Joanna Pacitti, the American Idol season 8 hopeful who was shown advancing to the top 36 on Wednesday night’s telecast (click here for the full recap), has been booted from the competition and replaced by 26-year-old Felicia Barton. "It has been determined that Joanna Pacitti is ineligible to continue in the competition," stated a Fox press release sent early Thursday morning announcing the show’s full roster of semifinalists.
For the last several weeks, Pacitti has been the subject of Internet chatter regarding her former deal with A&M Records, which yielded the single "Let It Slide" (embedded below), and more recently, for her rumored close relationship with a pair of 19 Entertainment executives. Specifically, Star magazine reported that Pacitti lived for a time in the same apartment building as 19’s Michelle Young and Roger Widynowski, even referring to the former exec as her "best friend"; 19, of course, is the production company behind Idol.
Barton, meanwhile, was shown getting eliminated by the judges during Wednesday night’s final Hollywood Week telecast, although a brief clip of her singing "Put Your Records On" during the Louisville, KY, audition round had created a decent mount of buzz among Idol watchers. (Read our recap of that episode, including a mention of Barton, by clicking here; and check out a YouTube clip of Barton covering Alicia Keys’ "No One" embedded beneath Pacitti’s video.)
Check back later tonight and tomorrow morning at EW.com for further updates.
More on ‘American Idol,’ ‘AI’ graduates:
Slezak’s ‘American Idol’ TV Watch: A Dramatic Weeding
‘American Idol’: What do you think of the top 36?
Who is the reigning ‘Idol’ Fashion Victim: Paula, Kara, or Randy?
‘Idol’: The 10 Best — and 5 Worst — Song Choices Ever
‘American Idol’ recap: Hollywood Week, episode 3
‘American Idol’ recap: Hollywood Week, episode 2
‘American Idol’ recap: Hollywood Week, episode 1
‘American Idol’: 10 Greatest ‘Hollywood Week’ Moments
EW’s ‘American Idol’ HQ
‘American Idol’: Get the scoop on what 14 of your favorite former contestants are doing now
Fantasia covers ‘Lady Marmalade’! Roof height at venue permanently altered.
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She got DQ’d:(
http://www.realitytvworld.com/news/american-idol-disqualifies-joanna-pacitti-from-eighth-season-competition-8428.php
Well, at least Tatiana’s through. Thank goodness for that! Oy…………….. Way to lost ALL credibility American A** hole.
Yippee!! Loved Felicia’s audition. Not so much a fan of the Jo-planty.
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I was a fan of Joanna so far, but Felicia seems like a lot of fun. I think I’m okay with this.
This makes me happy! Love love LOVE the video of Felicia–hope she goes far this year. Now, can we DQ annoying @ss Tatiana del Suck-o next?
I do feel bad for Joanna, but I must say that I am THRILLED about Felicia’s inclusion in the Top 36. Her five-second audition was one of my favorites of the season, and based on some of her old youtube videos (which have since been taken down), she definitely has the pipes to go far in this competition.
This song was on one of the Jamba Juice CDs. LOL. I used to work there, and this was one of the few good songs haha.
NOOOOO!!!! Keep Joanna in. This is sooooo unfair. She is probably the most talented one there. I was so excited to watch her this season. At least someone good is replacing her. You suck idol! Why would you DQ her now? Her producer connections can’t take her any further… now it is up to America. This is the worst thing ever.
If being best friends with one of the execs at 19E didn’t make her successful, AI certainly won’t. How many breaks can this girl get and still be an EPIC FAIL? She was on Broadway, had an album on a major label, is dating a celebrity, and had songs on at least four different movie soundtracks. This girl has more than had her chance.
Oh thank GOD! I was so pissed that they let her through after forgetting the lyrics to every song she sang during Hollywood week.
She should be booted from the show. She was another fixed contestant on an already questionable show. She probably figured her connections to her friends in 19 would guarantee her a win.
Does AI really think that America is stupid? I really hope this show tanks.
Hurray! I couldn’t believe my ears when Simon said last night that perhaps all Joanna needed was “a break”!! How many flipping breaks is one person entitled to? Man, I officially HATE Simon now, but I’m so happy Joanna’s gone. Maybe she’ll sue AI like she did the producers of ANNIE when she was booted off there.
