Episode 20.6
February 16

Chico: He'll come into your living room and take your remote.
Gordon: So that's what Chico Alexander's long lost uncle looks like.
Chico: Not true. Rich has hair.
Gordon: Your uncle is bald and sexy?
Chico: Oh yeah. Welcome back, folks. Or if you're just linking us from Google... where've you been? Now... as you know, American Idol is down to its final 36. And because of the new structure in play... which is basically the old structure...March Madness... impossible.
Chico: But we still have to play a favorite, so we're going into a REALLY Big Board.

Gordon: It's the 36 stories of American Idol. We'll give you the 36 singers and what we think their chances are.
Chico: Alright. We'll start with the ladies...

Alexis Grace (Memphis)

Chico: She sounds good... she's got a lot of screen time. She'll make top 12 or at least be a fringe player. If she's not voted in, she'll make wild card.
Gordon: I think she'll be a fringe player. she didn't get the face time and she needs to have a great effort when we see her.
Chico: Okay, next is...

Allison Iraheta (Los Angeles)

Chico: She's young, but forgettable
Gordon: Who?
Chico: Exactly She's out.
Gordon: Victim of no face time. Must produce or out in a hurry.
Chico: Yep

Anne Marie Boskovich (Thousand Oaks, CA)

Chico: We remember her as the nanny who changed into a star, but I don't remember her being that good a singer.
Gordon: She's got a shot at the Top 12. But like everyone else so far, must prove herself. She has no margin for error.
Chico: I say she's going into the top 12 as a "third stringer"

Arianna Afsar (San Diego)

Chico: She of the charity case...She may be going back to said charity case
Gordon: The grannies need to vote en masse and i dont think it's going to be enough.
Chico: What does your Granny say? :-)
Gordon: We'll hear from Grandma Peppet his week.
Chico: K. Meanwhile...

Casey Carlson (Eden Prairie, MN)

Chico: All I remember her as is "Casey in KC". That's IT. She had a great audition, but I don't remember her as anything but that.
Gordon: She blew her last song on the last show. Not a good sign. Cut early.
Chico: Gotcha. Next...

Felicia Barton (Virginia Beach, VA)

Chico: She's only in on account of Joanna Pacitti's wired connections. She HAS to prove herself or else.... Gone.
Gordon: I'm not sure that's going to be enough.
Chico: Next..

Jackie Tohn (Oceanside, NY)

Chico: She's a bit of a wild card, and watch her be treated as such.
Gordon: She has a shot to be in the Top 12. I think the judges can push her through as a Wild Card
Chico: I just said that :-) Next...

Jasmine Murray (Columbus, MS)

Chico: I believe she was the only one of the Divas to make it through. She's an arts student who's been singing since she was 3. That's 14 years if you're doing the math.
Gordon: She was. And she's not getting any further.
Chico: But again, not very memorable.
Gordon: She's memorable for being stuck with Bikini Girl. That's not something you want to be remembered for.
Chico: Next...

Jeanine Vailes (Washington, DC)

Chico: ... WHO?
Gordon: I think The Doctor just took her into his TARDIS to make her his next companion.
Chico: Better a companion than an also-ran.
Gordon: She won't be around long enough to be considered an also-ran.
Chico: Next we have...

Jesse Langseth (Minneapolis)

Chico: ... WHAT?
Gordon: Simon, after hearing her sing off, wanted both singers gone. Based on what I heard, I think America will agree.
Chico: I think so, too.

Kendall Beard (Lufkin, TX)

Chico: Bubbly... blond... Could be a wild card...IF she sings flighty and doesn't get the votes she needs.
Gordon: She has the name recognition. Could be a wild card.
Chico: Next...

Kristen McNamara (Napa Valley, CA)

Chico: She was a headliner in Hollywood Week (meaning that Fox saw a lot of her)
Gordon: She has a name and an amazing voice. If she selects the right song, she's in the Top 12.
Chico: People will remember her face.. They'll especially remember her voice. She's top 12.

Lil Rounds (Memphis)

Chico: Mark my words.... Top 3.
Gordon: I agree. Top 12 and a serious threat to win the whole thing. Maybe the only female who has a legitimate shot at it.
Chico: The only female we'll remember when all is said and done. Next...

