A double Idol shocker

Last Wednesday night, I have been shocked about not one but two American Idol finalists being voted off. The disco ball crashed on my second and third favorites of this season Lil Rounds and Anoop Desai. Now, we have an all-white top 5, for the first time in American Idol history. Lil Rounds got my vote after Jasmine Murray got voted off on top 13 week. Anoop Desai would have gotten my vote if Allison Iraheta were voted off in his place. My vote has gone to Matt Giraud, who was saved by the judges on the precedent week.

My top 36 American Idol finalists ever

My top 36 favorite American Idol finalists ever are:

No. 36: Blake Lewis (season 1)

No. 35: RJ Helton (season 1)

No. 34: Kris Allen (season 8)

No. 33: Melinda Doolittle (season 6)

No. 32: Carrie Underwood (season 4)

No. 31: Clay Aiken (season 2)

No. 30: Michael Johns (season 7)

No. 29: Scott MacIntyre (season 8)

No. 28: Adam Lambert (season 8)

No. 27: George Huff (season 3)

No. 26: David Cook (season 7)

No. 25: Lisa Tucker (season 5)

No. 24: Mandisa (season 5)

No. 23: Sanjaya Malakar (season 6)

No. 22: Jorge Núñez (season 8)

No. 21: Matt Giraud (season 8)

No. 20: Justin Guarini (season 1)

No. 19: Christina Christian (season 1)

No. 18: Fantasia (season 3)

No. 17: David Hernandez (season 7)

No. 16: Tamyra Gray (season 1)

No. 15: Elliott Yamin (season 5)

No. 14: David Archuleta (season 7)

No. 13: Syesha Mercado (season 3)

No. 12: Anoop Desai (season 8)

No. 11: Jennifer Hudson (season 3)

No. 10: Jordin Sparks (season 6)

No. 9: Charles Grigsby (season 2)

No. 8: Nikko Smith (season 4)

No. 7: Lil Rounds (season 8)

No. 6: Rickey Smith (season 2)

No. 5: Trenyce (season 2)

No. 4: Ruben Studdard (season 2)

No. 3: Vonzell Solomon (season 4)

No. 2: Chikezie Eze (season 7)

No. 1: Jasmine Murray (season 8)

Megan Joke

Megan Joy, the second Wild Card finalist, has accepted being voted off American Idol, getting ninth place. She sang "Turn Your Lights Down", which was originally recorded by Lauryn Hill. The theme was Top Music Downloads. In my opinion, Megan Joy should have been voted off before Jasmine Murray, for she is a joke. Jasmine Murray should been have been on the summer tour in place of Megan Joy.

Formerly known as Megan Corkery, she was born Megan Knudsen on August 5, 1985. She hails from Taylorsville, Utah. She was dubbed Megan Joy after the Wild Card show. She had very little training before she auditioned for American Idol.

I wish Jasmine Murray would be on this year's summer tour instead of Megan Joy.

Jasmine Murray is underrated, and Megan Joy is a joke.
Jasmine is commercial. Megan is a karaoke.
Jasmine has a big voice and wide vocal range. Megan has a limited vocal range.
Jasmine has been singing since the age of 3 and attends an art school. Megan has limited vocal experience and did not attend an art school.
Jasmine is musically diverse. Megan is limited to being a jazz singer.

Michael Sarver is not too proud to beg

Last night, on the first anniversary of Chikezie's elimination, Michael Sarver, a construction worker, gets voted off on American Idol, giving him 10th place. He sang the Temptations song "Ain't Too Proud to Beg", one of my father's favorite songs. He sang the same song in hopes to have the judges save him, but the judges decided that he would be sent back to Jasper, Texas. However, he will get to participate in the American Idols LIVE! Summer Tour 2009.

Petition to Universal Music Group on behalf of Jasmine Murray

Chikezie Eze, my favorite American Idol finalist of last season, has already gotten a record deal with Universal Music Group. I am so saddened that Jasmine Murray from Starkville, Mississippi, was the first to be eliminated in the finals of American Idol season 8. Therefore I am petitioning that Universal Music Group to offer her record deal. I believe that Jasmine Murray is worthy of a record deal and proving that winning American Idol does not guarantee success as a recording artist and that being a last place finalist will not hinder success as a recording artist. Comment on this post if you agree with this petition.