Esme: So RIGHT! I nearly flipped over too when he said that…you know the producers were behind their decision. Kara asked her, “when will you be ready” and they went through all that DRAMA about her and breaks and record contracts….and then let her through. Joanna flubbed lines and couldn’t even sing. Scandalous! And she just has an “average voice” to me, you can hear her voice anywhere (Jessica Simpson?)
Joanna shouldn’t have been in the competition to begin with. She did absolutely nothing to impress AI fans and will soon be forgotten. Good luck, Felicia!
YES!!! I had already left a comment on Felicias “No One” video saying that she should have been in…
So I am EXTREMELY okay with this. I do hope this is true!
Deja vu…first, Joanna gets the gig as Annie on Broadway, but just before she’s about to debut, they replace her. Now, she makes the cut for AI, and suddenly she is dropped (for good reason if everything said is true). Twice this has happened to her, but the AI incident probably wouldn’t have happened if not for the connections she got for almost being in Annie. It’s like a giant cosmic “yeaaah…but no.”
You must be a friend of Joanna’s since you think forgetting and slurring words during the Hollywood rounds defines “being one of the most talented out there.” You need to raise your standards.
I agree with your comments, Esme. Simon must have been one of those execs with the “special relationship” with Joanna to think all she needed was for someone to give her a break. I also think Ms. P may be contemplating a lawsuit.
I feel bad for her. I was rooting for her. But as Kari said, she didn’t really impress during the Hollywood round. She did forget her lines in each performance. That’s not acceptable, especially for someone with her background. I was actually surprised they still let her through.
Hopefully she’ll bounce back from this, and really work hard to make her dream happen.
This kind of news made my DAY! Buy-bye JoPlanta Plantcitti.
They wait all this time to decide this? That’s just crazy. I feel really bad for her.
Why wait this long. Even if they were waiting to see the Top 36 announced. This is very fishy that NOW they dismiss her as being ineligible. I sorta feel for Joanna. Of course AI used Joanna for the buzz for weeks, and now they dismiss her… I though the only restriction was you can’t have a prior record deal at the same time as the audition…
Even if she knew people associated to the show. Wierd, now it’s announced. Hopefully Joanna makes something of herself.
if they thought it’s unfair, they shouldn’t have alow her to go all the way. i think they shouldn’t have eliminated her… so disappointed.
The “Let it Slide” video totally reminded me that she was on an episode of MTV True Life (title was something like “I’m trying to make it in the music biz”). This was a few years ago. I watch too much TV.
I liked Joanna & her voice, but thought she totally blew it during Hollywood Week. That, almost more than anything, had me thinking there really was a “fix” in when she made the Top 36. They judge others so harshly, then let her slide bombing every step of the way? I thought the whole “recap” of her journey last night was to cover their butts – “we told you everything, we were upfront” – but clearly there was just too much of a tie-in for her with 19. Also, as others here have said, how many chances is one person supposed to get before she makes something happen? Maybe that’s all her friends wanted from this all along – to put her out there for a few weeks of publicity. Whether it was planned all along or not, I’m glad she is out now. Congrats & good luck to Felicia.
OKAY LOOK AT EACH VIDEO!!!! YoU TELL ME WHO’S A BETTER SINGER!!!! TOTALLY FELICIA!!!! AND SHE’S AWESOME!!!! BETTER THAN JOANNA ANYDAY!!!!! AI MADE SUCH A AWESOME DECISION IN LETTING FELICIA TAKING JOANNA’S PLACE!!!! SOOOO GLAD NOW I WILL ACTUALLY WATCH!!!!
hurray for felicia. people in the industry already know joanna’s name. This gives a newcomer a fair shot at getting into the business and getting “discovered”
The Top 36 was decided a few weeks ago and then story with the connections to 19 came out a week or so ago.
That is why she got DQ’d now.
WOW! Felecia can really sing!!! Why has she gotten NO airtime on the show so far??? Maybe now a girl will win after all!
She is soooo refreshing w/o the drama!!!!! Everyone knows the drama is just for ratings. AND after all is said and done the people with the talent are the only ones left standing!!!