Michael Sarver was revealed to be the fourth finalist eliminated from American Idol's eighth season during last night's live results show broadcast on Fox.
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The 27-year-old from Jasper, TX was sent home from Idol's eighth season based on the 36 million home viewer votes that were cast immediately following Wednesday night's live performance episode broadcast that saw the Top 10 finalists perform songs in a tribute to Motown Records.
Prior to Sarver's elimination, Matt Giraud, a 23-year-old who currently resides in Kalamazoo, MI, and Scott MacIntyre, a 23-year-old from Scottsdale, AZ, were revealed to be the other members of this week's bottom three vote-getters.
Sarver had sung The Temptations' "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" during Wednesday night's performance episode.
Judge Paula Abdul had called Sarver's performance "tough" and said that it "felt a little old Las Vegas lounge-y for me" before adding that he had not dominated the song in the way he needed to during the performance.
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Judge Simon Cowell agreed, telling Sarver that he "couldn't wait for it to end" and that he had screamed his way through the performance. Cowell also said that the performance had confirmed that Sarver wasn't on the same tier as some of the competition's other singers.
"You are taking part in this competition, you have no chance of winning it, based on that type of vocals," Cowell told him bluntly. "You don't, it's a reality. It's no point... hoping that it's good enough. Once again, in the real world it's just not good enough."
Judge Randy Jackson wasn't much nicer, saying Sarver had made an "unbelievable" song "corny" with his adjustments, while judge Kara DioGuardi had doubted that he had showed the artistry needed to succeed in the competition by failing to make the song his own.
After being revealed as the week's lowest vote-getter, Sarver was given a second chance to perform "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" and demonstrate that the judges should use their new "The Judges' Save" ability to save him from elimination.
However after spending the initial portion of Sarver's encore performance of "Ain't Too Proud To Beg" dancing to the song, the judges were still huddled together and undecided as to their decision when Sarver was done singing.
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After initially stalling for more time and telling American Idol host Ryan Seacrest that they hadn't made a decision yet, the finally judges informed Sarver that they wouldn't be saving him and he had been eliminated from the competition.
"Guys, guys, guys -- listen we've got to make a decision," Cowell shouted. "Michael, you're going home, sorry."
Sarver seemed to take the news well.
"Dad's coming home, huh?" Seacrest asked Sarver after a brief video of his American Idol experience was shown.
"I'm coming home, baby," Sarver replied as he looked directly at one of the show's cameras.
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"And you're going on [the Idol summer] tour," Seacrest added.
"And I am going on tour," Sarver said as he smiled and laughed.
In addition to Sarver's elimination, the results show also featured two Motown medleys (one from Top 10 finalists and the other by Stevie Wonder), a performance from second-season American Idol champion Ruben Studdard of his single "Together," and a duet from Smokey Robinson and Joss Stone of "You're The One For Me."
Idol's Top 9 eighth-season finalists - Alexis Grace, Danny Gokey, Kris Allen, Allison Iraheta, Adam Lambert, Lil Rounds, Scott MacIntyre, Megan Joy Corkrey, Anoop Desai, and Matt Giraud - will all take the stage and perform during next week's performance episode on Tuesday, March 31 at 8PM ET/PT.
On Wednesday beginning at 9PM ET/PT, another finalist will be eliminated -- unless "The Judges' Save" is utilized -- from the competition based on home viewer votes, revealing the season's Top 8.
(Photo credit Frank Micelotta/FOX)
About The Author: John Bracchitta