Au Revoir, Idol: Syesha Mercado

Well, in case you were wondering who the best American Idol was last night, I'm here to tell you...it was Fantasia. Girlfriend rocked it out with "Bore Me," and in the process reminded us, perhaps inadvertently (perhaps not), of how far Idol has fallen in the last few seasons. Say what you will about her, or Underwood, Clarkson, Daughtry, Studdard and Aiken...but they are all in a different vocal and performance league from Hicks, Sparks, and our current finalists, the Davids Known As Archuleta and Cook.

Which tells you, if you didn't already know, that Syesha Mercado ended her charming come-from-behind bid last night. It was hardly an unexpected eviction; the judges pretty much doomed her on Tuesday with their harsh comments, and her theatricalized version of Peggy Lee's "Fever" didn't do her any favors, either. (Idol lives in that rarefied part of Middle America that doesn't allow sexuality and teenagers to co-exist; a number like "Fever," with its potent undercurrent of erotic energy, was destined to turn off many conservative viewers, as "Jesus Christ Superstar" did to Carly a few weeks back. Middle America also, by the way, prefers to believe that David Archuleta has no genitalia of any kind.)

Now it's all about the Serious, Brooding Musician (Cook) versus the Angelic, Baby-Faced Crooner (Archuleta). Which David will you be voting for? And more importantly, which one of their albums will you buy next fall? For me, the answer is clear on both counts: Cook, all the way.

The Final Sendoff: Syesha Mercado, "One Rock and Roll Too Many"

Previous American Idolatry: Yoko Ono, Where Art Thou?, Au Revoir Amanda, God Bless Idol Country, Au Revoir Chikezie, Giving What Back, Exactly?, Idol Gave Back (And I'm Friggin' Exhausted), Au Revoir Michael Johns, David Archuleta Is Like Sarah Brightman In Drag, Au Revoir Carly Smithson, Songs Sung Really, Really Blue, Au Revoir Brooke White, The Heart of Rock 'N' Roll Is..., Au Revoir Jason Castro, In Search of Pop Gods and Goddesses