Fox

The Top 3 perform tonight (at 8 on Fox40) on "American Idol": three songs for three finalists seeking a shot at next week's Top 2 finale.

And let's hope young David Archuleta has found some semblance of a backbone hidden behind that big voice of his and has told his father (for lack of better words), "Butt out!"

Sounds disrespectful? Well, if you've been a fan of Season 7, you have to have picked up on David's vulnerability to his old man. Jeff Archuleta has been dubiously dubbed the worst stage parent of all time, reportedly badgering his son and bullying his way into rehearsals and other places a guardian isn't needed.

According to a variety of reports - from the Associated Press to TMZ - the elder Archuleta has officially gotten the boot as far as attending "Idol" rehearsals, where, unless he's a music teacher, he has no business.

No one at "Idol" will go on the record but apparently Jeff talked David into changing a lyric on last week's "Stand By Me", one of two songs David performed from the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame.

Reports say Jeff was duly warned to stay out of the rehearsal, but David ended up performing the song by adding a verse from Sean Kingston's "Beautiful Girls," , clearly a violation because the Hall doesn't allow lyric changes. "Idol" apparently incurred the wrath of Cleveland (Hall's home) and a nice, fat fine.

You're probably wondering why it was OK for Brooke White to change a word on her version of Neil Diamond's "I Am, I Said" two weeks ago. Well, he wrote it, he was the mentor and he told her to do it!

Just a thought, but maybe "Idol" should up the age requirement to 18 and rid themselves of overzealous parents.

Geez, what a headache this guy has been!

Given all the hoopla, it will be interesting to see how David handles the pressure tonight. If (and it's a long shot) he gets the boot on Wednesday, it will be a long drive back to Utah.