FOX

Candice Glover, Angie Miller, Kree Harrison and Amber Holcomb remained safe on "American Idol" this week.

In “American Idol: The Complete Waste of Time” edition on Thursday night, nobody got sent home, Lee DeWyze and Stefano Langone sang live, and Drake came onstage for a homage bit with Candice Glover but not to perform himself. It was like someone challenged the “Idol” brass to spend one show trying to do everything wrong.

We still got results, as Candice and Amber Holcomb were revealed as the two lowest vote-getters after Wednesday’s show, but in a twist obvious to anyone who owns a calendar and a copy of the TV schedule, it was an elimination-free evening. Otherwise, as Ryan Seacrest explained, the show would finish a week early because the judges never used their save. Somewhere out there, Curtis Finch Jr. is yelling that Nicki Minaj should have stuck to her guns on that March 14 show and stayed off the stage until the other three judges agreed to keep him. Also, take a bow “Idol”voters, because for now the judges agree that you are perfect.

But not to worry, Ryan said, all of those votes still count. They’ll be added to next Wednesday’s votes and whoever finishes at the bottom is gone for reals. So it’s still good for Kree Harrison that she rebounded to finish in the top two despite some lukewarm feedback, and Angie Miller is still a lock to make the top three.

With all apologies to the live acts, both of whom had their moments, the entertaining portion of the night was limited to a five-minute stretch in the middle of the show that began with Jimmy Iovine discussing being attacked last night.

“So here I am, onstage for the first time in my life on a live TV show, the entire audience is booing me, and from the judges’ panel here comes Nicki Minaj coming at me like a middle linebacker,” Jimmy said. “Turns out that my incredible charm, charisma and style win the day. I gotta tell you something – I think [Nicki] is sweet on me.”

“Is this a mutual crush?” Ryan asked.

“I didn’t want to tell the world. I was kind of waiting until ‘Idol’ was over to reveal that my new sugar daddy is Jimmy Iovine,” Nicki said.

Despite Jimmy’s plug, no NFL team selected Nicki in the first round of the NFL Draft, which was airing at the same time on another network. She’s really more of a cornerback or free safety anyway.

Seconds later, just as Candice was grimacing thinking that for the second night in a row everyone was talking about someone else on her designated critique time, Ryan said that Drake couldn’t be there, but had an audio message praising Candice for her performance of his song last night. Just when everyone started thinking “wow, the sound quality is way better than any ‘Idol’ phone message replay ever,” he walked out onto the stage, and the reaction of Candice and the other three girls was priceless. He then walked around for awhile, realized that Ryan really was not going to beg him to perform, and went away.

If you missed it, don’t worry. All four “Idol” finalists will be back next week anyway.

Related content:

• Judges love Amber and Angie on 'Idol'
• 'Idol' bids farewell to Janelle Arthur

Fox

Amber Holcomb on "American Idol."

If you’re an “American Idol” conspiracy theorist, you were handed some solid ammunition for your arguments Wednesday night. But one guy isn’t playing along with the script.

The judges certainly seem to be setting up an Amber Holcomb-Angie Miller finale, drowning them both in praise. They love how much Amber has grown since the early shows, and in fairness to them she’s the clear winner in the Most Improved category. But the praise over the past few weeks has been overwhelming, and that continued Wednesday.

“You’re just like this blooming flower, Amber. You’re blooming for the world to see,” Nicki Minaj said.

Keep in mind that that comment came after Amber’s version of “MacArthur Park.” You might ask why anyone would ever choose that song in a singing competition, even if America suffered a massive brain cramp and demanded a one-hit-wonders theme this week. Put it like this – in “Dave Barry’s Book of Bad Songs,” the humorist names it the absolute worst song ever for a reason.

Jimmy Iovine disagreed with the level of praise, because there’s only so much anyone can do with a song that schlocky. In response, Nicki decided to use much of the time allotted to her after Candice Glover’s performance to instead bring up Amber again and critique Jimmy’s critique. After the other judges were done, Ryan Seacrest brought Jimmy onstage to defend himself.

“She can’t sing corn like that. Just my opinion. But I think you guys were smoking a little bit of the green icing on that MacArthur Park cake, because it was just so far from what she should be doing,” Jimmy said. Which … well, duh.

But he continued by calling the panel out. “What you don’t want to do is say that Candice was better than Amber on that particular round.”

That hit home.

“Candice was better,” Nicki agreed, while Mariah was outraged that Amber was to be blamed for the song choice as though singers have not been blamed for song selection since season one.

“Then say it!” Jimmy responded.

And for some reason the judges got mad. Nicki got up out of her seat as if to charge the mound, with Randy Jackson close behind. But no punches were thrown, and Candice finally got to go offstage and mutter about how Nicki had told her an hour previously “What I don’t want to happen to you is to have people see you as an old-fashioned artist” after she sang “Find Your Love” by Drake, released way back in 2010. And how Keith had just complained “Man, are there any one-hit wonder songs from at least the last decade?” after her version of “Emotion.”

