Not only were there a gazillion katrillion histrionic tweens, teenagers and cougars, but even the pre-tween girls were going insane at the sight of Lee. Lee Dewyze was next with his visit to hometown Chicago. Mercifully, there was not one sign of a hysterical tween. Crystal was just so un-American Idolish, which is something I find so endearing about her. 'It’s really weird,' she said with that nonchalant shrug of her shoulders and go with the flow attitude.

Crystal’s disbelief at the size of the crowds was all taken in stride. The next hometown visit was to Crystal's Toledo, Ohio. Instead, Garland’s performance was bland boy toy stuff. The first celebrity performer was 20-year-old Travis Garland, supposedly discovered by Perez Hilton who said he found an online video of Garland and thought he was better than Justin Timberlake. She may still have her vocal cords, but surely she must have hair extensions by now. I had a strong visceral response to those girls and Kara, who had also been seen looking desperate and lusting over Casey the entire season. Casey was first and there were the expected screaming and hysterical teenage girls who were losing their vocal cords and ripping out their hair at the sight of him. Again, hate to be a broken record but this lackluster season necessitates it: The visits were, you guessed it, predictable. The hometown visits were next on the schedule. It takes talent, a ridiculous amount of work, rejection, disappointment, disillusionment, connections and YouTube. Boys and girls, you can do the same thing.' Good thing no one said that because I have news for you boys and girls: No, you cannot become whatever you want if you only believe in yourself hard enough. Thank God there wasn’t the predictable, 'My parents told me that I could become anything I wanted if I worked hard enough. Both expressed strong desires to win the whole thing. 'It’s been hard to imagine.' 'It’s been a crazy ride.' 'It's been a lot of work.' 'It’s made me a better person.'Ĭasey was predictably low-key saying that he had never fantasized about winning the show. The answers were as predictable as Kara’s perpetual bobbing head.

Ryan spent time with each contestant, asking them how their experience on the show has been, how it’s changed their life, etc., etc., blah blah blah. An over 50 percent reduction in votes does not bode well for the future of 'American Idol,' not to mention next week will be Simon Cowell's last show. What he failed to mention was that last year at this time, over 88 million votes had been cast. On Wednesday night's 'American Idol,' Ryan Seacrest declared that over 40 million votes came in.

Southern Harm by Travis Casey