Alexis Disgrace

American Idol Season 8 is somewhat like Season 7 to me, except that my neither my favorite nor my least favorite in the competition will get to go on tour. First my favorite finalist is voted off with the elimination followed by country music themed week, and then my least favorite finalist is voted of the week after my favorite finalist. First it was Chikezie Eze and Ramiele Malubay respectively, then it was Jasmine Murray and Alexis Grace respectively. I am so glad Alexis Grace got voted off tonight. She is the worst in the competition. I will forget Alexis, but I will never forget Jasmine.

Alexis Grace auditioned in Louisville, Kentucky. She previously auditioned twice without making it to Hollywood. She has one child, an illegitimate daughter. She was originally from Memphis, Tennessee, which is also the home of Lil Rounds, my second pick in the competition.

Jasmine Murray goes the way of Leah LaBelle, with Jorge Núñez joining her

"We've discussed it. Sorry baby, you're headed home. This is not gonna work." — Randy Jackson

"Don't quit believing. Just believe that you can do it, cause all things are possible. — Lisa Murray (mother of Jasmine Murray)

This is the most shocking moment I have ever witnessed in reality television history. I am highly disappointed that my favorite contestant Jasmine Murray got the first boot in the finals of this season of my favorite television show American Idol. This is a very untimely elimination. This is ten times more shocking than Chikezie's untimely elimination last year, for one thing is that she will not get to go on tour. Inconsolably, she has been crying like a baby girl for the rest of the night, shedding an ocean of heavy tears. Joining her on the bus ride home in tonight's result show is Jorge Núñez. However, this is not the end of her story, and it is the beginning of something much better. She will continue to sing on stage, and maybe in two years she will get a record deal and go from zero to hero. I will still be a fan of hers. The American voting public is wrong about her, for her status as last place finalist will turn out to be a joke in the next few years. She did not deserve to be eliminated this early. The next American Idol will be a joke, and may turn out to be worse than Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks. I believe that Jasmine Murray will be commercially more successful than the next American Idol, most likely Adam Lambert. America has done no justice voting by popularity. American Idol season 8 is not the same without Jasmine Murray. The American Idols LIVE! Tour 2009 will be forgettable without her. I really wanted to see her on the summer tour, and show her the love and receive her autograph, but now I will not get to do that.

During the results show, it was announced that there would be a twist that would solve the problem that existed in past seasons, such as with the eliminations of Jennifer Hudson in season 3 and Michael Johns in season 7. That would be the judges' save. Unfortunately, the judges decided to agree with the public vote on Jasmine Murray and Jorge Núñez, but the decision was not unanimous. Randy Jackson said about Jasmine, "We've discussed it. Sorry baby, you're headed home. It's not gonna work", and that is when the emotional fireworks went off on me. Simon Cowell said about Jorge, "No. Sorry." The judges made a huge mistake by not saving Jasmine Murray.

During the week, as the theme "Michael Jackson" implies the top 13 finalists were instructed sing Michael Jackson songs, including those from his solo career and from his time with the Jackson 5. Jasmine Murray sang "I'll Be There", originally recorded by The Jackson 5 and later covered by Mariah Carey. In her honor, I will be doing a karaoke performance of the song at a state institution on May 15, 2009. My next pick is Lil Rounds from Memphis, Tennessee, who is an R&B star and who is vocally compared to Mary J. Blige. Lil's grandfather once worked for blues legend B.B. King. The elimination song used is "Home Sweet Home", which is covered by Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood and was originally recorded by Motley Crue.

Jasmine Murray's elimination has caused American Idol to suffer a big drop in ratings, especially for African-American audiences. Her elimination caused the African-American audience to decrease by 28%. American Idol has fallen out of the top 3 in the ratings chart, especially for African-American audiences. Next season, the judges will have to think twice before cutting any African American hopefuls during the Hollywood rounds.

