Michael Giltz: American Idol Top 16: The Men

Eighties Night as we finish up separating the wheat from the chaff and pick the Top 12. Luke Menard -- It's never fun going first because viewership rises during the show. That means early performers are seen by literally millions of fewer voters. Some people who are fans will vote anyway but the vast majority who watch the show vote based on how you do that night, so Menard is at a terrible disadvantage -- because of his placement and the fact that he sang a horribly thin, weak version of Wham's "Wake Me Up Before You Go Go." He flattened out the melody, seemed to mess up some of the lyrics and his thin higher register -- where Menard seems to live -- all but disappeared on what should have been a triumphant "high" but really petered out. David Hernandez, I noted again, was a dedicated dancer, always moving along to everyone's performance. Paula said Luke's upper register is fantastic, which is insane. Simon dropped the hammer, called it a bit "girly" and said Menard "can't win." He's going ... (link)