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Two weeks ago, Matt Giraud was all smiles when the judges saved him from elimination. His luck finally ran out this week. (picture courtesy of FOX-TV/Michael Becker)

America finally got its say regarding American Idol’s Matt Giraud- he hit the road.

Giraud’s elimination brought his tumultuous run on the FOX singing competition to a close. Exiting the competition in a respectable fifth place, Giraud initially was not even among the nine fan-chosen contestants for season eight; rather, he was one of four (among eight) that the judges selected during a Wild Card round. After making it to the top 13, Giraud survived five weeks of competition before finishing as the lowest votegetter in week six.

Mulling Giraud’s possible elimination, the judges decided to use their one and only save on him, forcing a double elimination the following week. That save turned out to be a wise one, as the lowest votegetters that next week were Lil Rounds and Anoop Desai, who along with Giraud had comprised the prior week’s bottom three.

Giraud’s exodus was not all that shocking; what was, however, was Adam Lambert’s first appearance in the bottom three. Granted, with just five contestants left, somebody’s gotta be there- but as one of the favorites to go all the way to the finals, Lambert may have felt a tad of worry upon hearing his name called as one of the bottom dwellers.

Kris Allen also appeared in the bottom trio for the first time, leaving Danny Gokey and Allison Iraheta as this week’s top two votegetters. As much of an Allison fan as she is, Paula Abdul may need a sedative if her bold prediction of a Gokey-Lambert finals showdown fails to materialize.

Next week, the Fab Four remaining hopefuls sing rock n’ roll. On the surface, Lambert and Iraheta should have no trouble with this genre- though there’s no telling how Lambert or Allen may toy with arrangements. Rock is Iraheta’s strength, and Gokey usually stays faithful to original arrangements, so don’t expect too much sonic shifting from them.

These next couple of weeks should prove intense, where anyone could end up singing their last song in hopes of becoming the next Idol. Will Iraheta pull an upset and make it all the way to the finals? And if she does, how will Abdul deal with it? By then, will Simon Cowell have seen enough confidence in Iraheta (as he did Gokey this week) to believe that she can in fact win? Stay tuned…

Thanks to a racy Samba (pictured), Chuck Wicks and Julianne Hough survived last week’s elimination on Dancing With the Stars.However, this week, despite earning their second-highest judges score of the season for their Cha-Cha-Cha. the real-life couple was not so fortunate. (picture courtesy of ABC-TV/Kelsey McNeal)

Melissa Rycroft was unable to perform on last night’s Dancing With the Stars, leaving her dress rehearsal as the basis for judging- and setting up a tense, dramatic elimination for tonight. Would one of the strongest contenders for this season’s mirrorball trophy actually get the ax?

Rycroft and partner Tony Dovolani, along with Chuck Wicks and Julianne Hough, were left wondering if they would be back next week. Despite earning five points lower than Wicks after combining Monday’s couples and team dance scores, The Bachelor’s Rycroft snagged enough viewer support to continue on her quest for dancing supremacy (no need for a recount, after all). Country singer Wicks and girlfriend Hough had to settle for a sixth-place finish.

Only on four occasions this season have we known which couples comprised the actual bottom two- during three dance-off rounds and one double elimination. So, we have no idea where Rycroft actually placed this week (the show likely used Rycroft’s circumstances to maximize the elimination drama). Nonetheless, when voting, viewers obviously looked at the past eight weeks of competition, in which Rycroft has wowed both judges and audiences.

However, that thought process did not work in Wicks’ favor- despite averaging 1.3 points higher than rodeo champ Ty Murray over the course of nine dances, Wicks’ viewer support failed to match Murray’s Who would have though that Murray, who started the competition with a meager 14, would secure a top five finish? Better he than Steve Wozniak, right?

Over on FOX’s American Idol, with the last of the lackluster getting the boot last week, it was time for the top five to come out swinging- which they did to the songs of the Rat Pack. Kris Allen gave a tender reading of “The Way You Look Tonight,” which had all the judges- except Simon Cowell- raving. Cowell likened Allen’s performance to taking a”well-trained spaniel for a walk,” adding that while it was good, he did not see anything to indicate that Allen could win the competition.