On a side note, I would like for Jasmine Murray to record a duet with Chikezie. It may possibly be a cover of the Luther Vandross hit "So Amazing" and based on the Beyoncé and Stevie Wonder version.

"No matter where you finish on Idol—even if you finish twelfth [or thirteenth]—if you make a great record and you got that kind of exposure, the public will resoundingly buy it." — Randy Jackson

Winning American Idol does not guarantee success in a music career. According to Chris Daughtry, who got fourth place on American Idol season 5, the show lacks credibility. Even a last-place finalist can make double platinum hits. If David Hernandez can make double platinum hits, Jasmine Murray can too. Jasmine Murray could become a prime example as well as an archetype of this. In two years, Jasmine Murray will achieve much better than she did on American Idol, and she will show us that winning American Idol does not guarantee recording artist success and that a last place finalist can spawn a huge fanbase and huge success. American Idol season 8 will go down in my book as the most forgettable season of the series. This season has very low credibility and is going to be a joke in terms of commercial success. Therefore, the way I see is that Jasmine Murray will go from zero to hero and be more successful than the next American Idol.
Jasmine Murray stated that she would like to explore various music genres, including traditionally Caucasian genres, just like the late Ray Charles did, but the judges suggest that she go the R&B route. The judges compared her to Rihanna.

Jasmine Murray's status as last place finalist will most likely be ironic. One reason why she is the first to be voted off in the finals is that many believed she entered the competition two years too early. Another reason is that many viewers of American Idol wanted Ricky Braddy, Von Smith, Jessie Langseth, or Felicia Barton to advance to the finals in her place. Some people claim she has no personality, but that is a naked lie. She does have personality. She has better manners than the rest of the top 13, and she is musically diverse and tolerant. Jasmine Murray is really the best of the top 13. If she were to last on American Idol any longer, she would have improved significantly each week. If she were to make the top 10, she would have impressed the tour audiences significantly. She will most likely ink a deal with a major record label and go from zero to hero, and ultimately surpass this season's winner, which is Kris Allen.

Too many of my hopes have been crushed all too soon. I am getting tired of my hopes being crushed. I hope American Idol season 9 will not be season 8 all over again. If my favorite finalist finishes last place in two more seasons, I will quit watching the series for good. Some fans of Jasmine Murray have quit watching the show.

I personally like to have Jasmine Murray duet with Chikezie and maybe Kris Allen or Matt Giraud. I have no plans to meet Jasmine Murray or Lil Rounds at this time, I will consider it in the future. However, I have plans to meet Chikezie, as well as Anoop Desai, Matt Giraud, and Jorge Núñez.

Although she is the first to be eliminated in the competition, Jasmine Murray is after all my American Idol. She is really the best singer, despite what people say. She is miles better than what people say. People need to keep in mind that she was 16 at the time of her elimination, and she has done nothing to receive the hate she has scraped in. She has the potential to go from zero to hero and be more successful than the rest of the top 13 combined.

According to the HCD Research study, either Anoop Desai or Megan Joy should have been eliminated instead of Jasmine Murray, while Jorge Núñez's elimination was democratically correct. Therefore, if American Idol season 8 went by the HCD Research study, Jasmine Murray would have been on the American Idols LIVE! Tour 2009.

Here is how I rank the performances of the night:

1. Jasmine Murray - "I'll Be There"
2. Kris Allen - "Remember the Time"
3. Matt Giraud - "Human Nature"
4. Jorge Núñez - "Never Can Say Goodbye"
5. Adam Lambert - "Black or White"
6. Lil Rounds - "The Way You Make Me Feel"
7. Anoop Desai - "Beat It"
8. Allison Iraheta - "Give in to Me"
9. Michael Sarver - "You Are Not Alone"
10. Danny Gokey - "PYT (Pretty Young Thing)"
11. Scott MacIntyre - "Keep the Faith"
12. Alexis Grace - "Dirty Diana"
13. Megan Joy - "Rockin' Robin"

Click here to see the video of my most shocking moment in reality TV history.