Even the family of Ramiele Malubay didn’t look shocked that she was eliminated at the end of last night’s episode of “American Idol.”

Considering her place among the Top 9, I ranked her last as far as her Dolly Parton week performance and overall repertoire were concerned. As Entertainment Weekly’s Michael Slezak correctly pointed out, it seemed like everything she sang was already done on “Idol” either a million times before (Phil Collins’ “Against All Odds,” whose lyrics Malubay mangled) and/or nailed by a previous contestant (Carrie Underwood’s untouchable performance of Heart’s “Alone”).

Although I never really loved her voice (except for on “In My Life,” which everyone apparently loathed except for me) or her little-girl pout whenever the judges dared criticize her performances, I do think she’s a lovable young woman whose positivity seemed to rub off on her competitors. As her good-bye hug with Kristy Lee Cook lingered, the footage of her in the send-off montage showed many more Malubay embraces—with David Cook, Brooke White, David Hernandez and others. She seems very sweet.

Plus, I’ll miss her appropriately enthusiastic dad, who’s made me smile for the right reasons since he first celebrated his daughter’s golden ticket to Hollywood.

And while I’d rather have awarded her slot to David Hernandez on the Idol tour, at least she can take consolation in making the tour. Plus, Malubay is at least as good if not better than “Idol” alumna Jasmine Trias, who’s sold more than 1 million records in the Philippines. So there’s definitely a chance for success abroad, even if her American exposure ends with this seventh season of “Idol.”

I was probably more surprised that frequent cellar-dweller Kristy Lee Cook was in the Bottom 3 than first-time victim Brooke White. Find out why, and other thoughts about the results show, after the break.

Perhaps I was alone in being surprised that Kristy Lee Cook was in the Bottom 3. I figured that with a solid performance of “Coat of Many Colors” during a week revolving around a female country music singer, this could be the last week she’d escape such a fate. Maybe it wasn’t “American” enough for the same voters who drooled over the previous week’s “God Bless the U.S.A.” Could it be that the competition’s lone country artist singing Dolly Parton still wasn’t conservative enough for the same “Idol” voters who kept her out of the Bottom 3 the previous week? Think about that for a second.

And while it’s weird to see Brooke White in the Bottom 3 (instead of, say, Jason Castro), we’ve reached the point this season—thankfully earlier than usual—when the talent pool is dense enough that these surprises are going to happen on a weekly basis. (Also, consider the fact that Castro wore a gleaming cross around his neck and sang the word “Jesus” a bunch of times.) The disconcerting part for White, though, is that she was in the Bottom 3 after performing in what might be second-most coveted slot of any “Idol” voting night: first. (Performing last likely goes the furthest; just ask the resurgent Michael Johns.)

Speaking of the Aussie, with all this talk about David Cook and David Archuleta possibly facing off in the final week, let the record show that Johns is the only other remaining contestant never to appear in the Bottom 3. Upset alert?

Maybe it felt like there was less suspense this week because the singers responsible for the four best performances from Tuesday night—Michael Johns, David Archuleta, David Cook and Carly Smithson—were all safe within the first 20 minutes of the results show. Aside from them, I really would have understood why any of the others could have gone home.

Reason No. 2,391 why I’m not interested in the “Idol” spinoff “The Next Great American Band”: The Clark Brothers’ version of “This Little Heart of Mine” was anything but great.

A few weeks ago, it was Cake’s “The Distance.” This week, the music video was for RUN DMC’s “It’s Tricky.” Rap is great and all, but this is a singing competition, so it’s just a waste of a recording studio to have these mostly poppy contestants valiantly try to channel their inner Reverend Run. Also, the music video of the nine contestants challenging five guys to a game of street basketball? About 31 levels of awkward.

Catching up with former “Idols” in Tennessee: Bucky Covington has two singles coming out talked about two of his singles. I’ll be sure to continue to not care … Phil Stacey, whom I believe showed the most improvement between the start and end of his run last season, has another album coming out soon and is growing some Daughtryesque facial hair … Bo Bice, Season 3 runner-up, is releasing a southern rock album after taking some time off to adjust to three stomach surgeries that kept him out of commission. He also has an adorable 2 1/2-year-old boy and seems to be in a good place.

Last but not least, Dolly Parton. No, she didn’t sound fantastic on “Jesus and Gravity,” but I think she of all people deserves a pass—if for no other reason because my iPod once held 3,000 songs, the same number of songs she’s written. And talk about positivity! She said nice things about the show, her band, the host, the judges, the contestants, the audience and probably would have thanked even more people if given the opportunity. There’s a talented woman who loves life and is appreciative of everything it’s given her.

(Photo by Frank Micelotta/FOX)