Ashthon Jones Eliminated From 'American Idol'

LOS ANGELES — "American Idol" viewers didn't tell Ashthon Jones they loved her.

The silky smooth 24-year-old retail manager from Nashville, Tenn., on Thursday was revealed to have the fewest viewer votes on the Fox talent competition.

The judges decided not to save Jones after her performance of Diana Ross' "When You Tell Me That You Love Me." Jones said before her dismissal that she regretted not selecting a more popular Ross tune.

"I was rooting for you, baby," Jennifer Lopez told a weeping Jones.

Joining Jones as the bottom three vote-getters were 21-year-old college student Karen Rodriguez of New York and 20-year-old college student Haley Reinhart of Wheeling, Ill. Randy Jackson dubbed their respective Wednesday performances of Selena's "I Could Fall In Love" and LeAnn Rimes' "Blue" as sleepy, and he criticized Reinhart's lack of direction.

"Find your lane," Jackson advised.

Casey Abrams, the 20-year-old film camp counselor from Idyllwild, Calif., delivered an energetic take on Joe Cocker's rendition of "With a Little Help From My Friends" during Wednesday's performance episode. He earned enough votes to move on in the competition, but he missed out on the results because he was hospitalized, "Idol" host Ryan Seacrest said.

"You'll notice that Casey is missing from the group. He is unfortunately sick and in the hospital right now," Seacrest said.

He didn't elaborate on Abrams' condition, and Fox had no additional comment on the matter.

The other finalists remaining in the competition are Naima Adedapo, 26, of Milwaukee; Lauren Alaina, 16, of Rossville, Ga.; James Durbin, 22, of Santa Cruz, Calif.; Stefano Langone, 21, of Kent, Wash.; Jacob Lusk, 23, of Compton, Calif.; Scotty McCreery, 17, of Garner, N.C.; Paul McDonald, 26, of Nashville, Tenn.; Thia Megia, 16, of Mountain House, Calif.; and Pia Toscano, 22, of Howard Beach, N.Y.

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Online:

http://www.americanidol.com/

Comments

[Lauren Kottwitz]

05:26 PM on 03/12/2011

I was pulling for Ashton. I kept waiting for her to be awesome consistently, but she never got there. Even in her last song, the whole first part was terrible - and the last few bits were outstanding. I loved her when she was outstanding. She's just not a good enough performer to be a bad singer some of the time.

Casey for the WIN. He is the most stunning performer Idol has seen. He's impeccable. Electrifying. AND a true musician. After every song, I'm left feeling like an old-school Beatlemania girl - just a breath away from loosing my sh*t.

Jacob Lusk gives me shivers every time he sings.

I love Paul (he's so weird). And Stephano really does have a great high voice.

I could take or leave the rest of the women - though that Lauren girl is adorable.

[TeeSC]

07:54 PM on 03/14/2011

You know... I never ever felt like she WAS outstanding.  It was always.... "almost" there but not quite.  And I admit... I didn't like her personally. 
Team Casey or Team Jacob... can't decide.  LOVE Scotty but it's him I like.  He'll go far in the country music business.  Told my husband he might be the ONLY country music I could tolerate. 

[littlerabbit]

03:36 AM on 03/12/2011

Pia and Thia -- opposite ends of the vocal spectrum -- one quiet, one screechy -- both should go. A few of the girls who sang have better voices than Pia, but she is the package some folks are looking for. The guys are much stronger this year -- I'm thinking James, Casey or Scotty..

[brooklyncitizen]

01:38 AM on 03/12/2011

She was annoying...and top think that the other Lauren didn't get a spot but she did.Equally annoying is the guy who did the Rod Stewart song and moves like he is physically impaired.His voice is "interesting" his moves not so much.

[TeeSC]

07:55 PM on 03/14/2011

I think even HE makes fun of his moves....lol.

[dansup]

12:55 AM on 03/12/2011

she didn't belong in the final in the first place - just needed a black girl

[emperance]

01:34 AM on 03/12/2011

Then, why do they still have a black girl left?

[Seafarer61]

12:12 AM on 03/12/2011

continuing....

Thia: The purest voice out of the entire competition but her shortfall is that she is a classic singer, not a performer. Had her vocal performance Wednesday night stayed more on the initial 30 seconds, they would still be talking about it. Unfortunately, it spun into some weird jazz arrangement and she commenced her deer in the headlights result. She's absolutely adorable and it would be incredible that a 15-year-old could actually win American Idol but I don't think she has enough personality to go all the way. She reminds me of Paris Bennett. Loveable but just a little bit in over her head. An outside chance at a top five for sure.
Pia: The total package. If she can throttle back on the yelling, she'll win. She has the Carrie Underwood factor (body, face, vocal chops). I predict an easy top three and probable win.

