The TV Zone

One of the things fans come to "Idol" for - or maybe one of the things this fan comes for - is that indelible sense of there-for-the-grace-of-God (and maybe a little more talent) go I. That person up there - that person could be ME! It's the reality part of reality TV, or that innate sense of identification or rejection (oh, I HATE that contestant cuz she reminds me of the mean girl at school, blah blah...)

So, as usual, Simon was right: Losing Kyle Ansley was a mistake.

He wasn't gonna get far, this kid. He wasn't gonna get to the top twelve. He wasn't gonna win. But he WAS gonna add that extra dimension of simple heartfelt appeal which much of this top 24 seems to lack. (Seems to - there are clearly some people we don't know yet.) Oh, most are good and attractive and talented and (in more than a few instances) professional. But Kyle had no wall between him and the camera - no artifice or camera smarts or polished, gimlet-eyed, mother-staged savvy. He was just there - with some talent and sweetness and everyman/woman-ness.

Now, gone.

I liked the way Simon stuck up for the kid. Liked the way he said he was "Really really disappointed."

Not to feel too bad for Kyle. He won a foreign affairs fellowship at Oklahoma State last summer. Here's what he said at the time: “I’m so excited. The fellowship is typically awarded to students from Ivy League schools like Harvard, Yale and Princeton, and I am blessed to have been selected and represent Oklahoma State University.”

“I enjoy learning about people. Representing American’s interests abroad and visiting cultures around the world will be very fulfilling,”

Smart AND gracious. It would've been fun to follow him, if only for a few weeks.

Meanwhile, still waiting for "Idol" to tell thirty million viewers that several of these final 24 have had some professional experience - including an album produced by a top record label - while there's a "Star Search" winner here too.

Not that there's anything wrong with.

Waiting and waiting and waiting....

Why is "Idol" being so coy?

Here's your top 24 list. Remember these names. They'll be with us for a while now...

David Cook, Amanda Overmyer, David Archuleta, Kristy Lee Cook, Brooke White, Danny Noriega, Jason Castro, Luke Menard, Alexandra Lushington, Ramiele Malubay, Syesha Mercado, Robbie Carrico, Garrett Haley, Kady Malloy, Amy Davis,Alaina Whitaker, Jason Yeager, Asia’h Epperson, David Hernandez, Colton Berry, Joanne Borgella, Carly Smithson and Michael Johns.