Another Gray Area

Idol Elimination: Kristy Lee will get Cooked

Last week she benefited from “Country Week,’’ getting to pick from the Dolly Parton songbook. Even then, the country girl finished in the bottom two.

But Idol Elimination players should gamble that Kristy Lee Cook’s luck will run out this week.

Now that Ramiele is gone (thank you, Idol voters), I have to come up with a new pick to go , and it’s hard not to go with the contestant whose legs are long and whose vocal range is short. She’s clearly the weakest of the eight remaining contestants. And with the finalists having to sing “inspirational” songs because of “Idol Gives Back,” the powerhouse vocals those songs tend to require will show off Kristy Lee’s limitations.

That doesn’t mean Wednesday will be the last time we hear her sing. Country-courting Idol singers seem to have more commercial success than other Idol also rans, and Kristy Lee is no worse than Kellie Pickler, who climbed the country charts in her “Red High Heels.” She’ll probably sell more records than some of the folks who will finish ahead of her.