But at least Candice could take solace that she was treated far better than Kree Harrison, who heard Randy complain that “I guess I was waiting to hear something else from you this week,” when she finished Susan Tedeschi’s “It Hurt So Bad.”

"That performance is not going to give you what you need for next week. That is not a top-four worthy performance," Nikki agreed, then doing her part to making sure the Fox censors pay attention in concluding,  “I don’t want to blow smoke up your –--“

Nicki was even harsher after Kree's second song, insinuating that she was going home. But Kree had much better luck that time with both Randy and Mariah. The latter promised to download her “Whiter Shade of Pale” right away because she needed it on her phone.

The singer everyone agreed on was Angie Miller, who went back to her strengths early with Jessie J’s “Who You Are.”

“I'm standing up in spirit, my train is caught on the bottom of my chair!" Mariah said. She therefore extended her own record for number of excuses for not joining the other judges in a standing ovation.

“You made me forget that was a Jessie J song. You made believe it was an Angie performance,” Randy said.

And after her version of Julie London’s “Cry Me a River?”

You came out tonight to snatch some wigs off some heads,” Nikki said. “Tonight was your night.”

“Angie wins the night, hands down!” Randy said.

Think they all want her in the finale?

Related content:

• 'American Idol' bids farewell to Janelle
• Judges to America: Vote for Amber!

Frank Micelotta / FOX

Janelle Arthur finished in fifth place on "American Idol."

For the first time since the finals began, “American Idol” sent one of its women packing, though for a minute it seemed like the judges weren’t prepared to let any of the final five go.

Janelle Arthur was the lowest vote-getter, which wasn’t a shock once Amber Holcomb was deemed safe. As the country singer performed her final song, the judges huddled together and talked things over.

They have one save that would allow them to keep a singer they feel has been unjustly eliminated, and they have to use it at some point or the show’s going to end a week early and a lot of product placement people are going to be mad. (In past seasons, the judges have had to use the save by the time they get to the top 5.)

Moreover, the panel really has to use it soon, unless FOX plans on stretching the finale -- scheduled for May 15 and 16 -- over two weeks. Given the show’s propensity for dragging things out, this isn’t out of the question. And as Randy Jackson did say at the start of the show, “This is the best top five we’ve ever had!” which is the biggest compliment he’s offered since he said the same thing about the talent a year ago, two years ago, three years ago and so on.

But though the judges made the to-save-or-not-to-save decision dramatic, Randy announced that only two of the four wanted to keep Janelle (with Keith Urban being one, judging from his Twitter feed). The decision had to be unanimous, so Janelle finishes her "Idol" journey in fifth place.

It was hard to argue the result, since Janelle’s been the fourth or fifth best among the women all season. Saving her would probably have just bought her that extra week, two at the most.  And she did get to hear Ryan Seacrest read a note from Dolly Parton praising her, even if it came in the form of the worst impression of the superstar ever. (Don't quit your numerous day jobs, Ryan.)

Candice Glover had better luck, as original judge Paula Abdul showed up in person to offer kudos for Wednesday’s “Straight Up” cover. This came after Randy claimed that he’d tried to text, call and tweet the woman who used to sit next to him with no response. What does it say about Paula’s reputation that this was a completely plausible thing to say, and that it looked like it genuinely fooled Candice?

Also looking surprised was Amber. She became the third singer declared safe, after Candice and Angie Miller, and seemed stunned she wasn’t in the bottom two again. All that love from the judges following her second solo on Wednesday clearly paid off. If only she could close the show every week.

Kree Harrison was the second-lowest vote-getter, and as perennial killjoy/realist Jimmy Iovine noted, she didn't have her best series of performances this week. She’ll have to start cutting loose like she did earlier in the season instead of playing it safe with the vocals, but she would almost certainly have gotten that save if needed.

Maybe we’ll find out for sure next week, assuming the save is still on the table.

Were you surprised by the elimination and that the judges didn't use the save? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page!

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Michael Becker / FOX

The "American Idol" judges would really like America to start voting for Amber Holcomb.

Nicki Minaj’s va-va-va voom dress stole the show on "American Idol" Wednesday night, chosen with the apparent goal of giving the male viewers a reason to keep watching the show even with all the guys eliminated from the competition. But while the judge avoided a wardrobe malfunction, it remains to be seen whether she and the rest of the “Idol” crew succeeded in their second aim – getting Amber Holcomb a spot among the contenders.

The judges would really like for Amber to start getting some love. She was the second-lowest vote-getter a week ago, her second time among the bottom three since the top 10 were named. But she survived thanks to the judges’ month-long Send Lazaro Home campaign. 

Still, with only the other four women to compete against, there are no more subpar men to bail her out on a night she’s uninspiring. With Nicki in the lead, the judges have tried their best to win support, but the constant comparisons to a young Whitney apparently aren’t enough for an audience who is either too young to really remember Houston in her prime, or are old enough to remember those days and not forget how great she actually sounded compared to any of the “Idol” hopefuls.

But you can’t say the judges aren’t trying their best to be good press agents for Amber.