Megan Corkrey (Taylorsville, UT)

Chico: She needs to perform. Otherwise, she's another one and done.
Gordon: Agrred. We only saw flashes of her.
Chico: Next...

Mishavonna Henson (Irvine, CA)

Chico: ... Ummm... WHO?
Gordon: She made it to Hollywood last year. I hope she enjoyed the moments.
Chico: Now she can say she made it to Hollywood twice.. and lost... twice.
Gordon: Whoo hoo

Stevie Wright (Phelan, CA)

Chico: All I know is that she was named after Stevie Nicks. Is that all I need to know?
Gordon: She will be standing back and behind the Top 12.
Chico: I'll take that as a yes. Next...Your girl...

Tatiana Nicole Del Toro (San Juan, PR)

Chico: Okay... we have a situation here. She's not the BEST singer in the contest, but she's the most infectious. I blame VH1, Fox Reality, E!, and anyone else with a clip of her giggling. That's going to put her in a lot of people's minds. Top 12 and that's it.
Gordon: She'll make the Top 12 and her psychic will be rich forever. Then she leaves said Top 12 very very quickly.
Chico: In an ideal world... yes. But with super texters and VFTW and what not, this is far from ideal.
Gordon: Very true.
Chico: One more girl.

Taylor Vaifanua. (Hurricane, UT)

Chico: She's TALLLL.
Gordon: (drools) Top 12.
Chico: I'm going top 6. If not that, then she goes out in 8th or 9th.
Gordon: She could make it there as a dark horse
Chico: You know, the Haley Scarnato level.
Gordon: Makes sense.
Chico: So those are the ladies...Now for the brothers.

Adam Lambert (San Diego)

Chico: He's a better actor than a singer. Gonzo.
Gordon: He's got the look and the Constantine Maroulis style. Top 6.
Chico: I doubt it. Ace Young was also supposed to be Constantine... so... yeah. Something to think about.
Gordon: Ace still made the Top 12. Adam is different and he may be the lone rocker.
Chico: We'll see. Next...

Alexander Wagner-Trugman. (Studio City, CA)

Chico: If not Adam, then THIS guy. Buh0bye.
Gordon: Looked really bad in his sing-off. That's going to haunt him here.
Chico: Saying it again... Buh-bye. Next...

Anoop "Noop-Dogg" Desai (Chapel Hill, NC)

Chico: If you've ever seen the Clef Hangers, you know that as far as the college a cappella world, they're at the top of their game.
Gordon: Top 6. Great voice, nice fan base. Too bad he's from North Carolina.
Chico: Two words... Clay Aiken.
Gordon: Three words. Did. Not. Win.
Chico: Fine. Fantasia. Barrino, *raspberries*
Gordon: What. Ever. Next one?

Brent Keith Smith (Blanchester, OH)

Gordon: Nashville Star Ho. Could make the Top 12. That's it though.
Chico: I think he's your country voice this season.
Gordon: Yep. Next one?

Danny Gokey (Milwaukee, WI)

Chico: ANOTHER threat to win the whole thing.
Gordon: Powerhouse Singer. Top 6 and a heavy favorite to win.
Chico: I could easily see a Noop-Dogg/Danny final.
Gordon: I can't. They are both pop singers. You will not have 2 of the same genre make the finals. Thats like an idol Cardinal rule.
Chico: We'll see. Next...

Jorge Nunez (Cidra, PR)

Gordon: Very nice voice. I want to see him make the Top 12, but he has to sing well out of the gate.
Chico: All he needs is one good song. The best he can hope for, though... wild card.
Gordon: He's one of those where I wonder just how good he would be with 1 more year.
Chico: If 300 people only tried out in PR for AI, I don't see him collecting THAT vote UNLESS you have very Latin-heavy communities turning out. NY, LA, Miami... that sort of place.
Gordon: He's the lone Latino Male. And Mario Vazquez took the country by storm. I can see that happen here, too.
Chico: True. Next...

Ju'Not Joyner (Baltimore)

Chico: ... WHO?
Gordon: Ju'Not has a great voice. But no air time. Must produce on week #1.
Chico: Agreed.
Gordon: Next?
Chico: Next...

Kai Kalama (Redlands, CA)

Chico: He had one BIG night... during auditions.
Gordon: And his voice gamve out. So, I think, did his chances.
Chico: Luckily he doesn't have to travel far. Next...

