Syesha exits on a classy note

In all seriousness, did anyone not think Syesha Mercado would get the ax last night? That said, she accepted her elimination with grace and class, and was able to sing herself out on a high note one last time with "If I Ain't Got You." She gave a simple "thank you" to her fans and looked relieved upon hearing the bad news.

The night was very anticlimactic, since the results were a mystery to no one. Ryan seemed less engaged as usual, the audience was kind of out of it, and the Top 3 all had tired, worried faces the entire night, beginning with the opening shot of the three of them standing center stage. The 56 million votes cast were basically just a formality in sending Syesha on her way.

But one thing the producers did very well was showcase the finalists' hometown visits. The montages gave a very personal look into how the three contenders are received by their fans. They all went to their past (and current in David Archuleta's case) schools, rode atop car rooftops in parades and performed for hundreds of fans that turned out for the celebration. Syesha was able to take a ride in her local FOX affiliate's chopper, while David Cook surprised his elementary school music teacher with a bouquet of flowers and a kiss and David A. sang "The Star-Spangled Banner" at the Utah Jazz's playoff game.

One thing they all had in common was they all cried upon seeing the outpouring of support they had. David A. even apologized for his crying, followed by a nervous laugh. The Top 3 all appeared on their local FOX affiliate morning shows and select radio shows as well. And finally, all three of them received honors awarded to them by their hometowns, whether May 9, 2008 was declared "David Archuleta Day" or they simply received a plaque congratulating them on their achievements, as in David C.'s and Syesha's cases.

There were also some funny moments when a woman threw her baby at Syesha, asking for her to take a picture with her, to which she obliged but after the fact thought it was crazy. Also, David C. signed a fan's poster, and she cried.

Another portion of the show that the producers deserve credit for is the Top 3's "journey" videos. All three of them were done well and featured different songs that reflected who they were.

Ryan messed up when reading the recap of David C.'s judges' critiques, saying Chaka Kahn sang "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face." Following David's journey video, he corrected himself and said it was in fact Roberta Flack, and chalked it up to "bad research on my part."

But the highlight of the night (and possibly the highlight of the season) was when one of the smartest camera guys ever scored s two-and-a-half-second shot of Simon making the biggest WTF faces ever, including an eyeroll, during Season 3 winner Fantasia's performance of "Bore Me." Believe me, there was nothing boring about the performance. Fanny took the stage with three back-up singers dressed in Beyonce-like black dresses, while she herself was decked out in three sizes too small black pants and backless top, complete with sunset red, barely-there hair and earrings the size of pieces of toast. She lolled her way around the stage, letting out painful spasms and screeches that 33 million people mistook for singing four years ago when the crowned her the American Idol over 16-year-old Snelville, Ga., native Diana DeGarmo. Simon's reaction was classic and will go down in Idol history as one of the best facial expressions ever. Fanny's performance was both the worst and most memorable guest performance this season, and for that she truly has shown America what it means to "act ugly."

So as we look ahead to the finale next week, it will be interesting to see how David A. winning the coin toss will affect the outcome of the competition. History is on his side, as the winner has always performed second except for Season 2, when Clay Aiken went second and lost by a slight margin of merely 134,000 votes to Ruben Studdard. But this season has been very predictable up until now, so in all likelihood something is bound to surprise us.