Get with the program, Simon

A pop music critic’s take on the music:

Simon: Darken up!

Normally I don’t care when Simon Cowell condemns a would-be Idol’s performance as “horrible,” because usually there’s some musical validity to what he says.

But Tuesday night, when he dissed Jordin Sparks for doing exactly what a good singer ought to do -- communicate emotion -- he blew it big time.

When she sang the Shirley Bassey/Tom Jones hit “I (Who Have Nothing),” for once we heard a singer actually communicating, rather than merely performing. As Simon himself is so fond of saying, “This is a singing competition.” Instead of grousing that her choice was “gloomy ... depressing ... I feel like jumping off a bridge,” he should have cheered her. And then maybe followed his feelings.

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-- Randy Lewis