LaToya London has long admired the career path of former "American Idol" belter Tamyra Gray. The two share a powerful vocal style and LaToya hopes to mirror Tamyra's path into both acting and singing. One thing LaToya may not have chosen to emulate, however, was Tamyra's premature "Idol" departure.

So it was, though, that on Wednesday night (May 12), LaToya followed in the ignominious footsteps of her role model, departing "American Idol" with a fourth place finish, as less talented performers stayed in the game.

Wednesday's "Idol" results show is, apparently, an installment so wonderful, so fabulous and so splendiferous that it requires more than an hour to unfold. There are supersized commercials, supersized group medleys and supersized guest appearances leading up to 20 seconds of excitement and outrage.

Host Ryan Seacrest begins the profitable time-killing by welcoming viewers to the most unpredictable show on TV. The Four Divas, as FOX keeps insisting on calling them, have raided some tacky costume jewelry store. Diana DeGarmo is wearing a massive [Abandon All] Hope Diamond around her neck, while Fantasia Barrino appears to have two gaudy Swords of Damocles dangling from her ears.

The show can't make it through five minutes of programming before the first of an endless string of advertising breaks.

Even by the standards of a show regularly glutted with filler, the cosmic hot dog that is "American Idol" has rarely contained quite so much sawdust and pig rectum as the segment with Kimberly Berg, a "psychic channeler." So far as we can tell, Berg doesn't do anything particularly psychic, nor does she channel anything particularly profound, but she tells the Final Four what they want to hear.

Stripped of the cumbersome male performers, the group medley is greatly improved. The gals still can't do much dancing, but they interpret the music of Donna Summer with some aplomb. Only Jasmine Trias, singing in an uncomfortable low register, sounds out of place. Ms. Summer even makes a triumphant appearance. She could probably win this competition.

All mention of the men has also been elided from a lengthy commercial for Entertainment Weekly masquerading as a photo shoot piece.

At a surprisingly early point, Ryan begins to drag out the process of revealing the Bottom Two. After a confident Disco Night, Diana is safe. Nobody else hears their fate, before a Ford commercial that somehow manages to mix the cheesy light effects of Laser Floyd with an En Vogue song. It doesn't make me want to buy a Ford (or, rather, a second Ford).

Is there any actual content in this show at all? Bueller? Bueller?

Clay Aiken's back and so are his glasses. The Finalists join the regeekified Clay in an acceptable, but unnecessary performance of "Fantasy." Like Donna, Clay could probably win the competition this season.

Fantasia is next on the hot seat and the American People appear to have given thumbs down to her efforts to perpetrate "Holding Out for a Hero" as a disco song. She's in the Bottom Two. She just smiles and nods.

Clay expresses his disappointment at the dissing of fellow Tarheel Fantasia. Really, though, Clay loves everybody, but not as much as he loves his upcoming tour (coming this summer to a town near you) and his presumptive Christmas album (coming this winter to a record store near you).

What recipe exactly will Donna Summer never have again? Perhaps she's referring to the recipe for hitting high notes, because her rendition of "MacArthur Park" is half-baked.

Despite giving the two weakest performances on Disco Night and breaking into tears after the judges' harsh comments, Jasmine was one of the Top Two votegetters. The boos rain down. Ryan blames America.

Somebody needs to clarify Ryan's role on the show. Just weeks ago he begged viewers to vote for the best performances and not let arbitrary sentiment rule the decision process. This week, though, he took it upon himself to drum up votes for Jasmine, coddling her, cuddling her and practically begging viewers for their sympathy. She was on the verge of tears after the judges' comments on Tuesday, but Ryan pushed her over the edge and, in all likelihood, kept her in the competition. If Ryan's there to be a partisan, so be it, but if he's merely there as brain rotting eye candy, it isn't his place to solicit votes for weaker performers at this stage in the competition.

Anyway, Fantasia and LaToya are the Bottom Two. The judges are disgusted.

"I think, Jasmine, you have a lot of thank you letters to write to Hawaii," Simon notes. Jasmine laughs and grins and nods.

"I think America got this one wrong this week," Paula says.

"I think it's a travesty," Randy Jackson agrees. "I don't know what America's listening to, but they must not be hearing what's really going on."

The results are in. The boos reach fever pitch as LaToya's name is announced. She smiles and mouths, "It's OK" to her fans. She needs to tell Paula, because the former Laker Girl is straight up bawling. Randy seems on the verge of tears as well.

Before the show, a lengthy 20th Century Fox trailer asked "Where Will You Be... The Day After Tomorrow." If you're a passionate "American Idol" fan, odds are you'll still be in chat rooms arguing. Get ready for another USA Today editorial on the death of democracy, because this show has lost yet another dose of credibility.