NEW YORK – “American Idol” slimmed down the competition Thursday night, leaving 12 finalists to compete for the ultimate prize – a record contract.
Antonella Barba, Sabrina Sloan, Jared Cotter and Jason “Sundance” Head were cast off by the viewer voting, which drew about 37 million calls and text messages.
The performers who made the cut were Blake Lewis, LaKisha Jones, Chris Sligh, Jordin Sparks, Phil Stacey, Melinda Doolittle, Brandon Rogers, Gina Glocksen, Chris Richardson, Stephanie Edwards, Haley Scarnato and Sanjaya Malakar.
The show’s tense final moments belonged to Malakar and Head, who were waiting to find out who would take the competition’s 12th spot – and who would go home. Judge Paula Abdul was stunned to hear that Malakar, who is not exactly a judge favorite, was staying.
“I’m speechless,” Abdul said. “This is a singing competition, and, Sundance, you’ve been one of our finest.”
How’d this happen? “The volume was turned down,” quipped Simon Cowell, who has criticized Malakar, 17, of Federal Way, Wash., for his “weird” stage presence.
“Somebody give me a job,” the 28-year-old Head, from Porter, Texas, said before leaving the stage. “I need a job.”
The elimination of the talented Sloan, 27, from Los Angeles, was another letdown for the judges. “Sabrina should be in that top 12, dawg,” lamented Randy Jackson, who said “America got that one wrong.”
None of the judges was complaining when Barba, the focus of recent attention over some racy Internet photos, was shown the door. Each week, Cowell could be counted on to tell the 20-year-old Jersey girl that she wasn’t good enough to be in the talent contest.
Some of the highest praise from judges and observers has gone to Jones. Asked how it feels to be dubbed a front-runner, the former bank employee replied with a modest smile.
“Have I?” Jones said. “I haven’t been paying attention.”
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