AMERICAN IDOL NOTES:
Finally! Big Talent in the Big Apple! Another two hour show (boo!) and another guest judge (double boo!), but now the contenders are starting to emerge.
There were a few who stuck out for me last night... First, Sarah Burgess made it through with a decent voice and a sob story about how her dad doesn't support her... Before you dismiss her, remember it worked for Kellie Pickler last year.
Second, the two best friends Amanda Coluccio and Antonella Barba... Antonella was better, but we'll see if their rivalry gets any meaner when one of them is on the line to go to the next round and the other isn't.
Finally, the last two Hollywood-bound performers of the evening... Christopher Richardson has the look and the voice. Paula swooned and Simon complimented-- always a good combination. And I was glad to see Nicholas Pedro come back... he quit last year in the Hollywood round when he was flustered, but he earned his way back. We'll see if he can get to America's vote.
35 people made it to Hollywood, making it the most successful audition site so far.
PARTY PLANNING GUIDE
This morning, we gave you our guide to planning the perfect party... Need a step by step recap? Click here.
FOLLOW-UP: WET YOUR SPONGES BEFORE YOU MICROWAVE THEM!
Earlier this week, we told you about the study from the University of Florida that found your SPONGES are germ magnets. . . and the best way to sanitize them is to stick them in the microwave.
Well, apparently, people have been doing that. . . but having some issues because they didn't hear the whole bit of advice: Make sure to WET the sponges first, or they could catch on fire. Also, don't do this if they're steel wool or have any metal in them. You're welcome.
HOW SAD...
According to a new survey, both adults and children are becoming more dependent upon technology and dismissing the importance of crucial skills.
1 out of 4 adults (25%) and 1 out of 5 children (20%) said they didn't feel learning how to spell is important. With "spell-check" on most computer programs, they feel the "skill" is overrated.
Also, 26% of adults and 25% of kids didn't think it was important to know how to use a traditional dictionary.
And 20% of adults and 21% of kids think it's unncecessary to be able to read a map.
Let's teach our kids these important skills before the problem gets any worse.
