"American Idol" -- slicing away four contestants.

It's a half hour show tonight, kicking out two "guys" and two "girls" -- in only thirty minutes. So the usual padding is gone. There's a little preliminary blather about song choice. Then, Ryan Seacrest turns to the assembled female contestants and says "Would Celena Rae join me please? ... Celena, unfortunately, I have to say, you got the lowest number of votes and you'll be leaving us tonight." That was the most abrupt send-off ever! She's not asked to sing the song that made her lose. That's a relief. Well, she's one of the singers I was willing to get rid of. Time to lose one more "girl." After the break, they go through the women one by one, and pull out Aloha and Vonzell. Both sang Alicia Keys songs. And Aloha, who was so good last week, is gone. Yet I'm glad Vonzell is getting another chance. That's what I wrote in last night's post.

Which two "guys" will leave? Here, you can see I thought that Travis Tucker and Joseph Murena would go. Ryan: "The boys' result coming up." Oh, now we're calling them "boys"? Some of them are pushing thirty! Ryan goes through the top row of contestants. All are safe. Then he picks out Scott Savol, in the middle of the bottom row, and it's an anxious moment, but the fat, unattractive "boy" is told he's safe. Four are left, and all four are made to stand and form a line. (They keep varying the way they announce the loser!) We see Mario without his hat for the first time. He is not bald! Ah, Mario is safe! Travis is safe! And Joe and David leave. Lucky Travis! I'm not surprised at the result. Travis saved it, I think, by that little dance he did.

Until next week!