touch with Mandisa and Chris Sligh, both whom also live in Nashville and are in the contemporary Christian world.

“If I Didn’t Love You” was originally tied to Georgian Jason Aldean but Aldean passed it to Stacey. “He graciously gave it to me,” he said.

Stacey - who is picking David Cook as the winner this year — plans to open for different acts, including Kellie Pickler, Randy Travis and possibly Kenny Chesney.

Finally, his favorite celebrity meeting was with Tim McGraw. He was in New York City during the “Idol” tour with his wife at Central Park. She needed to go to the bathroom so she ducked into the Ritz Carlton. There, McGraw came up to Stacey and said he was a fan. “I was starstruck,” he said. “It threw me off.” Stacey and his wife ended up hanging with Tim and his wife Faith Hill. He said he tried to be cool by not whipping out the camera but now regrets missing that opportunity. “It’s a story I’ll tell my grandchildren,” he said.

In other “Idol” news:

-“Extra” asked executive producer Nigel Lythgoe about the declining ratings. His response:

“We’ve had a lot of pressure put on the media this year talking about losing ratings…We’re still number one, number two… It starts to annoy you after awhile. Come talk to me about ratings when we’re not number one on the charts anymore,” he declared.

He added, “I think this is a strange time with the writer’s strike. People said that we would be seen by more people because there wasn’t anything else on television, but it’s not true. People aren’t that stupid. If there’s something on that you don’t want to watch, you don’t turn your television on and you find something else to do which is why I believe all the ratings are dipping this season.”

-Did Carly Smithson get hurt by the song she sang, “Jesus Christ Superstar”? Maybe. The song has some historical controversy more than 30 years ago. I doubt most of the voters were familiar with the song for it to matter much. But it probably didn’t help matters.

Here’s the story from the New York Times.

Since its debut, and particularly following the release of the 1973 film version, “Jesus Christ Superstar” has been railed against by some Christians for its portrayal of Jesus as confused and at times unwilling to accept his role, and because it hints that he had a sexual relationship with Mary Magdalene.

Anwar Robinson, the good-natured New Jersey vocal teacher from season four of “American Idol,” disappeared off the radar screen soon after.

But the smooth-sounding singer has spent the past six months crisscrossing the nation on a “Rent” tour playing Tom Cllins, a gay philosophy professor with AIDS. The show arrives in Atlanta this weekend at the Fox Theatre.

In studying “Rent,” he related to the characters and Collins has an especially heavy part, especially since Collins gets attacked during the play. “He’s very patriarchal, by virtue of being grounded and optimistic,” Robinson said. “Collins is a role I can play with little or no anxiety.”

He was flattered when I mentioned that just two days before our interview, I had spoken with Debra Byrd, “Idol” vocal coach, and she said he was the only “Idol” she knew with perfect pitch, which means he can pick any note you say and hit it spot on. “I didn’t always know I had it,” he said. “When I was four, I had a Casio keyboard and I memorized the pitches in there. They always stuck.”

(Robinson said he ran into Byrd in New York City a few months earlier while she was working on a piece for Judge Hatchett. He mentored a gal Byrd was working with.)

In the two years before “Rent,” he said he recorded a bunch of cover tunes and has been seeking a way to release it. “I did a lot of freelance events and I would do workshops. I would be in parades. I’d do private parties and concerts. I was the vice president for a Celebrity Read campaign for Essex County [New Jersey.]” In other words, he kept busy, just not in a way that attracted much attention.

He hopes to venture out to Los Angeles and seek acting gigs. “I have a team who believes in what I’m doing and wants me to branch out and do more than tehater or what I was doing after ‘Idol.’ “

Robinson hasn’t had a chance to see much “Idol,” except during the semifinals while he was recuperating from knee surgery. He saw Jason Yeager sing “Moon River,” a song he sang during his semifinals, a performance I still remember. “It brought back fond memories,” Robinson said. “I loved that song. I loved ‘Breakfast at Tiffanys.’ “

Anwar Robinson, the good-natured New Jersey vocal teacher from season four of “American Idol,” disappeared off the radar screen soon after.

But the smooth-sounding singer has spent the past six months crisscrossing the nation on a “Rent” tour playing Tom Cllins, a gay philosophy professor with AIDS. The show arrives in Atlanta this weekend at the Fox Theatre.

