Surprise! Johns gone on 'AI'

BY VERNE GAY | verne.gay@newsday.com

April 11, 2008

Surprise, surprise.

But not a huge surprise.

Michael Johns is out.

"Tonight we're gonna say goodbye to Michael Johns," said Ryan Seacrest, after a (somewhat) awkward and disjointed pause - seconds after he said the other members of the bottom three, Carly Smithson and Syesha Mercado, were solid. ("AI" likes to mix this moment up - and confuse the rest of us.) The camera then panned to Paula Abdul - mouth agape, and maybe even more shocked than Johns - then, a couple minutes later, Simon Cowell had an unusually sincere spasm of kindness: "I'm gonna miss you. You're a very good singer and a very very nice guy."

Yeah, and we know where very, very nice guys finish.

In fact, Johns' exit is a genuine surprise but hardly a shock (check with your friends around the water cooler tomorrow.) He was attractive, reasonably talented, and still has a passable Australian accent (born in Perth 29 years ago). Johns also had one or two memorable performances during the top 12 round - probably Queen's "We Will Rock You," though his "Across the Universe" was, as they may still say in the land Down Under, "spot on." (Maybe not.) He was gracious, said goodbye, sang Aerosmith one more time, and another worthy "Idol" aspirant left.

Meanwhile, the other big news of the night: The three presidential candidates - bumped from "Idol Gives Back" on Wednesday - finally got their pre-taped plugs in. They were all sincere - John McCain was a bit wry, thankfully - and apparently heartfelt.