American Idol judge, Harry Connick Jr., dropped by the Ellen DeGeneres talk show to talk American Idol and more!
Ellen grilled the singer on why he eliminated Jessica Bassett, whom Ellen had on the show after her surprising elimination. Harry had to go back and look her up. He didn’t remember her. His reasoning for eliminating her had a universal explanation. “Somebody comes in, and you have to respond to what they are doing at that very moment, he said. “I’m sure there are a lot of extremely talented people that get sent home.”
Harry explained that there was two parts. The “subjective” part which everyone in the room can do. But then he describes the “objective” part. “That’s where my musical brain kicks in. Whatever it was? Something didn’t inform me that she was ready to go through to the next round.”
Ellen insisted that he was wrong. “very wrong.” (Actually, after watching Jessica on the show, I think Harry and Keith Urban were exactly right to reject her. Example 2,301 why Ellen was a terrible judge.)
Harry pulls a Randy and promises that it will be the BEST Top 13 THE SHOW HAS EVER SEEN.
Ellen also brings up MK Nobilette, the young gay singer who came out as gay as the judges advanced her to the Top 31.
Harry reveals that he “lost it” during MK’s segment. After the judges put the young singer through to the next round, she revealed she was gay. When Jennifer said “the world is changing”–that’s when Harry got emotional.
“I hope I don’t get emotional now,” confessed Harry. “I don’t want to know the backstories,” Harry confessed. “It would cloud my judgement.”
“But when she [MK} said a little bit about her personal story, I’m thinking ‘Oh my God, what a wonderful day in our country…”
Watch the interview below.
BONUS: Check out Harry’s new “One Fine Thing” music video.
