The competition has flipped upside down on the men’s side of  Grease: You’re the One That I Want. University of Kentucky graduate Derek Keeling and Texan Austin Miller continued to slide on tonight’s Danny-centric installment.
Meanwhile, Max Crumm, an immensely talented guy, but more a Leo Bloom (the nebbish accountant from The Producers) than a Danny Zuko, reigned supreme with a smokin’ rendition of the Black Crowes’ Hard to Handle. (Copyrighted photo of Max by Dean Hendler for NBC, right.)

Derek, just a few weeks ago seen as the guy to beat in this competition, has a few cracks in his armor. Literally, for the second time in the competition, his voice cracked. It was nowhere near as bad as two weeks ago, where his voice screeched and staggered all over his duet with Kate Rockwell, the Cincinnatian who was actually sent packing last week. And, really, that week’s crack amplified this week’s. Judge Jim Jacobs tried to play it off as maybe a Buddy Holly-esque hiccup, but David Ian apparently thought it was huge, saying, "It was a crack." Still, Derek’s performance of Bryan Adams’ Heaven was good and romantic overall. In my book, it was good for second best in the show. I say that granting it was a weak performance week, where everyone but Max stepped back when they needed to step up.

Austin’s rendition of Fun, Fun, Fun was borderline painful, as he just appeared to be trying way too hard to show the judges he can be, uh, fun. There was also this annoying nasal/over-annunciation problem with the word "now," which appears half a billion times in that song. Chad, saved last week from the chopping block by the judges, was OK singing Queen’s Don’t Stop Me Now. But his voice sounded awfully thin, especially if you consider that song was originally sung by one of the greatest voices in rock history. It may be good enough to keep him out of the basement, but I would tend to wager he and Austin will face each other next week. (watch it be Derek and Max).

Max apparently has a girlfriend. Allie Schulz. At least, that’s a storyline the producers are trying to sell us, and they will be together another week, as Allie was saved and Kathleen Monteleone was sent home. David Ian said there was disagreement among the judges, namely, he would have sent Allie home. And it was a tight sing-off. But apparently, third  time in the bottom and you loose your charm. She did leave with a lovely performance of Look at Me, I’m Sandra Dee.

There was an especially good clip in the second half of the show, illustrating the hectic lives of the competitors and how it mirrors Broadway life. There were some complaints about complaints that Kathleen looked winded and out of sorts at the end of last week’s episode. "She had a lot to do." "People shouldn’t be so hard on her." But that is life in theater, on Broadway: dizzying dance numbers, register-topping songs, 10-second costume changes, and if your boyfriend broke up with you at intermission, we’d better not see it on stage. So, it is fair for judges and viewers to assess how well the competitors hold it together, even while their fate is being decided on national television.

Now, it’s time to check in with Jamie for an Amazing Race update.