'American Idol 10' - Did you eat too many paint chips as a child?

Travis Orlando

I really wasn't going to watch, at least not during air time, but the old 'Idol' lure was just too strong and I couldn't resist. And, despite all my misgivings, I have to say the best part of the show was Steven Tyler.

His comments are wildly amusing and yet he can be serious when it's appropriate. My favorite of the evening had to be the comment he made to Michael Perroto ("Did you eat too many paint chips as a child?") after the 19-year old clobbered "Proud Mary" to death.

Tyler leers at the pretty young girls, cusses (the censor's bleeper had to be working overtime), and drums along with the singers. Clearly, he's enjoying the hell out of this!

As long as the producers don't try to hard to filter Tyler's comments or script him, and just let him be himself, I think this is going to work! He may be "one and done," but this season just got a whole lot more interesting.

The award for best sob story of the evening, maybe even the season, goes to Travis Orlando whose family ended up living in a shelter in the Bronx for a few years after losing their home during the recession. Travis did a respectable job on Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours" and could be one to watch.

Robbie Rosen, who spent part of his childhood in a wheelchair with some kind of hip ailment, but who is now totally cured, was the best audition of the night, but my favorite was Yoji “Pop” Asani who speaks almost no English and can't really sing. But his dance moves (he's studied Michael Jackson for years) were outstanding and his singing "Party in the USA" in broken English one of those memorable 'Idol' moments! Really?

Wednesday at 8 p.m. we move to New Orleans. Thankfully, it's only an hour. 'Idol' is back, and it appears, so am I!