“We’ve got an Amber Alert going on!” Keith Urban said after her first performance, the version of “Without You” that Mariah Carey covered in Amber’s birth year of 1994. Then he immediately remembered what that term actually signified and tried to recant. “I don’t know why I said that. I wish I hadn’t.”

Nikki was the surprisingly harsh judge who flat out didn’t like that vocal – it was way too low for Amber's comfort zone. But the judge more than made up for it later, as did the other three as they put on the hard sell at the finish.

“It was simply perfection,” Nicki said of Amber’s version Barbra Streisand’s “What Are You Doing the Rest of Your Life?” “I really, really hope that America gets to see inside of this beautiful human being that stands before me because I don’t think I get the credit that you deserve. You’re always giving me young Whitney Houston. I love you.”

“You sang the I don’t-know-what-out of that,” Randy followed. “I hope that America gets it right and sees … this girl does not belong at the bottom. You’re like this young Rihanna with a giant voice.”

“Classic. Beautiful.  Elegant,” Mariah Carey said. “If America doesn’t get this … as one American to another, you’re potentially a massive star. Thank you for this performance.”

Poor Keith, scarred from that Amber Alert line, could only come up with, “It was elegant and beautiful. You knocked it out of the park.”

So for those of you keeping score, the judges compared Amber to Whitney Houston and Rihanna, and said you would be bad Americans if you didn’t vote for her. Oh, and she also got to sing last. If this doesn’t work, next week, look for one of them to write a program that hacks into Facebook accounts and forces them to vote for Amber.  Desperate times clearly call for desperate measures.

Five superheroes
The tough part is who the judges would like America to vote off instead, since all five of the women have “super powers” (per Nikki).  But someone has to go, and Janelle Arthur is their Aquaman compared to the Fantastic Four. Nobody had much good to say about her second song, a crowd-pleasing romp to Dolly Parton’s “Dumb Blonde.” Maybe they were offended that she picked something up-tempo instead of the ballads that dominated the night.

As for the others, Angie Miller gave a shout-out to Boston before her first solo, which earned her the crowd’s love but also had the judges talking about the bombing instead of her performance. She got nothing but praise on her second solo, Beyonce’s “Halo,” to remove all doubt as to her status.

Candice Glover started with a solid cover of Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up,” and followed that with the Mariah-Whitney hit “When You Believe.” That was a bold strategy, going with a former “Idol” judge and a current judge back-to-back, but it paid off. Kree Harrison went from the Black Crowes' “She Talks to Angels” to Celine Dion’s “Have You Ever Been In Love?” but the judges used that to praise her versatility rather than asking her what kind of album she’d actually want to release.

But despite all the high praise for the contestants, the big takeaway of the night from the was that the judges was simple: Start voting for Amber.  

Are the judges pushing too hard for Amber? Who do you think had the best performance of the night? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page!

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Frank Micelotta / FOX

It was the end of the "Idol" road for Lazaro Arbos on Thursday.

Ladies and gentlemen of “American Idol,” you won’t have Lazaro Arbos to kick around any more.

The inspirational story who soon became mentor Jimmy Iovine’s nemesis, Lazaro looked to be indestructible as his fellow males fell before the voting masses one by one. He was even among the top three vote-getters a week ago.  But the last man standing on season 12 finally ran out of chances on Thursday, finishing in sixth place and officially ending the guys’ five-year winning streak.

This means he won’t have to spend another Wednesday listening to the judges patronizing his courage for getting this far despite his speech impediment before moving on to crush him for his vocal miscues. There will be no more Thursday nights marred by having to stand there and try to smile as Jimmy rips him to shreds on video.

“Last night’s performance hit me like an Ambien milkshake” was this week’s gem from the “Idol” mentor. He later closed his evaluation with, “If I had to chart him this week, I’d put him 10^th.”

“There’s only six singers,” a producer’ s voice chimed in.

“I know,” Jimmy answered.

That’s partially a burn, partially just a really bad joke.

Lazaro also won’t have to worry about butchering another group performance. Nor will any of the other contestants, which could be why none of them were crying at the results except for Amber Holcomb.

And Amber had reason to cry. She was the second lowest vote-getter despite Nicki Minaj’s very vocal sales pitch. Every season has a singer or two with a lot of talent who just doesn’t resonate with the viewers, and right now it’s looking like she has that honor this year.

“Amber, I don’t know what to tell you to change. Just keep on doing what you’re doing,” Jimmy said in his video recap of her Wednesday performance.

Or, you know, maybe try something different to avoid getting sent home next week.

In fairness, she also could have been crying because season one winner Kelly Clarkson showed up to perform in a glowstick-heavy performance wearing some really scary eye makeup. But I’m guessing it was the results.

Kree Harrison and Candice Glover were the top two vote-getters this week. That was not surprising, considering they sang the best on Wednesday. Angie Miller and Janelle Arthur were in the middle.

With the judges’ least-favorite singer at the bottom, this was the least dramatic sing-for-survival performance of the season, even though they now have to use it or lose it next week. But Lazaro tried anyway, because them’s the rules.

