so, jim and ejay got the boot. i was off by one syllable.

but i wasn't really off at all, because, like simon, i'm not predicting who will go -- i'm saying who should go. and, based on their performances, it's very obvious to me that a.j. should've been kicked off. but he's got the sob story about the poor immigrant parents and he's got that trilly girl voice that he probably uses to get naive girls out of their panties. i'm not so much surprised by the results as i am disappointed. (and, let's be honest, the two least attractive finalists were eliminated -- this isn't a singing contest, after all. the teenage girls let their voices be heard last night.)

i was surprised, however, by the fact that nikki was among the bottom three. did america make a moral judgement on her with their indifference? or were they just heartbroken that she sold out (for which she immediately made amends by putting on that slinky outfit)? it was a tough couple of minutes for me there. that commercial break seemed interminable. i had to keep reminding myself to breathe. but, ultimately, nikki prevailed and sent jim and his loving parents back to illinois. (indiana?)

and now i'm sure r.j. is in for the long haul because not only is he the adopted one, but he's now also the one who fell off the stage and had to go to the hospital. next week, i'm going to predict that christina and ryan are up, with the former getting voted out. after ejay, the two of them have the least tragic stories.

the big story last night, though, was simon's absence. apparently he was off on intercontinental business in london and a lifeless cardboard stand-in was there in his place (no, not paula abdul.) paula made the cut-out talk in an all-out mockery of the simon style, and then the stand-in pulled an r.j. as randy jackson gave it a symbolic booting off the stage. was it a front, though? did r.j.'s thrashing symbolize more than we initially thought? i'm sure i would've heard about that on extra!, though. maybe he just couldn't take the booing and the constant taunts of seacrest and dunkleman. the anti-british sentiments expressed by the audience may have cowed him. i just hope he's back next week. forget the 10: he is the real star of the show.