‘The Voice’ recap: CeeLo sings with Kermit, top 6 revealed

Oh, “Voice” voters, you surprise and delight – voting all three top 8 female contenders for the Season 3 crown into the top 6, and tossing out two pretty male hopefuls: Dez Duron and Cody Belew.

I admit, all these years of watching “American Idol” and the attractive white guys who are perpetual hits with that show’s voters, had made me cynical. I was sure the blandly talented ex-Yale football player Duron -- he of the glinty, practiced smile and dreamy deep-into-the camera look -- would make it further in the competition, if only based on his striking good looks.

But no, America, you picked the gap-toothed teen with the two-tone hair, big hair bows and Peter Pan collars who takes surreal photographs and plays tambourine with her feet; the self-esteem-challenged, erstwhile-bullied power-balladeer who works up a sweat when he sings and is working hard to shed a few pounds; the long-faced, spider-limbed dude with the top-knot and scraggly beard who sometimes wears two pairs of glasses (shades over eyeglasses) when he performs. You voted through the lovably peculiar talents who interested and excited you, and they were not the adorable quarterback who whispered sweet nothings in your ear and expected you to give it up and vote for him.

America, your integrity is intact. You were not seduced.

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No need to worry about Duron. He’ll be fine. As his coach, Christina Aguilera, now bereft of team members, noted before he was eliminated, he now has a lot of people interested in hearing his music and watching him perform. I wouldn’t be at all surprised to see him go on to some measure of pop success.

I’m a bit sadder to see Belew, the free-spirited, ever-funny Team CeeLo member, head home. But it really was his time. He was fun to watch, willing to share a laugh or a feel-good nugget, but vocally outclassed by the remaining members of the top 6. Still, he, too, may go on to release albums and build a fan base. Here’s hoping the world hasn’t seen the last of those “bam-bam” moves.

So we have our worthy top 6 -- Cassadee Pope, Amanda Brown, Melanie Martinez, Nicholas David, Terry McDermott and Trevin Hunte – revealed to us (in that order) on an especially warm and sparkling results show.

Kermit the Frog and CeeLo Green soulfully dueted on Kermie’s hit “Bein’ Green” amidst distinguished Muppet company. “Green! Green! Frog green, CeeLo Green,” Animal cleverly observed.

We were also treated to some way-better-than-average contestant group performances. Brown and Hunte gave us a rollicking, double-diva version of Lady Gaga’s “Marry the Night.”

McDermott, Martinez, Belew and David brought a sweet intimacy to the Plain White T’s’ “Rhythm of Love.”

Pope and Duron were less successful with Rihanna’s “Hate That I Love You,” but you can’t have everything.

Will you miss Duron and Belew?

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