Imagine that you made it to the American Idol Top 24. Your parents are proud and your hometown is cheering you on. It's elimination night. Your palms are sweaty, your heart is pounding out of your chest, and all you want to hear is that you are NOT going home tonight. It's that time. Ryan Seacrest is about to announce the results of America's vote. Finally -- an end to the torture of not knowing. But Ryan doesn't announce the results. Instead, he extends your torture even longer. Not by going to commercial breaks. That's so last season. He prolongs your torture by making you think you're safe one minute, and crushing your dreams the next.

I feel it for contestant Judd Harris, who was put on a roller coaster ride of emotions during his elimination. Ryan told Judd and the others sitting in the bottom row that they could "relax," implying that they were safe from elimination. He instructed the top row to join him on stage. Viewers assumed that one of the contestants on stage would be going home. Why else would Ryan have that group line up to hear their fate? But after going down the line in his dramatic way, Ryan announced that all of the guys called to the stage were actually staying in the competition. So moments after easing Judd's fears, Ryan hit the singer with the news of his elimination. If that was done for entertainment purposes, I was not entertained. Neither were the angry fans who have been posting to the show’s official web forum. I hope the show's producers are listening.

During the long, uncomfortable night, Sarah Mather, Melinda Lira, and Jared Yates were also eliminated.

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