Because the Olympics are on, and because Fox needs to get ratings however it can, tonight's episode was TWO HOURS LONG. And it all could have been taken care of in literally less than an hour. The padding was out of control. The episode opened with the 71 remaining contestants split into three different rooms. Their final performances had already wrapped - the show flashed back to many of them while reminding us who the hell most of these people are - while the judges made their final Hollywood deliberations as the poor human cattle waited and waited. That is basically psychological torture.

First up they showed us Angela Martin again. This is like her third time at the "Idol" rodeo, and she has been plagued by misfortune over the past few years. She did Estelle's "American Boy," and Kara obviously loved it. I just don't see why she's so special. It was generic karaoke to me, and I found her - forgive me, Randy - pitchy when she went for the high notes. She was in Room 3.

Then we saw Jermaine Purifoy, who picked, of all songs, "Brickhouse." I mean, can you get more karaoke than that song? Maybe "Brown Eyed Girl." Casey James came out with his guitar and sang Colbie Caillat's "Bubbly" - but he didn't even play his guitar! He sounded just fine, though. Casey was in Room 1, Jermaine was in Room 2.

Jermaine Sellers screeched his way through "Man in the Mirror," and I HATED it. Like nails on a chalkboard. And then he had the balls to call out the band for making a mistake during his final performance, which is a terrible dick move.

Siobhan Magnus, who we saw briefly during group night, was told by Ellen in her initial audition to not act so old. She chose "Living for the City," which certainly allowed her to cut loose - she's awesome - but is not the most youthful choice. Crystal Bowersox - one of my easy favorites for this season - came out with her guitar and her harmonica strapped around her neck and sang Sheryl Crow's "If It Makes You Happy" in a really cool folky/bluesy way. If that bitch makes it to the Top 12 it will take a lot for her to get knocked down. Incredible.

Alex Lambert brought out the ukulele for his take on Maroon 5's "Sunday Morning," and again he looked as though he was about to pass out from anemia or something. He had the same lack of energy in his group number, and I'm not sure why he can't figure out that that is a huge problem. He had the same lack of zip in his final performance, another uke-accompanied take on Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours."

"Big" Mike Lynche also did that song on his guitar. And I'm sorry, but Mike's goaty voice is not anywhere near the rest of the contestants we've seen. And then Todrick Hall did an r'n'b take on the SAME f'ing song and it got progressively better as it went on.

Then we had a package with Thaddeus Johnson's totally hyperactive mother, who supported him when he was crying like a little girl. Thaddeus's final performance started off on the wrong foot, when the band started playing the wrong song. He also chose "Man in the Mirror" and I liked his voice a lot better than I remembered. He's got a big, round voice. I think he's a little annoying, but I can overlook it...for now. He was also in Room 1.

Charity Vance didn't impress me in her initial audition, nor did she do anything for me in group round, and I also didn't think her voice was anything remarkable on "Gravity" by Sara Bareilles. Tasha Layton I really liked from the start, and I thought she did a great job in her Hollywood Week performances as well. Mary Powers has a big voice, and an abrasive personality (and also, apparently, an affinity for smearing her make-up on with a trowel). She chose "Hot N Cold" by Katy Perry for her final audition song, and that was a TERRIBLE IDEA. It's a great pop song, but it is not a good audition piece at all. It's hardly a vocal tour de force, you know?

Lloyd Thomas has a great church voice, but he sounded old and totally un-fresh during his "Man in the Mirror." We haven't seen police officer Brian Walker since his first audition. The hair has not improved. Simon gave him a bizarre wink/fingerpoint thing.

Meanwhile, Hope Johnson annoyed the shit out of me in her initial audition with her "oh poor, poor me" shtick. I never thought her voice was anything exciting, she was kind of a bitch to her group on group night, and her rendition of "Home" by Daughtry was among the worst auditions of the night. It was so flat I wondered if she was actually tone deaf. Do not get the allure of her at all.

Shelby Dressel is the girl who born with jaw issues, and she apparently has done well through Hollywood, although we never saw her. She had major anxiety about the lyrics for her final audition piece, "More Than a Feeling." She sounded really terrific on what is a very vocally challenging song. I give her points, again, for ballsiness.

Aaron Kelly, who I didn't immediately recognize as the 16-year-old boy whose aunt adopted him, blew his lyrics in his final audition piece, "In the Arms of the Angel" by Sarah McLachlan. I mean, Randy had to literally coach him from the sidelines. He sounded good when he was singing, but he should not escape a mistake that huge.

Ashley Rodriguez is so bland to me. She chose "Battlefield" by Jordin Sparks, and while it was OK in parts, she still has a tendency to go flat in the upper notes. There are so many Ashley Rodriguezes in the world, you guys. I don't see anything special there. We saw brief flashes of Lee Dewyze and Joe Munoz, who I don't remember, plus Haely Vaughn, who I just love, and I hope she makes the Top 12. She's a true original, even if she has some pitch problems on occasion.

