Rock Star: Supernova -- Elimination Show Week 2

Somehow, the tone-deaf, vocally-challenged, combative Zayra survived this week's elimination episode of Rock Star: Supernova. Maybe the band likes her chutzpah. Maybe the producers (like me) think she makes for good car-wreck TV. Or maybe it was because it was her first trip to the bottom three. Whatever the reason, bland Southerner Chris -- in the bottom three for the second week in a row, despite his awesome perm -- got the old heave ho.

The episode began with footage from the mansion, which was filmed immediately after the performance show ended. Lukas, Chris, and Jill were defensive about the negative comments they'd received from the band. However, Toby reminded them that it was in their own best interests to act on Supernova's advice, since they are the ones who will ultimately choose the winner.

When asked about the footage and their comments from the performance show, nearly every contestant was conciliatory, if not obsequious. But Zayra wouldn't back down from her statement that the guys in Supernova had their heydays when she was still an infant.

Gilby asked Zayra if she felt it was important to be familiar with the Supernovans past albums. Zayra explained, "I am familiar, but you asked if I owned anything." She elaborated that, growing up in Puerto Rico, she couldn't afford to buy whole albums. She was only able to afford 45RPM record singles. Gilby nodded and smiled with the smug satisfaction that comes only from knowing you once amassed a huge fortune by taking every last dime of disposable income from the pockets of young Puerto Rican girls. I know that smile; I've worn it myself.

Toby gave an encore performance of "Somebody Told Me" that was just as good as the night before. Then it was time to announce which performers landed in the bottom three.

Jenny was the only other person to spend time at the bottom besides the three singers -- Zayra, Chris, and Jill -- mentioned as the early bottom-feeders at the end of last night's performance show. Eventually, Jenny's vote totals went back up, and the original bottom three became the final bottom three.

Jill - "Bring Me To Life" by Evanescence
It was smart to do a song that Zayra butchered last week. Jill did a much better job with it, and Zayra didn't look amused during the performance. This is the Jill we've waited to see. She set the bar super high for Zayra and Chris.

Zayra - "You Really Got Me" by The Kinks
She liked her own arrangement so much, Zayra decided she wanted a chance to improve on her first performance. She actually did do a better job, not that it could've been much worse. She added a few hysterical screams that managed to stay in key, and she added some spastic upper body movements as well. She showed that she might have the potential to be more of a performance artist than even Dilana.

Chris - "If You Can Only See" by Tonic
If this was authentic Chris, I think I want inauthentic Chris back. His eyes were squinting and reopening out of sync with one another, and his mouth looked like a hole punched through a piece of sad, wet clay; his face looked like it was melting. But he actually did a decent job singing. It was the best we'd heard from Chris, so at least he got to end on a high note.

After deliberating with his bandmates, Gilby commended Jill on her voice, Zayra on her performance, and Chris on his willingness to act on their comments. After a brief pause, Tommy told Jill what the rest of us already knew. She was safe this week.

Despite Chris's efforts to change in order to please Supernova, Tommy told Chris that he "didn't cut it" and was the second rocker eliminated. Zayra returned to the other contestants and celebrated by sitting in Phil's lap and lying on Magni.

Dave told Chris that tonight's performance was his best, and each of the guys made a point of encouraging Chris. But like the band said, Zayra does put on a heck of a show. That was reason enough to keep her around for another week.