Another look at Idol: So what the heck is going on?

So last night I was not too happy about the way things turned out...not with the contestants, but with the judges. The eliminations went along as expected. There's a lot of good talent so I think they'll end up with some amazing competitors when they finally whittle the group to 24 contestants.

What bothered me last night was the way the judges came across...not in their judging, but in their personalities. I don't like the role Steven Tyler had to play, especially last night. He is a quirky, talented, interesting guy, but is now having to play the role of placater, soother, and normal nice guy. He's a rock singer and besides being a fabulous singer and song writer, he has the reputation of being a little weird and doing the unexpected. That's what I love about him. I do not like what they are doing to him on Idol.

He's not playing the nice guy role for the contestants alone, but as of last night, when Jennifer Lopez broke down, he and Randy are now soothing her. I hated that that happened last night. I know sometimes it's hard to eliminate contestants who are likable and talented, but that's the judges' jobs. She had the difficult task of having to tell a favorite contestant who had a very tragic and emotional story at the base of his reason for trying out that he didn't make it. Lopez felt she didn't do a good job of telling him and broke down after he left.

"I don't want to do this any more," she cried as the tears streamed down her face. Steven and Randy tried to calm her down with soft soothing support but it didn't work. I was really turned off by the whole scene...and I'm not a cold person. I hated the way it made the guys look.

Paula Abdul and Ellen DeGeneres has the same problems with letting people go and critiquing their performances, especially Ellen, but they didn't cry. That really bothered me.

I'm anxious to see what happens tonight. I hope Lopez has herself together and that they complete the final process of picking the 24 who will start the real show next week.