I’m a little torn…

I have to admit I’m a little torn about tonight’s show…

On the one hand, I like Syesha and I want her to stay. Plus I’m enjoying my conversations with Tom Becnel of the Sarasota “Herald Tribune” about her chances.

On the other hand, if she gets eliminated, I’ll look like a genius to all of his readers.

Click here to see what I mean…

I especially like it when he says I was right.

But I’m not the only one who has concern for Syesha based on her misguided song choice. Michael Slezak from “Entertainment Weekly” sums it up best:

Let's be real here. Whitney and Idol are not, like the key ingredients in a
Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, two great tastes that taste great together. The
problem, to me, isn't really a product of the size or the iconic status of
Houston's voice; rather it stems from the fact that the show's aspiring singers
treat the diva's numbers like sacred texts, refusing to tamper with a single
note or turn of phrase or vocal run. And that, of course, yields invariably
depressing results.

Every year, I think the new crop of hopefuls will
study their Idol history, but they never learn. In season 6, for example,
LaKisha Jones wrestled with Houston's 1993 ballad ''I Have Nothing'' despite the
fact that Trenyce, Leah LaBelle, Vonzell Solomon, Katharine McPhee, and Oscar
winner Jennifer Hudson had all previously dragged the big bombastic ballad down
to the musical Xerox machine and promptly found themselves low on toner.

Imagine my horror, then, when tonight both Asia'h Epperson and Syesha
Mercado jumped on the highway to Houston — and in the process, put themselves at
risk of getting left out of the season 7 finals.

I’ll be back in a bit with the answer as to whether Michael and I are right…