Kris Allen (Jacksonville, AR)

Gordon: He'll be competing against Brent for the country vote in the Wild Card round.
Chico: He was in White Chocolate.... he MAY get the edge because of that. Let's see what happens when it's just him and him alone. Next...

Matt Breitzke (Bixby, OK)

Gordon: We saw a lot of him the last night with the sing off. Let's hope that he has good memories of that.
Chico: I think he's going to go back to his welding sooner rather than later.
Gordon: Agreed. Next?
Chico: Next....

Matt Giraud (Ypsilanti, MI)

Gordon: He could surprise. The piano could be a nice Wild Card round shtick, if he uses it to his advantage.
Chico: We'll see. He's got a great instrument. He just has to know how to use it.
Gordon: Next one?

Michael Sarver (Jasper, TX)

Gordon: See Matt. Maybe they can create oil houses together.
Chico: He's been on the outside looking in all competition. I doubt that will change here.
Gordon: Agreed. Next?

Nathaniel Marshall (Malone, NY)

Gordon: He had a nice week's worth of coverage. The niceness ends in live week.
Chico: I honestly don't know why he's even here.
Gordon: He deserved to be there. He has a nice voice. The problem is that it's not nice enough.
Chico: Really. Because he's outperformed by all of the singers save one...
Gordon: I disagree that he's been outperformed. I would put him in the lower third.
Chico: And speaking of...

Nick Mitchell (Brookfield, CT)

Chico: Ah... Norman Gentle... He'll go gently into that cold dark night.
Gordon: I was to believe that he will. But he won't. Vote For The Worst will amass a small army and the Sanjaya fans will follow. He makes the Top 12.
Chico: Next...

Ricky Braddy (Nashville)

Chico: Ricky Braddy... Who?
Gordon: Must produce when he sings or Bye Bye.
Chico: Easy. Next.

Scott MacIntyre. (Scottsdale, AZ)

Chico: He's fierce on the piano.
Gordon: Easy Top 12 lock. I think he has a massive fan base and he's a threat to win the whole thing. I don't think he will though.
Chico: He needs to build up his vocal. People don't win when they hide themselves behind a piano. The last person who hid behind a piano bombed her vocals TWICE. Hi, Brooke.
Gordon: That's why I don't think he'll win.
Chico: Next...

Stephen Fowler (Cleveland)

Gordon: He hid behind a piano and smacked it. That won't help him here.
Chico: Yeah, he's not going anywhere. So sorry.
Chico: Finally...

Von Smith (KC, MO)

Chico: His YouTube entourage will come out en masse to put him in the top 4.
Gordon: Top 12 lock. He is huge on the internet. Definite threat to win the whole thing.
Chico: So real quick... Your top 4...
Gordon: Lil, Danny, Anoop, Von
Chico: Sounds like my top 4.
Gordon: I'll put Von and Lil in the finals, with Von to win.
Chico: I'll put Danny and Anoop with Danny winning.
Gordon: There you go. We'll see what happens as the season unfolds.
Chico: Come back in May to see who is right... if either.
Gordon: Meanwhile, we spin our boards - after this!

(Brought to you by American I-Mole. Who are the real singers and who is sponsored by 19 Entertainment to come in and sing horribly? Hosted by Joanna Pacitti.)

Chico: I smell a concept.
Gordon: Now that's The Mole. If you prefer Whammies, then we have a game for you as well. You ready for whammies?
Chico: STOP At the whammies!
Gordon: Yay! And we start with...

The dancing hosting Whammy with a cane. Does it go to Drew Carey for reasons said many a time, or to Patrick Duffy, who's the last host to get booted from a job?

Chico: I'll go with Drew, because if we don't give it to him, he's not going to learn nothin'.
Gordon: Ok. Whammy with cane being sent to Drew. Next one?
Chico: Next up...

The Makeup Whammy. We have ringers on Idol and model-tresses on Survivor. Granted, both are legal, but at the same time, both are annoying. Who gets the Whammy?

Gordon: The model-tresses. At least the ringers are there for talent. The Model-tresses have no strategic value to the game and are usually gone in a hurry. Send the whammies to the models and an the Tarzan Elephant Whammy to Sugar.
Chico: Whammies to model... Tarzan elephant to Sugar. Next?
Gordon: Next one...

