American Idol: Was Alexandrea Kicked Off Before Her Time?

A week and 31 million votes later, America has weighed in on American Idol‘s sounds of the ’70s. The show’s 20 remaining boys and girls grooved their way through some of music’s most lamentable hits. Four unlucky contestants were sent homeward in tears, despite Paula’s repeated assertions that being cast off in the second week is the best thing to ever happen to their careers.

Those four unlucky souls? Let’s take a look.Jason Yeager
Few were surprised when pretty boy Jason Yeager was the first to go on Idol, least of all Jason himself. The judges have always hated Jason’s cruise-ship stylings, from the pallid whine of his “Moon River” to the “drunk at a party” excitement he drummed up for last week’s Doobie Brothers hit, “Long Train Runnin’.” With the broad jaw and perfect teeth of a young Nick Lachey, America could have latched on to Jason, but didn’t. Maybe it was the inexplicable white streak in his hair, which looks more like the result of a tussle with the toothpaste tube than any considered aesthetic choice. Maybe the Christians of America didn’t enjoy the ending tableau of his last song, in which he froze in a position that can only be described as Christ on the Cross. After a reprise of “Long Train Runnin’” and a bear hug from David Cook, Jason was off.

Alexandrea Lushington
The first lady ushered off was Alexandrea Lushington, a far more surprising choice. Her ’70s Week song choice, Chicago’s “If You Leave Me Now,” had raised a few eyebrows, but Alexandrea was one of the show’s greatest vocalists and, if not a totally winning stage presence, at least a force to be reckoned with. Maybe her unbelievably bad costumes — suspenders in week one; last night’s single, giant peace-sign earring — earned her detractors. She found at least one fan in her former Star Search opponent David Archuleta, who wept copiously when her departure was announced. We can at least say of Alexandrea that she left with some sparks still flying. “You were supposed to bring her to California, freak!” she screamed at Ryan, who had the temerity to bring up her sainted great-grandmother, a fixture at her audition. For saying what all America was thinking, Alexandrea deserves at least one more week, but sadly, it was “If You Leave Me Now,” and then she left.

Alaina Whitaker
It’s not Alaina Whitaker’s fault that she is blonde, beautiful, and completely unblemished — but America loves to hate a prom queen, and poor Alaina took the fall next. She and fellow-bombshell Kady Molloy were in the bottom three, and we have the sense it could have gone either way. But Kady was pardoned for another week, and Alaina sentenced to screechy tears. Danny Noriega cried along with her, and Paula gave her a standing ovation as she begged to be allowed to leave quietly and with whatever dignity she had left. Instead, the ladies all crowded around to back her on Olivia Newton-John’s “Hopelessly Devoted to You,” as peaches-and-cream as the original and just about as dull. “Guess my eyes are not the first to cry,” she whimpered in tears, tugging our collective heartstring. But not tugging hard enough.

Robbie Carrico
The two men left in the bottom three, Robbie Carrico and Luke Menard, both had little going for them. Menard had perked up slightly since the first week, but his “Killer Queen” was deemed a pale shadow of the original. Robbie Carrico got the crowd moving with “Hot Blooded,” but was forever dogged by allegations of inauthenticity. Robbie dialed up the rocker-style tonight — his bandana was even dotted with skulls and crossbones — but it was Robbie who ultimately took the plunge, sparing Luke. (Which leads us to wonder: who voted for Luke?) One more round of “Hot Blooded” and the Idol competition was down to 16.

The pressure’s heating up on season seven, and next week we’ll take on the ’80s, a decade the contestants may have been briefly alive for. Join us then!

– Matthew Schneier