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Fresh on the heels of my personal favorites for Idol’s best performances is my Top 10 least favorite American Idol (semifinals or finals) performances, inspired by this article. While everyone is entitled to her/his opinion, especially on this blog, I respectfully ask that, if you disagree, please do so in a relatively civilized way, especially since my reasons for selecting the 10 songs below are more based on performance, not a dislike for the singer. And, oh, I hadn’t seen every episode of Seasons 1 and 2, which explains the lack of performers for those two seasons. I heard Ryan Starr was atrocious.

10. Jasmine Trias, Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me. I thought Season 3’s Fil-American belter deserved the props, especially for Inseparable, but this particular Elton John power ballad was not her best. Throat-carried and nasal. Admittedly, she was ill that particular night, and that certainly didn’t help, but it really was not her finest work.

[youtube="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tbEd4DfPFrE"]

9. Leslie Hunt, Feeling Good. Hunt’s version of this Nina Simone original was messy and all over the place, especially when she began to scat. A semifinalist in Season 6, Hunt chose to lick her wounds by going out with sass. She at least earned a good chuckle for that.

[youtube="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APEMFk8yBqY"]

8. Mikalah Gordon, Somewhere. She and Barbra may be Jewish, but all similarities between this Season 3 finalist and Babs faded into oblivion after her butchering of this standard. Fran Drescher eventually guest-starred her in her latest sitcom. They played cousins.

[youtube="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1g0eGrlj3k"]

7. Alaina Alexander, Brass in Pocket. I was not won over by her breathy, off-key rendition of this country-rock chestnut. The Season 6 semifinalist was booted out the next week with a less-than-stellar version of Not Ready to Make Nice.

[youtube="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLkQCXI0oDY"]

6. Scott Savol, Everlasting Love. Scott outlasted the really good singers of Season 4, including Nikko Smith, NadiaTurner, and - arguably - Constantine Maroulis, but Savol’s smooth vocal certainly made up for his lack of onstage presence. No bigger proof than with his lumbering, languid version of this disco chestnut. Help me find a video!

5. Nicole Tranquillo, Stay. Another Season 6 semifinalist, Nicole Tranquillo delivered an off-tempo, shrill, breathy, pitchy performance that defies words. She had great energy, though.

[youtube="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyFMz3JtKF8"]

4. John Stevens, Crocodile Rock. An awkward, gangly Sinatra wannabe meets Elton John. Ohmigosh. Help me find a video!

3. Kevin Covais, Part-Time Lover. They called him Chicken Little. I wonder what they said when this Season 5 finalist decided to warble the Stevie Wonder classic, complete with Chicken Little dance moves. Help me find a video!

2. Kellie Pickler, Bewitched. I love this song, and I’m sure Kellie Pickler’s just lovely in person, but let’s face it: that song was a mess. She was pitchy, her voice wavered in several spots, her face told a million stories about how little she knew about or comfortable she was with the song, and when she lost the tempo, it made for an unforgettable moment in reality television. Help me find a video!

1. Bobby Bennett, Copacabana. I am probably wrong, but I wouldn’t be surprised if Season Four (Five?) semifinalist Bobby Bennett received the lowest number of votes for a male semifinalist in American Idol history. His appalling rendition of Barry Manilow’s overused karaoke favorite was an absolute horror, pitchy, complete with oversized suit, unusual facial expressions, vocal growls, and waaay too much sass.

[youtube="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdov3b8DewY"]