In studying “Rent,” he related to the characters and Collins has an especially heavy part, especially since Collins gets attacked during the play. “He’s very patriarchal, by virtue of being grounded and optimistic,” Robinson said. “Collins is a role I can play with little or no anxiety.”

He was flattered when I mentioned that just two days before our interview, I had spoken with Debra Byrd, “Idol” vocal coach, and she said he was the only “Idol” she knew with perfect pitch, which means he can pick any note you say and hit it spot on. “I didn’t always know I had it,” he said. “When I was four, I had a Casio keyboard and I memorized the pitches in there. They always stuck.”

(Robinson said he ran into Byrd in New York City a few months earlier while she was working on a piece for Judge Hatchett. He mentored a gal Byrd was working with.)

In the two years before “Rent,” he said he recorded a bunch of cover tunes and has been seeking a way to release it. “I did a lot of freelance events and I would do workshops. I would be in parades. I’d do private parties and concerts. I was the vice president for a Celebrity Read campaign for Essex County [New Jersey.]” In other words, he kept busy, just not in a way that attracted much attention.

He hopes to venture out to Los Angeles and seek acting gigs. “I have a team who believes in what I’m doing and wants me to branch out and do more than tehater or what I was doing after ‘Idol.’ “

Robinson hasn’t had a chance to see much “Idol,” except during the semifinals while he was recuperating from knee surgery. He saw Jason Yeager sing “Moon River,” a song he sang during his semifinals, a performance I still remember. “It brought back fond memories,” Robinson said. “I loved that song. I loved ‘Breakfast at Tiffanys.’ “

I got this email from Kristi Anderson, chairwoman of the 16th annual Rhubarb Jones Celebrity Golf Classic. She doesn’t seem to understand what I do for a living, that I cover radio and I came for Rhubarb. She also doesn’t get that I write it as I see it in as fair a manner as possible with no regard to whether it’s “positive” or “negative” but simply interesting. I included the Buzz item I wrote (as opposed to the blog entry from Tuesday) since I presume that’s what she saw.

Dear Mr. Ho,

Thank you so much for coming out to cover the 16th Annual Rhubarb Jones Celebrity Golf Classic this past Monday at The Golf Club of Georgia. While coverage by the AJC is VERY much appreciated, I was extremely disappointed to read the spin that was put on the article.

The article’s main focus seemed more about the radio industry and Rhubarb losing his job rather than the REAL reason that we were all there — to raise money to fight blood cancers for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. You mentioned the “continued support” of Citadel/KICKS which, once the station changes were announced, became negligible, especially compared to our Premier Sponsor, the PGA Tour Superstore, who wasn’t even mentioned.

Then there was the negative spin on the amount of money that was raised. Despite all the MAJOR hurdles that the Committee faced such as losing the majority of the station’s backing and Rhubarb no longer having a radio home less than 2 months prior to the event, extreme declining economic times, etc., we were very proud to have raised $160,000. Instead, you compared it to last year’s total and touted the fact that we raised less this year than last.

What ever happened to positive news? Not every story has to have a negative spin, and in these hard times, some positive news is always welcome.

Sincerely,

Kristi Anderson, Volunteer Chairperson, 16th Annual Rhubarb Jones Celebrity Golf Classic

Here’s the item she was disturbed about:

GOLF TOURNAMENT GETS SUPPORT

Rhubarb Jones, after 23 years, lost his job as Atlanta’s longest-running morning host when Citadel Broadcasting killed the Eagle on Feb. 29. But using former sister station Kicks 101.5, Citadel continued to support his 16th annual celebrity golf tournament for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

In the end, he still managed to raise about $160,000. Though that’s down from $190,000 last year, he was happy he was able to hold the event, which he plans to continue next year, with or without a radio partner.

Jones is not bitter about Citadel’s moves. “I didn’t take it personally,” he said. “It was just business.”

It doesn’t hurt that he’s still under an iron-clad five-year contract with Citadel, which pays him to do nothing until April 1, 2009. Plus, he already has a new job lined up to teach mass communication classes at Kennesaw State University starting later this year.

He also hasn’t ruled out going back to radio at some point if the opportunity is right.

Friends and fans slapped Jones on the back and posed for pictures, offering condolences for his job loss. Former Braves players Rick Camp, Ron Gant and Brian Jordan played golf for charity. And country legend Charlie Daniels came out as usual, rockin’ his violin on “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.”

