Kiss from Simon a kiss of death
By Jeffrey Jolson

Blake safe, Idol ratings not

HOLLYWOOD, CA (Hollywood Today) 5/10/07 – And then there were three. Turns out a kiss from Simon Cowell is like one from Tony Soprano. LaKisha Jones got the kiss of death from American Idol voters, just a week after getting a smooch from Simon.

Over 45 million votes found the other danger zone crooner Blake Lewis safe and sent a tearful Lakisha, once a front-runner, headed back to Flint Michigan.

Someone must have voted twice. Last week’s show had 25.5 million viewers, according to Nielsen ratings, down from 31 million last year and 28 million earlier this year when Sanjaya was still the one folks tuned in to diss.

Bee Gees singer, Barry Gibb was on hand to coach the Idol hopefuls and sang on the Wednesday night elimination announcement night.

LaKisha looked like one who could win it all. She never did manage to live up to her earlier performances and expectations. Poor song choices and healthy amounts of criticism from the judges contributed to her downfall.

Tuesday’s boogie night was weak all around, and any contestant except Melinda Doolittle could have been voted off — though Jordin Sparks is safe and we are safe from disco, at least for another year.