'American Idol' Judges Save Matt Giraud

American Idol contestant Matt Giraud arrives at the American Idol Top 13 Party held at AREA on March 5, 2009 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevin Winter/Getty Images)

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After weeks of questioning whether American Idol judges would ever use their one time save, they did, and the moment was even more dramatic than anyone could've imaged. Still, the situation seemed only fitting, it was after all movie week, and what better way to end the show than with an uncharacteristically happy ending?

With Matt Giraud, Lil Rounds and Anoop Desai sweating it out in the bottom three, host Ryan Seacrest announced that Giraud had received the least amount of votes, and would sing for a chance at salvation. He offered an encore of Bryan Adams' “Have You Ever Really Loved a Woman.”

While the performance was no better or worse than the night before, it may have reminded the judges why he had made it this far. Week after week Giraud had gained praise for his token smooth sound that has been compared to Justin Timberlake, with possibly even more sexy.

Simon Cowell announced that the judges had decided to use their one time save on the desperate singer, but not before rambling on about how he just couldn't see him winning the competition. Cowell's drawn out explanation made it perfectly clear that while he couldn't care less whether Giraud stayed or went home, the singer had made an impression on fellow judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Kara DioGuardi.

As the contestants rushed Giraud to congratulate him, and offer group hugs all around, Cowell left them with one last message of foreboding:
I wouldn't be so quick to congratulate him. Two people are going home next week now. And next week, is disco week.”
Insert ominous music here.

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