Janell Wheeler, who I absolutely love, really struggled through her final song, "Love Song" by Taylor Swift. She is one of my favorites and that song was a terrible showcase for her abilities. The whole thing was like bad cabaret. She even admitted that she couldn't take the pressure.

With three rooms for 71 contestants, it seemed likely that we would only be losing one room. Room 1 got the news first. Ellen gave the kids a big preamble about star power before telling them they were through. The group included Adam Garcia, Siobhan Magnus, Lilly Scott, Tyler Grady, Thaddeus Johnson, Big Mike, Casey, and Katie Stevens.

Next was Room 2, and Simon presented the verdict. That's never a good sign, kids. Simon told them that most of them were "better than we thought you'd be." That's...nice? And then Simon cut them. The room included Mary Powers, Hope (YES!), police officer, Brian Charity Vance, and Lloyd Thomas. I am OK with losing all of those contestants. Mary was probably the only one I will miss, and I don't think she ever really had a shot at the title.

Finally Room 3 was given its good news, per Randy. The folks getting through in that group included Ashley Rodriguez, Janell Wheeler, John Park, Angela Martin, Jessica Furney, and Shelby Dressel.

That left 46 contestants, which had to be whittled down to 24 for semis - 12 guys, 12 girls. And while we would normally get The Chair episode tomorrow, we got a chunk of it TONIGHT, at the Kodak Theater. Didn't care for that, at all.

First in line to learn his fate was Big Mike, who for the record is 26, so he had two more years to try out for this show and he voluntarily missed his child's birth for Hollywood Week. Unacceptable. Simon paid Mike all kinds of compliments, calling him a "nice guy" and that he improved dramatically. Simon did question Big Mike's belief in himself. Are you kidding me? Big Mike has many flaws, but a lack of self esteem is not one of them. This is a fat guy who tries to pass himself off as some muscle god. Anyway, he made Top 24. Big surprise.

Didi Benami has ben a favorite of mine since her Los Angeles audition, and she continued to do well in Hollywood, although I was not a fan of her nasal rendition of "In the Arms of the Angel." But it was of no matter; she was through to the Top 12 girls, and rightfully so. I'm really interested to see what she can do in this competition.

Next up was Katelynn Epperly, whose voice I quite liked, even though I felt her sob story - my parents are getting a divorce, boo hoo - was pretty lame. Ellen did her usual word play, which was torturous for the poor girl. Katelyn was practically chewing off her lip until she finally got the news that she made it through to the Top 24.

Shelby Dressel was so, so nervous. I felt awful for her, and I realized that I kind of didn't want her to make it America's vote, because the stress would be killing her, and me too. And it turns out that she did not make the Top 24. She took it exceptionally well, and I suspect that she was maybe a little relieved herself. I have an enormous amount of respect for that girl.

Casey James and his broken arm were up next, and we relived Kara sexually harassing him for a ticket to Hollywood, and then his redemption via quality blues performances. Hilariously, Ellen told Kara that Casey was "wearing his hair down for you." HA! After some bullshit padding about the fact that Casey's hometown is actually named Cool, they told him that he was through to the next round. Unsurprising, but at least he's something a little different. And then Randy pointed out that when Casey hugged Kara, she totally did the girly leg raise. Double HA!

Aaron Kelly is looking so much better than he did at his initial audition - he barely even resembles that kid. When we saw his first Hollywood number I was blown away - HUGE voice. But then he thoroughly botched the lyrics in his group number, and as we saw earlier this episode, he did the same with his final solo. That is a BAD track record, and not acceptable in my book. One mistake is bad enough; two is a pattern. He made it through, and we basically have David Archuleta Pt. 2. That's not totally a bad thing.

We've seen very little of Lee DeWyze, and apparently Simon was not impressed with him. He's a very handsome guy, kind of grungy in his style, but in a good way. Kara called out his lack of confidence during Hollywood Week, although he felt quite assured in his star power. And rightfully so, as he too was through to the Top 12 guys.

Todrick Hall is a horndog. He is also totally untrained, at least as a singer - he's a dancer, and performed with Fantasia in "The Color Purple." He seems like a very sweet young man. And he'll be sticking with us, as Kara gave him a perfunctory "yes." I'm interested to see how he develops.

Jessica Furney got cut last year and was back this year with several impressive numbers, until her disastrous group number to "The Sweet Escape." She looked like she was going to pass the fuck out when the judges told her that she didn't make it, and then she started actually begging the quartet. It was...not a very dignified moment. I appreciate her passion, and her belly fire, but she was plainly irritated when Simon told her they couldn't change their mind. When she asked what she did wrong, Simon told her she didn't sing as well as the others. She argued that she had to deal with losing her voice on group day, and seriously, how many times has that happened on this show? When Ellen told her that it wasn't he end of her career, she got all petulant 21-year-old, and that was when my sympathy for her totally evaporated. She even dropped the "It's not fair" bomb. It's a REALITY SHOW, dear. Deal with it! "Not fair"....

So over one hour we got seven people let into the Top 24. PADDING! Come back tomorrow for the final 17.