“It’s a new dawn. It’s a new day. It’s a new life!” Lazaro belted as he covered “Feelin’ Good.”

The judges couldn’t have agreed more.

“Lazaro, we love you, you’ve been a treasure to the show,” Randy said. “But we’re not using the save.”

That won’t come into play until next week, when the competition really gets interesting now that the guys are gone.

Were you surprised by the order in which the girls finished? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page. 

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Frank Micelotta / FOX

Lazaro Arbos struggled with his performances Wednesday.

“American Idol” history was made on Wednesday: Randy Jackson slammed a finalist, and nobody booed.

It was that kind of night for Lazaro Arbos, the last “Idol” man standing. And he won’t be around much longer if viewers paid attention to the desperate pleading from the judges Wednesday. They did everything but get down on their knees and pray that they won’t have to deal with him for another week.

He’s still one of the most inspiring finalists in the history of the show. The judges all said so, perhaps in an effort to avoid the sympathy votes that unalloyed meanness sometime inspires. But they really think it’s time for him to take that inspiring story to one of the nearby movie studios instead of the “Idol” stage. Since the hopefuls sang both a Burt Bacharach tune and a song they wish they’d written, the judges got to say so twice.

After Lazaro's first song of the night, “(They Long to Be) Close to You,” Randy opened the commentary by saying, “You know that I love you, the person. ... Your story inspires us all. But all I can say is, 'No, no, no NO. That was horrible.'”

Ordinarily, that inspires the audience to voice its displeasure, like angry parents of a spurned child at a talent show. There isn't a more sympathetic audience in the world than this one – but not on this night. It was as if the audience shrugged and said, “You know what? That’s a fair point. Maybe birds suddenly appear because they're harbingers of doom.”

Both Mariah Carey and Keith Urban similarly acknowledged his courage while slamming his vocals. Nicki didn’t even go that far. “Let’s just pretend I already gave my comment, or we’ll be here until tomorrow,” she said.

With his second chance, Lazaro didn’t do much to change their minds. The best that can be said about his cover of Robbie Williams’ “Angels” was that it did not stink.

Keith noted that he’d improved, but, “The way the girls are singing tonight – they are so crazy good.”

Randy agreed: “Slightly better. But Keith is right, the girls are so crazy good.”

And, you know, Lazaro's not.

Candice gets some love
Of all the crazy good girls, Candice Glover was the crazy good-est, and her performance to close the show could be a game-changer.

Everyone else played it relatively safe in the songs-I-wish-I’d-written category, at least sticking with their comfort zone.  Candice went with “Love Song” by The Cure, slowing it down and truly making it her own in a performance that earned a standing ovation and an ocean of applause. The only downside was that because it was the last vocal of the night and the judges had spent so much time criticizing Lazaro, they didn’t have time to praise it for as long as it deserved.

“One of the greatest performances in the history of ‘American Idol,' ” Randy said, saying he spoke for all of the judges.

Kree Harrison also got a lot of love, with Keith predicting she’d become a member of the Grand Ole Opry, which he knows a little bit about since he’s a member himself. Nicki showed love as well and noted that the difference between Kree and Janelle Arthur is that Kree’s got the artistry to sell an unfamiliar song and Janelle doesn’t.

But if Nicki loves Kree, she’s now becoming even more obsessed with Amber Holcomb. “I am bowing down right now for you, little girl. Yes!” Nicki said after Amber covered “I Say a Little Prayer.” And that wasn’t even her best performance! Imagine how she’ll react if Amber really takes it back to the next level next week.

If there’s any surprise…
Lazaro should be going home tomorrow, but then again, he should have gone home last week, and instead he was in the top three. Never underestimate the ability of the “Idol” voters to do something wacky.

If he stays, Janelle, will likely be the one singing for the judges' save, if only because the praise for her was more tepid.  The judges liked her second song better than the first, but even then, Nicki said, “There’s no doubt in my mind that you could be an enormous commercial success, but as for that performance, I thought it was really boring.”

Angie Miller would be more surprising, especially since she went back to the piano and did very well with her second song. But the first was more of a paint-by-number exercise that left everyone feeling cold and wanting some more fire. Keith had a point when he noted that someday, she’ll sing with the same passion with just the microphone as she does when she’s at the piano.

If only Angie could sing with the passion the judges feel about the possibility of Lazaro going home, she’d win this for sure.

Did you agree with the judges' assessment of Lazaro's performances? Who knocked your socks off Wednesday night? Tell us on our Facebook page!

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Michael Becker / FOX

Lazaro Arbos is the last man standing on "American Idol," while five talented women are still competing.

Every good TV show needs comic relief, and for “American Idol,” that story line this season is the continued survival of Lazaro Arbos ... and how much that exasperates mentor Jimmy Iovine.

It’s fair to say Lazaro hasn’t been the best of the men, at least not since the finals began. As an individual, at best he was behind Burnell Taylor, though Burnell was the singer shown the door last week. But that understates the problems Lazaro’s had on the live shows.