The only female left in the hunt- Allison Iraheta- put the rock edge on rest for the week, and showed a softer- yet formidable- side for her rendition of “Someone to Watch Over Me.” Once again, Cowell was the only one to offer anything negative- he did not see much confidence in Iraheta and said that she could be in trouble (with only five remaining, someone’s gotta be).

Matt Giraud- who the judges wisely saved from elimination two weeks ago- received mixed notices for “My Funny Valentine.” Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi felt it was just alright, but Paula Abdul and Cowell disagreed. Cowell- who told Giraud that he had no chance of winning the Idol race- went as far as to say he found it brilliant.

The two contestants Abdul believes will be competing for the Idolcrown yet again won much praise from the judges. Danny Gokey added a powerful conclusion to “Come Rain or Come Shine,” while Adam Lambert strutted down the stairs to deliver “Feeling Good” to as much adulation as he’s earned over the last eight weeks. Abdul compared Lambert to Michael Phelps, adding that she felt like she was watching the Olympics when he performed (for the record, Lambert was not in possession of a bong onstage).

Abdul may have been right all along, with her bold prediction that Gokey and Lambert would be in the finals. Allen probably will join them in the top three, but the battle for fourth place is heated- will Cowell’s strong endorsement of Giraud’s performance give him the edge?

Regardless of whether Giraud advances, there’s no doubt the judges did right by using their one and only save on him, as it has spared us another fruitless week of Ms. Identity Crisis or Mr. Dullsville- that being last week’s two eliminated hopefuls. With them gone, we’ve got a hot one, indeed.

Dancing With the Stars favorite Melissa Rycroft pulled a Steve-O and dropped to the bottom of the leader board for the first time this season.

Also like Steve-O, an injury (in Rycroft’s case, a hairline fracture in her ribs) kept her out of the ABC competition this evening- therefore, judges scored a taped dress rehearsal of the Jive that she and Tony Dovolani were to perform. Unfortunately, the pair earned its lowest score of the season (21 out of 30), a sharp contrast to its first-place-finishing 29 from last week.

Not only did Rycroft miss out on her live Jive, but also the team dance. Lacey Schwimmer took her place on Team Mambo, which also consisted of Dovolani, Chuck Wicks/Julianne Hough and Shawn Johnson/Mark Ballas. With the judges ignoring Dovolani/Schwimmer, Team Mambo ended up with a 25. No doubt that the shedding of clothes at dance’s end (mimicking the fashion style from Beyonce’s “Single Ladies video,” as the track was used for the routine)- concluding with the guys jumping up on the judges’ table- led Bruno Tonioli to score the team one point higher than Carrie Ann Inaba and Len Goodman.

Gilles Marini/Cheryl Burke, Lil’ Kim/Derek Hough and Ty Murray/Chelsie Hightower- as Team Tango- dazzled with a 28, leaving Kim and Hough as the night’s top-scoring couple (56 out of 60, after the 28 was added to the pair’s equally impressive Paso Doble). Finishing second with 55 were Marini and Burke (who scored a 27 for their Jive).

Tying for third with 52 were Johnson/Ballas and Murray/Hightower, who went Latin and danced the Samba and Salsa, respectively. Goodman said he expected rodeo guru Murray to fall off the bull after two weeks, but has been impressed by his showing. However, he added that unless Murray nailed the group dance, it was time he hit the trail. When Team Tango concluded, Goodman said Murray indeed nailed it; though whether it was enough for him finish in the top five, America will decide.

Finishing fifth were real-life couple Wicks and Hough, whose Cha-Cha-Cha brought them their second-highest marks of the season (26). And, as noted earlier, Rycroft and Dovolani brought up the rear, scoring a combined 46 for their rehearsal Jive and team dance.

Will viewers give Rycroft the benefit of the doubt, and remember that she is one of the strongest contenders for the mirrorball trophy? Heck, if Steve-O managed to survive a dress-rehearsal vote earlier this season, there’s no reason Rycroft should not be back next week. After all, after nine dances, she and Dovoalani are tied with Lil’ Kim and Hough for the season’s second-highest average in judges’ scores (25.8); only Marini and Burke have a higher average (27.2), thanks to their six first-place finishes.

