Feb. 17--ANNE BRALY: I admit that I haven't been keeping up with "American Idol" as much this year. I just started watching it again last week as the contestants were narrowed down to 36. But this is when it starts getting good, so I don't feel as though I've missed too much.

Tatiana Del Toro has to go. She can sing, I'll give her that, but what a drama queen/crybaby. And then there's Nathaniel Marshall; if you can get by all his piercings, his voice isn't all bad, although it has taken him three seasons to get to the first round. I guess there must be a few obnoxious contestants to keep things interesting.

AMY WILLIAMS: There's no doubt this year's "Idol" has plenty of obnoxious contestants, and I agree Tatiana is at the top of the list. She laughs like a crazy person. This season also has its share of sentimental favorites for me, like Danny Gokey, the Robert Downey Jr. look-alike who lost his young wife. He's got a great voice, and he's one of my favorites so far. Scott Macintyre, who is blind, also stands out to me. He's got a beautiful voice, and some on the "American Idol" message boards say he could be the next Josh Groban. I do wonder if he'll actually be able to win it all, though. Funny-guy Nick Mitchell also is entertaining to watch, but I'm not sure how far he'll go.

ANNE: I agree with you wholeheartedly about Danny Gokey. There's a certain charm about him, plus his voice is good. And he seems to have the kind of personality that can handle the fame if he becomes America's next ''Idol.'' One thing that really surprised me, though, is that his best friend and fellow contestant Jamar Rogers didn't make it. I thought his style was quite interesting, with a good voice to match. And much better than the two blue-collar guys who did make it -- Michael Sarver and Matt Breitzke. I don't think they'll go very far. But it would be a shame if they got voted off before Tatiana. I read on several Web sites that her new nickname is "Tatannoying."

AMY: Tatannoying -- that is so appropriate. If she stays around long she's sure to be the "Vote for the Worst" champion, like Sanjaya Malakar from a couple of seasons back. This season's girls are pretty annoying to me for the most part. The catty fighting that dominated the group-singing competition kind of soured me on the girls, but Anne Marie Boskovich is one exception. She seems really natural, from her voice to her style. Some of the other female contestants have too much going on -- like they're trying too hard or something.

ANNE: They may be trying too hard in some ways, but there are several female contestants who obviously aren't trying to wow the American public with their hair. I really thought pink hair and pink highlights went out with the '90s. Obviously, no one bothered to tell Alexis Grace or Kristen McNamara, both of whom have streaks of pink. Then there's Allison Iraheta who has an entire headful. And I don't think it's natural.

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