wednesday afternoon quarterbacking...

Before I start hashing and rehashing, could we please have a moment of sympathy for my texting thumb? It hurts.

... hmmm.

Thank you.

Well, on the morning after, I can say that the Final Three performance episode used to be my favorite one of the season. Last night's blah-fest pretty much put an end to that streak.

And what the hell universe does Clive Davis live in anyway, where I Believe I Can Fly is a classic and Open Arms is a rock song? And, that either of them was a splendid choice to saddle these kids with? I suppose if Chris had been there, he would have been handed Muskrat Love? (Oooo, I just thought of Kevin...)

But anyway, I've taken the time today to listen to the audio - cause, you know listening without the visual distraction of spastic dancing, indulgent smiling or a deer in the headlights is very revealing. Performances I thought I liked sometimes I find I don't, and more often the reverse is true.

I didn't do much changing of the mind today, like I have in previous episodes, except to say that I really don't think Elliott had nearly the weak night I thought he had when I turned in last night.

Let me get my rant out of the way.

I've been making my daily rounds of message board hell, and I'm reading outrage over the pimping of Katharine, the pimping of Taylor and the outright dismissal of Elliott.

Okay. I abhor the blatant pimping of this show too. I've never made any secret of that. And I don't like when Simon essentially tells the voters that one of the kids does not deserve to move forward, which is the reason that the only contestant this season that I voted for aside from Elliott and Bucky was Melissa McGhee in the last women's semi-final. And yes, I think the show definitely had its final two chosen, and the deck was stacked against the odd man out.

But, as much as I hate when they do it, as if the voters aren't smart enough to decide for themselves, it's the way they do things, they've always done things and the way they will continue to do things. Simon has, since season two's inexcusable treatment of Kimberley Locke in the final three, been blunt about skewing the judgements so that the two preferred contestants stay. That year the show wanted Ruben in the finals, Kim was performing circles around him (and Clay, for that matter), and so they simply put an insurance policy on the final three show.

So, as unfair as it is, and as much as I detest it from an ethical standpoint, it's no secret, and flailing at the machine isn't going to change last night or change the standard operating procedure.

With that having been said, I still think, in comparison to past seasons, that the overt pimpage was minimal. Yes, Katharine was granted over a minute more total camera time than Elliott (I'm ignoring Taylor, because he was a lock to make the finale regardless, and major thanks to Tenfingers in the comment thread who made the effort to actually time them. Sounds like something I would have done. Had I thought about it. It's a very interesting breakdown of actual performance time. Check it out. I wish I could link directly, but I can't.) But in all honesty, she wasn't given a pass at the judges table, either. Elliott, on the other hand, had the opportunity to slam dunk Kat, Rainbow or no rainbow, with his own "moment" like he had last week. But he didn't. He was solid (with the possible exception of a really bad note and botched lyrics in his first, somewhat terrified performance), but he just didn't bring it when he needed it most.

With pretty equal support, one would presume, from their own fan bases, both of them needed to leave an imprint in the minds of the undecided voters. These voters haven't watched a young man bloom from a tentative, self-conscious, shy guy with a bad haircut to a confident cute guy with a terrific voice. He needed his potential voters to sit up and want to make the effort, and I'm afraid he just didn't.

So, whichever of the two goes tonight, I'm really not buying the whole "it's because of the pimping" line.

Nigel says Taylor will make the finale. Simon said Taylor will make the finale. Hell's bells, I said Taylor would make the finale about five contestants ago. This is nothing we didn't know before last night and those who were fearful, had their fears calmed in the Taylor love-fest that was last evening. So let's not talk about Taylor.

Listening to Nigel's post-performance interview (and God, do I detest that interviewer person...), I can't detect any sort of definitive clue as to which one of the other two will get his or her hopes and dreams crushed like the ant I just squashed on my floor. (And the third-place position is totally sucky too, because the following week, when the ousted kid gets to normally make the talk show rounds and meet Ellen and everything, the third-place kid has to stick around to practice the Brady Bunch numbers. Bummer.

He called Elliott the night's best singer, but said he got kneecapped by song selection. He gave the night's highlight to Kat, but said she may have blown that opportunity with a crappy third song. (Gee, he disliked it more than I did...) It's anybody's guess what's behind those beady little eyes of his.

DialIdol, again, has Katharine and Elliott in a statistical deadlock, but experienced significant problems last night, able only to handle the reports from two lines, so those numbers cannot be trusted any more than they already shouldn't be trusted. Plus, DialIdol only counts the calls from those voters who are using its software. It's a small percentage of the populace actually voting, and should never be taken as the gospel of spoilers. And, very importantly, it does not take into account text voting, and by all accounts, both the Elliott and Kat camps texted themselves silly last night.

For the first time, I really am at a loss. I know the Elliott voters were out in force like never before, especially after seeing their guy in the top two last week and then having to listen to Simon giving him the proverbial pat on the back, it's been nice to have you speech. The Kat fans were determined not to let their girl get as close to extinction as she was last week, especially after getting crappy reviews at the end of the show.

I really don't know who's staying. But as an Elliott voter, I am prepared to say goodbye to my guy. (Hell, I didn't think he'd make it past seventh-place, so I think the Elliott fans are practiced in the art of dread.) If I were a Kat fan, I would be doing the same. It's always better to be prepared only to be made joyful than it is in reverse. Just ask any Chris voter.

But one thing I do know. I do know that these three young people have given their lives to this show since the beginning of the year. They have endured more than most of us could withstand. They have been made fun of. They have been called names. And while being in this show does have its consequences, it's no reason to feel justified in heaping even more abuse on the two who will be left, all in the name of the one left behind. And the fans of these kids have invested hours of time and deserve the same respect we would expect from them.

I hope after tonight's outcome, whatever it is, this place remains a place where people can gather, discuss, debate and commiserate without fear of being, or having their favorite kid, bashed.

Thanks in advance. And good luck to all of us!