3/22 Results: "Thanks for voting for Contestant Two, y'all!"

(Even Paula couldn't find anything nice to say about my fuzzy screencaps tonight...apologies!)

Before I begin, may I throw editorial distance out the window and say I love all you power-calling, redial-button riders out there, and if we were in the same room I'd kiss you/buy you a beer/whatever? Because I would. Really, I would.

Yeah, Bucky's safe for another week. How'd you guess?

This is American Idol after all, so it wasn't quite that simple. There were the usual recaps--Bucky and Taylor got lumped into a "Simon is no buddy of Buddy's" segment, but at least it was quick and relatively painless--and Barry Manilow flew in to sing "Love Is a Many-Splendored Thing" in his fun, amiably hammy way. (Between the swirling-daisy light filters and the swooping overhead shots, you'd be forgiven for thinking that Love was a Dizziness-Inducing Thing, but never mind.) Then after a less surreal, and therefore less fun, Ford beach-party spot, the painful part begins.


Ace, Mandisa, Elliot, Kellie, Paris and Chris are all on the top tier of the Sofas of Doom, and they're individually, slowly declared safe. Katherine and Taylor flank Kevin, Lisa and Bucky on the lower tier; Katherine and Taylor are safe, and the middle of the lower tier rises as one to stand with Ryan on the stage. (Bucky is so much taller than Lisa and Kevin that the cameraman has to do some quick adjustment during the "pan across the tense faces" bit.)


After about 78 commercials, several Fox promos (hey, did you know Fox has a new show called Unan1mous? Did you? Huh?) assorted local ads and a year off the Buckaroos/Buckaneers/BuckyBunnies and Covington's Crew's collective lives, the show wraps up rather abruptly. Lisa is told she's not in the bottom two; Bucky and Kevin remain standing and get some sweet-natured encouragement from Paula, and Ryan then apologizes to Bucky, saying "I'm sorry you've had to stand here; you're safe."

I think I fainted with relief after that...but when I recovered, Bucky was giving Kevin a hug and a whispered--and no doubt kind--word, and Kevin (who is terribly cute and funny and will certainly have a career in showbiz after Idol) was singing us out.

The good news? Bucky's on the tour. Bucky's on the tour!

I'll blog more about it later, but for now, I'll say that next week's theme--21st Century Hits--may be what the doctor ordered. And, oh yeah--Bucky's on the tour!

Yes!

(Edited to link to a very busy conversation at the Fox boards about Bucky's next crucial song choice. So far, looks like a Keith Urban tune is a big favorite...)