Megan Joy departs 'American Idol'; 8 are left

[April 02, 2009]  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The spotlight has been turned off of Megan Joy on "American Idol." The tattooed 23-year-old single mother from Sandy, Utah, who crooned Bob Marley's "Turn Your Lights Down Low," received the least number of viewer votes on the popular Fox network singing competition Wednesday -- and she didn't even get to hope for a judges' save.

"I'm not going to pretend that we're even going to contemplate saving you," said Simon Cowell in the moments before Joy's "last-ditch" performance, which was supposed to be her chance to convince them to keep her around.

Joining Joy as the bottom three voter-getters this week: 16-year-old high school student Allison Iraheta from Los Angeles and 21-year-old college student Anoop Desai from Chapel Hill, N.C.

Joy had been supported by VoteForTheWorst.com, a subversive "Idol" fan site that encourages viewers to vote for bad -- but entertaining -- singers.

Joy didn't bring any joy to the judges on Tuesday's pop music-themed performance show.

Kara Dioguardi attacked her song choice while being heckled by the audience, insisting said she would have rather heard Adele's "Chasing Pavements" instead of the Marley tune. Cowell also lashed out, calling her performance "boring" and "indulgent."

"I love you, Simon, but I don't care," Joy retaliated Wednesday.

A miffed Cowell got the last word, even though she had been one of the judges' wild-card picks: "Megan, with the greatest respect, when you said that you don't care, nor do we. ... This is your swan song. Enjoy it."

The eight contestants who remain in the singing competition: Iraheta, Desai, Adam Lambert, Danny Gokey, Kris Allen, Lil Rounds, Matt Giraud and Scott MacIntyre.

On next Tuesday's performance show, the top eight finalists will perform tunes released the year of their birth. All of the remaining finalists -- except for Iraheta -- were born in the 1980s.

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On the Net:

http://www.americanidol.com/

[Associated Press; By DERRIK J. LANG]

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