-Tonight was another compelling episode of “Lost,” which now appears to be a war between Ben & Charles Widmore, though we’re still trying to figure out what Jacob’s role is in who controls the island. Other fun elements:a dead doctor, a dead daughter (plus some dead extras), revenge motives, and smoke monster, will travel! Plus, Claire is apparently invincible—for now. (Kinda like how Ben can get the stuffings beat out of him yet come away fairly unscathed.) And they answered why Sayid is working with Ben in the future.

Carrie Underwood has just started her set here at Gwinnett Arena, co-headlining with Keith Urban.

Dressed in a demurely sexy black getup with four-inch heel leather boots, Carrie started right on time at 7:30 p.m. with a rabble rouser from her second album “Flat on the Floor.” Barely half the crowd was at their seats but the numbers increased rapidly in the intervening minutes.

She took advantage of a runway that ran more than halfway across the arena, singing “Just a Dream” from about 15 rows in.

Personality-wise, Carrie is no Kellie PIckler. She’s more poised than she was three years ago after plenty of practice on stage, but her patter sounded stagey and scripted, at least in the early going. Her bag of stage tricks are fairly limited to wiggling her legs and waving to individuals in the crowd.

But vocally, she sounds amazing, as usual. And it seems so effortless. If she missed a note, she hid it well. The purity of her voice permeates every corner of the arena. She can hold high notes for hours if need be, as it seemed during “I Know You Won’t.”

Despite her rather vanilla persona, “Before He Cheats” proves she can play tough and get away with it. And on her latest single, “Last Name,” that bit of Carrie sass comes out in full force. Heck, she can somehow get away with doing Guns n’ Roses’ “Paradise City” without a trace of irony or self deprecation.

Two thirds through, she got serious. “I want to thank you guys for putting me on this stage,” she said. “I don’t know why but I’m about to cry… I get to watch ‘American Idol.’ It’s so amazing to think that a few years ago, I was on that stage. You guys helped me through. I can’t believe there are five people left. It’s incredible I managed to survive the next two years that followed. It’s been an amazing, amazing ride. Thank you guys. God bless you for it.”

Then during “Don’t Forget To Remember Me,” she literally stopped partway in tears and could barely finish the song.

When she sings “All American Girl,” that is a title she fits perfectly.

The set list so far:

Flat on the Floor

Wasted

Get Out of This Town

The More Boys I Meet

Just a Dream

Jesus Take the Wheel

I Know You Won’t

I Ain’t in Checotah Anymore

Last Name

Don’t Forget To Remember Me

TWisted

All-American Girl

So Small

She performs again Friday night at G\winnett Arena. Though sold out, on Thursday, they opened up a few extra seats that may still be available at Ticketmaster.

With Michael and Carly gone, there is building animus toward Brooke and Jason for very similar reasons.

Both are sweet, sweet people with limited vocal skills. Both are talented but fairly one dimensional. Both are more comfortable behind an instrument. Both emote quite nicely and sell their songs when they’re really into it. Both seem mildly awkward when interviewed. Both feel like real human beings on and off camera. The fact is likability over pure singing got them into the top 5. And no matter how badly either do, I have a hard time hatin’ on either of them.

Down the road, I think more people are going buy their albums over those by Syesha, Carly or Michael. I suspect both have those types of dedicated fan bases that can translate into ticket, merchandise and record sales.

And this proves once again the sbow has and always will be a popularity contest, not a pure singing contest. But there’s nothing wrong with that.

Plus, we know it’s going to come down to David & David anyway. Nobody truly expected Carly or Michael or Kristy Lee to make it to the final two. And I can’t see Jason or Brooke making it into the final two either unless something truly bizarro happens. It’d be great to see my early prediction of Syesha in the top 3 come true!

-Anyway, here’s what Carly Smithson had to say during the weekly elimination press conference.

She is, as I recall when I first interviewed her, a sweetheart and articulate, conversational and gabby (so gabby, she took far fewer questions than any other contestant so far this year.) She also has a good sense of humor and is very grounded. She said multiple times how grateful she is for the experience and is happy to be sixth. She’s truly heartfelt about everything she says. After every reporter, she said, “Thank you so much” with real sincerity.

She wants to see her husband and take a break, too. So she isn’t disappointed. As one of the reporters noted, she is far peppier and far sunnier than any prior contestant this year on these interviews.

