Judges pick the 24 semifinalists on ‘Idol’

Last year, “American Idol” became the Sanjaya Malakar show, and the other, more talented singers were left in the shadows. This year, the judges made one decision that will either prevent that from happening again or they missed out on one of the best stories in recent memory.

The dirty little secret of the final “Idol” auditions show, in which the 24 semifinalists are named, is that there are very few surprises. Most of the people who have gotten a lot of airtime make it through, and most of the others don’t.

Because of that, the big stories are the people who everyone expects to make it, but get denied. And nobody fit that bill more than Josiah Leming.

Leming has been a favorite ever since he first auditioned in Atlanta. The 18-year-old from Tennessee talked about living in his car, sang with a British twang, and seemed to charm everyone he interacted with. Until, that is, his final performance in Hollywood, when he couldn’t work with the band and struggled through “Stand By Me.”

Even with that, however, he would have easily been one of the early favorites, especially considering that the 12 men once again look less compelling than the women. As Paula Abdul said after his first Hollywood performance, “You have a magical thing about you. You make the girls fall in love with you, and the guys think you’re cool.”

Video: Down to 24 on ‘Idol’ That appeal may have been the problem, because it left the judges with a difficult decision. If they agreed to make him a semifinalist that put his fate in the hands of the audience, and it probably guaranteed that he would be around for a long time even if he struggled. It made more sense to let him go now before they risked him becoming someone who was passed along from week to week based on his likeability rather than his performances, a la Sanjaya.

It’s a big risk either way. Nobody will know how he would have done had he advanced, but if Leming’s story gets him a round of performances on the morning talk shows and the men don’t come through with some strong performances early in the semifinals, the person who didn’t make it may become bigger news than those who did.

Simon vs. Randy and Paula
The other big surprise was also a male performer who didn’t make it.

Kyle Ensley never seemed like Simon Cowell’s type of singer. He’s a kid from Oklahoma who hopes to enter politics someday. He got Simon’s vote to squeak through the Dallas auditions despite Randy Jackson’s objections, then seemed to lose it again when his first performance in Hollywood resulted in the British judge stalking off the stage.

Video: 'Idol' down to top 24 Ensley got back in everyone’s good graces with a strong effort on the final day, but it proved to be just short of enough. When he and Colton Berry came into the chamber with one spot left for the taking, it was Berry who got the nod.

But before Berry could celebrate, he had to listen to Simon’s half rant, half apology to Ensley. “I want you to know from me, wholeheartedly, that I completely and wholeheartedly disagree with this decision,” Simon told the rejected contestant. “I think you would have had something people would have enjoyed, and I’m really disappointed.”

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Simon also disagreed with the decision to keep David Hernandez, and told the 24-year-old from Phoenix that “I wasn’t the one who said yes … and I think you’re going to have to work an awful lot harder to have even the remotest chance of winning.”

Paula makes them sweat
The rest of the selections were no surprise — at least, not to the audience. The contestants were much less certain, because they had no idea who had gotten all the airtime in the early episodes and also because the judges can be mean people who enjoy making everyone sweat.

Simon saysCarly Smithson has already gotten more airtime that half of the people who sang on the Grammys earlier in the week, and that total increased even more in this episode. Once again, the producers told the story about how she made it in season 5 but got denied by slow visa paperwork. Once again, they showed Simon telling her that her performance was worse than it was two years ago, and once again Smithson reacted with a bug-eyed stare that she undoubtedly regretted the first time she saw it on television and also the nine million times it’s been replayed since.

Paula made her cringe in her seat, telling her that in Hollywood she became “that shy girl who doubts yourself” before Simon finally forced Paula to get to the point and give her the result. Not surprisingly, Smithson advanced to become the first announced contestant to make the list of 24.

“You tortured her,” Simon noted to Paula as Smithson walked out.

She did it again to David Cook. “We deliberated … and I’m happy to say we’ll be seeing you again,” she told the 25-year-old who auditioned in Omaha. “Congratulations.”

Brooke White was nervous even before seeing the judges, especially after she messed up on the piano during her first Hollywood performance. She was crying when she sat down, but they asked her how she was doing anyway because that’s what the script said. “I’m great,” White sobbed. “It’s a big day.”

“Some days I hate having to say this, but … you’re going to be seeing a lot more of us,” Randy said. Fortunately for him, White didn’t pass out in horror at the first part of sentence and managed to make it back to the elevator much happier than when she arrived.

More ecstatic semifinalists
David Archuleta was told matter-of-factly by Simon that the judges had to spend more time debating those contenders who were under 18, “to make sure that they were confident enough to go through what will happen next.” Apparently he passed the ego test, because he’s still in. So is 18-year-old Danny Noriega, who got the news quickly and painlessly.

Michael Johns has always been portrayed as one of the male contenders, and it was no shock that he advanced. Kristy Lee Cook suffered a minor setback when she struggled in her first Hollywood audition and had to sing for her “Idol” life in an elimination round, but it was still no surprise that she made it. Robbie Carrico also advanced, though Simon said it was without the support of Paula.

Syesha Mercado lost her voice early in Hollywood week, but when she found it again on the final day, she blew the judges away. So did rocker Amanda Overmyer, who could contend as long as she’s allowed to sing classic rock every week. They were joined by a pair of younger singers — tiny Ramiele Malubay,who makes the diminutive Ryan Seacrest look like a basketball star, and Asia’h Epperson, who has been nothing but outstanding from her first audition.

Others got the good news … and that was it as far as the cameras were concerned. Chikezie Eze, Jason Yeager, Garrett Haley, Kady Malloy, Amy Davis, Jason Castro, Luke Menard and Alexandra Lushington all got to see their benediction on TV, but not much more.

The final spot of the 24 came down to a choice between Cardin McKinney and Joanne Borgella. Borgella told the judges that she “re-fell in love with singing in Hollywood,” and in doing so earned the right to prove that love to a national audience next week.

Her story continues. For McKinney, along with Leming, Ensley and the 23 others who were eliminated at the last possible stage before the semifinals, it was the end of the road.