Not standing ‘Idol’: Ryan Seacrest shows class with a despondent Alaina Whitaker
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- February
- 28
Ryan Seacrest is many things. This generation’s Dick Clark. Perhaps prime-time’s answer to Oprah Winfrey. And a premature member of the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
But one thing Seacrest hasn’t routinely proven to be on “American Idol” is sensitive. Of course, the host wants to heighten the drama for the purposes of the show—that is his job, after all. But even some game show hosts, especially Clark on “The $25,000 Pyramid,” seemed to exhibit a sensitivity toward crushed contestants in more genuine ways than Seacrest has shown in the past.
Then there was tonight’s episode. And if Seacrest was just putting on an act, well, I bought it.
While standing next to one another on live TV, Alaina Whitaker and Kady Malloy were told by Seacrest that one would be eliminated. Earlier in the episode, clips were doctored to make it appear that the judges praised Whitaker’s song and panned Malloy’s, when in reality the judges responded to both with equal dissatisfaction. Looking ready to accept her fate as the second female contestant to go home that night, Malloy dropped her jaw when the host said she was safe.
In turn, Whitaker turned away from the camera, crumpled into Malloy’s arms and shrieked “I can’t sing,” probably referring to the cruel tradition of asking the just-rejected to “sing one last song” before walking into the off-camera abyss. When Whitaker turned back toward the camera, her eyes overflowed with tears and the eerie silence was broken by empathetic applause from the audience.
It was the first time in my memory an “Idol” contestant exhibited this much devastation upon hearing the bad news. It was striking and surprisingly painful to watch.
In a change of pace, Seacrest dropped the robotic Guy Smiley façade that all but includes the “we have some wonderful parting gifts for you” routine. When Whitaker admitted she was embarrassed, he started talking to her more like a friend, congratulating her for making it against all odds to this point of the competition—legitimately a remarkable accomplishment unto itself—while gently reminding her that the eliminations were a necessary, if brutal, part of the process.
In a sudden break from the slick, keep-it-moving hostbot he’s become through the years, Seacrest, for one moment, ceased to be mechanical.
He actually looked like he cared.
Yeah, his consolation could have been faked more than Paula Abdul’s latest music video. But even if it was, I’ll still tip my cap to him. He helped a vulnerable contestant in a heart-wrenching moment regain her composure and dignity within seconds. That’s no small feat; remember, as talented as Whitaker is, she’s still only a high school student whose every note was scrutinized on the nation’s top-rated show.
Someone who could have shared in Seacrest’s display of class, however, was Whitaker’s mother, whose angry frown was scarier than the moment was heartbreaking. It screamed Stage Mom to me and I half-jokingly feared for Malloy’s life. Security! As it is, Malloy’s going to have to shake the audience-souring label of favorite-killer, one that might have burdened Top 24 members Colton Berry (who claimed the last male spot over future politician Kyle Ensley) and Joanne Borgella (who took the last female post instead of überhottie Cardin McKinney) in ways that prevented them from advancing further.
But kudos to you, Seacrest. You’d be best served to show this side of you more often.
Tonight, Whitaker’s departing peers—Robbie Carrico, Alexandréa Lushington and Jason Yeager—handled the bad news from Regular Seacrest a little better. More about their departures here.
(Photos: Fox.)
This entry was posted
on Thursday, February 28th, 2008 at 11:48 pm by Chris Serico.
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What do you mean? Seacrest should have kicked her off the stage for being such a weakling crybaby girl.
I’ve always liked Ryan. KUDOS to him for showing some compassion. Did the girl end up singing? I missed that part.
Thanks!