Although she had a record deal years ago, she said this feels like a first chance, not a second chance. “It’s so big and such a different experience,” she said. “It’s such a gift.”

She’s ready to make a record and write her own songs and stop doing cover songs (though she’ll have to do more covers all summer on tour.)

During the show, she said she was the “camp counselor,” consoling others, giving them support.

“I miss the most are my pots and pans. I’m a kitchen gadget nut. I miss my kitchen so much,” she said.

Here’s the holding spot for tonight’s results show. I won’t be watching most of it live since I’ll be at the Braves game but I’ll report the results ASAP.

In other “Idol” news:

-No answer why David Cook’s little indie recording “Analog Heart” disappeared from Amazon’s MP3 site.

-We’ve talked before about how the vote totals are never released. The Arizona Republic explores the topic.. Here’s the most interesting tidbit—executive producer Ken Warwick had no clue they were never released, even after the season is over:

“If there’s any overt rule that says why (totals) shouldn’t be released, I’m not aware of it,” executive producer Ken Warwick said in an interview last week. “I was under the impression they were open to scrutiny.

“No one is saying you can’t look at them,” he added.

But then the paper got this weird note credited to Fox and show producers Fremantle Media and 19 Entertainment: “The network and producers will not disclose voting tallies for the competition, as the release of such information would only serve to create additional rumor and speculation.”

Huh? Isn’t that backwards logic? Wouldn’t transparency blunt rumor and speculation?

-Do you remember Savannah’s Stephanie Edwards, who finished 11th last year? She was distinctly boring and overshadowed by Melinda and LaKisha. According to USA Today, she’s back at school chasing a psychology degree at Armstrong Atlantic State University in her hometown of Savannah, Ga.

“You need that backup and the education behind you,” says Edwards, 20. “It makes you a more well-rounded person.”

She does visit Atlanta to work on a pop/R&B debut, according to the story.

-Carrie Underwood, who will be at the Gwinnett Arena Thursday and Friday with Keith Urban for two sold-out concerts, is doing ads for vitaminwater.

-Tonight, competing with “Idol” is the Dove Awards, the Christian music equivalent of the Grammys. Three “Idols” are presenting: Phil Stacey, Mandisa and Chris Sligh.

(I’m creating a separate blog entry for this just so folks can find it easier down the road though it’s going to be quickly superseded by the results show entry.)

Mark your calendars. Locally, the “Idols Live” tour will return to the Gwinnett Arena for the fourth year in a row, this year August 18. Ticket info forthcoming.

“Idols Live” will feature fewer duets and group sings and more solo work, according to a story in USA Today..

From the exclusive USA Today story:

Using extensive lighting and giant video screens, producers are aiming to “create a distinct mood for each singer,” Pirie says. Artists will be “encouraged to play an instrument only if it’s appropriate to them.”

Though some of the 10 have songwriting credits, concertgoers won’t be treated to any of their originals this summer. “We really want the experience to echo the television show, so expect to hear a lot of the songs that did well during the season,” says Iain Pirie, head of 19 Recordings U.S., which organizes the tour.

Here’s the holding spot for the Idol performance show tonight.

In other Idol news:

-Power ratings. Both ew.com and TV Guide are doing weekly “power ratings” ranking the contestants based on your votes. (I’ve requested we do the same thing but have only gotten shrugged shoulders.) David Cook is No. 1 in both rankings. Jason is No. 2 on ew.com, slipping ahead of Archuleta. Carly is at No. 4, Brooke at No. 5 and Syesha No. 6. At TV Guide,, the rankings are the same except Archuleta is No. 2 and Castro is No. 3. Syesha has been in the bottom two for six straight weeks yet has survived into the top 6. That’s impressive! The gambling sites remain in Archuleta’s camp.

-Have you noticed that “Idol” has been much more amenable for press to sit in the audience and report on how the show operates, at least from the crowd’s perspective? Entertainment Weekly is there virtually every week and even the New York Times stopped by, noting how organized the show is.

“At the end of every performance you will stand on your feet.” That is one of the commandments offered by Cory Almeida, the indefatigable warm-up man who exhorts and instructs the audience for 15 minutes before each performance and during the numerous commercial breaks.

