American Idol's dramatic results: favorite Casey Abrams out, then in; 11 to tour

 
In the most dramatic and jampacked American Idol results show yet, a favorite contestant found himself in the bottom, axed out of the Top 10 summer tour, Stevie Wonder surprised judge Steven Tyler with a rendition of Happy Birthday and wrestler Hulk Hogan punched Ryan Seacrest in the face and sent him sprawling into the audience.

Nope, the last bit there wasn't some fantasy come true but, like wrestling, was a bit of amusing fakery. We learned that James Durbin and Paul McDonald are big wrestling fans so Hulk was brought out to announce the results: both singers are safe and on tour. Afterward, he gives Ryan a fake punch and the host goes bottom up in someone's lap in the front rows.

Tyler looked like a kid on Christmas morning when Wonder rolled onto the stage to sing his Motown oldie but that's probably because in the '70s, during Wonder's heyday, Tyler was too stoned to see Wonder. The show then settled into its usual Results episode banalities. Pop stars like Sugarland and Jennifer Hudson came on to shill their lousy new songs, the Idols pretended they knew who guest mentor Marc Anthony was, and Ryan ladled out the results.

But Ryan promised at the top of the hour "a surprise" result which could only mean that Haley Reinhart was not going home. How surprising would that be? The first surprise came when we learned she wasn't even in the Bottom 3. (She sure should have been.)

Instead, young Disney princess Thia Megia joined Stefano Langone and Fozzie Bear aka Casey Abrams in the Bottom 3.

Given that outcome, for Ryan's "surprise" to register, it would have to mean Thia's is safe. Though she can sing pretty and never seems to go out of tune, she's also not seasoned enough for this competition and needs a few more years of practice and study to truly embody her performances and song choices. But the "surprise" is real. Thia's safe.

This leaves Stefano and Casey as America's bottom two. Truly, after last night, this is not a surprise. Stefano's cheeseball ballads and antiseptic, plasticized overemoting on ballads has run its course. Casey, who started out as the most musically knowledgable and gifted Idol contestant had quickly degenerated into a freak show, given to creepy facial expressions, growling, unmusical vocals and a bit of an attitude that he was above it all.

 Photo: Michael Becker/FOX
America slapped him down. Casey was out. Unless the judges were to use their one-time save.

Of course, you knew they would when Randy Jackson said, "Wow!" when Ryan read the result and handed the mike to Bigfoot so that he could sing for his life. Randy raised his hand before Casey could hit the chorus to announce the obvious: the judges were using the Save.

Casey then proceeded to have a heart attack and mawled poor Ryan who really was getting the business on this stuffed Results show. The dramatics were a bit much, to say the least, but, in a moment that felt scripted, Casey asked the question every viewer had to have at that moment: How does this affect the summer tour? After all, only 10 go on the Idols Live Tour.

Ryan had the answer as DVRs across America clipped the last moment: "It was already preordained that should this happen, 11 will go on the tour." In addition, next week, two contestants will be sent home.

This is the only fair outcome. Had they done a combined vote total and eliminated from the tour the lowest scorer next week, what if that person was someone who already had sailed into the top 10 this week? This way, 11 tour, producers are happy, and promoters have a hook to hawk tickets for the summer tour.

So why was Casey, a previous favorite, dismissed so early by America's vote? J.Lo and Randy explained it succinctly. Casey needs to stop with the facial expressions and gimmicks "and get back to being a musician," J.Lo said. Randy added that he needed to stop the growling. Both are correct. Last week's manic Nirvana cover, with the buggy possessed eyes, and last night's Motown horror deservedly plummetted Casey to the bottom.

This outcome was the best wake-up call America could send. All ends well enough (although this means I'll have to suffer another week of Haley's irritating growling and entitled aura.) By all expectations, Haley and Thea will find themselves on the outs next week.

Comments

[Jon]

Haley is gorgeous and absolutely amazing! She will win it all! I'm sick of people continuing to trash her!

[HoCo]

Haley is gorgeous, I'll give you that much, Jon.

[lois richardson]

paul will win. He has it all. Looks, moves ,voice and I love the way he smiles.I'm a 75 year old woman and he makes me fell young once again.

[a]

I completely lost faith in America's judgement. I really feel like our society have no more culture than a herd of sheep.

[octavio de armas]

Can't anyone remember last year American Idol ? These kids as talented as some are will be forgotten by June 2011. These kids don't sell tickets on tour.

[creative rewriter]

i think people around the country were shocked to see Casey in the bottom of the vote-count; he'll get more votes next week i bet

[cycling clothing]

what if that person was someone who already had sailed into the top 10 this week

[outbackbikers]

what if that person was someone who already had sailed into the top 10 this week? This way, 11 tour, producers are happy