'American Idol' Says Bye-Bye Bucky
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Tuesday night, Simon said he was unimpressed.
Wednesday night, America agreed, voting Bucky Covington out of the "American Idol" sing-off.
Covington's departure slimmed the Idol hopefuls to seven. The winner will be named May 24.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Petulant judge Simon Cowell said on Tuesday's program — a tribute to the music of Queen — that the 28-year-old Covington's take on the band's "Fat Bottomed Girls" was "mediocre."
Covington, a good-natured country crooner from Rockingham, N.C., seemed to expect his ouster. Smiling, he told host Ryan Seacrest: "Somebody's got to go."
Ducking viewer elimination were Ace Young and Elliot Yamin, who had the next-lowest vote tallies.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Cowell predicted that Young, 25, would be the one to leave. He called Young's mellow rendition of Queen's "We Will Rock You" a "complete, utter mess."
"I really, really, really hated that," said Cowell, who described the Denver native's performance as "We Will Rock You, Gently."
In a surprise, Yamin, 27, landed in the bottom three despite rave reviews from the judges for his soulful performance of Queen's "Somebody to Love."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}America "must be confused, because this boy can sing," judge Randy Jackson gushed.
Nearly four years since its debut, "American Idol" continues to be a ratings juggernaut. It has attracted 25 million to 33 million viewers each telecast this season.
"American Idol" airs on FOX, which is owned by the parent company of FOXNews.com.