American Idol Top 12 Results Has Lacey Brown Eliminated; Tim Urban Survives yet Again

In the event you haven't been following the continuing American Idol story "Revenge Of The Son of Sanjaya Malakar," perhaps better known as "The Nine Lives Of Tim Urban," the writers of the story still haven't killed him off in this worse that b-movie melodrama. Those writers, by the way, are the voting American Idol viewers. And they keep writing the serial killer of songs back into the weekly script. As witness the results show for the American Idol Top 12, where the contestants paid tribute to the world's greatest rock band, the Rolling Stones.

The show started with the return of David Cook, American Idol Season 7 winner. He performed an amped-up version of "Jumping Jack Flash." It wasn't bad and it featured a great lead guitar break as well. David Cook told host Ryan Seacrest afterward that it was good to be back and that it was easier because he didn't have to worry about going home. He talked about his upcoming new album and a trip to Africa for Idol Gives Back.

Then there's the saccharine torture of having to watch and listen to a Ford commercial group song. Casey James is noticeably missing (and we later find he was sick when they shot the video). But he was there the day they shot the video for the personalized fiestas, where the contestants designed customized paint jobs for a Ford Fiesta.

The Ryan Seacrest got to the elimination portion of the results show. Paige Miles was first up -- and the first of three to be sent to the Silver Stools of Uncertainty. He then had the back row of the Sofa of Safety stand up one-by-one, read some highlights, talked to the judges, then sat them back down. Lee DeWyze, Siobhan Magnus, Aaron Kelly. The last two, Tim Urban and Andrew Garcia, then stood -- and Tim Urban was told to join Paige Miles. (If there had been any doubt that Urban wasn't going to be in the Bottom Three, said doubter did not see his atrocious performance of "Under My Thumb" the night before).

With six to go, Orianthi took the stage to sing her hit song, "According To You." She's quite the guitarist, and it is easy to see why Michael Jackson tapped her to work with him on the "This Is It" tour, which never materialized due to Michael Jackson's untimely death.

Then it was time for the bottom row on the Sofa of Safety. Didi Benami stood; Didi Benami was told she was safe (and anyone who saw her "Play With Fire" on Tuesday evening knew she wasn't going anywhere). Crystal Bowersox, who may have had the best performance of the previous night with the Rolling Stones class "You Can't Always Get What You Want," stood, then sat. But before she did, she wanted to set the record straight that she did not want anyone to think she was so "arrogant" as to believe that she had the competition all sewn up. Then Katie Stevens and Michael Lynche stood -- and sat right back down.

Casey James and Lacey Brown, two Texans (from hometowns Cool and Amarillo, respectively), faced off to fill that last position of uncertainty on the other side of the American Idol stage. After Lacey was given a silver stool, judge Ellen DeGeneres was asked if there was any of the contestants in the Bottom Three she would save, she paused then said, "Yes?' questioningly.

As for the save, the the audience had learned earlier that the American Idol producers had decided to bring back the "save," a lifeline that could be extended to any of the contestants being eliminated. The catch was that it could only be used once.

Ryan Seacrest then sent the first of the Bottom Three back to safety. Surprisingly, it was Tim Urban. (No, really, you have to see that godawful version of "Under My Thumb" -- available on video at YouTube.com -- to fully appreciate how much Tim Urban deserved to be sent home). Strangely enough, the two girls -- Paige Miles and Lacey Brown -- facing elimination are roommates.

But before one of the girls is sent home to make the Top 12 the Top 11, the results show has one more live performance. Pop sensation Ke$hia performed "Blah Blah Blah" and her dancing was so amateurish, her singing so poor (what wasn't auto-tuned), it is easy to understand why so many pop performers opt to lip-synch.

In the end, it was Lacey Brown who was sent home. Her rendition of "Ruby Tuesday" the previous night had been rather weak, and she paid the ultimate price -- elimination from the show. Lacey Brown still got to sing for her life, choosing her most popular performance song, "The Story" by Brandi Carlile, hoping to pull that one save on its first week offered. But it was to no avail. Judge Simon Cowell delivered the verdict: a unanimous "No."

So Lacey Brown was eliminated. Paige Miles barely slips into the Top 11, and you just know she's not long for the show. And Tim Urban continues on like some unkillable monster in a dreadful, overly long production of a sequel to the sequel of "Frankenstein." On a more perfect melodrama, the writers (that would be you, the American Idol viewers) would simply write him off (read: vote him off). But, then, what would American Idol be without its undeserving contestants that annually slide into the Top 10? Besides a better show, that is...

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Sources:

"American Idol," Fox Television
AmericanIdol.com