[RichieLion]

Thanks Shirleevee and Red; I really appreciate your response to my amateur music reviews. I'm really tickled.

I'm watching the show, and Idol mentor Jimmy Iovine gives a little individual feedback before each performance, in those backstage clips, and it seems to me that the "judges" are using his comments to form their own reviews and it's coloring their assessment of the contestants performance. They keep referring to what he said before the contestants even sing live before the audience. They have to ignore that and just judge that live performance.

They should be listening with an open mind, but I feel they already have their favorites and are critical of contestants they have predetermined opinions about. Naima, in particular, who rarely catches a break. This weeks performance was better than last weeks Motown which they praised. (for her dancing, unbelievably)