‘American Idol XIV’ review: Let’s talk Quentin Alexander vs. Harry Connick Jr.

Tonight, “American Idol” becomes the night we start to dislike Harry Connick Jr. as an onstage presence for the show. Let it be known that for years, we’ve come to love the guy on the show. He was a great in-house mentor, and an excellent judge to have sometimes during the auditions. He’s funny, he’s knowledgeable, and he also has worked really hard to get everything that he has.

This is why we’ve come to look past some of his annoyances, such as his occasional patronizing with music knowledge or talking over singers during the audition round. Some of this comes from producers telling him to be a little bit wild with his remarks to make good TV. It happens on every show. However, his calling out of Quentin Alexander, a fellow New Orleans guy, one might add, for rather innocent remarks feels kind of appalling and beyond reproach for a pretty fun show.

Let’s try to digest what happened here. After learning that Joey Cook and Rayvon Owen were the bottom two for the night, Quentin referred to the situation as “wack,” commenting that they were two of his favorite people and vocalists, and he didn’t want to say much more than that. Then, Harry inexplicably calls him out by saying that he thinks that the situation is “wack,” he can just head home.

What made all of this even more obnoxious was Harry making sure that the moment was captured on TV, when it felt clear to us that Quentin was doing the same thing many other people do, and that is commenting on the fact that some good friends are in danger of going home and it stinks. You always hear this in different words.

Anyhow, we thought that Quentin, Jax, and Clark Beckham were the best on what was otherwise a pretty off night for the show before things got uncomfortable and weird, and after the fact, it’s hard to really feel that much like going in-depth on anything. Tyanna Jones and Rayvon are probably the two weak links on the night of those that stayed.

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