Carrie Underwood’s Wig Wins This Week on American Idol

Alexis was eliminated for botching "Jolene." But she left too soon. Because even her awkward take on the classic Dolly song was no worse than Michael Sarver's NASCAR-speedy stumble through his chosen Garth Brooks song or Scott MacIntyre's Tylenol PM tribute to really, really, really boring angels. This mean's they're both in the Top 10 now and going to spend the summer touring arenas and stumbling through the choreography -- Sarver more than MacIntyre.

And then there's Adam Lambert. It's an excellent development watching him make the Top 10. America needs a queen like him on TV, no matter how stereotypical he is. Yes his voice is a piercing, car-alarmy thing and his look is the third installment of the Twilight series, but he does it his way all the way. In total defiance of Simon Cowell's directive not to be artistic on the show, he pulled Johnny Cash's "Ring of Fire" out of the hat and decided go all Moulin Rouge! on it, turning it slinky, sexed-up and weird. He fought the power in the way he best knew how. It was country, all right. And that country was Morocco.

But in the end, though, the raw heartbreak of real country music had the final say, as Alexis sang for her life in the hope of securing the lone "judge's save" of the season. She grieved her way through "Jolene" a second time like she was begging not to be waterboarded at Gitmo. It didn't work, but at least now she knows what that song's really about.

-- DAVE WHITE

Previously > Two told to "Beat It" on AI