DYER | Amy Davis' camera interview time Wednesday on "American Idol" told viewers how her experience on the hit Fox talent competition has been "like 100 Christmases."
Just minutes later, the Lowell native's holiday elation disappeared, as judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson gave her several lumps of coal with their combined commentary after she took the stage as the fifth singer of the night during the two-hour live broadcast.
But despite the perspective of the judging panel, it's the supportive call-in and texting votes of viewers and the 25-year-old singer's fans that will decide if she is one of the two female contestants sent home during tonight's one-hour telecast at 7 p.m.
The theme for this week's episodes, which began Tuesday night with performances by the 12 male contestants, featured song selections from the 1960s, which each of the 24 finalists had to perform.
Davis, sporting high heels, form-fitting jeans, pulled back hair, hoop earrings and a casual untucked blouse, sang "Where the Boys Are," the Neil Sedaka title song so famously performed by Connie Francis in the 1960 movie of the same name.
"I think she's great," said Pattijo Porter, who owns Finnegan's Pub on U.S. 30 in Dyer with her husband, Roger.
The Porters hosted a viewing party Wednesday to help rally votes for Davis, with "American Idol Season 7" streaming and screaming across every screen and speaker in their bar, to help rally votes for Davis.
"Amy has been performing here on the weekends for years and she's always very popular with all our audiences," Pattijo Porter said.
Davis appeared sanguine, waving to the camera following the harsh remarks from the "American Idol" judges:
"It wasn't great for me," said Jackson, referring to Davis' song rendition.
"There were pitch problems."
Abdul tempered her criticism with the promising words "I will say the camera loves you, Amy," and then continued with "I think the nervousness hurt, because it was a little lackluster."
Living up to his reputation, Cowell delivered the coldest comments.
"It was very boring ... dull," he said.
"It felt like that song went on for 10 minutes."
Following the judges' remarks and quick pan to Davis' parents, Jeanette and Barry, seated in the audience, Davis told show host Ryan Seacrest her experience Wednesday night performing on live television "felt somewhere between shaky and not exactly terrifying."
