Much ado has been made (and sometimes made by me) about the American Idol producers' manipulative and sometimes downright cruel treatment of its contestants. And from duping Michael Johns into thinking he still had a shot during Idol Gives Back week to forcing David Archuleta to guess who was in the bottom three last week, this season has been no exception when it comes to such ratings-grabbing nastiness.
Well, this week on Celebrity Fit Club, season 1 Idol co-host/footnote Brian Dunkleman claimed that it was precisely this harsh treatment of the finalists that made him quit the show. Yes, that's right--he says he quit, that he was not fired.
Of course, the way Brian's former partner Ryan Seacrest psyched out Michael Johns recently is still nothing compared to how Celebrity Fit Club agitator Dustin Diamond tormented former Idol contestant (and rumored Harvey Walden IV gal pal) Kimberley Locke on Celebrity Fit Club last season. But if such treatment really is the reason why Brian bailed, then I applaud him for taking a stand. Even if he did readily admit that it was the worst career decision of his life.
(What...worse than going on Celebrity Fit Club?)
Anyway, it just makes me wonder if Michael Johns's elimination might have been a little nicer if Dunkleman had delivered the news instead of Ryan...
Food for thought.