For the audience members who stand in the “mosh pit,” the area immediately in front of the stage, special instructions are required. “When you are applauding after a performance, we need your hands above your head,” Mr. Almeida said before a recent Tuesday performance. “Otherwise we can’t see that you’re clapping.”

-And for your amusement, a Baltimore Sun story bemoaning how irrelevent Idol is, a story that features quotes set up to prove the writer’s point more than anything else.. I don’t agree with all his points but yes, “Idol” is showing signs of strain, the inevitable consequences of middle age. It happens to all of us!

-William Hung’s appearance fees must be finally drying up because he’s gone back to school, according to the California State University Sundial newspaper.. When I interviewed him last year, he said he had made more than $1 million. Not bad!

Before his 2004 appearance on “Idol” that made him the most famous mocked contestant of all time, he had been attending UC Berkeley but never finished his schooling because of the infamy (and cash) he received for singing — badly.

-Jordin Sparks, now resting her voice after an acute vocal hemorrhage, just got lapped on the top 40 charts by Simon Cowell’s “X Factor” discovery Leona Lewis and her song “Bleeding Love.” So “No Air” might end up getting stuck at No. 2 and not go to No. 1. I had a feeling that might happen.

And Mariah, who just appeared on “Idol” last week, should be disturbed—her first single “Touch My Body” is already losing steam on the charts after just 9 weeks and a couple of weeks in the top 10. Madonna’s single “4 Minutes” (with a heavy assist from Justin Timberlake”) jumped into the top 10 in just a month. Daughtry’s third single “Feels Like Tonight” appears to have peaked at 12. Carrie’s “Last Name,” her third single from her current album, is on the verge of the top 10 on the country chart. Both Bucky and Kellie have singles that are now falling off the charts after making it into the top 20. Josh Gracin’s “We Weren’t Crazy” is struggling but still gaining airplay and is at No. 26. Chris Sligh’s “Empty Me” is at No. 19 on the Christian soft rock chart.

-TMZ twisted some of Carmen Rasmussen’s comments last week to make it sound like she was truly peeved. “She went home in sixth place, to lead a life of obscurity and bitterness,” the gossip site noted. But she told [the Deseret News} that’s no the case: “The only point I was trying to make was that some contestants get more attention than others,” said Rasmusen, who — surprise! — was not contacted by TMZ about its story. “I chose that example because Clay is so well-known.” (She had said Clay got more time with the coaches than she did.)

The addition of instruments has been a boon in particular for two contestants still in the running: Brooke White and Jason Castro. Both are far more comfortable (especially Brooke) behind a guitar or piano. David Archuleta has worked the piano and David Cook, the guitar. But it seems both can handle the stage with just a mike without too much pain. Castro has survived without the guitar but still seems more at home with it. Brooke’s attempt without the guitar or piano during that Beatles week was a minor disaster and she even admitted it.

If they had to adhere to the old “no instruments” rule, would their charisma and sweetness have kept them in the running to this stage? I have a feeling Brooke wouldn’t have even made it to the top 24.

-And the buzz about “Idol’s” declining ratings, which I have chronicled in bits and pieces all season, goes up a notch with this Los Angeles story.. Younger viewers are bailing at a faster rate than the overall viewership, which is typical of an aging show. Among 18 to 34 year olds, this past Wednesday’s results show had its lowest ratings since season two. The fact is most shows start losing steam between seasons five and seven and “Idol” is following suit.

Question: how much time does “Idol” have left? “E.R.” lost buzz six to eight years ago yet it’s still on, drawing just 8 million viewers last Thursday - yet it will have one more season, a 15th. “Survivor” is only drawing 12 to 13 million viewers a week, down from 20 million just three years ago—the show’s first 10 incarnations actually held up well and the slide only began with Guatemala in the fall of 2005. Yet it’s in its 16th edition in its eight year and has been renewed for two more cycles, guaranteeing 18 versions. “America’s Next Top Model” has only started showing a slide in ratings this spring in its 10th edition. (In both those cases, the shows operate two editions a year, while “Idol” only does one.)

At what point in viewership will Fox pull the plug? At this point, the show has a long way to drop before that even becomes a question. I’d guess if average viewership drops below 9 million, then it will probably be close to retirement. And when Simon Cowell leaves, will that hasten the exodus?

