First of all, I would like to congratulate America for getting it right and leaving the 4 best singers in the competition. America got a big assist from Idol - by adding more phone lines and increasing the amount of time to call, the chances of an upset significantly diminished.

That being said, it's time to see someone leave this week. And we'll go back to the ice cream theory to explain who should be safe and who has plenty to worry about.

Blake Lewis should clearly be safe. not necessarily because he's the best singer (he isn't), but because he's the only male pop singer left. Sure. some of his arrangements have been weird, but they have been more hit than miss, and that will get him to next week.

Jordin Sparks should also be safe. It's not because she is the best singer in the competition (she isn't), but her song selections have been the best out of the 4, and she should be able to choose well this week and stay loyal to her young, poppy fans.

That leaves us Lakisha Jones and Melinda Doolittle. Are you going to see 2 pure R and B singers in the final three? Probably not, and because neither singer really diversified their portfolio, one of these 2 singers will probably not get there. Lakisha has a chance here, not because she is the best singer in the competition (she isn't - she's probably the weakest one left), but because her fans know that she is in trouble.

Melinda IS the best singer in the competition, but part of the game in American Idol is to create the biggest fan base, and although she is technically great, the song selections, which have been mostly old R and B standards, have been awful and it may come to haunt her this week. She needs to blow Lakisha out of the water this week - or she needs Blake or Jordin to be mediocre enough so that their fan base deserts them.

Who should be leaving? Lakisha. But will it be her? Or will Final Four
week, which has been decorated with one of the favorites being booted, (Tamyra Gray, LaToya London, Chris Daughtry) add another victim? We'll see in the Idol Thoughts column tomorrow.

G.