As a member of a duet or group, Lazaro has made history as arguably the worst team player ever, dropping lyrics two weeks in a row and counting on his partners to pick up the slack. Angie Miller was able to smooth things over in their duet last week, but the Burnell-Lazaro-Devin Velez fiasco two weeks ago was legendary in its awfulness. When he’s onstage with others, the show reverts back to those dreaded Hollywood group performances where the only reason to watch is the trainwreck potential.

One reader noted that the issue may be Lazaro’s Latin roots, and the possibility that his background makes him less familiar with the songs he’s assigned to sing. That’s fine, but based on the post-performance interviews, it seems like nobody really knows these artists, which says a lot for the state of music education. Everyone else has to sing genres they’re uncomfortable with, but they're at least professional enough to learn the words.

He’s certainly not the first to overstay his welcome (witness Sanjaya Malakar), and given that he’s the last man standing, he could continue to frustrate Jimmy by showing up for mentoring for the foreseeable future.  But he finished among the top three vote-getters a week ago, an unjustifiable vote of confidence from the audience that defies logic.

The question is why. What about Lazaro is causing viewers to ignore their ears and keep him in the game? Here are some possibilities:

• He’s inspirational: There’s a reason Lazaro has gotten more face time than anyone else this season – the fact that he’s overcoming his speech impediment to succeed in a competition like this one is something special. Every week, we see him struggle to talk onstage, but when the music starts, it’s like he’s using a different set of vocal cords. You’d have to be made of stone not to want him to succeed, which generates fan support even when it’s undeserved based on his actual talent and performance.
• He’s an underdog: Has Jimmy ever wanted a singer to succeed less than he does Lazaro? Every week, the record-label boss talks about what Lazaro isn’t doing – either he isn’t working hard enough or he isn’t singing well enough. Being too negative toward a contestant can backfire, and Lazaro would hardly be the first to ride the pity train late into the competition.
• He’s been coddled: Jimmy has no problems saying exactly what he thinks about Lazaro’s shortcomings, but the judges have been nicer. When they’ve been critical (and to be fair, they have been), they’ve been gentle in their comments rather than channeling the old Simon Cowell Evil Metaphor That Stings. They clearly like the guy personally and want him to do well, but it also offers wavering fans an excuse to keep voting.
• He looks the part: Nicki Minaj keeps calling Lazaro “Ricky Ricardo,” and he does have the Teen Beat vibe going. When he’s singing with confidence, he looks like a 1950s teen idol throwback. Indeed, a reader on Twitter speculated that his fan base was teenage girls who watch the show with the mute button pressed.
• He’s male: Guys have won each of the past five seasons, and though Lazaro is not another "white guy with a guitar," he is the favored gender among recent “Idol” voters. Anyone determined to extend that winning streak now doesn’t have any other options. Maybe there are a lot of “Idol” fans who just really don’t want a girl to win. That would certainly explain season nine champ Lee DeWyze.
• He’s not terrible: When Lazaro sings with confidence, his vocals are fine. Not spectacular, and not as good as the women, but not as bad as Jimmy sometimes makes it sound.
• VoteForTheWorst.com: Maybe viewers (and "Idol" haters) aren't ignoring their ears. Each season, the website picks a singer to support that the folks behind the site believe producers would hate to see win. Lazaro has been their guy this season, so anyone who dislikes the show for any reason or just wants to throw a wrench into the process could be voting for him. Of course, for this to have much of an impact on the final numbers would require a sizable group to participate each week.

  Where the Vote For the Worst folks have been most interesting is documenting the apparent lack of love for Lazaro even among his fellow contestants. Many of the highlighted tweets have been deleted, but even after some edits, Angie still has favorited tweets that aren’t exactly pro-Lazaro. For example, "Lazaro???? Really??? Above Amber????” from @cclervois on April 4. Maybe she really does hold a grudge for that botched duet. 

None of these seven reasons is going to be enough to allow him to actually win. This is nothing but good for the “Idol” execs. The women are the talent this season, but Lazaro is, no pun intended, the talker. He’s the guy who everyone is focused on after the show, and the biggest buzz centers around him. 

And if he does win, that’s not necessarily a disaster either. Who wouldn’t watch a reality show where he and Jimmy make that debut album together?

Do any of you hold a similar grudge, or think he’s being treated unfairly? Here’s your chance to let us know what you think on our Facebook page.

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Michael Becker / FOX

Forgotten lyrics? That's not an issue for Lazaro, who fans voted through anyway despite flubbing his group number on Wednesday.

Another one bites the dust. Burnell Taylor became the fourth consecutive man to be shown the door on “American Idol” on Thursday, but the story of the night was the lone guy left standing.

Despite mentor Jimmy Iovine’s best efforts, Lazaro Arbos just won’t go away. Forgetting his lyrics during his Wednesday group number for the second week in a row didn’t faze the voters. Not only was he safe, but he was among the top three vote-getters, apparently the beneficiary of a legion of teenage girls who must watch the show on mute, or folks who interpreted the judges’ expression of non-hatred as an endorsement.

