NoFace for Film

Because I was out last night enjoying a lovely Valentine’s dinner, I didn’t get to watch the Top 24 decision rounds. A thousand apologies. Besides, judging from Tuesday night’s previews, the routine from last night was most likely exactly the same from last year. The judges study video footage from the Hollywood rounds of each contestant so they can get an idea of what they would look and sound like on TV. Each of the remaining 40 hopefuls would then return about two weeks after the Hollywood rounds and meet with the judges individually to receive either good or bad news. Honestly, I don’t know why they even bother dedicating a whole hour around this.

Anyway, here are your Top 24- 12 guys, and 12 girls. I will bold the names of those who were prominently featured in previous episodes (if I recall correctly). I would have posted their photos, but if I did the FOX lawyers would descend on me like avenging angels, armed with a cease-and-desist letter ordering me to take them down. Instead, check them out on the official American Idol website.

Sadly, only half of these guys and girls will make it to the ultra-super-duper-elite Top 12, but the judges’ job is pretty much done. It’s now up to us, the viewing public, to decide who stays and who goes. The voting begins next Tuesday, as the men take the stage first. Two weeks from now, it’ll be the ladies’ turn.

I’m rather concerned about some of the contestants, specifically those whose names are not in bold on my list. It doesn’t take a social psychologist to tell you that people in general tend to form positive attitudes towards that which is familiar to them. This is why we tend to befriend our neighbors, classmates, and co-workers. Therefore, many of these people whom we’ll be seeing for the first time over the next two weeks will have to work hard to get our attention, or suffer the fate of Melinda Lira.

You may recall that two years ago, Lira was one of the Top 24. Unfortunately, she was not featured once in any of the audition episodes, until the very end of the Top 24 decision episode. Lira was the first to fall, and she blamed her loss to her lack of airtime. She of course, wasn’t the only one. Over the years, many unfamiliar faces were voted off during the Top 24 rounds because people just didn’t know who they were. Only those who were truly talented or unique enough can overcome obscurity- people like Clay Aiken and Bo Bice, neither of which was featured at all during the early auditions.

That being said, I wish everyone good luck, and let the games begin!

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