The vixen is gone from American Idol, and although I figured my headline would catch your attention, I do have some sympathy for the Point Pleasant, N.J., native.

I should readily admit: I'm going to be a lousy, sappy father one day, particularly if I have a daughter. I'm a big mama's boy, and I'm a sucker for young people, particularly girls. Each year, this round of Idol gets tougher and tougher to watch as Ryan Seacrest parades two girls up to the front of the stage knowing that one will definitely be going home.

It happened to Barba and to Sabrina Sloan, and both were in tears -- along with Stephanie Edwards and Haley Scarnato -- the minute they were paraded to the front. See, most of the contestants sail through, and then a few at the end have to sweat, er, cry it out.

They hold hands less like it was the announcement of who would win Miss America and more like who would be sent to the executioner, or in this case, back to real life.

Here's where I am a sap, sap, sap.

Everybody who watches Idol know how much getting to the Final 12 means to each contestant, and if you can't feel a bit of sympathy for them in their position, well, you really don't have much of a heart.

But, wait a second? This isn't life or death at all!

Of course not, but it is what wraps people up in this show. It's absurdity at the highest form, although considering Antonella Barba is pretty much the hottest search on Google in a long while, it was also a surprise that she was eliminated.

Forget talent for a bit; truth is, Barba was still better than about half the guys. Nevertheless, the guys didn't have photos paraded on Web sites with them in their skivvies, showing off breasts and bootie and then acknowledging on their MySpace page that it was "making them famous."

So, we're caught in the Catch 22 that pervades much of the youth-dominated entertainment industry. Is the individual a total dope or really smarter and savvier than we give her credit?

In this case, I think Barba's lack of experience in this realm renders her the former. Nevertheless, she's received offers to be a spokeswoman for Girls Gone Wild and some porn operation, both offers that could collectively make her a millionaire fast.

What's sad beyond the sappiness that this round of Idol brings us every year is that young women feel the need to take advantage of their good looks to the extent that they objectify themselves. Heck, society is going to do that for you, honey. Why help them out?

It's called immaturity.

We're left with two great singers, four or five potentially great singers and four or five dismally mediocre singers, which is about the M.O. for our favorite show year after year.

While I still have my stakes behind Tulsa-native Melinda Doolittle, I say watch out for Gina Glocksen. There is some definite talent there -- shapable, pliable talent from somebody, who if she'll listen to the judges, could stun a few contestants along the way.

Plus, for being as cute as she is (see, I'm playing the role of an objectifying society), she has a very average-looking boyfriend, giving all of us average-looking dopes hope.

Heck, if we're just ranking them in terms of cuteness, it doesn't get much cuter than Jordin Sparks. However, I'll temper my comments because her dad was an NFL player.

Besides, like I said before, I can kind of sympathize -- watching a show like this -- how fathers probably feel watching their daughters go through situations like these.

The good news for those of us saps is that the show gets much more stoic from here on out because, in the end, the real goal for each contestant on the show is to make that Final 12. To win would be great, but the real opportunity is won or lost in making that final group.

Unless you're Antonella Barba. What'll be interesting is to see what path she chooses.