‘Idol’ minute-by-minute: Save a prayer for Paige

Compared to Tuesday night's snoozy episode, Wednesday's elimination, which is usually a dour affair, had a lot more energy than we anticipated. Is the Wham! group number to thank? The sweet pairing of Joe Jonas and Demi Lovato? Or were the Top 10 simply more at ease knowing somewhere in the back of their minds that Paige Miles was most likely going home? Here's our minute-by-minute breakdown of all the action on camera and off…

5:57 p.m. It's three minutes to showtime, and Kara DioGuardi is the first judge to make an entrance. Grinning from ear-to-ear, she makes her way to the judges' table, dancing and having a good ol' time off in Kara World.

5:58 Corey the audience warmup guy intros Randy, elongating the Y in his name for a good seven seconds. Dawg the Talent Hunter practically dives into the mosh pit, high-fiving everyone in sight.

5:59 The Top 11 Idols are marched into the studio single file to take their positions for the group number. Lee Dewyze looks somewhat lost but rolls up his sleeves and gets focused, Michael Lynche looks pumped, the judges seem confused as to why they're surrounded by a bunch of contestants. 

6 As usual, the judges pay little attention to the video package designed to stir the drama, although Simon claps when Randy's mug takes over the screen. 

6:01 Ryan Seacrest's theatrical opening leads to his usual banter with the judges, complete with Simon Cowell scowl. 

6:03 Ryan says the words "Wake Me Up Beofre You Go-Go" and all hell breaks loose in the studio. Lee, however, hesitates for a microsecond.

6:04 Kara's mouth is agape, presumably in disbelief and '80s nostalgia and, in no time, she's getting her moves on junior high-style.

6:05 Some Idols are more rhythmically challenged than others and young Aaron Kelly looks as if he's struggling a bit to keep up. 

6:06 Sure, they're lip-synching, but every one of the Top 11 is also hamming it up for the cameras just the way "Idol" likes it — with "Glee"-like enthusiasm. Yes, even Crystal Bowersox joins in. Dewyze, on the other hand, can't keep those eyes from rolling back.  

6:07 Katie Stevens hand slaps Andrew Garcia as we go to break. Stage manager Debbie Williams begins to arrange the Idols in their respective blue couch spots. Lee first, then Casey James, Tim Urban and Siobhan Magnus.    

6:08 Having just come off a high-energy group number, several of the Idols need quick onstage touch-ups. Casey and Aaron are given the sweat pat-down, Didi and Paige have their hair finessed.

6:10 Ryan takes his spot at the weird see-through podium that looks like it came off a spaceship and leafs through his note cards as the  show comes back on the air. Fortunately, it's not yet time for the bad news. First: a Ford music video shoot. Casey, Lee, Andrew Garcia and Siobhan can't help but laugh.

6:12 The mystery of the bearded hippie is solved when he's revealed to be Siobhan's boss from the glass-blowing shop. And here I assumed he was a pal of Crystal's. What do you call that, dread-judice? 

6:14 Big screams, followed by a long, adoring "awww," ring out when Big Mike is shown carrying his newborn daughter. 

6:15 Says Ryan: "We've got the stools and soon they will be filled." Why does that sound gross? 

6:16 Siobhan is up first, looking cautiously calm even as Ryan squeezes every drop of stress out of the situation. Fortunately, it's wicked good news for this Cape Codder, and she can relax for the rest of the night.

6:17 Lee and Casey stand and await their fate, and this is one moment when the judges are paying attention, especially Kara.

6:18 Psych! Ryan jumps to Paige and Tim instead and a collective, "Huh?" is heard from the crowd.

6:19 Paige is standing at attention looking stiff and sad. She senses it's her time. Indeed, she lands in the bottom three. Tim, however, thinks he's gotten a reprieve. Psych again! Grab a stool, friend.

6:20 At break time, the mood had changed considerably. All but Siobhan were still at risk of exit; no wonder she was the only one waving to friends in the crowd.

6:21 Those in the front pits, many of whom had stood for the entirety of Miley Cyrus' pre-tape earlier, were starting to feel it in their legs. So for this video performance, they got to sit for a bit. 

6:24 With twenty seconds to go, there are no judges in sight. But it doesn't really matter as Miley's performance of "When I Look At You" was actually recorded a couple hours earlier in the same studio. When Miley mentions liking Tim's knee slide the previous night, he just shrugs from the stool. 

6:29 Miley's performance was an onslaught of hair flailing and facial emoting and it took the audience a minute to recover. You could say the same of the Top 11, who simply looked drained.