If, after combining judges’ scores and viewer votes, Rycroft ends up at the bottom, let’s hope there’s as strong a desire for a recount as there was back in Florida at the start of this decade.

Betty White, Bea Arthur and Rue McClanahan (sans Estelle Getty, who passed away the following month just three days prior to her 85th birthday) accepted the TV Land Pop Culture Award in June 2008. Arthur, who died today, leaves behind a bevy of golden television moments. (picture courtesy of Reuters/Fred Prouser)

One of television’s greatest comic actresses has passed on to the other side.

Beatrice Arthur, who would have turned 87 next month, died peacefully Saturday morning at her Los Angeles home. A family spokesman said the star had cancer, but did not elaborate with additional details.

Enjoying a lengthy stage career (winning a 1966 Tony for Mame) long before landing a major role on the small screen, Arthur probably is best known for two roles in her 60-year entertainment career: her Emmy-winning role as Edith Bunker’s liberal cousin Maude Findlay (first seen on CBS’ All in the Family in 1972, and then the spin-off Maude) and Dorothy Zbornak on NBC’s The Golden Girls. The latter role has kept the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Famer relevant among new and younger audiences over the last decade-plus, with the series airing several times a day on Lifetime Television.

Created by Susan Harris (Soap), The Golden Girls premiered in 1985, offering a revolutionary concept- a sitcom centering on four 50-plus women and their “golden-years” experiences while living in Miami. Like Maude before it, Girls often tackled sensitive and topical issues, including (but not limited to) sex, visual impairment, divorce, cross-dressing, menopause, homosexuality, the Empty Nest Syndrome, Alzheimer’s Disease and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Over the years, Arthur has been the butt of jokes about her deep voice and “manly” appearance, but she had a sense of humor about it. Had she not, it’s doubtful she would have done The Golden Girls, with co-stars Betty White, Rue McClanahan and the late Estelle Getty often (in character as Rose Nylund, Blanche Deveraux and Sophia Petrillo) taking shots at her appearance on a regular basis.

The Golden Girls finished among Nielsen’s top 10 most-watched programs for its first six seasons, in addition to winning the Oustanding Comedy Series Emmy for its first two seasons. At the heart of the show was Arthur’s sarcastic, tough-as-nails Dorothy- whether it was her masterful way with a line or her impeccable way of delivering “the stare,” she was the center of one of TV’s most beloved ensemble casts. Each of the four formidably talented ladies was essential to the show’s success (each won an Emmy Award for their efforts), but it was Arthur and Dorothy who often held it all together.

In fact, viewers saw just how much the comedy suffered once Arthur left and the remaining cast moved on to The Golden Palace; as White often stated, it was like taking a leg off a table- it just doesn’t work (Golden Palace lasted just one season on CBS).

Ever since The Golden Girls left the air, both White and McClanahan have expressed interest in getting together for a Girls reunion, but Arthur remained adamant about doing no such thing. She felt they could never top what they did on the series, and she probably was spot on.

Thankfully, with cable reruns and home video, fans have the opportunity to appreciate and enjoy every golden Dorothy Zbornak moment again and again. Like Lifetime had done, The Hallmark Channel and Womens’s Entertainment (WE tv) now air multiple episodes on a daily basis. Also like Lifetime, there’s some editing, left for viewers to decide whether the edits are better or worse than Lifetime; whole scenes are chopped on Hallmark and WE tv, whereas Lifetime cut bits within a scene.

While it’s a treat watching The Golden Girls in any capacity, for the complete experience, turn to DVD, where all seven seasons are available, for the most part, in all their unedited glory. Bea/Dorothy would not have it any other way; after all, if you miss one sarcastic, witty remark, that stare, forever ingrained in our consciousness, will never let you forget it.

Through the years, I have turned to The Golden Girls on many occasions to seek a guaranteed laugh, to distract me- if just for half an hour- from an everyday challenge/trouble. And I will continue to do so, especially since losing someone very dear to me (my mom), with whom I spent many a time watching the series.

Rest in peace, Bea- and I know you’ve heard it before- but on behalf of the millions of worldwide fans, thank you for being our friend.

