All This Idol Flash Leaves Contestants in the Shadows
Jonathan Storm
Philadelphia Inquirer, May 8, 2007
http://www.philly.com/inquirer/magazine/20070508_Jonathan_Storm___All_this_Idol_flash_leaves_contestants_in_shadows.html

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"When I did it, they had two modes: play and stop," said Doylestown's Justin Guarini, the original Idol runner-up in 2002, in a telephone interview. "Now they have a huge orchestra, and a beautiful stage. They get to show a lot of what the contestants can do. I think it's great."

Grateful Guarini, who still has ties to the Idol machine with a commentary show on the TV Guide Network, is in the minority. There's malaise in the audience. Things aren't quite right.

Like the others interviewed for this article, he's satisfied with the final four - Melinda Doolittle, LaKisha Jones, Blake Lewis and Jordin Sparks - though Guarini and Schulman both admitted a partiality for bald-headed Phil Stacey, who got the ax last week. "He had a wonderful, warm voice," Guarini said.

The Idol runner-up stood alone in his overall judgment of this year's talent: "The men weren't weak," he said, disagreeing with everyone with functioning ears. "Instead, the women were very strong."