The Baseball Whammy. Sure, you can send it to A-Rod, but it could also go to ESPN, which has no current game shows on it's schedule, of FOX Sports Net, who my preempt World Poker Tour for baseball if their ratings aren't good. What's your destination?

Chico: Fox Sports. ALSO because they just throw the WPT on the schedule willy-nilly. It's all about structure, people.
Gordon: That's not exactly how you grow a franchise
Chico: No. It isn't. And WPT is in need of growing right now. Travel wanted to go another way, and ever since then it's been downhill.
Gordon: True. So Fox Sports Net gets a whammy and hope they can do right to WPT. Next one?

Next is is the Supermodel Whammy...Toccara or CariDee.... just.... pick one.

Chico: Pick one.
Gordon: Toccara. Hands down. No questions here. Thought I'd like to go off the board and send one to Adrienne Curry for milking out 45 minutes of her 15 minutes of fame.
Chico: Judges? (DING!) That works. Should've stopped at Ballbreakers.
Gordon: Next one...

The Riverdance Whammy. Where do you send them - to the new cast of Dancing With The Stars? Or to the sleep-inducing World Superstars of Dance show on NBC?

Chico: zzzzzzzzz... Sorry, the Supersnores of Dance, please.
Gordon: Supersnores gets some RiverWhammies.
Chico: As for the new Stars... Former Nashville Star host Nancy O'Dell.... former Nashville Star host Jewel... Awkward?
Gordon: Awk. Word.
Chico: Finally... Time to do some thinking...

Syd Vinnedge, for running TPIR into the ground... or Lin Bolen... for more or less the same thing at NBC back in the day? Let's bring out the cruise ship Whammy for this...

Gordon: Syd gets it. As does Fremantle, who clearly needs a lesson on how to make American game shows work in America.
Chico: There you go. You're not in Britain anymore, son. American game show for Americans. That's what you need to do. That failing... Watch the last 35 years of TPIR. Take notes. Gordon has tapes.
Gordon: I do.
Chico: He will LEND THEM TO YOU.
Gordon: I will.
Chico: Okay, one more break, then the Speed Round. See you on the other side.

(Sponsored by Card The Block. Jason Block turns the Big 41 this week, so if you see him, card him and ask to see his id. It will make him feel better.)

Chico: And J, if you're reading this... Happy happy from the rest of the gang.
Gordon: Happy Birthday!
Chico: We love you. We miss you. We got out on time for once :-)
Gordon: lol. And now we go to the Speed Round....now! Amazing Race - you watching?
Chico: Hell yeah. You kidding me?
Gordon: Just checking. any favorites?
Chico: I like the deaf kid. He and his mom are sentimental favorites.
Gordon: Definitely. Here's your first Top 12 Singers for Idol's Semi-Finals -

Alexis Grace, Anne Marie Boskovich, Anoop Desai, Brent Keith, Casey Carlson, Danny Gokey, Jackie Tohn, Michael Sarver, Ricky Braddy, Stephen Fowler, Stevie Wright, Tatiana Nicole Del Toro.

Gordon: Who gets in?
Chico: Not Ricky Braddy. That's for sure. I'll say Anoop, Danny, and Alexis. It's a strong field. You?
Gordon: It is. I'll say Anoop, Danny and Tatiana in a stunning upset.
Chico: Nice. Speaking of upsets... do we have any mail this week?
Gordon: I got nothing - u?
Chico: I got something. It's from... well, just check this out.

Gordon: Well, Mr. Knight, do you want to field this one?
Chico: Mr. Knight can't, because he's not here. Neither Gordon nor I are hosts of this show. Or even associated with the show...And since it was in reruns anyway... well, I didn't record it, so...Go figure, you know?
Gordon: No money to America for that question. Any more email?
Chico: Nope. But you can change that by e-mailing us to wlti@gameshownewsnet.com OR go to Facebook or Myspace and search for "We Love to Interrupt". But unfortunately, now it's time for us to unshackle you from the bonds of game show fandom and let you out into the world a little wiser.
Gordon: Special thanks to...no one in particular, since we didn't have special guests this week.
Chico: Thanks to you for reading, of course.
Gordon: Or course. So for Chico, this is Gordon, saying Game Over and Spread the Love.