Lil, we hardly knew ya. Despite a promising start, Lil Rounds concluded her American Idol run with little of the star quality she initially hinted at. (picture courtesy of Reuters/Mario Anzuoni) 

Imagine that- America got it right on Idol tonight.

Early in Wednesday’s double elimination results show, Ryan Seacrest put Lil Rounds out of her Idol misery. Later in the program, it was Allison Iraheta and Anoop Zzzsai- oops, Desai- that Seacrest announced as the week’s other dwellers in the bottom three. Iraheta is a powerhouse, but with the competition nearing a strong top five, somebody’s gotta go, right? Thankfully, it was Desai who took his final bow alongside Rounds.

Watching the farewell recaps, we were reminded what a striking, edgy presence Lil Rounds was at the beginning of the competition. Heck, even her hairstyle added to her cool allure- but over the last several weeks, she allowed unflattering, girl-next-door-type wigs to lessen her “it” factor, and her incessant lazy, non-dazzling karaoke interpretations weighed her down so much, that the Titanic stood a better shot at recovery. The girl can sing and showed early signs of greatness, but ultimately did not reach in to her inner soul to channel the great artist she needed to be. As Simon Cowell said some weeks ago, she was not the same girl who wowed everyone early on, and we lost her more and more with each passing week.

A new, scruffy look did not endear Anoop Desai to Idolvoters, as they gave him the heave-ho Wednesday evening. (picture courtesy of AP/FOX/Michael Beeker)

No such what-could-have-been’s for Desai, as he’s been a big ol’ snorefest from the start. Every uptempo number he touched was a disaster, and though a competent vocalist on ballads, he possessed zero excitement factor, and probably stayed a few weeks longer than he should have. To think, Alexis Grace was ousted before him…

Avoiding the bottom three this week- and proving that the judges made the right decision by saving him from elimination last week- was Matt Giraud. His funked-up version of The Bee Gees’ “Stayin’ Alive” was not his best showing, but it was not his worst, and, to his credit, was enough to keep him around and ensure a top five finish.

With season eight’s weakest links now a memory, we have a pretty strong top five, possibly the strongest in Idol’shistory. As always, anything can happen week to week- a shining star with a flawless record could end up in the bottom bracket one week, and a regular bottom feeder can turn around and bring a showstopper to the stage another. Judging by the last seven weeks, Giraud and Iraheta are favorites to comprise next week’s bottom two. Adam Lambert, Danny Gokey and Kris Allen remain the only contestants to avoid bottom three status, so they stand the best chance of finishing as this season’s top three.

No matter who wins the competition, it’s likely that at least a few will go on to decent music careers- probably not Rounds or Desai, though. Though, one never knows- Jennifer Hudson only placed seventh during her Idol tenure, and check her out now. Granted, her premature ejection was regarded as a miscarriage of justice (unlike, say, Rounds), but nothing is impossible- it’s not like Rounds doesn’t have the vocal ability, so it’s up to her to take the judges’ advice and decide where her musical future lies.

So, what’s it gonna be, Lil? Karaoke nights and contract gigs on cruise ships and hotel chains? Or, the big time, leaving behind the half-assed interpretations of other acts’ style, finding yourself as an artist and taking risks? Like the judges said, be your own woman- not every other one.

Lawrence Taylor has more time to devote to golf, now that he’s been axed from Dancing With the Stars. (picture courtesy of ABC-TV/Kelsey McNeal)

His footwork may have come in handy on the football field, but it did Lawrence Taylor no favors during his run on Dancing With the Stars.

The retired New York Giants linebacker and partner Edyta Sliwinska last night became the latest castoffs on the ABC dancing competition, leaving six couples remaining. For the first time in the seven-week competition, Taylor and Sliwinska posted the lowest judges score (21, which, incidentally, was their second-highest score of the season), and, in turn, did not rack up enough viewer support to last another week.

In finishing seventh, Taylor failed to approach the success of other NFL stars that put on their dancing shoes for the series, including last season’s runner-up Warren Sapp, season six runner-up Jason Taylor, season three winner Emmitt Smith and season two’s controversial runner-up Jerry Rice (whose fan support outweighed his fourth-place average score with the judges).