Sadly, the camera didn’t pan to Jimmy when Lazaro’s surprised but smiling face appeared on the screen. It’s another week of the “Idol” mentor gritting his teeth and working with a guy who he’s clearly wishing left the show during Hollywood week. Since trashing Lazaro every week hasn’t worked, look for Jimmy to cut off his microphone or install a hidden trapdoor that knocks the hopeful off the stage next week.

Once Lazaro’s good fortune was revealed, the suspense of the night was mostly over. Since each of the judges had already had their picks for the top three contestants revealed, we all know where everyone stood in their eyes. And with the two lowest vote-getters -- Janelle Arthur and Burnell -- appearing on none of those lists, there was no chance that the judges were going to use their save.  If there was any doubt, Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey both gave eulogies for the two before the results were even announced.

There was a brief moment -- when Janelle and Burnell were holding hands onstage -- when Ryan Seacrest looked at the envelope and then at Janelle, and it seemed for a nanosecond that finally, for the first time all year, the guys would get a reprieve from the chopping block.

No dice. Janelle survived, hopefully to have a serious talk with Lazaro, and urge him to make no more jokes about country girls having no teeth. Burnell went home, despite a rousing send-off sung to the remaining “Idol” finalists that left Candice Glover, for one, in tears.

Then again, Candice had other reasons to cry. She’s been one of the front-runners all year, and yet the only judge to put her in their individual top three was Mariah Carey. The others all picked Kree Harrison, Amber Holcomb and Angie Miller. Jimmy had the same list, though he did give Candice a shout-out as well. (Where did all the love go?)

She wasn’t in the voters’ top three either, as Kree and Angie joined Lazaro in that group instead. That left Candice looking stone-faced as Carrie Underwood returned to the “Idol” stage to perform, less interested in the “see what ‘Idol’ can do for you!” story line than she was at hearing her own fate.

Fortunately for Candice, she was the next singer declared safe. That just brought on a new kind of pain, however, as she had to trudge painfully across the stage to the chairs of safety thanks to her broken toe.

Amber had to wait a moment longer. Had the singer who Nicki had just called “a young Whitney Houston” been the low vote-getter, things would have gotten interesting, but when she also saw her face on the big-screen the drama was over.

Lazaro haters, meanwhile, will now have to tune in next week to see what new obstacles Jimmy can place in front of him.

How much farther do you think Lazaro can go in the competition? Share your prediction on our Facebook page!

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FOX

Kree Harrison, Janelle Arthur and Candice Glover on "American Idol"

It was a tough week for the girls on “American Idol.” Kree Harrison had to perform while suffering from a pinched nerve. Candice Glover broke her toe. Janelle Arthur had her boots stolen. Angie Miller had to sing a duet Wednesday with someone who forgot the lyrics.

Vocally, however, it was business as usual, especially considering that the ballad-free rock theme didn’t play to most of the contestants’ strengths. That means much of the drama on Thursday will center around which of the two guys gets sent home, and which of the five girls joins them in the bottom three.

Lazaro Arbos was the guy set up to fail. He was assigned to do a duet of “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” with Angie, and his forgotten lyrics combined with the awkward blind-date vibe produced another dud of a group performance. It wasn’t as bad as his trio with Burnell Taylor and Devin Velez a week ago, but three different judges were compelled to point out the lyric misfire, albeit in a gentle way.

The panel was also gentle with his solo, praising “We Are the Champions.” While the song allowed Lazaro to play to his theatrical strengths, it was a tough song for him to handle lyrically. It’s clear that the judges are ready for him to go, but like him too much to be rude about it.

Perhaps Lazaro’s biggest botch, however, was his comment regarding Janelle. This week’s video background clips were the annual make-fun-of-everyone’s-quirks edition, and Lazaro noted that she looked like the kind of wholesome Southern girl you’d find in a cornfield, “except she hasn’t lost all her teeth yet.” Considering that the South tends to dominate the “Idol” voting, alienating that constituency with the stereotypical remark wasn’t the smartest approach.

But if he survives one more week, it’ll be because Burnell wasn’t any threat to set iTunes download records either. He didn’t do justice to “You Give Love a Bad Name,” looking like a guy whose friends put his name on the karaoke list and didn’t tell him in advance.

“I’m gonna assume rock 'n' roll’s not your thing. I’ve never seen you look more uncomfortable in a song,” Keith Urban said.

Burnell agreed afterward that he was uncomfortable, but he and Candice shared a fine duet, and he was among the funnier contestants in the video clips, which should help him.

Given the circumstances, each of the women did well, though each also had to watch out for their wardrobe. Janelle was in her stocking feet backstage, as Nicki Minaj swiped her boots after complimenting them after the hopeful finished “You May Be Right.”  Nickie also gushed over Amber Holcomb’s jeans, as well as her song selection of Heart’s “What About Love?” (Nicki, seriously, if you’re looking for a bigger clothing allowance, just say so.)

