Atlanta Keeps Its "Pants On the Ground"

So here we are at day two of the auditions with Mary J. Blige as our guest judge…

And two episodes and still no “THIS is American Idol”? What are you doing to us Ryan?

Here are my thoughts on Atlanta…

The contestants had to go up 27 floors? That’s just wrong. I’m betting since they’ve already used the elevator, the top 24 reveal show will again feature the long walk through the garden…

Jermaine’s choice of “One of Us” was absolutely brilliant…

Christy Marie (“Love Is a Battlefield”) had a voice if she wasn’t such a drama queen…

Vanessa (“Wagon Wheel”), the bridge jumper, was one of those you were sure couldn’t sing. But Simon is right. She could get swallowed up in Hollywood. Loved it when she said she was “gonna eat peanuts on the aeroplane”…

What was the show thinking with that whole nonsense with Jesse (“If Tomorrow Never Comes”)? Their “cheap dramatizations” making fun of Jesse nearly dying were NOT funny. They should have just stuck with Mary’s laughing attack. THAT was funny. Kara covering for her and saying she was upset was the best thing she’s done since she joined the show…

Liked the use of Kris Allen’s “Come Undone” for a montage…

Yes, Antonio “Sii Bo Ski” (“I Heard It Through the Grapevine”) had a good voice, but so did Norman Gentle as you’ll recall…

I would’ve said no to both Carmen and Lauren (the BFFs). Man, do they need to stop it with the makeup. And I don’t care what Lauren said. She was mad…

LOVED Mary’s “Oh God” and slapping her hand over her mouth in the middle of an audition. That was classic…

It was unfair that Simon didn’t stay for Bryan (“Superstar”), the singing police officer, but he’s one of those contestants that Simon doesn’t usually like anyway…

Wonder what Simon would have said to Lamar (“Kiss From a Rose”). They were being way too nice to him—even if he didn’t think so. And I agree there was a voice in there somewhere…

And what can you say about the final contestant, 62-year-old General Larry Platt? I think Randy is probably working on a demo of “Pants On the Ground” now…

In all, 25 people received a golden ticket. Remember you can meet them all beginning at 3 a.m. ET on AmericanIdol.com…

My MVP from Atlanta would definitely be Jermaine, followed by Bryan…

Next week it’s Chicago with Shania Twain and Orlando with Kristen Chenoweth…