Realistically, I think “Idol” can last through 2010 no problem. I figure Simon will stick around until then but after he bails, the show may only have three more seasons left, depending on who replaces him. So I can picture the final time Ryan Seacrest crowns an “Idol” sometime in 2013 or 2014. That would mean the show will have lasted 12 or 13 seasons. That’s very respectable for any telecast.

And how long will this blog last? Well, I can’t imagine it will last that long. Readership is down big time over last year and there is nothing much I can do about that. Casual interest isn’t as strong as it was even a year ago and those are the types who drive up traffic. I’m just glad I was around to capture season five, which can now be considered the peak of the show in terms of its popularity and power.

-We already knew this but someone actually calculated it: going first is a big disadvantage. Michael Johns went first and that may have caused his departure. Out of 69 eliminations, 20 folks going first were voted out, far greater than chance. Going seventh is the most charmed spot. The stats were tracked by USA Today here.. We know that viewership is lower earlier in the show and memories fade by the time the show is over.

The addition of instruments has been a boon in particular for two contestants still in the running: Brooke White and Jason Castro. Both are far more comfortable (especially Brooke) behind a guitar or piano. David Archuleta has worked the piano and David Cook, the guitar. But it seems both can handle the stage with just a mike without too much pain. Castro has survived without the guitar but still seems more at home with it. Brooke’s attempt without the guitar or piano during that Beatles week was a minor disaster and she even admitted it.

If they had to adhere to the old “no instruments” rule, would their charisma and sweetness have kept them in the running to this stage? I have a feeling Brooke wouldn’t have even made it to the top 24.

-And the buzz about “Idol’s” declining ratings, which I have chronicled in bits and pieces all season, goes up a notch with this Los Angeles story.. Younger viewers are bailing at a faster rate than the overall viewership, which is typical of an aging show. Among 18 to 34 year olds, this past Wednesday’s results show had its lowest ratings since season two. The fact is most shows start losing steam between seasons five and seven and “Idol” is following suit.

Question: how much time does “Idol” have left? “E.R.” lost buzz six to eight years ago yet it’s still on, drawing just 8 million viewers last Thursday - yet it will have one more season, a 15th. “Survivor” is only drawing 12 to 13 million viewers a week, down from 20 million just three years ago—the show’s first 10 incarnations actually held up well and the slide only began with Guatemala in the fall of 2005. Yet it’s in its 16th edition in its eight year and has been renewed for two more cycles, guaranteeing 18 versions. “America’s Next Top Model” has only started showing a slide in ratings this spring in its 10th edition. (In both those cases, the shows operate two editions a year, while “Idol” only does one.)

At what point in viewership will Fox pull the plug? At this point, the show has a long way to drop before that even becomes a question. I’d guess if average viewership drops below 9 million, then it will probably be close to retirement. And when Simon Cowell leaves, will that hasten the exodus?

Realistically, I think “Idol” can last through 2010 no problem. I figure Simon will stick around until then but after he bails, the show may only have three more seasons left, depending on who replaces him. So I can picture the final time Ryan Seacrest crowns an “Idol” sometime in 2013 or 2014. That would mean the show will have lasted 12 or 13 seasons. That’s very respectable for any telecast.

And how long will this blog last? Well, I can’t imagine it will last that long. Readership is down big time over last year and there is nothing much I can do about that. Casual interest isn’t as strong as it was even a year ago and those are the types who drive up traffic. I’m just glad I was around to capture season five, which can now be considered the peak of the show in terms of its popularity and power.

-We already knew this but someone actually calculated it: going first is a big disadvantage. Michael Johns went first and that may have caused his departure. Out of 69 eliminations, 20 folks going first were voted out, far greater than chance. Going seventh is the most charmed spot. The stats were tracked by USA Today here.. We know that viewership is lower earlier in the show and memories fade by the time the show is over.

Jordin Sparks canceled an appearance at Penn State Sunday due to “an acute vocal cord hemorrhage condition.”

Because of the risk of permanent vocal cord damage, Sparks has been ordered to strict vocal rest and will not be able to perform anywhere until her condition improves.

Let’s hope she gets better quickly!

Now here’s quite an honor! Kelly Clarkson sang “Ava Maria” for the Pope at St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers Saturday:

And here’s that Michael Johns appearance on Ellen DeGeneres that aired last Friday:

ABOVE: From his appearance last year at a 94.9/The Bull client party.

Okay. It’s a quiet day, a day to finally bring out the Josh Gracin interview!

