…unless we’re in the world of American Idol, of course, where horrid performances (like Michael Johns’s) get the seal of approval and decent performances (like David Hernandez’s and Chikeze’s) merit merely tepid approval at best. For the most part, I really, really hate being an Idol conspiracy theorist, but at the same time, I think it’s been pretty obvious from the get-go who the judges wanted in the Final 12 and who has always been expendable to them. But anyway, I guess if I had to pick a favorite tonight, I’d go with Jason Castro. Sure, his heavy-lidded half-smirk reminds me of practically every guy I went to undergrad with — well, maybe not every guy, but definitely the ones you could find outside the dorm at one in the morning smoking and tossing around a hackey sack and debating the merits of Locke versus Rousseau.* No, his performance wasn’t necessarily OMGTHEBEST, but it was sweet and intimate, and in my opinion far more emotional than anything the ArchuleBot 2000 has given us so far. Plus…MAJOR points for “Hallelujah.” Okay, I mean, it was on a list of fifty pre-approved songs, so it wasn’t as though it was Castro’s inspired choice or anything. (Unless they’ve scrapped the list by now. I really haven’t been paying attention.) But, yeah. Uh, Jason Castro — best performance of the night. Danny Noriega — best highlights of the night. Luke Menard — person I would most like to stop singing and just stand there and look really, really beautiful. Sorry, Luke; if it’s any consolation, your Chapter 6 stuff is really, really great.
I miss Jason Yeager and his cheesy little smile.
*The actual philosophers, not the television characters.