Over on FOX’s American Idol, disco (and Paula Abdul’s quirky comments) took center stage- but you would not know it judging by some of the performances. Week after week, Lil Round has become more of a lounge-singer-like act rather than a recording hopeful, losing any grip she had on viability. Last night, she belted a faithful rendition of Chaka Khan’s “I’m Every Woman,” but, yet again, she failed to leave any true mark of artistry (to use one of Kara DioGuardi’s favorite terms).

Kris Allen put his own spin on Donna Summer’s “She Works Hard For the Money,” stripping away the disco and strumming his guitar to an almost tropical-like arrangement. The judges loved it, and rightly so- it was the polar opposite of Rounds’ usual non-eventful fare. Paula Abdul made a rather bizarre analogy, though- she said that plenty of girls go shopping in the men’s department, but not many guys go shopping in the women’s department. But, she said, Allen did and found a perfect fit. The comments left Simon Cowell in need of a translator.

Danny Gokey produced another round of great vocal, but his performance of Earth Wind & Fire’s “September” lacked spark, further showing that Gokey is not exactly the competition’s greatest performer or showman. Cowell called it awkward and clumsy, and, as usual, he got it right. Still not aboard the Danny Gokey Love Train, but he arguably is one of this season’s best vocalists.

Randy Jackson may have found Allison Iraheta’s “Hot Stuff” arrangement a tad indulgent (she made it even more rock-infused than Donna Summer’s original), but he and the other judges could not get enough of the girl’s killer vocals. Favorite Adam Lambert again left the judges in awe- he took Yvonne Elliman’s (and The Bee Gees’) “If I Can’t Have You” and twisted it into a heartwrenching, tender ballad. Lambert, in true humble form, remembered to thank his arrangement collaborator. DioGuardi observed that Lambert had a Clark Kent-Meets-That-Guy-From-Saturday-Night-Live look- did she mean Saturday Night Fever? Likely so- but, the audience is becoming accustomed to her flubs, so carry on with the flubbin’, girl.

Last week’s saved contestant, Matt Giraud, chose the ironic “Stayin’ Alive” for his performance, and received mixed reviews. Abdul likened his Idolrun to her bowling- sometimes he throws gutter balls and sometimes he throws strikes, and she happily found this to be a strike. She added that unlike last week when the judges saved him, he saved himself this time, informing him that he’ll be back next week, as if it were set in stone. In fact, Abdul was full of bold predictions, telling Gokey and Lambert that she’ll be seeing them in the finals (she actually had done that very early on in the season, as well).

Rather inexplicably, three of the four judges praised Anoop Desai’s take on Donna Summer’s “Dim All the Lights.” Abdul complimented his choice of attire, saying that a real man knows how to wear pink”- okkkkkkkk, Paula. Thankfully, Mr. Cowell got a chance to speak this week and said Desai was mediocre at best and that it was his worst showing by a mile. Now, that may or may not be true (has he forgotten “My Prerogative,” and, especially, “Beat It”?) but can we send this dull boy packing already? Cowell “prayed that the tempo wouldn’t pick up,” but, alas, it did, and Desai veered into yet another unremarkable uptempo performance.

Tonight, two Idol hopefuls will leave the competition- and those two should be Rounds and Desai. I had been rooting for Rounds to put on an explosive showing, but she’s had opportunity after opportunity and has squandered whatever potential she had initially shown- turns out she really is little more than a strong karaoke singer (an assertion she vehemently disagreed with, but what else is she going to say?) To quote another Donna Summer track, enough is enough. Same goes for Desai- as unfathomable it it to imagine, the zzzzzzzz factor increased even more this week and it’s beyond time America dash his Idol hopes.

If, for some reason, Giraud ends up going in place of either Rounds or Desai, we can expect Abdul to proclaim that America got it wrong- and, she would not be alone in that thinking. So, let’s hope for the best… which in this case, means that the worst take their final bow tonight.

Tony Dovolani and Melissa Rycroft are one of the favored couples to go all the way to the Dancing With the Stars finals next month. (image courtesy of ABC-TV)

 Jason Mesnick, who?

