Bucky "Dirrty" Covington. "Fat Bottomed Girls." Hee. Bucky isn't as ugly as usual. I really want one of these AI-style makeovers for myself. This song is a decent match for his voice, and he's performing it with vigor and an almost convincing sense of confidence. And yet I'm still not a huge FAN, something about the ubiquitous hoarseness that I don't understand, which is odd because I'm hella crazy about Bryan Adams. Also? Not a big range-tester. By the end of the performance, I'm a little bored.

Ace Young. "We Will Rock You." Way to pick a stadium anthem with about three notes. A big disgrace, indeed. While wearing leather pants, to boot. And EYELINER. And a personality so nonexistent that it's actually convex. Nice Queen clip to make Ace look like a bit of an asshole. Good crowd-pleaser, I will say that. Okay, I'm a bit shocked here, because he sounds better than he has since "Father Figure", and looks more confident than usual. Again, there aren't a whole lot of notes with which to show off, so he tries to insert some runs here and there. Some work, some don't, but I'm pleasantly surprised. Fuck the permanent scar, though. And he really just needs to stop talking ("I thought I rocked!")

Kellie Pickler. "Bohemian Rhapsody." Mr. Whirled just pointed out that she picked to sing this because her boyfriend sang it last season. Oh my God, "Bohemian Rhapsody" is about suicide and loss and NOT stripping and hooking like she's implying with her movements in rehearsal, but whatever. And she looks like Lita Ford, straight up. Her voice sounds like a poor Ashlee Simpson imitation. This is a bad hopscotchy arrangement, too big for her vocals, and a frightening performance from start to finish. And what's with her broken bangs and her bad eye makeup and Randy kissing her ass like always? Let her GO, fools. She just isn't good enough.

Chris Daughtry. "Innuendo." I'm not familiar with this one, but it seems to fit Chris's voice. Nice fleur-de-lis tee shirt, by the way. So of course his voice sounds great, and he's borrowed a little of roomie Ace's eyeliner, or so it appears. But this song has, like, six words and it's boring me by the end. I agree with Simon as to song selection. And I still can't forget he's a Creed fan.

Katharine McPhee. "Who Wants to Live Forever?" Kath's sporting a belted satin shirt as she attempts a spookily lit ballad. Not digging either statement. I prefer my McPhee more lively and funky. Because a lot of these kids have good voices; it's the performing and spark that can set them apart. I think I would really like the Freddy Mercury rendition of this song, though. Katharine's voice is lovely, but the performance is sort of humdrum, and I tend to agree with Randy's "pitchiness" comment.

Elliott Yamin. "Somebody to Love." My favorite Queen song of all time, and not only because George Michael covered it a decade ago. Continuing to grow out his hair and almost looking nice. As Ace continues to plunge down his slippery slope and Elliott looks better and better, they will cross one other at some point, in a mobius strip of expertly-employed pomade and hipster fashion. So Elliott was an overnight DJ, as it turns out, winning another little piece of my heart. He looks a little wide-eyed and terrified, but the notes are spot on, and the improvised runs are quite pleasant. Awkward segue toward the end, but not his fault. Ends with a GREAT little soulful run. I'm proud of him! And his girlfriend (presumably!) is wicked cute.

Taylor "Puffy Witter" Hicks. "Crazy Little Thing Called Love." Taylor: "We're not the champions anymore." That just made me laugh, and wow does the boy have a closetful of hideous shirts. He's wearing, like, black jeans and a silver lamme tux jacket. It's a good, effortless, Taylor performance, and I'm thinking he may win this whole show, because he is quite consistent and affable. Definitely the best PERFORMER of the lot, if not the best voice. And that means a great deal. However it also means that Taylor sometimes comes off as a caricature rather than an actual person.

Paris Bennett. "The Show Must Go On." Getting the pimp spot. Hmmm … I don't like THAT one bit. I think she borrowed Kellie's OUTFIT and Teri Hatcher's hair. She just looks very odd and way too mature. Her voice sounds good, if a shade stifled and guttural. Fantastic large note at the end, and all in all a decent performance. Nice cutting off Simon, BOO.

Who I'm voting for? Elliott, of course, with a few sent the way of Taylor and maybe even Ace. </b>

Who's gone? Bucky might be doomed here. Kellie was easily the worst, but she is smeared with Simon's love juice (not like THAT. Lord.)