'American Idol' Group Night: Tension and Tears as 38 Groups Perform

Thursday, February 17, 2011, Fox, 8 PM (ET) It was group night on "American Idol" and that is traditionally one of the toughest nights of the competition. Some thoughts on the groups and who advanced...and who did not.

EVIL EMPEROR "JUNE BUG"

First, "June Bug," who master-minded the exile of chubby boy soprano Jaycee Badeaux from the group is emerging as the Evil Emperor. I'm sure that many watchers at home thought the judges would exclude Clint Jun Canboa, despite his good singing, for his cruelty to the chubby Jaycee, but that didn't happen. Instead, both groups, the "Sugar Mamas and the Babies," which was the group that welcomed Jaycee Badeaux into their midst to sing "Mercy" at the last minute and June Bug's group, "The Blocks," were put through.

JAYCEE BADEAUX

That means that Denise Jackson, Stevie Cain, Natalie Hanson, Brett Lowenstein of the famously red clown-like hair, Jaycee Badeaux, Scotty McReery of the deep baritone, Monique de Los Santos, Frances Coontz and Clint Jun "June Bug" Canboa all made it one step further. Chubby little Jaycee sang specialized lyrics: "I'm gonna' do this because I know, I won't be goin' home, thankfully....(I hope)." Randy cheered him on, saying, "You've got some fans out here, Dude."

JACOB LUSK

Jacob Lusk emerged as a new star. The black singer was paired with Da'Quela Payne, Matthew Nuss, and Naimi, and the feedback was: "Style, creativity, choreography. Every little bit of it." (Steven Tyler).

SOME KIND OF WONDERFUL IS SOME KIND OF WASH-OUT FOR MOST

The group that used Steven Tyler as a human prop in singing "Some Kind of Wonderful" did not fare as well in earning passes to the next level. Lauren was put through, but 3 were eliminated from the group. Also gone this night was Tiffany Rios, the colorful Jersey girl who wore stars on her breasts and seemingly alienated every other singer except one blonde girl, Jessica Yantz, who fell on her sword and sang with Tiffany as a "group" of two. (Too bad for Jessica.)

3's COMPANY

The group calling themselves "Three's Company", consisting of the former boyfriend/girlfriend from Tennessee, Rob Bolin and Chelsea Oaks, and the blonde, Jacqueline Dunford, whose boyfriend Nick was cut last week banded together, but , as the only boy left in that group, Rob said, "When you've got your ex-girlfriend calling the shots, you're screwed." It didn't help that he also forgot the words and couldn't dance. Rob's gone; the girls stay, but I predict a short stay for Jacqueline.

SLAMMING STYLE and "4 & 1"

Steven Tyler told Bruelle Von Huegel, Alhambra, and Tia, "Your group slammed it. I loved it." They performed first, so the bar was set high. Second up were "4 & 1." Jordan Dorsey initially sang lead and Jordan, Robbie Rosen and the rest of the group were put through.

440

Third group (440) elicited the comment from J-Lo, "This is getting harder and harder as it goes along," but Adrian Michael, Erica and Lauren Turner did well.

SPANGLISH

From "Spanglish," the group, only Jovany Barretta and Karen Rodrigeuz made it through, while Kevin Campos and Jorge Gabriel were eliminated. From the seventh group to perform, only Colton Dixon passed muster singing "Just the Way You Are", with the others falling by the wayside. Only one of the brothers made it (Mark, not Eric). Sadly, Paris Tassin from New Orleans did not perform well, nor did Emily Reed who had the reed-like voice. Briana Tyson and Janelle Arthur found favor with the judges, but most did not, including Shannon Livewell, Courtney, Alyson Jados-Chi, Dally and Adrienne Beasley (not all first and last names were given onscreen during group night).

THE HITS HARMONY IS HEAVENLY

"The Hits" were pronounced to be "the best harmonized group I've seen" by Randy and Steven said "Tell it like it is" to Ashley Sullivan, Keera Lyn Ford and Ashthon Jones.

THE DEEP V's

"The Deep V's", with Caleb Johnson, James Durbin, Emma Henry and Danny Pate performed the same song as the group of 15-year-olds calling themselves "The Minors." While James, (the Tourette's Syndrome/Asperger's Syndrome boy), is staying for a while, as is Caleb Johnson, the others (Emma Henry and Danny Pate) are not. The second group ("The Minors"), with mothers directing their practice sessions) hit it out of the park, with Steven Tyler saying, "That was as good as it gets. Ridiculous. Amazing. Your background harmonies were delicious." It does bring up the question of whether the show is going to have to make rules about getting "help" from adults.

"DUDE! GET OFF THE STAGE!"

One of the day's worst groups included Steven Clawson, Corey Levoy and Hollie Cavanagh; only the last 2 stayed. One of the two picked to continue nearly got kicked off for arguing about the exclusion of the other, with Randy yelling, "Dude, get off the stage."

"THE NIGHT OWLS"

"The Night Owls" flew the coop, with the exception of group members Casey Abrams and Julie Zorilla, (who wore a short silver dress that Jennifer Lopez praised). Dan Noguchi and Melissa Lucas and Lara Johnston did not make it.

WILD-EYES AND ALL, THE GROUP GOES ON

However, Carson Higgins from Malibu, a wild-eyed jokester, Caleb Hawley, and Chris Medina (the singer from Oak Forest, IL, with the fiancee in wheelchair) made it through, while Devyn Rush and Erin (who said, "I don't deserve to go home") did not.

Thirty-eight groups performed. Sixty-seven contestants were cut, so far. Now, the final 100 must be cut to 50 tomorrow night.