TVSquad

Now that it's all over, "I'm just ready to make a record and just enjoy life in general and I don't know ... go to the beach, do the things I used to do in my everyday life," said Carly Smithson in her exit interview. The former pop-star misfire was oddly optimistic about her ouster considering how badly she wanted this chance. Perhaps she thinks a sixth place finish is enough to salvage her failed career and make one last final stab at super-stardom.

It's odd to me to think of Carly as this music industry veteran who's already had her shot and failed at the industry because she's still only 24 years old. Granted, she was a teen when she took that shot, but she still has talent and youth and charm. I know there's been a lot of crap slung her way for not being new to the industry, and even accusations that she was planted on the show by Idol producers, but even so is Carly really to blame for all of it?

Okay, well maybe. Certainly he talked Carly out of her original song choice of The Phantom of the Opera's "All I Ask of You" and into the more controversial "Superstar," from Jesus Christ Superstar. The New York Times reports that Carly Smithson's song choice may have spelled her doom from American Idol this past week. Many fans were none too pleased with her performing that particular number, sounding off online against the singer.

Surely Webber recalls the furor the album and subsequent stage production of Jesus Christ Superstar wrought from some religious groups when it first came out. While, as the Times piece indicates, the sensitivity over its controversial nature has waned in the passing decades, it has not died out. Just as many say Kristy Lee Cook's rendering of "God Bless the USA" rallied a certain sect of the population to vote for her and keep her around longer, it's certainly possible that Carly's "Jesus Christ Superstar" had the exact opposite effect.

A couple of days ago, the purported list of the Top 24 contestants spilled across the Internet. Monday, I took you through the list of Top 12 Boys, so now we're going to look into the Top 12 Girls. And let me tell you, after researching these 24 (whether they're the accurate Top 24 or not is still up for debate), I can tell you that American Idol is definitely NOT about finding great undiscovered talent this year.

After the lackluster response to last year, they were determined to get better singers on the air, so it makes sense to look for people who've already had major record deals and have already been signed by major labels and stars, but whose big debuts just kind of fizzled. You know they've got talent because they were already signed once, they're just not signed now. So it's "Unsigned Talent" that's more important than "Undiscovered Talent." I just wish they'd be more honest about it on-screen instead of pretending these people just walked in off the farm.

[UPDATE - Now updated and with additional audition video! - j/h]

(S07E03) Simon (to Christopher Baker): "The reality is there is not a single person on planet Earth who would ever pay to hear you sing."
Christopher: "I understand your opinion, Simon, and I am going to sing the song in a lower tone."

San Diego, California. Where the talented flock to make their dreams come true and where many of them stay after that dream fizzles. Never mind that Carly Hennessy, er I mean Smithson, over there has already had a major record deal with MCA Records back in 2001, she's got a sleeve of tattoos now, a new husband and name so she's a fresh-faced undiscovered talent all over again. So just shut up and don't question it already, capische?!