With American Idol Season 8 on the books, here are the best performances of the season. I didn’t include any of the results show performances, or Kris and Adam singing with Queen and Adam singing with Kiss would probably have been number one and two.

Many of the American Idol contestants, both current and former, are popping up on Twitter. Unfortunately, I can’t guarantee that these are all real.

In fact, I can guarantee that some are fakes, as some have multiple accounts claiming to be that person. For now, I’m listing the multiples until I can determine the authoritative account.

There was a great deal at stake tonight, as everyone who is safe tonight is going on the summer tour, and thus knows that he or she at least gets some money from all the abuse they receive from Simon Cowell (and for having to try and figure out what the hell Paula Abdul is talking about every week).

And to open the show, Ryan Seacrest tells us that there were thirty-one million votes, and that the results may shock us.

It’s Country Week on American Idol, with songs from members of the Grand Ole Opry.

Overall, a night of solid performances, with only one or two that were rather poor.

The theme of the night was the “Music of Michael Jackson”. I was going to ask how much MJ paid for this promotion, but I doubt he could afford the price.

The contestants entered from alternating staircases, which led to a nauseating back and forth with the camera. Try something else, Fox.

And I have to ask, did Paula strangle a bird with the strap of her dress?

I have a confession to make. I’m an American Idol junkie. Yes, I know it’s trash television, that it’s probably rotting my brain, that it represents much of what is wrong with our country, and that my watching it means the terrorists have already won.

But I’m completely hooked.