OK, you're getting my American Idol handicapping now because I don't know what sort of time I'll have to do it tomorrow.

As a group, they were better than last week. Suffice it to say that either of last week's winners would have been hard pressed to make the top three this week. Speaking of which, the three people I highlighted in my earlier post- Clay, Ruben, and Kimberly- would be my choice to make the top three. Clay overpronounced words, but not badly, and he even made Journey somewhat less cringe inducing. Ruben was smooth, no problems. Kimberly got into some sort of sass contest when Simon ranked her low on personality, but sung very well.

I tend to not like the contestants who talk back, but tonight wasn't so bad. Those that did talk back were generally rational. Kimberly looked like she was having more fun than anything else, though I think she relished the opportunity to give Simon lip. Jacob, who would probably rate in the bottom two (along with Jennifer, who was God awful), actually spent more time kissing ass than talking back, but incurs the wrath anyways.

Three of the women- Candace, Rebecca, and Hadas- were OK, but didn't seem competitive. They'd have all challenged last week, I think. Candace has a very unusual tone to her voice, which some called smoky but which to me sounded more like she wasn't getting enough air. She sang "Take Another Piece of My Heart," which probably wasn't for the best, either. Hadas sang "You Light Up My Life," and didn't kill (who'd have thought, singing Debbie Boone and all). Rebecca sang something by Anita Baker, which didn't help her get out of the jazz/cabaret box that Simon put her in during the first tryouts.

I'm predicting Ruben and Kimberly. I'm hoping for Clay and Ruben. I think the reason I pull for Clay is that he looks so un-Idol like. There's nothing plastic about him. He does have an oddly shaped head, but I assume it's all natural.