He was more forthcoming than he was the last time I interviewed him two years ago and seemed to be in a much better place, more comfortable, just happier.

Gracin’s career, post “Idol,’ opened strong with three top 10 country singles and 670,000 copies sold of his first CD in 2004-05. Then he hit a wall as he worked on his sophomore release. Lyric Street released what was going to be the first single of the second album in March 2006, “Favorite State of Mind.” It did okay, breaking the top 20, but wasn’t a breakout hit. So the album got held.

At this stage of his career, all the time he’d been spending on the road promoting his records had taken a toll on his personal life. (He’s married with kids.) And he said he ultimately wasn’t satisfied with the way the album was coming together. He changed producers and he wanted to get more involved in writing his own songs.

Ultimately, he said, if “Favorite State of Mind” had become a massive hit, the album would have come out, an album “I was not happy with, not comfortable with. It should have been better.”

That’s what got him to the current single “We Weren’t Crazy,” an autobiographical song. “I had just gotten off the road,” he said. “I thought about how my parents disapproved of my relationship when I was 16. [He married his high school sweetheart.] I thought about how people thought I was crazy joining the Marines. I’m fortunate it’s worked out three kids and 11 years later. I proved them wrong. I wasn’t crazy!”

He admitted that the post-“Idol” whirlwind meant strain on his marriage. “A lot of those times, I was gone. When you are a high school sweetheart and things are moving so far, you grow up at your own time. It’s hard to really get a chance to figure each other out. A lot of family members around me went through hard times and stuck it through. I wanted to set an example. I believe once you get married, whatever hard times you have, you figure it out and don’t take the easy way out. We try to do anything and everything we can to make it feel like there isn’t a disconnect. Just last night, I finally played around with my Mac. I figured out how to do an iChat. My kids can see me through the computer and I can see them back before I go to bed at night.”

He also wrote a song that he literally placed on the album at the last second, an ode to his wife “Unbelievable (Ann Marie).” He penned it in January and actually played it for the first time at Cowboy’s in Kennesaw:

“I wanted to immortalize my love [of my wife] and our time together,” he said. “It really has no traditional verse and chorus structure. That’s why it’s unique to me. It will be the second single.” When he played it at Cowboy’s, “they loved it. It was definitely a defining moment.” That convinced him to put it on the album.

He said that was his third or fourth trip to Cowboys. “The crowds have gotten bigger and bigger,” he said. “I love going there.”

He wasn’t miffed that “Idol’ skipped over him for their recently Nashville update, which featured Phil Stacey, Bo Bice and Bucky Covington. “I hope that later on down the line, they’ll give me a chance to get back on the show and perform and show how much I’ve changed and grown as a musician.”

Gracin’s current CD “We Weren’t Crazy” has sold 25,000 copies over two weeks. I spoke to him just as he was getting first-week sales of 18,000 (compared to about 57,000 from his first CD.) “Normally, I’d be upset,” he said. “But I haven’t had anything in the marketplace in four years. And everything is going digital. I’m not upset.” He noted that 35% of his sales came from iTunes which is high for a country artist.

His current single “We Weren’t Crazy” is edging up the country chart and is now at No. 25.

I asked him his memories of “Idol” dredged back up courtesy of ‘Idol Rewind” in syndication. He was eliminated Bee Gees week. “It brings back memories of me never singing disco again!” He said he has nothing negative to say about his Idol experience. “I didn’t sing anywhere near as I would have liked but vocal cords are like muscles you have to build and that was a great way to do it,” he said. “You can really hear the changes in my voice from the first to the second album. I’ve grown as a singer.”

He has also lost weight. During his incessant touring, he gained 80 pounds, he said. He has since lost 65 of it. He cut out milk and soda. “You name it, I cut it out,” he said. “I used to drink a gallon and a half of milk a week. That’s a lot of fat grams. I just drink iced tea with Sweet & Low and water.”

In other news:

-Paula Abdul, who canceled on the NBC “Today” show April 25 performance, will be on now August 29, according to the New York Post.

-David Cook’s ailing brother Adam enjoyed his time at “Idol” and is now back in Terre Haute, Indiana. He has brain cancer and was able to take a private medical jet to California..

-Carmen Rasmussen wrote a first person piece about how she was not given equal treatment in terms of coaching as others during her season. Fascinating stuff.

