The Biggest Scandals Of American Idol Seasons That Will Make Your Jaw Drop!

Published on May 24, 2021 | Published By: Frances West | In controversy , Interesting Facts

Biggest scandals of American Idol

American Idol is one of the biggest reality shows in the USA
No doubt throughout the years there are some of the biggest scandals
Since season 1, fans are complaining about the show’s unfair voting system

American Idol first premiered its first season in June 2002 and has ongoing new seasons to date. By introducing their fans to talented singers, the show has also given some of the biggest scandals.

Meanwhile, both the judges and the contestants have surrounded themselves with some of the biggest scandals in the history of the show. Here is a list of a few big controversies/scandals that will surely make your jaw drop.

Table of Contents

6. Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj’s feud

If you are a watcher of the show for a long time now, you may be aware of one of the famous feuds on the show. In 2012 October, the video of two judges of the show started surfacing all over the Internet.

In the video, they were cursing each other which the show insiders later stated was “totally spun for publicity.” Later on, both Carey and Minaj decided to put the controversy behind and focus on the contestant.

American Idol scandals — Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj had a feud while filming American Idol (Source: PEOPLE)

5. The legal battle with the show winner

Phillip Phillips won season 12 of American Idol. However, after years in 2015, he claimed they “manipulated” him into accepting gigs that benefited them more than his career.

He later had a legal battle with the show’s production company, 19 Entertainment. The case got settled in the year 2017 after two years of a legal battle.

4. Racist old video of the contestant

Caleb Kennedy was a contestant on season 19 who left the show after entering the top 5. At the time, his racist Snapchat video resurfaced on the internet.

In the video, he was allegedly sitting beside a person wearing a KKK-style hood. He apologized to his fans and followers saying he was young at the time and also mentioned that is not the excuse for his actions.

3. Early judging of Paula Abdul

In one of the episodes of the 7th season of the show, Paula Abdul angered all the viewers. The viewers did not like her judging Jason Castro before even he sang his song.

Later in the show, she claimed she was able to offer feedback because she’d heard “the last minute” of it in dress rehearsal.

Some Of The Biggest Scandal Of American Idol That Will Make Your Jaw Drop! — Paula Abdul angered fans with her early judgment in American Idol (Source: New York Post)

2. Disqualification due to the connection

Joanna Pacitti, the season 9 semifinalist got disqualified from the show in February 2009. That happened after her history with the music industry came forward.

She previously had a record deal and also joined Nick Lachey on tour as his opening act. The show determined her “ineligible” continue with the competition.

1. Unexpected departure of Wyatt Pike from the show

In 2021, one of the contestants named Wyatt Pike abruptly left the show after making it to the top 12. He left the show after getting rave reviews from the judges on one of the episodes.

On his Instagram account, he has a statement mentioning he left the show due to personal reasons.

Furthermore, he added he is thankful that he can pursue his career in music further in his life. He wished good luck to his fellow contestants on the show and thanked his fans for the support.

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