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By Rose Wade

Tonight, seven of the top 24 contestants were revealed.

Room 1 was the one the judges let off the hook first. Ellen did her predictable rambling back and forth, humming and hawing about whether they made it through, to the point that there was no question they had to have made it. There was some serious, noticeable talent in that room anyway, which gave it away from the get-go. Michael Lynch, Katie Stevens, Lily Scott and Thaddeus Johnson are all through to the next elimination.

(Image: Jessica Furney pleads for the judges to reverse their decision and let her move into the top 12 girls. Click here to watch.)

Kara walked into Room 2 with the sweetest, most 'sorry it's not good news' look on her face that even she couldn't have faked. Simon doesn't prolong the agony for this group which included Mary Powers, Charity Vance, Hope Johnson and Lloyd Thomas. On my mind these were moderately successful auditions, no one really stood out as being terrible, but someone has to go home.

The cameras don't really focus on any individual on Room 3 as Randy tells them all that this season has found some of the most amazing talent they've ever had in the competition. Kara toys with the contestants weary emotions for a very short time, alluding that this group might not be in that top talent arena, but quickly lets them off the hook. Janelle Wheeler, John Park, Jessica Furney and Shelby Dressel lead the cheers and almost audible sighs of relief.

In the next phase, the 46 will be paired down even further, by the judges comparing notes and referring all of the auditions that got each contestant this far. There are spots for 12 girls, 12 boys.

The Kodak Theatre is the location of the interviews, which is a very nice change from the dingy conference rooms they usually use. The judges are set up centre stage, and each contestant has a longer than usual walk to (and from) the chopping block. Everyone is packed into a holding room above the stage, and final interviews start at 7:00am with 'Big Mike', Michael Lynch breaking the ice. The judges tell the 26 year old personal trainer and brand new dad that he's been consistent throughout and it was a unanimous decision for him to move through to the final 24. That was what I might call a 'gimme'.

It is worth noting, I guess, that Simon mentioned that there were alot of strong girls this season. There was a bit of a pause in action both before and after he said that, though I didn't figure out why. Maybe it is a precursor to something yet to come. Didi Benami followed that statement, the story of why she was there, carrying on the dream of her best friend from Nashville who had passed away, was relived once more. The editing pretty well made it seem that the cane would be coming out at any moment, but at long last, she was put through. I liked that she thanked Kara for writing a wonderful song that helped her get there. Didi's brother was waiting to greet and congratulate her at the door after her interview and was obviously thrilled for her.

I don't know if I am expecting too much from Ellen, or if she really is as annoying as she seems, but her "...blaa, blaa, blaa, wondering, waiting to hear, I feel for you, I've been there and done that, it's wrong to make you wait ..." marathon made me surf away to "According to Jim" long enough that all I caught was Katelyn Epperly exiting the stage doors with a huge smile on her face. I'm usually an Ellen fan, on American Idol, not so much.

By 2:00pm there is a very definite theme of stress and fatigue amongst the remaining contestants. We've seen 19 year old Shelby Dressel handle herself with maturity and class through each audition, but she has a moment of anxiety and lets her emotions get the better of her before her interview with the judges. I thought she was great all the way through, and her partial paralysis didn't hold her back one little bit. She had an exotic look about her and a strong, though sometimes flat, voice. When she finally sat in the hot seat in front of the judges, she said the past week felt like a dream that she didn't want to wake up from. After she was told she wasn't going through, Randy had a momentary flash of eloquence in his parting statement, "Don't let the dream end, Shelby." Based on her excellent attitude afterwards and her well thought out exit interview with the camera's, I think we'll see her back next season.

I chuckled at the clever editing as Casey James made his way down the long aisle to the judges. Sure, Kara asked him to undress and let his long, blonde hair down during his first interview, but I figured the hype about her giving him googly eyes during his Hollywood week auditions and the 'boom chicka wah wah' ditty playing as he approached were a bit much. Right up until he was thanking the judges for his pass through to the top 12 for the boys and when he hugged Kara her leg came up behind her in that old-fashioned, pin-up girl stereotypical kind of way. Tsk, tsk, Kara --- didn't Paula get into some hot water over something like that a few seasons ago?   I am all for long hair, but Brett “Ace” Young style, clean and shiny and silky and ... well, enough said.

Aaron Kelly, Lee Dewyze made it into the coveted 12 for the boys, so when Todrick Hall come up next, I thought they're going to have to plunk in a 'no' by now. Even after Todrick explained that he was there because of the encouragement of his 'amazing Mom' and some helpful words from Fantasia Barrino after he'd worked with her in a play or something, I thought he was going home. His interview was the shortest and simplest of the night, so much so that his reply to his yes was, "That's it?" If there had've been an audience, it would have been a big laugh moment. He's interesting and I think we'll see him around down to the little numbers.

Because so much emphasis has been placed on fashion and wardrobe so far this season, especially during guest judge Victoria Beckham's clips, it's worth noting that Randy was wearing some ridiculous plastic beaded 'necklace' tonight. Oh, I'm sure it had some significant meaning, but you would think the editors might let him get a word in about it so that it doesn't look like his 6 year old niece dressed him that day. This is the first time I thought Kara wore something that was ill fitting and not at all classy or complimentary, like she usually wears. Maybe the girls in wardrobe were having a rough day backstage.

Let the pleading begin. There is one every season, but this has got to be an all-time record breaker. Jessica Furney did everything shy of getting on her knee's asking the judges to reverse their no decision. They didn't deny she had talent, they simply acknowldeged better talent had been chosen to move on. Jessica made some what I thought were good points, she was fairly articulate, she was very direct, but in the end Simon told her there was better talent waiting out in the holding room, and it was time for her to move along. She did, but continued her rhetoric to the cameras during her exit interview and to anyone else who would listen, I'm sure. Security! Two seasons down, but don't fret Jessica you've got seven more chances at upcoming seasons --- assuming Idol stays around until your 28th birthday.

So, at the end of the day five boys (Michael Lynche, Casey James, Aaron Kelly, Lee Dewyze and Todrick Hall )and two girls (Didi Benami and Katelyn Epperly) are through. That leaves 17 people to be picked out of the holding pen tomorrow night.

The only person I can think of that feel will make it through for certain is Haeley Vaugh.