AI OD: A farewell to Amanda Overmyer - VIDEOS

My wife was a huge fan of Amanda's. Of course, she loved Gina Glocksen last year and loves any and all "rocker chicks" that ever appear on the show. She also can't figure out why most of them don't do well. Is it the same reason female rap artists tend to struggle on the sales charts? Do we have a hard time seeing our women as hard-edged?

In AOL's coverage of the exit interview with Amanda Overmyer, she reiterated over and over again that she always felt like a "square peg in a round hole." She would have liked to go on the tour but feels they have a better group for it because she wouldn't have fit in. As for the oft-maligned excuse of going first leading into her elimination, Amanda isn't having any of it. In a direct dig to others who have, she said, "You'll never hear me pissing and whining that I was first or anything like that ... That's not how it worked out. I'm not going to cry over spilled milk."

Well maybe it was song choice, that's a popular excuse. Amanda said to that possibility, "I don't think that the song choice had anything to do with it because if it wasn't that song, it was going to be another song that sounded like me singing it." She was funny and more forthcoming and honest than many of the other contestants. She wasn't angling to promote herself or try and get noticed by a recording industry. Even in her departure she was true to herself and authentic.

Need more American Idol? Get an inside look at Season 7's contestants and think back to these scathing (and hilarious) Simon Cowell quotes. Also: Don't forget to choose your favorite Idol!

I think Amanda's downfall was a combination of her "edge" and her attitude. She often presented an attitude that she was not interested in being a part of the show, and even worse showed disdain toward the judges and the process. I think the nail in her coffin was when she retorted to the judges' comments that she try something different by telling them essentially that ballads were weak and stupid and she wasn't going to do them.

The idea of American Idol is to appeal to a wide cross-section of the public. People like ballads. Other contestants that people like sing ballads. And America doesn't like cocky attitudes. I still don't think it's a coincidence that Chris Daughtry was eliminated the same week he decided to talk about his fan club and their interest in what kind of underwear he wore (boxer briefs for those who need to know).

And she never really jelled with the other contestants. Fans like to see these guys competing hard but liking each other at the same time. Did you notice how dry the eyes were when she was eliminated, except for fellow "rock chick" Carly? Even "leaky faucet" Ramiele showed no emotion. And as confirmation that she never really connected with the group, when asked if she'd invite the other contestants to her upcoming wedding, Amanda responded, "I'm sure I'd invite at least a couple of them." That's not very many.

Kristy appeared to be the most affected and stunned by Amanda's elimination. I think she truly thought her time had finally run out. As for Amanda's encore performance, it might be better missed. She started off terribly, not even bothering to sing all the lyrics at first. I think she was just ready to go.:


I thought "Back in the USSR" was a brilliant choice for Amanda and she did a good enough job with it. It wasn't particularly memorable nor did it stand out in any particular way. I think her comments at the end of the performance were a bit off-putting, and her way of always looking a little bored during the performances didn't garner her any love from the voters.:


I have to say, I think Amanda did a great job on Top 12 week. She managed to get her southern blues vibe into the song and made it really something special and unique. That said, her pants were tripping me out, seriously!:


Of course Joan Jett. And of course she did great with it. This is the kind of music Amanda can find success with. But as I told my wife, it's too specific a niche for mainstream America to embrace in large enough numbers. She's right to be proud of making it to the Top 11 without sacrificing who she was as a singer and performer. This is who she is.:


Here Amanda showcased the most vocal range and diversity. It turned out she had a pretty good vocal weapon that she could have done a lot more with. Unfortunately, she also showcased one of the worst hairstyles ever to appear on the show with that lion mane.:


Amanda's Top 24 number didn't really work for me at all. The song was repetitive and rather boring, and Amanda looked bored singing it. Luckily, there were far worse than her in the competition at this stage still.:


In Hollywood, Amanda absolutely nailed this performance of "Light My Fire." If she could have brought that kind of passion and enthusiasm to all of her performances, I might not have to be writing this piece just yet. Really, really good.:


Amanda tried out for Idol at a life crossroads, to determine if singing or nursing would be her life. She was amazing here when we first saw her and after an impressive run, I hope she doesn't give up on music.:


Her American Idol journey wasn't taken without its share of controversy. A few weeks back, Amanda's mugshot started making the rounds, related to a DUI bust two years prior. About a month ago, a rumor started to circulate that someone had nude pictures of Amanda from 2005 they were shopping to various Internet outlets.

As a singer and performer, I like Amanda. I didn't like her later appearances on Idol, because she did look bored at times. But I think she genuinely loves singing and performing, just maybe not on a cookie-cutter wholesome show like this. Her Janis Joplin-esque vocal vibe creates a wonderfully southern rock tone; I think she could definitely find success in a southern rock style band.

In the end, I think Amanda knew her time was coming to an end soon. I also don't think she went on American Idol to win; she knew better than to think she could do that. She as much as admitted she was shooting for the tour. I think she went on for exposure and to raise her public profile, which she's done. She should be able to come out of this and do just fine on the local scene, definitely, and maybe even find a way to turn it into something bigger.

IDOL SEASON 7 FAREWELLS
#12 - David Hernandez
#13 - Danny Noriega
#14 - Asia'h Epperson
#15 - Luke Menard
#16 - Kady Malloy
#17 - Robbie Carrico
#18 - Alaina Whitaker
#19 - Alexandrea Lushington
#20 - Jason Yeager
#21 - Colton Berry
#22 - Joanne Borgella
#23 - Amy Davis
#24 - Garrett Haley