Bye Tim.

Well, it had to happen. America's favorite underdog goes home tonight. I will miss him...not because I think he is a good performer...he is just OK even at his best...but because I like his smile and I like his positive attitude. The judges have been kinder lately, but for him to persevere with a smile during those first weeks of being told he shouldn't even be there says a lot about his character. A nice kid and I know why KK wants to put him in her pocket.

Now for the very long show. I was touched by many moments in the show and actually broke out my credit card for a modest donation (don't tell Mr. Auntee). The segments with Annie Lennox and David Cook were most inspiring but all of the celebrities seemed very involved. One big surprise (and one I almost overlooked because the segment was so short) was Victoria Beckham. I always thought she was sort of like the lady who is sure all that glitters is gold and buys a Staircase to Heaven. But, that she took her young son along with her on her tour of impoverished areas in Kentucky makes me change my mind about her. She needs to eat something though!

As far as I'm concerned, if I never see or hear of Fergie and the Black Eye Peas again it will be too soon. It was nice of them to donate their performance (assuming they did) but I hate their *music* and the overblown special effects and costumes. The song had nothing to do with giving back. Joss Stone was a complete waste of time with her angry version of You Put a Spell On Me. I didn't like her last year and she didn't change my mind this year.

Thankfully, Carrie Underwood came in and started the show for all practical purposes. (her song shamed me into donating...plus I remember a time when I was picking up change off the floor of my 1958 Chevy Biscayne to tide me over the weekend until my next check arrived and my Grandma sent me a card with $3.00 in it and I thought I was rich.)

I liked Alicia Keys performance too...although her voice isn't really that pure is it?

The stupid joke about the phone banks was a pure time waster. I do not want to see Tatiana Del Toro ever again in my life nor the Octomom and her brood but at least they didn't get Kate Gosselin on (she charges $10 for a picture of each of her kids so I doubt she would have donated her time anyway).

I'm glad we got to hear David Cook perform a bit. And Annie Lennox. That little girl with AIDS broke my heart and I was so happy to see her become healthy.

What was up with Mary J. Blige and the sunglasses. I love that song and it was cool to see Randy play his guitar but the purists are screaming about her ruining a classic. I was too distracted by those sunglasses to pay much attention to anything else. Stupid stage move in my opinion.

George Lopez...sort of cute but a timewaster. Wanda Sykes...I don't like her at all and I thought her humor cut a little close to the bone with the contestants tonight. The audience evidently did too because not too many of them were laughing.

And Sir Elton John. His mid-life conversion saved his life and has made a huge difference in others and he still out-performs himself on even his oldest songs.

Now for mundane thoughts about the elimination. I'm glad Ryan didn't do any tricks with it tonight but appeared to sit them down in the order of their standings. I thought BM's hotdogging it over to the couches was a bit unseemly. The others seemed to understand that tonight they were merely afterthoughts in a bigger cause and walked quietly and solemnly over to safety. Not BM... he dances across the stage to the couches. I cannot WAIT for the night he goes home.

How did Aaron get more votes than Casey (if in fact he did)? Who is voting for Aaron? It baffles me!

Shania Twain next week.