three minus one equals two: a simulblog...

Somebody's going home. Well, not exactly. He or she is gonna stick around for a week to practice Brady Bunch moves, but won't get to sing in competition next week on the real big stage. It's almost over, this very long season.

Because THIS is American Idol.

And this is a simulblog, live blogging the results show as it's unfolding, with publishing at every important stop, so if you live in the West and you want to wait to see it unfold yourself, you might want to do some shopping on QVC. But come back later!

Ryan sees Ace and Pickler in the audience. I like her new hair. Over 50 million votes, says Ryan, were cast last night, a new non-finale record. And, we're told, close doesn't even describe the difference between the kids.

The recaps pretty much look like they did live the evening before, and we're promised a look at the kids' homecomings.

After the break...

The kids are real old folks in the crappy Ford commercial, rapping to Young at Heart. And that's about all I'm gonna say about that.

Time for the home videos. First up: Taylor, who tells us he ate his way through Birmingham, including ribs and pancakes for breakfast. Birmingham knows how to treat it's Idols, considering its had enough practice with Ruben and Bo before him.

Taylor then takes the stage with Takin' It To the Streets, his track from the new compilation CD that we are going to shamelessly promote for the next week. And he gets backup dance help from Elliott and Katharine.

It's time to watch Katharine's 10-minute limo ride home, which even she admits isn't quite the festival event of the small towns. She gets to ride in a helicopter, though, and her high school crowd is small but mighty loud.

And she takes the stage and strips her shoes off to Think, her CD track. What is it with this girl and wardrobe issues? She's looking a lot happier in this show than at this time last week.

Hey! Todd Bridges is in the audience. Let this be a lesson to the kids: when your time in the spotlight is over, you too can be on Skating with Celebrities.

Hey! Gavin Degraw is in the audience too!

Time for Elliott's visit home. He says he felt like a king. Oh how sweet. He visited the pharmacy where he used to work. And he's riding in the biggest freakin' limo I've ever seen. And it's always good to see Mama Yamin. Even when she's overcome with tears.

Elliott's crying as the footage ends, Paula's crying (again) and now he has to sing Moody's Mood for Love.

Ahh. The pimping of the CD begins with a reminder of all of the music and kudos the former Idolites have accomplished with the help of Clive Davis, the guy who can't pick songs for crap. But they give him a big-ass plaque to acknowledge all the cool stuff. He invokes the holy name of Kelly and reminds us that she's a big star. He then goes through the litany of names and their good things. This could take awhile. He doesn't talk fast. Good heavens, this is like a meeting of the stockholders.

Results coming up. After the break.

Ryan gives us the breakdown of the votes on a big screen. They are separated by tenths of percentage points. The highest is 33.68, followed by 33.26 and 33.06. And there's a name behind the last one, the one who's outta here.

And it's Elliott. He gets to see the footage of his journey, he gets to acknowledge his mom and they give him the stage for the full length of his swan song.

Thanks Elliott. For making me very happy these past months.

And good luck.