Angie got the coveted slot at the close of the show, perhaps as compensation for having to do her group number with a guy who hasn’t come through with even a single solid group performance yet. She made a smart choice in Evanescence’s “Bring Me to Life, which allowed her to start on the piano and close with a glory note to make everyone forget about the uneven vocals in between.

Kree was curiously stagnant onstage, which Keith tried to blame on her boots before she noted that the pinched nerve limited her mobility to somewhere near statuesque. And Candice had a similar problem, thanks to a practical joke that she and Burnell tried to play on Lazaro. They attempted to convince him that the house was on fire on April Fool’s Day – and who DOESN’T think burning homes are hilarious – but he didn’t fall for it and it somehow resulted in an injury anyway.

“Hi, Broken Toe Lady. That’s what you get for trying to play a practical joke on Lazaro,” Nicki said. “He’s got special powers. You didn’t know that?”

He’ll need all of those powers to earn another week on the show.

Who do you think is going home Thursday? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page!

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Jimmy Iovine called the Devin Velez-Lazaro Arbos-Burnell Taylor trio “Wrong Direction” after their group performance on Wednesday.  It turns out that it’s more like the overarching theme for the guys in season 12.

For the second time in three weeks,  the bottom three was an all-male affair, and for the third week in a row it was a guy who got shown the door.  This time the bell tolled for Devin, though the judges sold the possibility of a save for all they were worth, as though the “A Girl Must Win” season 12 storyline would allow for that sort of shenanigans. The crowd chanted, the judges appeared to be glancing at each other like it was actually under consideration … but Randy Jackson was the Grinch who Stole “Idol” and Devin went home.

No big shock. Devin was better this week, but as Jimmy noted that was in comparison to his previous efforts, not in relation to how everyone else did. His farewell performance featured the English-Spanish mix that impressed Nicki Minaj so much back in the day, but it was all for naught.

Fox / Getty Images Contributor

Devin Velez was sent home.

Even worse news for those who were betting on the "Idol" men this season -- Lazaro was in the bottom two.  He’s the guy who could do no wrong with the voters despite subpar performances, so the fact that he was in the danger zone after a much better solo effort this week doesn’t bode well for the guys. It’s the rare time when a group performance could prove to be a game-changer -- he was so terrible when paired with the other guys that it might have closed a few eyes, or shut down a few phone lines.

As for Burnell, he was the first guy sent to safety, which this season is akin to Jack Dawson winning that last seat on the Titanic. He’s now the odds-on favorite to finish sixth.

It was also a bad night for those who like their results shows to feature actual results. It was a full 47 minutes before anyone heard their fate, by which point we’d heard Colton Dixon, Katharine McPhee and One Republic, and Keith Urban perform live, the “Idol” contestants do another brutal group number and mentor young children in how to sing like season 11 champion Phillip Phillips, and Jimmy give his detailed thought on every Wednesday performance, including the group acts. “Idol” continues its groundbreaking efforts to kill time and sell commercials, but I do not think the phrase “results show” means what Fox thinks it means.

It was a banner night for the girls, particularly Kree Harrison, who got the patented Voicemail of Praise from Aretha Franklin. Sure, Jimmy said that Angie Miller maybe shouldn’t pick her own songs any more and was off-track, but she still was among the top five vote-getters.

That all ends next week, however.  It’s a sure bet that one of the women will be among the three contestants with the fewest votes.

Because there are only two guys left.

Did you agree with the ouster? Tell us on Facebook.

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“American Idol” had two hours of airtime to fill on Wednesday and just eight singers. That meant that in addition to everyone’s solo, each singer also had a group number to worry about.

Frank Micelotta / FOX

Lazaro Arbos will probably be safe.

That was bad news for the guys on the annual Salute to Detroit episode, appropriate for a season that has been a debacle for their gender. Guys have been voted off in each of the last two week, and tomorrow’s results show might make it a trifecta. Their group number was brutal and then they proceeded to shift the blame around to make it even more obvious that the “Idol” guys are the J.V. talent understudying for the all-star women on the varsity.

“It’s a beautiful day in Hollywood today,” Nicki Minaj said after watching Lazaro Arbos, Burnell Taylor and Devin Velez butcher “I Can’t Help Myself.” But that wasn’t the compliment it might sound like. “That’s what I thought, because I thought I was back in Hollywood week! Get off the stage! Go!” she added.

They did, but not fast enough to avoid tarnishing what had been a decent week.

Lazaro Arbos badly needed a strong performance, and he got what he needed in “For Once in My Life.” The old swagger was back, and he again looked like a pop star, which is a big step forward from the hot mess of the previous two weeks.

“I don’t know if you completely redeemed yourself, but it was much better than last week,” Randy Jackson said. But Nicki was more effusive, crediting herself for her insistence that Lazaro stop listening to Jimmy Iovine’s criticism. Forget Nicki-Mariah … it’s Nicki-Jimmy that’s the most entertaining “Idol” feud in years.

Burnell Taylor impressed the judges with his own solo, and continues to be the beneficiary of Randy Jackson’s worship of All Things Louisiana. Meanwhile, much-maligned Devin Velez got a huge endorsement from Nicki, who raved, “That was an amazing job tonight. I love every single choice that you made tonight.”

