Pop-Tart & Beat Box, part dos

If Blake Lewis is to win the American Idol crown Wednesday, he'll have only the Blaker Girls — the name given to his devoted fans — to thank.

The judges all but crowned Jordin Sparks with the title at the end of Tuesday's competition. That left little for voters who weren't already in the Blake or Jordin camps to base their decisions on. (And after Melinda's premature exit from the competition last week, the only voters left may be Blaker Girls and Jordin's Sparkplugs.)

Following Blake's performance of "This is My Now," (the winning entry of the songwriting contest) judge Randy Jackson let it rip with "You don't have to feel that bad about it." Paula, who couldn't — or wouldn't — criticize her Blake if she wanted to, offered "great job." Simon suggested that voters may want to judge Blake on his first two performances, "You Give Love a Bad Name" and "She Will Be Loved."

Host Ryan Seacrest didn't help Blake either with his "So that is all Blake can do" before heading to a commercial break in front of Jordin's try at the song.

Jordin all but sealed her fate — and Blake's too — within the first few notes of her "This is My Now." And the audience and judges knew it, too, despite her weak finish. (Does anyone else think those tears were fake?) Simon summed it up with "You just wiped the floor with Blake."

We weren't impressed with Jordin's first outing, Christina Aguilera's "Fighter." Whereas Blake worked the stage and crowd with "You Give Love," Jordin didn't connect with the song or the audience. Her second song, Martina McBride's "A Broken Wing" was a better performance than the one she gave during Country Week. Clearly, the ballads are her forte and perhaps she chose her song order based on that. Finish strong.

Will Blaker Girls be able dial their boy all the way to the Idol crown?

We think not. And we can't wait until tomorrow's finale.

Because Simon's Melinder — AND OUR PHIL — will be back. (Where they rightfully belong.)

Til then, Garinatics.

Garin (Brangelina is so 2006!)

Gary T. Mills and a tired Erin Patterson/The Times-Union