My understanding is that is how it operates for SYTYCD as well.

Anyone know how the X-factor works eliminations?

Normally I would argue that this would tank the rankings, but given that their going in the crapper next year when Simon leaves now's a good time to mix it up a bit. Especially if Ellen stays on to represent the "everyman" vote.

Damn. I was really looking forward to seeing Alex sing "19th Nervous Breakdown" next week.

Whoops, I actually meant SYTYCD

I actually blame Ellen in part for her overreaction to Tim Urban's performance. That probably helped to send Alex home.

Bad move on her part...stay in your seat, keep your hands to yourself!

What is the deal with the Wild card thing?

You can probably blame Vote For The Worst as well. I don't know how effective they really are, but they were voting for Tim and Paige.

Before the final five: Audience votes, bottom 2 vote-getting acts are in danger, judges decide which of the bottom two acts goes home.

Final five to end: Act with the fewest votes goes home.

So basically it is similar to SYTYCD.

Do young girls like Tim Urban, or does his hair offend all demographics?

Of course Crystal is upset.

Didn't she say she never watched the show before she auditioned? She must be figuring out how it works, and knows that she's pretty much fucked. I'll be shocked if she makes it halfway through the competition.

Jimmy Kimmell was right... they need a gong on AI. But next week should be awesome watching these mutant losers butcher the Stones.

In what way? Unless she can't remember the lyrics down the road, or has medical complications, she's the frontrunner.

After re-watching it again, Crystal had tears in her eyes, I think she was really sad some of the people had to leave. She also seems very shy, she looked strange hiding behinding the other singings at the end.

I blame Alex's mullet for his elimination. I really do.

IIRC, the VFTW folks figured they only move numbers by no more than 2%. I don't imagine many voted during the semis, so they could have been enough to change things.

But really, you can make an argument that the right people went home last night--

Katelyn had one solid week with "The Scientist" and was spotty the other two weeks.

Lilly was pretty consistent, but she sometimes came across as too affected with her own quirkiness--couple that with how much she changed a Patsy Cline song--usually a big mistake for anyone on Idol to do--and she was in danger.

Alex had the makings of a good voice, but looked like he was going to faint every time he stepped onstage. Watching him may have made some viewers uncomfortable.

Todrick was all over the place for two weeks. He did fine on Wednesday, but it was too little, too late. Plus, he had that whole swindling children controversy hanging over his head and a lot of folks just found him plain unlikeable.

The bottom line is that pointing fingers at other contestants and saying they knocked someone out whe deserved to be there isn't really the case. The only contestants that have been consistently decent so far are Crystal and Michael. Casey and Siobahn haven't completely wet themselves at any point,either. So that left 12 spots that could have been taken by anyone. And that's what happened.

"Entertainment Weekly" had a reporter on set who offered this:

It would have been heart-rending enough with Katelyn, Todrick, and Alex going home, but then Ryan announced that Lilly Allen’s distinctive, clear-haired stylings had lost to Katie Stevens’s robotic teenage competence, and it was just too much for some of the contestants to bear — especially Crystal and Siobhan. Maybe it has to do with the fact that by all appearances, both women have barely watched past seasons of Idol, and aren’t well versed in the particularly cruel nature and staging of the eliminations. Or maybe it’s because they were far closer with the eliminated contestants than the ones who’ve lived to warble another day. Regardless of the reason, both women simply could not stop crying, even as Debbie gathered them for their first official photo shoot as the Idol Top 12. “Makeup!” exclaimed Debbie. “We need some kleenex for a pretty picture. Bad time to take one.” Siobhan more-or-less pulled it together after some hug love from Tim and Didi, but Crystal was still sobbing into Lee Dewyze’s shoulder as the photographer began taking light readings. “Happiest you can be, guys,” Debbie said somberly. Crystal could only manage to wanly tighten her lips.

EW thought Lily Allen was on Idol and lost?

No, they just got the name wrong, but, really, I just think they're in denial...

Very touching story, Crystal has a heart, but I am sure her life has been tough. Now she is seeing real friends of hers leave, I hope she does not loose that heart over the next 10 or so weeks.

Actually, Anthony Fedorov and Melinda Doolittle were eliminated after going last That is why I have no sympathy for Lilly. She got the pimp slot. Nobody ever goes home even train wreck performances by Sundance Head or Ryan Starr didn't eliminate them. People must have not been interested in that really old-style song that she sang.

I also felt bad for Alex but the producers put him in the #2 death slot and he picked a boring, forgettable song. People said he had potential but I saw someone who sang the same way each time only getting marginally more comfortable on stage. I wanted Andrew Garcia but in all likelihood, Alex split the votes with Tim and Aaron.

Basically at this stage when voting blocs and fans are taking shape, it is far worse to be forgettable or boring than it is to be good or really bad.