So much Idol confusion.
I don't know what's going on with this actual new twist of dividing the Idols into three groups based on the number of votes they received. To me it seems only another gimmick to turn what should be a three-minute results show into an hour-long process of musical chairs, without the chairs. Call their names, move them over here, rearrange them to there, send some back over there, take a break, then finally eliminate the one who can't keep up.

Thumbs down to the breaking up into groups.

But, thumbs up to the removal of a very teary Camile. The bad hair, the bad fashion (stretch pants will never be back in style if I have anything to say about it) - finally off the show. Why did Jasmine refuse to stop hugging Camile? I don't know. But she should have been helping her off stage in rapid fashion. Whatever that's about, finally, The Alliance is getting some work done around here. Our Camile Removal Plan finally came through.

I still don't understand how John Stevens did not make it to the Bottom Three of Shame. He'd better be the one to go next week. But after doing some research, I came across this article which may explain the bizarre voting on every season of American Idol. The people have too much power, and The Alliance doesn't quite have enough power. Yet.

Aside from the strange grouping last night, I noticed some other oddities throughout the entirely-too-long show:

- Whitney Houston is trying to make a comeback masquerading under the stage name Tamyra Gray, because someone seems to have stolen the Tamyra we loved and replaced her with Whitney Houston. She looked like Whitney, she sang like Whitney, the song was a nearly exact replica of every Whitney Houston song in existence. If it looks and sounds like a Whitney, it must be a Whitney. We'll miss you, Tamyra.

- Julia Demato. I don't really know what to say about her except that she was there, still in the audience as though people want to see her there (notice how former Idols that we want to see are asked to come back on the show to sing), and now she's plugging her new cd through some record company no one has ever heard of. Here's a hint- if you have to spell the name of your record company so that people can find it, it's not a real record company.

- The group medleys are back with a vengeance. And it's just not good. Watching Jon Peter do choreographed moves that were not like a full body hiccup was just painful. He should stick to his own brand of whatever it is that he does. Actually dancing really doesn't work for him. But I still like him.

Hopefully the theme for next week will make up for Elton John week. Poor Elton. Poor, poor Elton.

C.T.