Melissa Rycroft, a former Dallas Cowboys cheerleader who Mesnick ceremoniously dumped early last month on The Bachelor: After the Rose special , continued her winning post-Bachelor career. She and parner Tony Dovolani grabbed first place with the judges on tonight’s Dancing With the Stars.

Scoring a 29 out of 30 for their Argentine Tango, it was Rycroft’s and Dovolani’s second time at the top of the leader board (they previously enjoyed one threeway tie for first with actor Gilles Marini/Cheryl Burke and Olympic Gold medalist Shawn Johnson/Mark Ballas). Judge Carrie Ann Inaba commented that it was the best Argentine Tango she had seen this season- however, back in week four, Marini and Cheryl Burke scored the season’s only 30 thus far for the very same dance.

Last week’s leaders, rapper Lil’ Kim and Derek Hough, dropped to fifth with a 26. The couple’s restrained Rumba left the judges insisting on the return of Kim’s sassy sexiness, which Hough reeled in for this week’s number.

Johnson and Ballas came in second, earning their highest score of the seven-week-old season (28) for their Cha Cha Cha. Marini failed to return to the top spot, though he and Burke managed to repeat last week’s tie for third, rebounding one point in the process (to a 27).

Tying Marini and Burke with their best score of the season was Chuck Wicks and Julianne Hough. The real life boyfriend/girlfriend twosome jumped four points thanks to a dazzling Samba, which led Bruno Tonioli to observe that Wicks moved his hips and butt like he had never done- the remark left a bewildered expression on Hough’s face, but that’s our Bruno. Len Goodman didn’t have much to say other than, “”Chuckie- I liked it!”

Also improving were rodeo king Ty Murray and Chelsie Hightower, whose elegant Waltz scored a 24. Inaba proclaimed, “My dancer’s back!” though advised Murray to watch that “I’m-afraid-to-be-put-here” expression that’s become all too common. Meanwhile, Tonioli- who, as usual, was out of his seat more than he was in it during critiques- stated that Murray’s comeback was bigger than Mickey Rourke’s (referring to the actor’s return to winning ways with his film, The Wrestler).

With Steve-O gone from the ABC dancing competition (though he occupied space in the audience), NFL Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor and partner Edyta Sliwinska brought up the rear, scoring a 21 for their Waltz. The couple lost one point from last week, though still landed their second-best score of the season. Incidentally, Taylor covered Sliwinska in more clothing than she’s used to (as, for the first time, the celebrities designed the costumes); Sliwinska undoubtedly will return to skimpier fare next week.

For the first time this season, all of the couples converged for the first group dance. The 14 contestants did their grooviest 1960’s moves, presenting a fun, energetic and infectious routine. Wicks donned a blond wig, and Tonioli could not resist having some fun, teasing Wicks that it starts with a wig, then ends with a frock.

Predicting who goes home often is not as easy as it looks- just ask Steve-O, who lasted a lot longer than he should have, thanks to (Jackass) fan support. Based on pure scoring and past-week performances, Taylor should be concerned, as should Murray. Wicks probably gained some footing this week, so he should be back next week. 

Right now, though, the battle for that prestigious mirrorball remains a cutthroat competition between four couples- and with enough viewer support, none of them have anything to worry about. Well, at least until week nine….

The big entertainment news today comes from actor Ashton Kutcher’s reaching 1 million followers on the social networking site, Twitter. Yes, that is the big news.

For days, the media and has hyped the race between Mr. Demi Moore and CNN. When all was said and done, Kutcher hit the mark late last night, becoming the first registered Twitter-er (?) to boast 1 million followers.

For those Twitter-ignorant folk out there, the premise is rather basic- in 140 words or less, members post updates on what they’re doing, thinking, contemplating, whatever musings they wish. More limited than Facebook and lacking the flash and multi-media barrage that MySpace offers, somehow Twitter has found a niche as the third-most-popular social networking site of the moment, behind No. 1 Facebook (probably the best site for finding old classmates and people with whom you’ve lost touch) and No. 2 MySpace. (Oprah Winfrey even posted her first “tweet” on her talk show today.)