[Seafarer61]

12:11 AM on 03/12/2011

James: Will make it to the final five but not win.
Jacob: People will grow tired of the up and down histronics after awhile but top three is probable.
Casey: This year's Taylor Hicks. If healthy, might see the final three but when asked to sing out of his box, he'll fall flat.
Paul: His soft voice won't get him to the final five and frankly writing, he dances like he's stomping grapes.
Stefano: Forgettable. Nothing extraordinary happening here. No top five.
Karen: Milks the J-Lo angle far too much and people resent that. No top five here.
Naima: Interesting but not strong enough for top five.
Lauren: Had good vocal chops but Haley will siphon enough country voters to keep Lauren out of the top five.
Scotty: A one trick pony. Even with the entire country music audience voting for him, he won't get past the first time they do a night devoted to something completely opposite of country. There's a reason the Statler Brothers didn't do "big band" music.
Haley: A sleeper. She has the looks and the vocal ability but is fighting for the country votes with Lauren and Scotty. No top five here.

[emperance]

01:36 AM on 03/12/2011

Karen should have been voted off, voice is weak.

[Lauren Kottwitz]

05:30 PM on 03/12/2011

Woah, woah, woah... now I don't think Karen is going to be doing any winning, but her voice is definitely not weak. Girl's got pipes up in her higher register, it's just that lower collection of notes that is unpracticed.

Okay, so her voice is half-weak. Can we agree on that?

[RobH413]

08:43 PM on 03/11/2011

I can't believe the judges bothered to rescue her with a Wild Card. I cant believe I miss Simon, who was unnecessarily cruel at times, but none of the current judges are willing to call it as they see it (or worse yet, they DON'T see it). There have been some awful pitchy performances that have gotten raves from the judges. This gal was pitchy in every performance I saw. Painfully so at times.

[phoebequeen]

08:39 PM on 03/11/2011

Didn't vote for her, even though she is good. There is just alot of talent this year and she wasn't on par with them. Hope Casey is ok. This is the second hospitalization for him. I wonder if he has an underlying problem?

[amd02148]

07:14 PM on 03/11/2011

I like Ashton but she didn't deserve to be there, they were right this is American Idol, if she was going to sing a Diana Ross song, why sing something most people never heard of? it's a contest but it's also about entertaining America, people want a song they can sing along with.

[brooklyncitizen]

01:35 AM on 03/12/2011

When they were doing the Beatles before the 24 were announced she was the girl that said she never even heard a Beatle's song...my guess is that she never heard a Diana Ross song either.She clearly didn't know the Diana hits she just picked something because it was all new to her.

[bluguy8]

03:47 PM on 03/13/2011

amazing that she picked that song. Ross has had so many hits . Maybe she just didn't know who Diana was

[JC80]

07:12 PM on 03/11/2011

Too bad for Ashton. The girls are definitely the stronger contenders in the group - this year's American Idol will most likely be one of them.

www.thesocialshrink.blogspot.com

[rotorhead1871]

11:32 PM on 03/11/2011

NOT This time......sorry...it will be a guy.

[Carol Quattrone]

07:07 PM on 03/11/2011

I'm glad Ashthon got voted off, she thought she was a Diva already!!!!!!

[iconico62]

06:31 PM on 03/11/2011

With the comments here it appears like the louder the scream and higher the screech, the more people sem to like it. How sad.

[Patrick Dennis]

05:13 PM on 03/11/2011

JLO looked fine...I was a little uncomfortable. I don't think she knew it was him...
Her Ex Sean Combs I mean "Puff Daddy", no "P Diddy", I'm sorry "Diddy Dirty Money"...

http://hottopixnet.blogspot.com/2011/03/little-uncomfortable.html

[phoebequeen]

08:40 PM on 03/11/2011

What is up with him?

[koppenberg]

09:24 AM on 03/12/2011

The joke is that he's trying to stay ahead of the tax man by changing identities periodically :-). He doesn't want to go the way of Willie Nelson, Wesley Snipes and Nicholas Cage (though I suppose Cage already changed his name once, long ago).

[tonycanuck]

10:59 PM on 03/11/2011

Did anyone notice how Ryan Seacrest mocked Sean Combs at the end of Sean's appearance? I thought it was hilarious. I'm liking Ryan Seacrest more and more.

[Queenofme]

05:12 PM on 03/11/2011

I'm surprised no one is talking about Stefano. His voice is wonderful :)
He's not gone yet is he? (I'm not an avid watcher)

[tonycanuck]

10:56 PM on 03/11/2011

I agree. I think Stefano is fabulous! This young man sings fantastic and has tons of stage presence. I think he could make it to the top 3.

[emperance]

05:45 PM on 03/12/2011

Yeah, agree.

[brooklyncitizen]

02:12 AM on 03/12/2011

He is good but doesn't have an original sound....yet.

[MrsOrtiz]

03:45 PM on 03/11/2011

I like how they didn't drag out the suspense of the bottom 3 for as long as they used to. Definitely a step in the right direction.