'Idol' boots another finalist, leaving 5 to vie for title

By DERRIK J. LANG, AP Entertainment Writer Wed Apr 23, 9:48 PM PDT



Carly Smithson lost another chance to be a superstar.

Smithson, the 24-year-old Irish bartender from San Diego, was the latest cast-off on "American Idol" as the field was narrowed to five finalists during Wednesday's results show.

Smithson had won rave reviews from judges -- but apparently not votes from viewers -- after performing "Superstar" from "Jesus Christ Superstar" on Tuesday's Andrew Lloyd Webber-themed performance show.

Judge Randy Jackson told host Ryan Seacrest: "It must be a bit of a popularity week in the vote."

Controversy had swirled around Smithson at the start of the seventh "Idol" season because of her previous experience in the music industry. In 2001, MCA Records released Smithson's debut "Ultimate High," which flopped on the charts.

Syesha Mercado, who sang "One Rock 'n' Roll Too Many" from "Starlight Express," joined Smith in the bottom two on Wednesday's results show.

Brooke White was visibly shocked she wasn't one of the show's lowest vote-getters.

White caused a stir Tuesday when she stopped singing a few seconds into "You Must Love Me" from "Evita" and asked "Idol" music director Ricky Minor to start over, a first for the Fox singing competition. Jackson and Simon Cowell praised White's decision to reboot, but Paula Abdul was upset about the do-over.

"You must never start and stop," Abdul told White.

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