6:31 Love birds Ellen DeGeneres and Porta de Rossi are spotted walking hand-in-hand. It's amazing, the two rarely spend a moment outside of immediate sight range. 

6:32 A ridiculously adorable 5-year-old New Yorker named Jaspar charms the pants off of every person in the "Idol" studio, especially Casey, Lee and Crystal, who all want hugs. Big Mike, on the other hand, gives the kid an airlift with little more than the push of a finger. 

6:33 With the judges and Seacrest M.I.A. (again), Debbie offers their jobs to young adorable Jaspar. Guess what? He's not interested. 

6:35 Ryan finally lets Lee and Casey off the hook. Whew. They can both resume breathing. Aaron Kelly is next, garnering only a mild applause when his name is called. Still, he's safe, and he clutches his hands to his heart in thankful relief.

6:36 It's Didi's turn and Simon's crack about the irony of "You're No Good" is greeted with boos, to which he simply sticks out his tongue. Poor Didi, not only does she not "get" what the judges wanted out of her, she can't even hear what they're saying. And that really is no good. 

6:37 Ryan cuts to the vote, holds Didi's hand and she is safe.

6:38 Big Mike's reveal comes off like a Band-Aid, quickly and with no pain. Of course he's safe.

6:39 Another no-brainer for Crystal Bowersox, who takes each and every opportunity to reassert her independence with a snappy retort. Indeed, not only is she through to next week and the tour, she stands alone at this point. 

6:40 Katie and Andrew are next on the chopping block, fully aware that one or the other will be taking the walk of shame to the stools across the stage. Many were convinced it would be Andrew. After all, can you really recover from being accused of "sucking the soul" out of Motown?

6:42 Apparently you can, because Katie is the one who lands in the bottom three. Fortunately, it's a short stay as she is not the lowest vote-getter of the night. 

6:44 The lights are dimmed for the commercial break, but you can see Katie flanked on all sides by her fellow Season 9ers. Mike looks ecstatic to have her back, and even Simon flashes his signature smile as he exits for another break.

6:46 Mike, Andrew, Casey and Aaron huddle at the top of the couches as the stage is set for the Joe Jonas and Demi Lovato duet.

6:47 The shrieks are absolutely deafening as the two take the stage for their hit "Make a Wave." No "American Idol" contestant could elicit the kind of volume that comes with absolute mania. Maybe Adam Lambert.

6:50 Joe Jonas was the guest judge when Tim Urban auditioned! Another fun fact for the night, in addition to Siobhan's boss' vow to not trim his beard until she is eliminated — which is, hopefully, never.  Better on the spot in this setting than at a judges' table, Joe Jonas cracks a joke and proceeds to charm all in a single swoop. The power of a Jonas. It's a curious thing.

6:51 The last commercial break is upon us and the judges quickly jump on stage to say hello to their guest performers.

6:52 Ever the gentleman, Joe Jonas makes a beeline for the Top 11, gives Andrew a giant bro hug and proceeds to shake each and every finalist's hand. Demi is not far behind, but time is short and the stage has to be cleared for the final act so the two make a hasty exit.

6:54 With 20 seconds to spare, the judges rush back to deliberate on one person's fate, and whether to use the precious "save." 

6:55 Paige's time is up, and in an unexpected move, Simon says the judges will not even consider using the save option on her, bypassing the torturous "sing for your life" segment. "It's not working," he simply stated. "I don't wanna give you any false hope here, it's the end."

6:57 The crowd oohs and awws during Paige's teary goodbye montage, but she's keeping it together, and amazingly, Paige belts her exit song, "All Right Now," with more confidence and control than she's shown in weeks. The pipes were back, but it's too little, too late for this Florida girl.

6:58 With Big Mike grooving away, Kara and Ellen offering a standing ovation and the credits rolling, Tim Urban jumps the gun and starts making his way to center stage for the traditional post-elimination group hug. Oops. A little early, but no harm done.

7 The judges make their way onto the stage to give Paige some final words of encouragement. Simon is especially attentive and respectful in moments like this; It's when you see that there really is a warm guy beneath that icy exterior.

7:02 With the judges cleared from the room, Season 9 comes together in a giant huddle — a send-off to one of their own, who'll certainly live to sing another day, just not on the "Idol" summer tour.

– Shirley Halperin

Follow @IdolTracker on Twitter

Photo: The Top 11 perform Wham!'s "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go." Credit: Michael Becker / PictureGroup

Visit Source