LOS ANGELES — It was a man's world on "American Idol."

The Fox singing contest's judges were more impressed with the performances from the remaining 10 male semifinalists after their doddering semifinal debut last week. Michael Lynche, the burly 26-year-old personal trainer and new father from Astoria, N.Y., soulfully started Tuesday's episode with the James Brown ballad "It's a Man's Man's Man's World."

In a last-minute switch, the 10 male semifinalists performed Tuesday instead of the 10 female semifinalists because 24-year-old dreadlocked singer Crystal Bowersox from Toledo, Ohio, was hospitalized and unable to take the stage. Bowersox, who also plays the guitar and harmonica, is expected to perform with the other women on today's show.

The semifinalists' performance order wasn't the only "Idol" adjustment. The judges slipped into a new seating and critiquing order. Ellen DeGeneres moved down between Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi while Simon Cowell went back to getting the last word after last week's wonky rotating evaluation system, which only seemed to befuddle the panel.

Among those who moved up in class: 21-year-old college student John Park of Evanston, Ill., with John Mayer's "Gravity," 19-year-old high school student Alex Lambert of North Richland Hills, Texas, with John Legend's "Everybody Knows" and 20-year-old college student Tim Urban of Duncanville, Texas, with Matt Nathanson's "Come On Get Higher."