I must start off this week by apologizing to David Cook. In my first column for EW.com, I doubted his talent, and for that I was wrong.

Top 12 week is perhaps the most stressful week of any that you deal with during your run on American Idol. Thursday night, you find out you have made the top 12 and, after you say goodbye to your friends who got cut, you are whisked away to your first ''red carpet'' (although the top 24 got one this year as well). Your picture is taken thousands of times, and you do several interviews. By the time you make it into the party, though, everyone else is leaving, and then you have to go home to your hotel.

When you get to the hotel, you have to pack up your stuff, because on Friday you move. Friday is also your first (and only) day of rehearsals for the next week with your vocal coach. You finalize your pick, work out the arrangement with your coach — then you go move. In between rehearsal and moving, you also must go shopping with a stylist — you have to look good for top 12! Friday's a 16- or 17-hour day, and Saturday starts off even earlier, heading to a rehearsal studio to perform for the first time with the full band, including brass and strings.

After rehearsal, it's off to a studio to record the audio for the first few weeks of the Ford commercials. Another 16- or 17-hour day, and then you collapse into bed. Sunday starts around 7 a.m. and it's off to film the first Ford commercial. These are actually fun, but definitely tiring. Another 15-hour day, and it's off to bed. Monday is rehearsal on stage with the band, working out key movement and camera angles. This day is also used to finish shopping for clothes, if need be.

By the time Tuesday comes, you just want to sleep or kill someone. But you must perform and perform well, because it's only two more weeks to make it to the Idol tour and, believe me, that's all anyone is thinking about at that point. It's a nice paycheck and, if you're lucky, it can be a nice sendoff from management company 19 Entertainment to go start a career (thanks, guys!). Unfortunately, two people have to go home before then, which leads to performance night. Top 12 week is the week to come out and show that you can win this thing.

THE THREE BEST
Chikezie stepped out of his shell and became a front-runner in my book. He KILLED it! Let's hope America agrees. Jason Castro confirmed his status as my personal favorite. If he doesn't make the top 5, I'll be very surprised — he's artistic, smart with song choice, and a good musician (despite failing music theory!). David Cook rocked ''Eleanor Rigby.'' His voice sounded incredible. I think he really stepped out tonight. He'll be here for a while.

NEXT PAGE: Chris Sligh on the other nine contenders' performances — and who he'd put in this week's bottom three

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