Okay, so first I have to admit that I indulge in the guilty pleasure that is 'American Idol'.  It's embarrassing, but true.  For now, I have no interest in building up or tearing down any particular contestant.  I just feel the need to comment on the latest of the many format changes to the show:  the "judges' save".  I can understand why it was put in place-- I mean, live television can be so stinkin' unpredictable!  Of course the producers would like to have a bit of a safety net for the high ratings-earners.  I just can't help but think of how much more elimination must suck now for each contestant.  Now, not only does America like you the least, but the four people staring at you across the judges' table make you sing for your life on live television-- only to tell you after you finish that they, too, would prefer that you not make that noise again.  How depressing would that be?
    And Paula cracks me up.  She is so loaded!  All the time!!  And it gets progressively worse throughout the course of a show.  First, she loves everybody.  Then she starts the semi-euphoric hand clapping that involves her fingers being splayed out and bent back so that only her palms are actually involved in the clapping.  Finally, she will start five different sentence subjects before any one of them is given the dignity of a predicate.  No wonder Simon was gutsy enough to call her stupid on the air!  I'm not saying that was appropriate by anyone's standard of ettiquette; I'm just saying it wasn't surprising that it finally happened.
    I am also one of the reviled fans of the show who always has a favorite, gets very into figuring out who might be eliminated, and yet never ever votes at all.  Maybe it is my way of lying to myself, saying that I'm not actually a 'fan' if I don't pick up the phone...  and by the way, folks, those are 866 numbers-- NOT 800 numbers.