‘American Idol’: Ryan Seacrest Addresses Jermaine Jones Elimination at Start of Broadcast, Producers Confront Him Later (Video)

In what is sure to be the most controversial show of the season, American Idol host Ryan Seacrest immediately addressed the elimination of “one of our contestants” with the “cooporation of law enforcement,” but refrained from naming Jermaine Jones outright.

STORY: Jermaine Jones Exits ‘American Idol’ With Five Outstanding Arrest Warrants (Report)

“When you’re doing a live show, anything can happen,” he said.

Seacrest said the matter will be discussed later in tonight’s broadcast, which is featuring “Songs From The Year You Were Born.”

UPDATE: As promised, the dismissal of Jones was broadcast in dramatic fashion.

Jones was brought into a meeting with Idol producers Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick, in an uncomfortable confrontation that included a full reading of Jones’s crimes, including four active warrants for his arrest involving giving false names to the police and what was described as a fight.

Jones tried to clarify the incident, stammering, “It wasn’t a fight, I wasn’t fighting…I thought I was left carrying my bags..the police and paramedics came because I couldn’t walk”

He said he had a “disagreement with one of my friends” but there was no fist fighting involved. 

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Lythgoe expressed his disappointment, explaining that the show is “not allowed to have someone with an outstanding warrant on the program.”

Jones, said he didn’t come clean because he was “scared and nervous,” and didn’t “want to be judged.”

The clip ended with Jones in rehearsal, soulfully crooning the Linda Rondstadt, James Ingram classic, “Somewhere Out There.”

“We both just listened to you sing, and you were fantastic,” said Lythgoe.

Watch the video segment below: