by Todd Betzold

Five standing ovations by the judges and emotions running high last night on American Idol as the Top 9 laid it all on the table in hopes of winning over America and their votes so they can make it one more week into the competition.

Ryan starts the show out by looking at some tweets from the artists the Idols sang last night...no tweet for DeAndre Brackensick, but he gets a in-person congrats from Eric Benet...you could see how surprised and in awe of Eric he was...so cool.

After a look at the Idols moving out of the hotel and into their new living quarters, the Idol Mansion, we get to the results. Up first: Elise Testone, Phillip Phillips and Hollie Cavanagh. Phillip and Elise are safe, so Hollie is the first one in the bottom three tonight. I called this one in my predictions.

We get a very fun performance by Nikki Minaj (and no ticking off the religious groups this time) before we get back to the results. This time around: Colton Dixon, Joshua Ledet and Heejun Han. Colton is safe...Joshua is safe, so Heejun joins Hollie in the bottom three tonight. I was wrong on this one...I thought Joshua would be bottom three and Heejun safe...we all can't be perfect.

Last season's winner, Scotty McCreery, comes back and performs to take another break from the results. We finally get back to the results and our last three of the night: DeAndre Brackensick, Jessica Sanchez and Skylar Laine. Jessica is safe...DeAndre is safe (how he manages this is beyond me), so Skylar is the last of the bottom three tonight...I'm so ticked!

The bottom three tonight: Hollie, Heejun and Skylar. First one sent back to safety is Skylar, so we are down to Heejun and Hollie. I am so torn...I love both, but I think Heejun is the bottom one. Ryan confirms that, so Heejun gets a chance to sing for his life. As hard as it is to say, I don't see the judges using their save on him. The sad thing is is that he deserved to go home last week after the disaster of a performance he had, but he did amazing last night and deserves to stay. The judges discuss and they will not use the save on him, so he is going home...sad face.

American Idol airs on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8/7c on FOX.

(Image courtesy of FOX)

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