Idol Chatter

GINA GLOCKSEN

was voted off "American Idol" last night. Music writer Jonathan Takiff goes it solo on the "Idol" chatter beat this week. (TV writer Ellen Gray returns from vacation next week.)

WHY SHE GOT THE BOOT: Not that she sang badly, but Gina's punked out look was a real disconnect with "Smile." Didn't she get the memo (everybody else did) to dress the part for standards week? More seriously folks, look at this week's top three vote getters - Melinida, Lakisha and Jordin - by far the strongest singers in the competition. With voters torn between just them, there was no room left at this party for an almost-as-good female belter. With attitude.

WHO WE'D HAVE SENT HOME:

Sorry to sound like a broken record, but hey, so does Sanjaya Malakar. Also hanging by a thread: Haley "Miss Congeniality" Scarnato and Phil "Hey, I'm a Dad" Stacey.

WE JUDGE THE JUDGES:

Guest coach and inspiration Tony Bennett sure nailed it with Melinda Doolittle ("best singer all day") and was duly dubious of Blake Lewis' glib gloss-over of "Mack the Knife." But we were scratching our heads over Bennett's unexpected praise for Sanjaya and characterization of the bottom-notes-weak Phil as "a real good singer." Then "Me Too" Paula perversely piled on, proclaiming Phil a "young Frank Sinatra." Maybe she was thinking Frank Jr. Without his toupe.

WATER-COOLER WHINE:

For the past few weeks, national radio personalities Howard Stern (Sirius), Don Imus (Westwood One syndication) and Ted Kelly (XM) have tried to turn "A.I." into a bad joke. They've been urging listeners to rally behind www.votetheworst.com and crown Sanjaya King of Fools. Stern is on vacation and off the case this week. But native Philadelphian Kelly, morning host on the international U-Pop channel, could still inflict damage. He has listeners in India who really know how to work the phones for a brother. *