by Merrie Root

Created on: April 26, 2009

When considering the worst performances of all time on American Idol, there's a lot to consider, The worst could be the performers who left the judges and audience in stitches. It could be the ones who got out only one line before being dismissed. It could be the ones who caused the judges to cringe and the television viewers to mute their sets. Finally it could be the ones who sounded awful and refused to stop singing. You know, the ones who are told thank you and they keep singing. The ones who are told that will be all and they break into another song that's even worse than their original choice.

There are those contestants who really believe they can sing. They can't, but someone has convinced them otherwise. Some of these are among the worst for sure. I find it sad though that someone they trusted caused them to make a fool of themselves. Such is the case of Season 7 contestant, James Lewis, who was told by co-workers that he should try out. Both Randy and Paula were laughing out loud as he sang "Go Down Moses". I will probably continue to have nightmares of him croaking "let my people go" for a very long time. He is not the worst, but he definitely made the cut.

Others who are competing for the "Worst Performances" title on American Idol include Alex Cohen. Remember Alex from season 7? She thought she was Janis Joplin and absolutely murdered "Don't You Want Somebody To Love". She was so bad that it was Paula or Randy who held up their hand to stop her. She left in a huff giving Simon "the finger" and calling him names that had to be bleeped out.

A girl named Mary from season 7 is a front runner for the worst performance. She sang nothing really except numbers 1 through 7 and screeched about voices in her head. Better yet, she came back this season and provided the same annoying performance of screeching words that couldn't be understood. Then of course was the dialog with the voices in her head. A terrible performance and a total waste of time. Not funny, not sad, just a total train wreck.

Finally on the list of the worst, is Douglas. Douglas began by telling a lame story about a video of his cat. He was laughing uncontrollably and it wasn't funny to anyone but him. Once he stopped laughing, he says he needs to warm up his instrument (pointing at his throat) be begins making noises like a dying whale. Then flapping his hands like a bird he keeps saying the word "projecting". All of this is before he actually opens his mouth and screams out "Chocolate Rain". Yes, Chocolate Rain was the name of his chosen song. Thank goodness we only had to hear the first 2 words. If I had to hear anymore, I think I would have shut my TV off. It really was "that bad".

There have been so many excruciatingly bad performances it's hard to stop at naming only a few. It's the combination, however, of the good, the bad and the VERY bad that makes American Idol an all time favorite of so many viewers. So that's the way it is, we take the bad with the good.

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