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'American Idol' Top 36 Contestant Joanna Pacitti Ruled Ineligible
Joanna Pacitti, a much-maligned contestant due to her previous record deal, has been removed from the Top 36 of American Idol. She has been replaced by Felicia Barton.
Via the official press release sent at 10:30 p.m. PT (a half hour after the Top 36 episode finished airing on the west coast), "It has been determined that Joanna Pacitti is ineligible to continue in the competition. American Idol contestant Felicia Barton has replaced Ms. Pacitti as part of the Top 36."
More
details as they become available, but Pacitti is definitely gone. As Los Angeles Times Idol Tracker notes: while the FOX press site posted the official publicity shots for the other 35 finalists, the only image available for Barton is a less than glamorous picture snapped during her original audition.
Zap2it Twitter Talk 
Die, Plantcitti, die! Yay!
"Die, Plantcitti, Die!"????
Really???
Anyone who pushes fanaticism to the length that they would wish death on someone they deem unworthy of a slot on a reality competition, whether a joke or not, needs to sell their television, and use the proceeds to establish regular therapy.
Joanna Pacitti was allowed to audition for American Idol's Hollywood round. She was selected by a majority of the judges (or all of them, I could only make it through two hours of audition footage this year). The period of time between audition and Hollywood Round competition is months. This is when Fox and 19 Productions is supposed to check the facts and verify the information. It's impossible to verify applications before letting individuals audition. That's how several "performers" get through to the big judges. They have some 'look', sing horribly, or both, and producers are hoping they will generate footage worth airing. Later, we find out that they torpedoed auditions on purpose, to get 15 minutes for their web site, or comedy show. Between auditions and 'Hollywood' is the buffer that is supposed to help the Hollywood Round to be the real arrival of quality to the new season of American Idol.
If Fox couldn't find or didn't think that the info on Pacitti's record deal broke the rules, then that should be good enough for the viewer. It was good enough for me. I actually think that this late-hour change makes 19 Productions look less than professional. When they pulled Frenchie Davis over some old topless photos on a website, they really didn't forsee what kind of people they would be naming as finalists. If it took until tonight to decide that Joanna Pacitti's record deal made her ineligible, then I don't think that Fox or 19 made that decision. They let the fans make that decision. And that's not how the show is supposed to work. I seem to recall that Taylor Hicks released two albums before singing his way onto Idol. I know that his 'releases' didn't disqualify him from the competition, but I see him as just as 'pro' as anyone who's 1st album is really their 3rd album.
Bottom line: If Fox and 19 Productions felt that Pacitti was eligible, the outcry of fans shouldn't be the deciding vote. Fans don't know about record contracts, they just know who they do and don't like. They liked Taylor, and he stays. They hated Pacitti, and she goes. If you want to vote someone out, at least wait until the voting begins.
wOW, i FELL ASLEEP FOR A GOOD HOUR OF THE SHOW. BETTER THAN AMBIAN GUYS!
iT HAS BECOME A MANGET TO EFFEMINATE MUSICAL THEATER TYPES, BUT I GUESS RYAN IS DIGGING ON THAT...
I liked her I wanted her to win, i dont care if she already had a contact she was still the most talanted not to meantion hot!!!
Winners Taylor Hicks and David Cooks also had previous albums out, as did Brooke White. Why is she ineligible??????
And didn't the Irish girl last year (sorry, I have completely blanked on her name) have recording contracts in both the UK and US, and actually had tracks that were pushed (or least tried to be pushed) to radio? But, she was eligible.
I don't have all the info but keep in mind that there's a difference between releasing an album and having a recording contract.
It has nothing to do with her record deal. She was booted because of close ***ociations/friendships with head people in 19's management team.
LiasMom: Youre thinking of Carly Smithson.
Eric,
I agree with you 100% but I ultimately think that it's best that she's not in this competition. Jerks like the one who posted before you would have crucified her throughout the entire competition and it may have ended up being an unbearable experience for the poor girl.
AI may say that they've found her ineligible but I have a feeling that she's going to get something out of the deal.