The first American Idol semifinalists were sent packing Thursday and Ellen DeGeneres did a great job as the new judge during the first elimination.
American Idol voters said goodbye to the first four contestants of season nine eliminating Janell Wheeler, Joe Munoz, Ashley Rodriguez and Tyler Grady.
Grady, the 20-year-old 1970's rocker from Nazareth, Pa., put up a good fight.
"I really like all the judges," said Grady, who was mocked after his rendition of The Guess Who's "American Woman" during Wednesday's performance. "I've really had a great time with them, but I feel like I didn't really get much constructive criticism during 'Hollywood Week,' and I feel like what they told me was a little bit too late."
The Washington Post reports that Wheeler, a 24-year-old wine sales rep from Tampa, and Rodriguez, a 22-year-old college student from Chelsea, Mass., were the first semifinalists to be booted form the show.
Apparently, Wheeler did not give it her best shot on Heart's "What About Love" and Rodriguez failed at Leona Lewis' "Happy." Simon Cowell even called it "clumsy."
Munoz's version of Jason Mraz's "You and I Both" fell short of votes, due to his lackluster performance technique.
Eigth season Idol winner Kris Allen also returned Thursday to talk about his recent trip to Haiti and perform The Beatles' hit "Let It Be."
20 American Idol contestants remain in the popular Fox singing competition: Katelyn Epperly, Lilly Scott, Lacey Brown, Haeley Vaughn, Didi Benami, Michelle Delamor, Katie Stevens, Crystal Bowersox, Paige Miles and Soibhan Magnus, Andrew Garcia, Todrick Hall, Lee Dewyze, Michael Lynche, Aaron Kelly, Jermaine Sellers, Tim Urban, John Park and Alex Lambert.
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