On the surface, this Kutcher-CNN contest looked ridiculous, with Kutcher virtually campaigning all week after discovering his followers count rivaled that of the cable news channel. So, now he has 1 million followers- what does it give him, other than bragging rights to Mr. TwitPopular? It may be a cool way to communicate with fans, keep them up to date on goings-on- but the idea of having 1 million followers is just as silly as having 1 million “friends” on MySpace.

Then again, why set a limit, when even having 500 or more “friends” on any social networking site borders on excessive- as if we intimately know most of the people on our friends list. But, that’s not what it’s about- it’s either used as a networking tool (which isnt’ such a bad idea) or, “Oohh, look how many ‘friends’ he has, let me get him on my list, too, I wanna have as many friends as I can!” Uh huh- may as well be back in high school if we’re looking at it from that point of view.

That’s not to say Twitter use yields no meaningful impact. Kutcher pledged to buy 10,000 mosquito nets if he got to 1 million followers before any other person or entity- a promise he intends to honor by writing a $100,000 check to the Malaria No More Fund.

Maybe Kutcher’s generosity will signal a trend of positive and meaningful happenings resulting from social networking site usage. As trivial as Twitter may be, hopefully the site stays in the headlines for reasons like the followers contest and charity, and not for the notorious online-communicators-meeting-in-person disasters that have plagued sites like MySpace and Facebook.

So be careful, have at it and tweet away.

American Idol judges saved Matt Giraud this week- which may or may not be good news, since next week two contestants will be sent home. (picture courtesy of FOX-TV)

After going six weeks without using their one and only save of the season, American Idol judges granted Matt Giraud another shot to prove he’s got what it takes to be the next Idol.

Granted, the dueling piano man does not stand much of a chance at going the distance (yet another instance in which Simon Cowell echoed my sentiments), but based on the last six week of competition, he probably deserves to finish- at least- in fifth place.

Rather predictably joining Giraud in the bottom three this week were Lil Rounds and Anoop Desai (though at some points in the past, it has been not all that predictable, and some of the best ended up sweating it out). Paula Abdul expressed surprise in seeing Desai near the bottom, but Cowell did not (as his expression after Desai’s performance the night prior indicated). Nonetheless, three-time bottom-trio member Desai was the first one Ryan Seacrest sent to safety.

Before Seacrest revealed the lowest vote-getter, Cowell said he would consider saving one of the remaining two contestants. He likely was referring to Rounds, of who he, with just cause, has been very critical the last few weeks. After Seacrest informed Rounds that she would have to endure another week of competition, Giraud belted “Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman” one more time, in hopes of hanging around an additional week.

Clearly, Giraud had the ladies on his side, as both Abdul and Kara DioGuardi stood up, swayed and swayed and cheered Giraud on during his performance. Cowell flat-out told Giraud he did not think his performance was better than the night prior, and that he did not have a shot at winning the competition. However, it’s likely that in addition to the ladies, Randy Jackson also wanted to give his dawg another shot, hence the good news for the pianist.

If Giraud wants to sail into the top five, he needs to return to the role that best suits him- soulful white boy (Justin Timberlake, watch your back!) who selects the songs that best suit that role. While alternative and rock may be among his musical tastes, he should not perform songs like Coldplay’s “Viva La Vida” and The Fray’s “You Found Me.” Rather, he should stick to tracks like “Let’s Get it On” and “part-Time Lover,” the latter which- bafflingly landed him in the bottom three during Motown Week.

Looking to next week, as long as Adam Lambert, Danny Gokey, Kris Allen and Allison Iraheta continue on their winning path, they’re all but set for the final four. The battle for fifth place is a threeway battle among Giraud, Rounds and Desai. Besides the double elimination next week, one more thing the remaining hopefuls may dread- possibly- is the return of Disco Week, not seen since season four.

Unfortunately for viewers, disco’s return means we have to endure another uptempo Anoop Dawg performance. While Desai isn’t the most vocally adventurous of the lot (he could have stretched himself a lot more on ”Everything I Do” this week), at least he shows vocal competence when singing ballads. Anytime he sings a faster-tempo number, he flops- “My Prerogative,” “Billie Jean,” “Caught Up”- remember those? If not, lucky you. Fact is, whether he’s a balladeer or an uptempo disaster, he’s as interesting to watch as a load of dirty clothing going round and in circles at the local laundromat.

