American Idol

Forever in Blue Jeans

The first Neil Diamond song of the evening must have been in a difficult key for Jason, because he keeps moving up and down an octave from the original. Then again, the fact that I know the original = I am old = I am not an Idol voter anyway. A little dull, but fits well enough with Jason's campus-crooner strategy. (Weirdly, Paula critiques both Jason's first *and second* performance, either because she read from her notes from the rehearsal or because she is traveling in time. Am I watching Lost? Find your constant, Paula!)

— by James Poniewozik