I admit that when I first learned that teen-queen Miley Cyrus would be the guest mentor on "American Idol" this week, I bristled and balked. Considering that past "Idol" mentors have been veterans with decades of experience--Smokey Robinson, Dolly Parton, Burt Bacharach, Stevie Wonder, Brian May and Roger Taylor of Queen, Gladys Knight--the idea that Miley (who, at 17, is younger than all of this season's remaining contestants except for Aaron Kelly) would be doling out advice seemed very suspect. But Crystal Bowersox, arguably the most indie-credible contestant of Season 9, showed Miley some real respect Tuesday night by asking Miley to autograph her six-string. ("I always have powerful and beautiful women sign my guitar," Crystal explained; other honorable signees include Melissa Etheridge and past guest judge Shania Twain.)

And Crystal had a point. Honestly, Miley is no Gladys Knight, but she was surprisingly credible as a mentor this week; some of her advice seemed to really help

After the shocking and saddening eliminations of my favorite two "American Idol" contestants of the season, Lilly Scott and Alex Lambert, the last thing I felt like doing on Thursday night was partying. Or so I thought. Because then again...what better way to mourn this week's bummer results than by pouring out a little Coke in honor of this week's castoffs, at Fox's official top 12 party?

The dozen Season 9 contestants (along with past Idols like Justin Guarini, Kimberley Locke, and this week's results show performers, Matt Giraud and Scott MacIntyre) all hit the West Hollywood nightclub Industry after Thursday's controversial show. And I was right there with them--cuddling up with real live Idols and with souvenir theme pillows, and drowning my post-elimination sorrows in "Idol"-logo'd buckets of mac 'n' cheese and martini glasses filled to their sugared rims with Idolicious cocktails. (A jalapeño-infused vodka elixir dubbed "The Judge's Wrath" seemed like an ideal adult beverage of

"This is the worst night to go, because you're so close," Simon Cowell gravely intoned to the remaining eight ladies on "American Idol" Tuesday night, unsubtly pressuring them to perform at their personal best. After all, this was the night that would determine which six girls would advance to the all-important top 12 next week, so they all needed to sing like they'd never sung before.

Well, they sang like they'd never sung before, all right. They were even worse.

OK, maybe that's a little harsh. Some of the eight female semifinalists were good on Tuesday. But that's just it: They were GOOD. They weren't great. Few of them really seemed like they were competing at all--like they had that hunger, that drive, that unrelenting desire to be the next American Idol. This was odd, because all of these girls are undeniably talented. What the heck is happening this season?

Almost all of the girls this week perplexingly picked safe, slow songs (did they not learn any lessons from John Park last

It's fitting that Jason Castro performed at Monday night's televised wedding of "The Bachelor" couple Jason and Molly--the first actual marriage in "Bachelor" history--since both Jasons are examples of reality stars getting second chances. For instance, Jason Mesnick got another shot with Molly after inititally picking another bachelorette, Melissa Rycroft. And Jason Castro finally got a major-label record deal nearly two years after stalling at fourth place on "American Idol," and he is finally releasing his full-length debut album this year.

Honestly, I'm still not so sure about Jason M. and Molly's future marital success. (I'm admittedly pretty skeptical about their union, considering how Jason M. so unceremoniously dumped Molly on national TV and then equally unceremoniously bailed on Melissa on that infamous "After The Final Rose" telecast when he had a controversial change of heart.) But as for Jason Castro's future success, I'm pretty optimistic. Castro, a newlywed