‘American Idol’ Elimination Night: 20 Things You Didn’t See on Thursday’s Show
Lots of Idol alums in the crowd, including Andrew Garcia and Katie Stevens, who were sent home in last year’s double elimination, and Kris Allen, who chats with Idol staff photographer Michael Becker (a name I’ve written almost as much as David Cook’s). A studio member behind me remarks, “Was that guy a contestant? He looks familiar.” Oy.
One of the last commercial breaks allows Idol grads Andrew, Katie and Kris to meet the new judges. Hugs for all, but one has to wonder, does Steven Tyler have any idea who these people are? The three linger a little long and are shooed off the judges’ platform. Meanwhile, on the couch, James Durbin has his friend in safe-ness Stefano Langone in a head lock.
‘American Idol’: Scotty throws swag, Lauren sheds tears on the scene for Top 11 results night, take 2
Fortunately, as you well know, the Idoldome was also graced with the presence of Kris Allen, Season 8 Champion and Mensch of the First Order. After taking his seat next to his unspeakably beautiful wife (seriously, I’ve met her in person, and Kris got the deal in that marriage), Kris began systematically approaching, hugging, and enthusiastically engaging with every last member of the Idoldome family, from Fox’s on-site photographer to production assistants to hulking bodyguards.
More recaps after the JUMP…
Live at American Idol: Is Lauren Alaina Cracking Under the Pressure?
So what had Lauren so upset, and who was the unexpected heartthrob of the night?
It’s no surprise Lauren forged an close BFF bond with now-eliminated contestant Thia Megia: Being the youngest two in the competition, they both struggled with the fast lane of fame.
And it was Thia’s place in the bottom three that first turned Lauren’s smile upside down. Lauren tried to keep it together initially, but things went downhill fast as Paul McDonald was suddenly in danger of leaving the Idol stage. Paul is said to be Lauren’s “big brother” figure, and when she was faced with the possibility of losing both Paul and Thia in one night, Lauren suddenly came unglued in front of the 680-person studio audience.
‘American Idol’ recap: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
According to the maudlin piano keys splashed with magenta lettering that opened up the results show, we weren’t going to “BELIEVE….WHO IS GOING HOME.” What was that all about? I’m not surprised that Naima Adedapo and Thia Megia were the sacrificial lamb chops we lost last night. Lovely singer Thia never showed a personality, whereas the freewheeling Naima offered up a bunch of different ones, including an African dancer with clownish pants and a spirited business lady from Jamaica. I’d picked Thia and Stefano to go home, but Naima makes sense, too. You either dug her or you didn’t; she could only skate by for so long.
American Idol Recap: It’s Reigning Men!
Nobody tries out for American Idol hoping to finish in a tie for tenth place. But the two contestants booted at the end of Thursday night’s Top 11 Redux results show have reason to take heart: After witnessing a harrowing performance-art piece titled “The Emperor Is Doing an NC-17 Strip-Tease” (by Academy Award winner Jaime Foxx and Grammy winner will.i.am), Naima Adedapo and Thia Megia can leave the Idolverse knowing all it takes is a shred of talent — combined with copious luck, first-rate schmoozing skills, impeccable timing, corporate marketing dollars, brightly adorned backup dancers, and a healthy dose of Auto-Tune — to become international recording superstars. Honestly, I bet that left to his own devices, even Randy Jackson would be capable of cooking up a more satisfying four minutes of televised entertainment that Mr. Foxx and Mr. i.am’s ode to animated parrots, lady midriffs, kaleidoscopes, male-pattern posturing, and possibly (and yet probably not) the films of Busby Berkeley.
‘Idol’ kicks off double elimination with a big lie
In contrast to last week, when everyone was shocked to see Casey Abrams finish with the lowest number of votes and then nearly collapse onstage after the judges elected to save him, this time things went as expected. Perhaps because an overwhelming 55 million votes that were cast, the results were notable because of how predictable they were.
Naima Adedapo, Thia Megia Voted Off ‘American Idol’
While last week’s American Idol elimination saw Casey Abrams saved by the judges, Thursday’s (Mar. 31) elimination episode sent two contestants packing, with nine remaining.
The show’s pattern of female eliminations continued as Thia Megia and Naima Adedapo were eliminated following their less-than-stellar takes on Elton John classics last night (Megia with “Daniel” and Adedapo with “I’m Still Standing”).
‘American Idol’ Recap: Naima and Thia Take Two for the Road
The odds of a girl breaking the “dudes with guitars” winning streak on ‘American Idol’ just got a lot slimmer.
After a record breaking 55 million plus votes, Thia Megia and Naima Adedapo fell victim to this week’s double elimination.
American Idol Season 10, Elimination Recap: Goodbye Thia Megia!
Last week’s insanely dramatic American Idol result show was the some truly compelling and weird TV; I sure as hell can’t remember having that much fun watching one of those shows. The big moment, of course, came when the judges saved Casey Abrams and when Abrams collapsed into pale jelly onstage. But the whole show, with its random celebrity cameos and its general air of screwball absurdity really made that hour go by fast. The show was always going to have a tough time topping that one, even with two contestants getting bounced. And when Thia Megia and Naima Adedapo got sent home, it couldn’t have been surprising to anyone except, I guess, the hordes of comments-section goons who showed up here last week.
Idol in 60 Seconds
American Idol Recap: Paul F. Tompkins on the Double Elimination
The countdown to Elimination Christmas begins with the abolition of group numbers, for one episode anyway. The standard opening group awkwardness is whittled down to two awkwards, as Lauren and Scotty sing a duet. Since Scotty’s involved, it’s a country song. Am I crazy, or was there a time on this show when Idol made the kids sing songs outside of their own preferred genre? This particular nondescript country song is called “I Told You So, ” and it is so boring it gets a standing ovation from the judges. If I were the other contestants and I saw everyone standing for this, I would think, This night is gonna be caaaaake. Okay, the show had to start somehow, and now that it has, Ryan asks that the lights be dimmed. This convention is so dumb. Just dim the lights. Why does he need to give the “official” cue? Is it more respectful or something? He’s not presenting a war widow with a folded-up flag. When the lights come back up, Lauren and Scotty are both safe — boring.
