For me American Idol hasn’t been as compelling in its 4th season so far. Until last night, that is, when the man with the longest tongue, Gene Simmons of Kiss, starred as a guest judge. The man known as Demon in one of my favorite (insert snicker) ultra-cheese B grade flicks: Kiss Meets The Phantom of the Park.. The only redeeming moment in that absolutely ghastly film is the acoustic guitar version of Beth. I wish Kiss would have released that somewhere (maybe they did?).

I digress. Last night Simmons and the ultimate pessimistic judge Simon Cowell tag teamed New Orleans to let a low of 16 AI contestants through to Hollywood. The word that Simmons kept saying over and over is one Cowell is all too familiar with: “no.” I don’t have any idea what a rock / disco / rock frontman like Simmons has to do with the music that proliferates American Idol, but it was at least interesting to see him there. Randy and Paula were so disgusted at one point that they actually walked out. Tonight AI is doing Vegas auditions and we have it TiVO’d so I’m about to head to bed and check it out but first I was sitting here chuckling thinking about last night’s show. I wondered what the AI ratings have been like this season so far and it seems like signs are good.