If you haven't been watching MTV News' "Idol Party Live" with "American Idol" expert Jim Cantiello, you are missing out. Every Thursday at noon ET, tune in to MTV.com for a fun-filled post-"Idol" chat show full of fresh, lively and interactive analysis of Wednesday night's performance episode and predictions for Thursday night's results show.
On Thursday's (April 14) installment of "Idol Party Live," Cantiello and guest co-host Eric Ditzian were joined via Skype by season-six standout Melinda Doolittle. When Cantiello asked Doolittle to name a few favorites from the current season, she surprised her host by calling out jazz enthusiast Casey Abrams.
"I hear that Casey is a little bit polarizing right now," Doolittle said. "I love him. I absolutely adore him. I think he's so innovative. The end of that song made me get up off my couch and throw my blanket at him."
Cantiello, who has expressed far less enthusiasm for Abrams, then brought up the fact that Doolittle was the first one to introduce jazz on the show, not Abrams, and asked the soulful singer if she felt affronted by the judges making such a fuss over Abrams' jazz "introduction."
"No not in the least," she said. "I want to make sure that when the show is over we can go on tour together. I need to work with Casey. I think he's fabulous and he is bringing something new to the show."
Doolittle said she didn't come into "Idol" as a jazz singer as Abrams has. "I love jazz music and love to do it, but I came in as a soul singer. He has a lock on that jazz thing," she said of Abrams. "I love it. Maybe [season-six contestant] Paris Bennett before then, but he's really doing his thing."
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