Pop Cultural District

who's it gonna be?

Yeah, Brooke is outie. L8R! Oh, lawd, she's losing it in the final song. Top Chef next!

In honor of my Peter Murphy/Neil Diamond comparison, here's one of my fave Murphy solo songs.

-- Mark Lowry

Ford and Diamond

Was that Donovan's Catch the Wind in the Ford commercial? Didn't suck, I'll leave it at that.

And now Neil is singing. Hey, has anyone else ever listened to Peter Murphy's solo stuff and thought that he kinda sounds like Neil Diamond? But when I hear Neil, I don't think Peter Murphy. Weird. Although I'd love to hear Neil do Bela Lugosi's Dead (which is Bauhaus, I know).

Neil's mom has the big glasses to match her big hair. Love it!

And I'm rambing. Please get to the decision.

-- Mark Lowry

Ludba aluap

That's "Paula Abdul" backwards, signifying how completely bored I am with this. Why isn't the results show down to 30 minutes now?

So Simon kissed a girl named Tara Miller when he was 9? I do hope none of Simon's other former paramours call in and offer up details. Now, if any of Ryan's do, I'll personally pay money for that bit of info.

-- Mark Lowry

no surprise

David Cook is safe, as it should be. He's easily the most talented one of this bunch. Oh BTW, the group-sing was, as usual, so unforgettable that I can't even remember enough of it to blog about it.

Here's Natasha Beddingfield, who had a few songs I liked a few years ago until every shampoo commercial and chick flick trailer used Unwritten ad naseum. Maybe Sharpie shoulda jumped on that bandwagon. Or those erasable crayons.

-- Mark Lowry

here we go ...

I didn't even see last night's American Idol but I know Jason was the worst, and I have to say I'm stunned that he's safe. He needed to be done a long time ago. I'd be happy if any of them but David Cook went home. Ooh, and Archuleta is safe too (way over him, cuz he's boring). My guess is it'll be Syesha, but please let it be Brooke, with her -- as my colleague Heather Svokos calls it -- perma-pout.

-- Mark Lowry

Daytime Emmy Award Nominees

Get 'em here.

Maybe Paula will explain it better tonight

Because this explanation for her Jason Castro blunder is about as lucid as, well, Paula after a round of codeine cough syrup and Chablis.

And in anticipation for tonight's show, our poll tells us that you guys think Jason will be the one to fly over the rainbow tonight, even before the Brookester.

-- Heather Svokos

Gossip Girl: Continuing to be the most awesome show ever

So yesterday I posted a coming-out-of-the-closet spoiler that, if true, will erase the memories of at least one episode of Season 3 of The OC forever. (Yes, Josh Schwartz, I'm still mad about it.)

Today, two more spoilers.

First up: There's going to be some girl on girl action. I'd wondered if perhaps this might play play into Serena's big secret, and, according to Perez Hilton, it does. (Even though I like the way this show flirts with sexuality - like having Eric get all jittery and crushy around Jenny before he comes out of the closet - this spoiler doesn't come out and say this plot development will be sexual. Which means it could also be a girl fight.)

Also, proving that the show's writers do, indeed, occasionally live inside my head, they've cast the adorable Lisa Loeb as a socialite. I'm embedding the video for "Stay" because I'll bet you want to listen to it now.

- Erin White

'Iron Man' Gets Suicidal

Went to a screening of Iron Man last night and, no surprise, Black Sabbath's song of the same name makes an appearance as do AC/DC's Back in Black and this chestnut from the '80s, Suicidal Tendencies' classic teenage rage anthem, Institutionalized. It made us a little bit nostalgic.

---Cary Darling

Big Weekend for Comics Fans

Yesterday, we told you about Free Comic Book Day Saturday but comics fans also shouldn't forget about Cape 4, the three-day comics and pop-culture expo in Dallas this weekend at Craddock Park. The free main event is held at Craddock Park (near the Tollway and Lemmon) on Saturday. More info: www.capeday.com

---Cary Darling