I only received minimal vocal coaching from “American Idol” voice instructor Debra Byrd. In fact, I can count on one hand the number of times I actually received applicable, specific advice from her. Most of the time, it was, “You sound good. Just do your thing.” Or, “You need to work on your high notes.”

One day, as I was waiting downstairs for my private singing lesson, Clay Aiken was in the music room. I could hear him going over and over his song, dissecting it.

Finally, after about 30 minutes, the door opened. It was my turn. I walked in and sang my song about three times before being dismissed. Hardly the personal one-on-one attention Aiken had just received.

And this:

But perhaps more than wardrobe or vocal coaching, performance coaching was the one thing we needed the most — and received the least. Besides performing for my mom or in front of the mirror, I wasn’t given any outside perspective on what does and does not come across well on camera.

Some of the contestants this year have received negative comments on looking “overrehearsed” — but how would they know what looks good if no one takes the time to help them out?

-Brian Dunkleman finally admits he was wrong quitting “Idol” after season one. But he still comes off as sanctimonious in this TV Guide interview.

TVGuide.com: You know, I have to ask, what in the world made you quit American Idol?

Dunkleman: I’ve answered it so many times it’s curious to me why I keep getting asked — I wish I had gotten fired, it would be a hell of a lot easier to deal with. I don’t understand why people would think I would lie about it at this point. It was such a big mistake in judgment, it’s embarrassing. I was unhappy on the show, they treated the kids like [crap], I didn’t think it was cool. If I had known it was going to run for 70 years I would have sucked it up and become callous like the rest of them. I had a lot of great experiences on Idol, but I just have a deep philosophical opposition to what they do.

Kristy Lee Cook came across as poised and articulate, largely avoiding the pablum and cliches that came out the mouths of Ramiele and Chikezie. Some have complained she was a bit of a country robot on stage and was not the emotional lump that Brooke sometimes is. But I ultimately liked her for her rather grounded and rationalized approach to the show.

She admitted never having sung much in the way of non-country tunes and was hamstrung by the song choices during the semifinals, when she was also ill. (In past years, she would have had a greater chance to show off her country chops earlier.)

She felt more comfortable post Beatles. And she defended her take on “Eight Days a Week.” When I asked her about that, she felt the judges’ negative comments shaped America’s opinions about it.

*I’ve had mixed feelings on it. A lot of people actually liked it. A lot of people I worked with on the stage and the band. They absolutely loved the version… I thought it was kind of cool and deserved a bit more praise. I did make it my own.” One lesson she’s learned is to ignore the judges when watching the show and making her own judgment.

Cook said picking “God Bless the USA” wasn’t necessarily at attempt to save her own hide by going the patriotic route. Rather, she said her dad, a Vietnam vet, loved the song so she was thinking about it when she saw it on the list of songs the year she was born. Then her sister called and suggested the same song, which Kristy has sung before. “That was an instant yes in my mind,” she said.

Her fiance Andy also proposed to her secretly in a sauna March 15 and did it officially on “Idol” this week, though I don’t think that ended up on camera because I don’t remember it.

She would have sung “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” for Andrew Lloyd Weber. That would have been a serious challenge!

I have to run into a training class. Will add more later.

In other “Idol” news:

-I decided to check on my top 12 on March 8 before David Hernandez was eliminated. I’m not doing too badly. I actually had Michael Johns ranked at No. 8. That’s the only one I’ve gotten right so far exactly right. (I had Kristy Lee at 12, Chikezie at 11, Ramiele at 10 and Amanda at 9.) But my top 7 were: 1- David A 2- David C 3- Syesha 4- Jason 5- David H. (whoops!) 6- Carly 7- Brooke. I was clearly optimistic on Syesha but who knows?

-My bud Chris Sligh does a fine job sifting through the Mariah performance show.. He was bored by David A., underwhelmed by Carly, impressed by Syesha, okay with Brooke, enjoyed Kristy, rocked by David C. and pimped Jason C.

-I did want to note that Tuesday’s ratings (23.6 million) for “Idol” were the lowest Tuesday show in five years, since season two, according to Hollywood Reporter. The results show finished at around 23 million, down about 15 percent from a year earlier. And thanks to Michael Johns, I had my best week last week on the blog in terms of page views at about 60,000 though this blog is still down significantly in traffic from a year ago.