Michael Becker / FOX

Burnell Taylor has a fan in judge Randy Jackson.

So, individually, the guys did fine.  Together … ugh.

If any of the women crack the bottom three – and at least one likely will, given Lazaro’s demonstrated fan support, there are a couple of possibilities.

The obvious choice is Amber Holcomb, a surprise member of the unpopular trio a week ago.  Her “Lately” by Stevie Wonder got a standing ovation from all four judges, but it’s also the type of performance that has always tended to impress judges more than viewers.

If she’s in trouble again this week, Nicki has some fashion advice. “If you wear the pink lipstick, you’ll get more votes,” she said.

It could also be Angie Miller, who got something less than raves for the second week in a row. She was dinged last week for being too theatrical. As if to emphasize that point,  Jimmy told her she didn’t need to enunciate like she was in the musical “My Fair Lady” -- which caused Angie to point out that she had acted in that play in high school. Accentuating a perceived flaw is rarely a good idea.

Randy called it the first time ever he’d heard her give a pitchy performance, but Keith Urban remained optimistic. “Your talent is undeniable, and we’ll be seeing you next week,” he said.

The other three women all shone, particularly Janelle Arthur. The judges all told her that Kree Harrison ate her lunch in their duet of “Like a Prayer, “ but she came up huge with her slowed-down cover of “You Keep Me Hanging On.”  

“Janelle at her finest!”  Mariah yelled.

“I absolutely loved it. I thought it was incredible,” Randy says.

So basically, they liked it.

Candice Glover and Kree Harrison bookended the show, either a smart decision or some lucky randomness.  Both are locks to last until May, and aren’t going anywhere. As for the boys … well, all bets are off.

Who would you send home? Vote in our poll, and tell us on Facebook.

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Frank Micelotta / FOX

The judges weren't impressed with Lazaro on Beatles night.

It was a hard day’s night for Lazaro Arbos when the "American Idol" hopefuls took on the Beatles' catalog on Wednesday night. The 21-year-old from Naples, Fla., delivered a slow and breathy rendition of "In My Life" that failed to connect with the judges or audience, despite the dreamy looks he gave the cameras.

Mariah Carey tried to let him down gently. "I commend you on your bravery. I'm proud of you," she started. "It was a little bit low for you." Keith Urban agreed, telling the young singer how important it was to choose the right key.

Nicki Minaj put her stamp of approval on the assessment and let Lazaro know how disappointed she was by the lackluster performance. "You are still not the Lazaro I remember. ... You used to be ownin' it! Now it's like ... I don't know. ... Something is bothering you, babe."

Original judge Randy Jackson didn't bother with the kindness. "That was your worst performance ever," he said bluntly. "It was out of tune from beginning to end!" 

The criticism resulted in tears from Lazaro, who turned away from the cameras as tears rolled down his cheeks, and didn't look back at America even when the show finally cut to commercial. 

Hunky Paul Jolley didn't have much more luck with his performance of "Eleanor Rigby." 

"I like that jacket and I like that shirt, and I like them skinny jeans," Nicki said. But that was where the niceties ended. "I did not like your performance, Jol. You know why? Very very safe. Very bland and forgettable."

Randy agreed, complaining that the singer was "disconnected" from the song.

Infinitely more successful was Candice Glover, who delivered a rocking rendition of "Come Together" that had the audience on its feet during a performance that felt like a professional show. The 23-year-old belted out the song with attitude and strutted on the stage with confidence.

"I love seeing you in this whole other vibe! The rock chick side of you was really cool!" Keith gushed.

Nicki was no less enthused as she raved, "I love your vocal! It's crazy insane out of this world!" Her only criticism? That she wanted Candice to wear the craziness on her face too. "You have that crazy face. I want you always to have that attitude in your face!"

Another standout was Janelle Arthur, who closed the show with a sweet, subtle yet powerful version of "I Will." Mentor Jimmy Iovine cautioned during rehearsals that she'd have to practice breathing or the song would be shot, but the 23-year-old nailed it and even successfully added her own little country twang to it.

"That's one of the best performances of the night!" Randy raved. "This is what Jimmy is talking about with the subtlety. That speaks louder than the big voice. I thought that was amazing."

Nicki was so impressed she asked the singer whether they could "renew our vows tonight." "That performance just made me fall so much more deeply obsessed with you!" she gushed. "That ... oh my god! You are great, little girl! You are everything!"

Other standouts included Angie Miller's performance of "Yesterday," Kree Harrison's "With a Little Help From My Friends" and Burnell Taylor's version of "Let It Be." Devin Velez's "The Long and Winding Road" and Amber Holcomb's "She's Leaving Home" weren't bad either, but received teensy, tiny bits of criticism -- if you can consider being laid back and lipstick choice criticism.

Thursday night, the "Idol" field will be cut to eight.

What did you think of Lazaro's performance? Was it as bad as the judges thought? Who was the best? Share your thoughts on our Facebook page!

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