American Idol winner Laine Hardy and the singing reality TV show are facing backlash following a recent controversy. Hardy, who won the competition in 2019, was accused of spying on his ex-girlfriend while she was in her dorm room at Louisiana State University.
'American Idol' Faces Backlash Following Laine Hardy's Performance
According to Page Six, Hardy was arrested and handcuffed by cops, and he was also sent for questioning. And just days later, he appeared in the 20th anniversary special for American Idol.
Fans of the singing reality TV show were surprised to see Hardy there, especially after his arrest. But it is important to note that his performance with fellow American Idol alum Laci Kaye Booth was recorded earlier in April.
Still, fans of American Idol are fuming at the people behind the show for not editing Hardy out of the program. They also accused the hit show of being tone-deaf.
“Hey, @AmericanIdol can y’all be any more #tonedeaf to what is going on in the world?!? What on earth made you think putting #LaineHardy on the air was a good idea?!?!” one fan tweeted.
“You ask for privacy yet your taped appearance is on American Idol tonight? [Expletive] AI using that taped segment after your arrest is disrespectful to the victim; your ex-girlfriend. They should have removed your taped appearance. Shameful, disappointing & triggering to many people,” another person wrote.
Others also urged American Idol to at least address the controversy that Hardy was involved in.
On Thursday last week, Hardy said that he was cooperating with the cops. And he was released from jail a day later.
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Other 'American Idol' Alums Involved In Controversies
Hardy isn’t the only American Idol alum to ever be involved in a controversy.
There was a time when fan-favorite Wyatt Pike shocked everyone when he decided to quit the competition. Host Ryan Seacrest said that it was due to some personal reasons, but some people saw this as an excuse.
They claimed that Pike left American Idol abruptly after making it to the Top 12 because he had a fight with judge Luke Bryan. The country artist’s wife denied the claims saying that Bryan skipped an episode of American Idol due to covid and not because of any feud.
American Idol Season 19 alum Caleb Kennedy made it to the Top 5, but he also decided to quit the competition after a controversial video of him surfaced. In the clip, he appeared to be wearing a Ku Klux Klan outfit.
“Hey y’all, this is gonna be a bit of a surprise but I am no longer gonna be on American Idol. There was a video that surfaced on the internet and it displayed actions that were not meant to be taken in that way. I was younger and did not think about the actions, but that’s not an excuse. I wanna say sorry to all my fans and everyone who I have let down,” he said in a statement (via Us Weekly).
Who Will Win 'American Idol' Season 20?
Meanwhile, American Idol Season 20 is down to its final seven contestants. And it seems that it’s anyone’s ball game this season. Some of the frontrunners include Nicolina, Christian Guardino, Leah Marlene, and Huntergirl.
All four performed hits from some of the biggest Disney movies like “Circle of Life” from The Lion King and “Poor Unfortunate Souls” from The Little Mermaid.
Based on the reviews that they have been getting, it’s possible for Nicolina or Leah Marlene to be crowned the winner of American Idol Season 20.
Check back for more stories and updates about American Idol here at EpicStream!
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