When egos exceed ability

In its opening stages, warfare often takes on strange forms. Today’s victory merely sets the stage for tomorrow’s defeat; today’s frontline is a sideshow from the main theater of conflict.

Likewise, at this point on “American Idol” last season, the contest was universally seen as a duel between Melinda Doolittle and LaKisha Jones. Two years ago, there wasn’t a pundit who thought Taylor Hicks had a chance at making the top three, let alone winning.

This year however, despite an extremely fluid midfield containing a very large number of possible contenders for the finals, one cannot deny that shaping this contest is a humongous fortress looming over every inch of the battlefield -- a fortress named David Archuleta. On Tuesday night, the Chosen One reasserted himself as the prohibitive front-runner, casting the race in terms of who among the others will be his main opponent. (And that competition itself now has a nearly prohibitive front-runner in the person of Carly Smithson, although as the race tightens she will have to fight the incredibly strong midfield for every inch of soil she gains.)

It was a strange night at the Idoldome Tuesday. Before the evening began, the seats filled with the usual assortment of celebrity guests: Joely Fisher, Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag, Rumor Willis. However, eyebrows were raised by the unprecedented presence in the Dome of a phalanx of suit-and-tie-wearing, Secret Service-looking security guards as they prepared to escort some apparently Very Very Very IP to reserved seats front row center. Whispers flew -- could Dick Cheney be coming to watch? Ban Ki-moon? Gen. Petraeus? The rare presence of Worldwide Idol creator Simon Fuller only added to the suspense.

Then with seconds to go before opening credits, sneaking in under Simon Cowell’s fanfare, appeared the Royal Personage Herself -- Miss Victoria Beckham, with Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz trailing behind.

On stage, the night had some strange, opening-skirmish overtones as well. After the massive explosions of talent firepower last week, the very mixed bag of performances was a bit of an anticlimax, particularly as they were drawing on the same pool of material, Beatles songs. Mean Judge Cowell seemed particularly crotchety, stomping out what came off in the bleachers as passable or better performances by Carly and Chikezie and by midshow almost entirely turning away from many of the performances in apparent disgust.

More genuinely worrisome however, was an ominous note of cockiness appearing from many of the singers. This column has made a point of advising combatants who desire any sort of longevity to above all else, behave with decorum when receiving reviews. As previously noted, even “Idol’s” clearest front-runner (until now) Carrie Underwood had off nights. Showing humility and respect for the judges is contestants’ opportunity to show that they are what the public demands -- humble and respectful nice kids and not all-full-of-themselves getting-too-big-for-their-britches-before-they’ve-even-won.

On Tuesday, singer after singer shot back at the judges’ critiques with excuses, explanations and even worse, outright blow-offs. The lowest moment came when Brooke White seemed to be trying to shut them up, filibustering through their comments her “one hundred percent” agreement and not listening to a word they said. Of all the candidates, it is the Chosen One, he who has the least to fear from them, whose criticism only seems to make him stronger, who hangs on their every word, his self-esteem entirely in their hands.

Contestants, I will repeat one last time: Your electorate is composed of fans of this show. The show is represented on air by the judges. To disrespect the judges, is to disrespect the show, is to spit in the face of the people who hold your fate in their hands. Be respectful and the voters will boo down the judges for you and carry you through a bad night. Be bratty and dismissive and prepare to reap the whirlwind. Ironically, it was the alt-rocker David Cook who, after giving Simon some lip in the early rounds, struck the perfect tone Tuesday, saying he will take Simon’s harsh words to heart and use them to build on what he’s done. There, is that so hard?

(Interestingly, Cook seems to have pulled off what Chris Daughtry never managed to: finding the right balance of rocker swagger and cool for the “Idol” stage while not acting like he is too good for the show itself and looking like he is holding his nose.)

More worrisome, these reactions to the judges combined with some lackluster performances suggest that the greatest-season talk may be going to the contestants’ heads, becoming a self-denying prophecy. Last year musical director Rickey Minor said the biggest challenge for every contestant is that point when their egos exceed their ability. And if that is what was going on for this group, perhaps it is better they got that night out of their system early on. Perhaps this night will prove to be their Dunkirk after all -- an evacuation which initially led to a terrible defeat but which coming early enough in the hostilities, preserved intact the fighting forces who later and stronger would come back ashore at Normandy and march all the way to Berlin. (Except for the one for whom Wednesday, this defeat will prove fatal.)

Gen. Smithson, your troops await your orders!

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richard.rushfield@latimes.com