Judging the Judges: Semifinals Week 3

SIMON COWELL

For the first time in the competition, Simon finally broke down and commented on Sanjaya's long, coiffed locks, suggesting that perhaps it's his 'do that's keeping him in the competition week to week.

ANTHONY: You never know what people are going to grab onto these days. I mean, he does have unusual hair. But Sanjaya is still in the competition because of his appeal, and he's got a really good voice. I just think he hasn't found the right songs to really showcase that.

AMY: Not fair — well, I don't know. I think [it's true] for people who can hear and can understand where [Simon's] coming from, because Sanjaya's singing is not keeping him there. So I'm in the middle about that: It's like, Damn, oh, that sucks, that was not fair. But then other than that... Yeah, it's a fair comment, you know?

ACE: Simon luckily only talked about my singing, never my hair. But your hair is part of your appearance, and he's definitely going to let you know if he likes your outfit. He's looking for the total package. If something sticks out like a sore thumb or if something really complements something else, he's going to tell you. It's just his opinion.

Simon made it clear that he expected more out of heartthrobs Chris Richardson and Brandon Rogers.

ANTHONY: That's the thing: When you have a certain expectation of somebody, you always, always push them. Because the only way you can get better in this business as an artist if you always have somebody pushing you, and you never, never settle. So I don't think Simon said what he said to knock [them]; it was more, you know, ''All right, fellows, it's top 12 now — step it up.''

ACE: Simon told me that during Hollywood week. I think Simon is trying to get under everybody's skin, trying to get everyone to give as much as they possibly have and everything they don't know they have. Now is the time; the whole world's watching. Simon loves someone that has the strength to stand up to him. Chris [Daughtry] learned that.

AMY: With Chris [Richardson], I agree that there probably is a lot more in there. With Brandon, I don't think there's a whole lot more. I think what you see is what you get with him. I think he probably doesn't know a lot of who he is, and it's probably hard for him. That was one of my biggest problems in the competition — I didn't know who I was yet. I can see where he is coming from.

Simon prophetically hinted at Sabrina Sloan's ejection from the competition with the comment that while she was a great singer, her performance lacked emotion and personality.

ANTHONY: Well, I don't know. I thought it was a very, very good song choice for her, and I think if she was to make a record, this is the kind of record that she would make. But I think she may have overshouted some of the notes, and maybe that's what got to Simon in terms of emotion. It was a little bit over-the-top. She doesn't need to push her voice that much because that voice is there. It's right there in your face, so I think that's what he was talking about.

KIMBERLEY: I agree with that on that particular song, and I'll tell you why. Overall I thought only two of the girls were singing in the right key [for their voice]. I think that was Sabrina's problem. That song was not in the right key for her, and that's the unfortunate thing. If they haven't done any live performing, they don't know where their strong points are and how to make that work for them. It's one of my favorite songs, but I didn't think she brought it because I don't think she was comfortable with the key.

Simon was also the first to publicly comment on the show about the steady stream of candid photographs of Antonella Barba leaked to the Internet, commending the singer for weathering the media storm but ultimately concluding that she had reached the limits of her talent.

ANTHONY: I don't know that he should have commented on the whole controversy thing, because obviously it does affect [the way] people vote. Stick to the singing. That's what the show is about.

KIMBERLEY: I agree with [Simon]. I think that he had her on the show because she was cute. He was pulling for her, [but] she hasn't stepped up to the plate, and now he's ready to get rid of her. Because Simon is one of those kind of people: ''I love you one minute, I hate you the next — when you don't step up to the plate.'' And rightly so.

AMY: Simon telling Antonella that he just wishes she could sing better [was] my favorite part of the whole night. She was very similar to Alaina [Alexander]. When they got a criticism, they would object: ''Well, you know what, I tried my hardest and this is how I sing and I'm staying true to myself.'' No, no. ''True to yourself'' is one thing, but if you are saying you need to [sing] and grow and be better, that is advice you need to take. Stephanie Edwards, she listened and she could just take it. That is what a real singer is. Even people like Celine and Mariah, they still want to see how much more they can do and how much better they can sing.

Haley Scarnato? Simon couldn't remember her name — and he told her so.

KIMBERLEY: That's his job. Yeah, it's fair. He is looking for someone who is going to make a pop idol. A pop idol can't be somebody that people don't remember from one day to the next. I don't even know why she's in this competition. Jordin [Sparks], Melinda Doolittle, and LaKisha [Jones] are singing circles around that girl. That's why she's not memorable.

ANTHONY: That was a bit of a low blow. It's one thing to say, ''You didn't perform well,'' but to say, ''Hey, who are you?''... There's a tremendous amount of pressure when you're up on that stage and you're performing, and I think that it really wasn't necessary.

ACE: That's Simon trying to get under her skin. Saying that you don't know her name is saying that you better bring everything that you have next week. He wants everyone to succeed. He doesn't want to sit there and not be entertained. He wants to be blown away. Everyone is great, that's why they're there, so that's him just probing.

AMY: That was the worst. I can't even imagine being Haley, standing there doing what it is that you feel you do best and then the person that is judging you saying that they don't even know your name. That I would have taken personally. He probably should have kept that in his little secret heart box and thought about it when he was laying in bed at night, like, ''I didn't even know that girl's name.'' But with a British accent.