It was the worst season ever of “Idol.” From the introduction of Jamie Foxx’s T-shirts to Teflon Tim Urban to the Simon & Ryan show -- not to mention a ho-hum group of finalists -- it's pretty clear why ratings have been down.
So what better way to send off Season 9 – and Simon Cowell -- than with this “best of the worst?” The hardest part of putting the list together? Narrowing it down to 12.
12. Mary Powers Is Cut During Hollywood Week
You remember Mary, don’t you? She was the raspy-voiced mother who bossed around mullet-headed Alex Lambert and everyone else. Don’t get me wrong; I am not a huge fan of her. (No one messes with my Alex!) But while she has a pretty big voice, she has an even bigger personality – one of the key ingredients missing from this season’s crop of contestants.
11. Jamie Foxx Passes Out T-Shirts
Ah, Jamie. When Foxx returned this season to mentor during Movie Week, he brought with him a gimmick. Sing the song like an artist and you get this T-shirt that says “Artist.” Otherwise, you just get this one that says “Contestant.” Let me be clear here: Neither shirt looked all that impressive.
10. Angela Martin Doesn’t Make the Top 24
Not many Idols possess the star-making trifecta of looks, talent and backstory. This was her third and last time to audition for “AI,” as she will be too old next season. Simon even remarked to her that, “Singers like you are why I like doing this show.” Her father was murdered just before she left for Hollywood Week in Season 7. The next year, she again earned a Golden Ticket but instead of reporting to Hollywood, she reported to jail for traffic violations, where she watched her audition on TV! This time around, her mother had gone missing. Did I mention that she has a special needs child? After showing remarkable resilience and talent, she was let go, because, in Kara’s words, it had “been so difficult to pick 12 girls.” Thank God they cut her, or we might’ve missed out on the undeniable talent of Haeley Vaughn, Lacey Brown or Michelle Delamor.
9. “Idol Gives Back” Takes Away Almost 3 Hours of Our Lives
If you’re like me, this season you missed your fair share of results and performances because, for some reason, the DVR seems to think that “Idol” will adhere to its given time constraints. (No wonder they’re going to 90-minute performance shows next time.) Well, when Ryan Seacrest warned us that “Idol Gives Back” would probably go over this season, I don’t think anyone expected 24 extra minutes. I mean, how many hours do you need to sing about disease and poverty? Reminder: Make sure you set your DVRs accordingly tonight and tomorrow. You’ve already put the time in; might as well see who wins.
