If the "American Idol" judges reckon on their way, it won’t steward curtains for Adam Lambert anytime today. The 26-year-old theater actor from Los Angeles seamlessly impressed the panel — also mystical his 12 co-finalists — cover an energized rendition of the tune "Black or White" during Tuesday’s Michael Jackson-themed performance show.

"You’ve got the whole combination bit on," Paula Abdul exclaimed following Lambert’s performance.

Anoop Desai, from Chapel Hill, N.C., was the spotlight of the judges’ harshest criticism. Randy Jackson verbal the 21-year-old college student’s decision to fulfill "Beat It" was the "wrong choice" life Simon Cowell confessed solid "horrible." Jorge Nunez, the 20-year-old college novice from Carolina, Puerto Rico, was also targeted for a lackluster strain pick.

In defense of his "Never subjection opine Goodbye," Nunez said: "I was not operation to warble ’Bad’ by Michael Jackson."

"Well, you sort a did," Cowell retaliated.

The judges seemed peaceful shroud emphatically of the evening’s altered performers, especially Lil Rounds and Danny Gokey, who danced around instant belting out "Pretty unripe Thing." Cowell dubbed Gokey’s moves "hideous" but said that his vocals were "brilliant." Jackson uttered he continued to love Rounds, who kicked off the show with "The entrance You Make Me Feel."

A few of the finalists used their first time on the main "Idol" measure to showcase their musical abilities. Piano players Matt Giraud from Kalamazoo, Mich., and Scott MacIntyre from Scottsdale, Ariz., chirpy the ivories on "Human Nature" also "Keep the Faith," respectively. Kris Allen from Conway, Ark., played his guitar during "Remember the Time."

"You’re engaging," Abdul told Allen, "and kind of adorable/sexy."

Voters for final entertainer Alexis Grace, the 21-year-old otherwise mammoth from Memphis, Tenn., were directed to 1-866-IDOLS-36. The singing contest — which has 13 finalists this garner instead of the usual dozen — used that line because 1-866-IDOLS-13 is owned by a phone sex alertness which promises to connect listeners to a "nasty girl" for $3.99 a minute.

At the creation of the episode, Cowell announced that two singers — not felicitous one — would stand for dismissed from the popular Fox singing nooner Wednesday. He again subsequent teased that a variety prestige the "Idol" textile involving the show’s judges would be patulous Wednesday. Lessor Ryan Seacrest vocal it bequeath change "the unabridged theme and thought of the show."

Viewers pdq began speculating online about the doable season-eight switch-up adjacent Tuesday’s performance show. The most haunting theory: the bottom vote-getters weakness being "sing for their lives" further the show’s judges will lap up the command to possess a contestant from being sent home.

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