If you've been reading Puerto Rico Lifestyle the last few weeks, you know we've done our best to promote the best and brightest of Puerto Rico in America's biggest popularity contest. Our promotion of Jorge Nuñez and Tatiana Nicole del Toro hasn't been a strict matter of pride, but a matter of talent, even in the face of the odds we know are stacked against them. Well, sadly, Jorge Nuñez put on a show-stopper of a performance, and tonight he'll leave American Idol.
Jorge has been an underdog star since his first appearance on American Idol. There's little debate about the fact that Idol doesn't advance the "best" singers as much as the "most marketable" performers.
And that's not even just the most marketable singers, but those the producers will think make for the most dramatic and lasting impression in the realm of television. This seasons finals have felt particularly uninspired, though the ratings haven't agreed.
Ratings have been good, and maybe this is due to the addition of newcomer Kara Dioguardi, or the change in finals format, or just due to the lack of other successful shows around the evening lineup. I'd say it's because of particular performers, but with how unimpressive most of them have been, it's not an easy point to pitch.
Jorge Nuñez fearlessly tackled George Michael's iconic "Don't let the sun go down on me", and his performance was arguably the best impression he's made on viewers thus far. His charm was still there, his natural good looks, and every ounce of what got him as far as he made it.
But that ship out of the sunny port of San Juan, it seems, has sailed.
This morning, the American Idol prediction site Dial Idol is showing Jorge Nuñez in about 4th place among the male performers. In order to be safe from this round of elimination, he would have to be #1, or perhaps a very strong #2… but he's at #4.
This could be because Puerto Rican viewers can't (or don't care to) vote in high enough numbers to push a competitor over the top, or because mainstream America isn't ready for a singer who doesn't fit the perfect mold. One thing is for certain, it's not because of anything he did wrong.
He hit his notes, remembered his lyrics and impressed the judges… he just didn't carry enough votes.
It is still possible that the judges will select him on Thursday when they pick the 3 "wild card" candidates for re-introduction, but that's about as likely as Tatiana coming back, and that is every bit as unlikely.
In fact, it's more likely that Tatiana would come back because her votes came in higher (meaning greater support) and her "reality TV star" power to polarize and command the bloglines hasn't been seen since the likes of Amarosa.
Tune in tonight to find out what happens, but rest assured there will be but one surprise. Scott MacIntyre and Lil Rounds will sail through to the next round. If there's any surprise at all, it will be that Ju'Not Joyner (great name, by the way, just rolls off the tongue) will be ousted by Felicia Barton.