While she fared better this week than last, Rounds still has not recaptured that fiery R&B prowess she showed in the competition’s early weeks. But she has an opportunity to repair some of the damage to her falling star by choosing the right disco song. Lil, be yourself and not a mimicker; bring it home and show us that you’re more than a top-notch karaoke queen.

Thanks to his judges’ save, Giraud now has a strong shot at wowing the judges- and America- once again. And he could easily succeed, as his brand of soul is perfectly suited for a funky dance/disco number from the 70’s. So he best use this golden moment wisely.

Whatever happens, America, please do your job. Put those button-dialing/pressing fingers to work and put Mr. ZZZsai out of his Idol misery. His unspectacular self- and viewers- have suffered enough.

Lacey Schwimmer tried her darndest, but there was just no turning Steve-O into the next Fred Astaire. The Jackass star failed to survive this week’s Dancing With the Starselimination. (picture courtesy of ABC-TV/Kelsey McNeal)

Turns out legions of bad-taste fans even have their limit.

Jackassstar Steve-O and partner Lacey Schwimmer had their last dance as a couple on ABC’s Dancing With the Stars this evening. having scored the week’s lowest judges’ tally for the second consecutive week. The pair managed to elude the bottom two last week, but no such luck this week. Hosts Tom Bergeron and Samantha Harris did not reveal a bottom two, hence no dance-off for survival. In all likelihood, Lawrence Taylor or Ty Murray would have rounded out the official bottom two.

So what did in Steve-O in this week? Was it Schwimmer’s disgust with his incessant farting during rehearsals? That would be odd, since looking at some of the stunts he and his Jackassco-stars pull on the popular MTV series, that kind of public activity is right up his professional alley. More likely is that viewers just got tired of seeing such dancing incompetence- the dude is committed and dedicated, sure, but he has not made any marked improvements in style or technique since season eight began.

Next week, the group number returns, and, in a switcheroo, the celebrities get to dress their professional partners. It does not get anymore exciting than that, now does it?

Over on FOX’s American Idol, the remaining seven performed songs from the cinema, with guidance from Quentin Tarantino. Because the show ran over by seven minutes or so last week, the judges got less airtime, with just two of the four critiquing each performance. Allison Iraheta, who turns 17 next week, performed Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing. Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell both agreed that she very well could sail on through the remainder of the competition.

Anoop Desai wisely performed another ballad- the Bryan Adams/Robin Hood: Prince of Thievesmegahit, “Everything I Do (I Do it For You). Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi gave him props, but he really could have stretched things out a little more, from a vocal standpoint. Cowell, who did not get a chance to offer his opinion, shook his head- perhaps he (rightfully) found it a bit dull and otherwise forgettable.

This season’s most exciting contestant- Adam Lambert, of course- more than rocked Steppenwolf’s “Born to Be Wild,” though Cowell pointed out that people either will love it or hate it, adding that while he liked it, he preferred Lambert’s subdued rendition of “Mad World” from the prior week.

Another Bryan Adams movie song took center stage, with Matt Giraud playing the piano during Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman.” Jackson and DioGuardi felt that it was not the best choice of song, and stressed that in doing that particular song, he should not have played around with the melody as much as he did. Thry were right- it was not one of the dueling piano man’s best performances.

After performing ”Hero” in the semi-finals to determine the top 13, Danny Gokey returned to the saccharine with Lionel Richie’s “Endless Love.” Though he sang the song well, he brought nothing new or original to his performance. Cowell reiterated that sentiment, comparing Gokey’s performance to David Cook’s interpretation of Richie’s “Hello” from last season.

Kris Allen got mixed results from Jackson and DioGuardi for his take on “Falling Slowly,” from the film Once. And after a few weeks of falling-star status, Lil Rounds showed some signs of life with her Bette Midler’s “The Rose,” adding a gospel flair midway through her performance (though Cowell said that she’s not the same artist they met weeks back- and not in a good way). Will it be enough to keep her around another week? Stay tuned for the results Wednesday evening, when another hopeful’s dreams of becoming the next American Idol hit the skids…