American Idol's Shocking Elimination Night

From left: Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez and Randy Jackson

Michael Becker/FOX

"Interesting night, folks," said Ryan.

This was rare understatement from Mr. Seacrest. It was one of the wildest American Idols ever.

Read on to find out more.

One might have conservatively predicted Thursday's show would have been the end of Haley Reinhart ? but this time she wasn't in the bottom three at all.

Nope, it was a clearly shaken Casey Abrams voted off by the viewing public. And then he was saved.

Steven to the Rescue

He took the microphone from Ryan and started to sing "Don't Need No Doctor," hoping for a rescue from the judges, but he was almost immediately cut off by Randy Jackson, waving for him to stop.

You knew it wasn't to tell him to pack. The judges had no intention of letting the guy go ? so no need to prove himself, either.

"This is crazy wrong," said Steven Tyler. "We made a decision here to keep you on."

Casey looked so blindsided, first by the bad news and then by the good, he seemed on the verge of collapse. It was hard to tell whether to be scared or happy for him. His hands were trembling violently as he touched his heart.

Staggering Casey

"Are you kidding, are you kidding," he muttered over and over, as he staggered to the judges' table to thank them. He embraced Ryan and sank to his knees. He ran into the audience and hugged his parents, sobbing, "I love you so much!"

At that point, Jennifer Lopez, who like Steven and Randy was floored by the public vote, almost apologetically suggested that perhaps Casey had been thrown off the right artistic course. Or was she referring to his medical problems?

Everyone was caught up in the confusing adrenaline rush.

"We just want you to get back to being the musician you are," she said. "Just let people feel your soul."

Casey, at least, still had the wits to ask how this will all work with the upcoming tour. The concluding total this week was supposed to be 10.

Next Week's Eliminations

Ah, Ryan helpfully stepped forward and announced that there will be two eliminations next week, and that a top 10-plus-one will make up the tour.

That wasn't the only shock of the night: Casey was joined in the bottom two by Stefano Langone. Yes, yes, the guy who's got the old-fashioned boy-crooner thing going. Stefano.

What could have gone wrong with these performers?

I would have predicted Paul McDonald to go before Casey, let alone Stefano, with his husky, folky style. But there's an abrasive, even scouring power to Casey's singing that may play better in the live auditorium, where the judges love him, than in the living room, where perhaps viewers don't.

As for Stefano, he seriously miscalculated this week, singing "Hello" with a frenetic, almost histrionic urgency that was too much at odds with Lionel Richie's famous, whipped-cream original.

Thia Megia joined them in the bottom three. I love her serene, sweetly forlorn pop voice, and the judges thought she was showing some needed variety and pep this week with her cover of "Heatwave." At this rate, though, her prospects aren't looking great.

This all happened in the last 18 minutes. The rest of the show included performances by Sugarland and Jennifer Hudson, and a bizarre visit from Hulk Hogan.

Oh ? and Stevie Wonder came out to sing "Happy Birthday" to Steven, who's turning 63 on March 26. Happy birthday!

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