American Idol Top 36 are Revealed Tonight! 8pm on FOX

We caught a glimpse of the Top 36 last night, now it's on to the Judge's Mansion (new this year) to reveal the Top 36 one contestant at a time. I'd love to hear who your favorite contestants are! I believe it's going to be the guys' year as the judges had predicted early on...the guys definitely seem to have more powerful vocals than the ladies.

I like Anoop "Anoopdogg" Desai, a lot. Have you looked him up on youtube? His Clefhangers concerts look very entertaining, but I don't know if he can make a song his own. I guess we'll see soon! Of course, there'll be Danny Gokey and Michael Sarver giving him a run for his money.

I can't recall a favorite female contestant...though there is an obvious dislike!! Tatiana Del Toro, prom dress girl who thanks and loves everybody, even the boom holder. How ridiculously annoying is she? And talented?? I haven't seen it yet!

I remember liking Casey Carlson early on, but Idol seems to be hiding her voice...which is more than than she hid in her pics on campusgirls dot com!

I did find Michael Castro and Leneshe Young...in the holding room that didn't make it to the next round. And how crazy is it that Nick Mitchell/Norman Gentle is still in this? I think he can sing, but doesn't have the whole package...so he dressed it up in a crazy Night at the Roxy shirt and acts out to distract the judges...it's woooooooooorking! Nick obviously doesn't have confidence in himself...and frankly, neither do I.

Contestants got to audition with an instrument if they chose. Dueling Piano playler Matt Giraud did well, imo. And I was looking to see Scott Macintyre (tunnel-vision blind piano player) be more comfortable behind the keyboard, but he was visibly nervous, his hands were shaking when he sang a previous Idol song. I must have been thinking out loud while our family watched AI last night, because my 8yr old said, "'he's too nervous, Mom, I can see it in his eyes.'" Uhhhhh...apparently someone hasn't been paying attention to the interviews! :op

Many great singers forgot the lyrics in their individual Hollywood auditions, including the girl we all love to hate 'cause she's already had a record deal, Joanna Pacitti...and Stephen Fowler pulled a Brooke White (complete with keyboard) and restarted his song, Dave Cook's "Light On." But unlike Brooke, Stephen fudged it up a second time, and did a walk of shame off the stage...He was placed in a holding room with Joanna and many others who had forgotten their lyrics, making the contestants who hadn't forgotten theirs, very nervous. But their room made it through to the next round...tonight's episode.

Tonight is the 2-hour reveal of the Top 36 contestants. This is the "we-reviewed-the-tapes-and-you're-just-not-that-good" episode. Can't wait to see them all...and if Paula has a stiff neck from that necklace she wore...what was that made out of, frying pans?!

Kati