Pia Toscano’s getting voted off American Idol was the most shocking moment so far this season.
1. Jennifer Hudson (2004)
After she was sent home during the show’s third season, fans exploded. Some viewers even blamed the lack of votes for Hudson on a power outage in the singer’s Chicago hometown. Elton John went as far to say that there was something “incredibly racist” about viewer voting since Hudson and two others, LaToya London and Fantasia Barrino, all seemed to be landing in the bottom three. Three years later, Hudson got revenge: She won an Oscar.
2. Chris Daughtry (2006)
He was given the boot in favor of Katharine McPhee during season five. But the rocker – whose band Daughtry sold more than 5 million copies of its debut – doesn’t want any condolences. “When I hear that, I’m like, Do people really know how good I’ve got it?” he once told
People. “My life does not suck!”
3. David Archuleta (2008)
Even Simon Cowell predicted the season eight champ would be Archuleta. But he and other Idol fans were stunned when David Cook was crowned champ. “It wasn’t quite so clear as we called it,” Cowell later said on-air, notes A
BC News. “In fact, David [Cook], I will take this opportunity to apologize because I think I was verging on disrespectful with you and I don’t think you deserve that.”
4. Adam Lambert (2009)
“I’m just shocked,” Kris Allen said after a record-breaking 100 million votes determined he was the winner and Lambert was runner-up. Speculation about his sexual orientation “probably” cost him the lead, Lambert later told
TV Guide.
5. Casey Abrams (2011)
Though he was voted off by fans, judges Randy Jackson, Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez used their one and only save to stop him from leaving. “Are you kidding? Are you kidding?” a stunned Abrams kept repeating after learning the news.
6. Pia Toscano (2011)
“I have no idea what just happened here. I’m shocked. I’m angry. I don’t even know what to say,” remarked Jennifer Lopez, who held her head in her hands when the results were announced. Randy Jackson, who shouted “No!” when Ryan Seacrest revealed Toscano’s elimination, said, “I’m never upset on this show and I’m never really mad, but this makes me mad.”
