‘American Idol’ Fans Urge Ryan Seacrest to Quit Over ‘Brutal’ Remarks to Losing Contestants
Ryan Seacrest was criticized online by several "American Idol" fans for his "nasty" behavior during Monday night's episode of the singing competition series. With emotions running high, some viewers even urged the presenter to quit his duties and walk away from the show.
The 48-year-old host had the tough task of revealing which acts would make it through to the final 12 and which would sadly be heading home. The television personality pulled no punches while speaking to several of the program's contestants about their potential losses. It was clear from the get-go that Ryan was in no mood to sugarcoat the decisions as he bluntly told one hopeful contestant, "You sang 'Lose You to Love Me.' We might lose you tonight."
The media figure, who recently departed "Live With Kelly and Ryan," subsequently became the subject of condemnation by many of the show's fans who were concerned about his treatment of the show's competitors. Several watchers voiced their opinions about Seacrest on Reddit, where one wrote, '''We might lose you tonight' was so nasty omg." Another claimed the host wasn't "softening any blows" in what is surely a tough time for hopefuls. It led to a third viewer suggesting, "Ryan really needs to leave the show. He's been so off today and yesterday, he just seems done."
One Reddit user, however, commended the media figure's actions while hosting the program. They expressed that Seacrest was "keeping this episode moving at a breakneck pace without it feeling rushed. That's why he deserves his paycheck." On Twitter, a user blasted him for being "brutal" while another gasped at the way he made the revelations.
Seacrest has served as the host of American Idol ever since it originally premiered in 2002. The radio host was paired with Brian Dunkleman while hosting the first season of the series. The program initially ran for a total of fifteen seasons before it ended in 2016. However, the show was later revived in 2018 and has been on air ever since.
Seacrest previously spoke to The Hollywood Reporter and expressed that "American Idol" had changed the way figures in the entertainment industry viewed television show contestants. "I think there was a time when you weren't truly accepted if you won a television competition in the music world, but that has changed," he said. The media figure then stated that he felt "American Idol" would run for many years to come. "I think this format and this series has the opportunity to live with generations and have other generations grow up watching it to try to be the next winner," he added.
It's not the only criticism to be thrown in the direction of the hit show this weekend. Sunday's three-hour-long episode, which whittled down the contestants from 26 singers to 20, left a section of fans fuming. The show didn't allow people to vote until the very end and included three live performances from Hunter Girl, Noah Thompson, and Smokey Robinson.
