Ranking the 9th Place Finishers

Read Ranking the 10th Place Finishers
Read Top 9 Results - Gina's a Goner
Read Top 9 Performances - Ladies & The Tramp
Read Top 15 Performances of the Season So Far
Read Ten Best Top 9 Performances of All Time

There's been a lot of carping that Season 6 is the weakest talent American Idol has ever had, and while I have a strong hunch that this may actually be true, the best way to figure that out for sure (or as close to "sure" as we can get) is by seeing how the eliminated contestants from each season stack up against each other. Thus, as I did last week (and will continue to do throughout the season), I have ranked each season's finishers, to see how they compare to each other. It's time for the 9th Place Finishers, with, Gina Glocksen, the most recent eliminee, coming in at #2.

Please note, rankings are determined on American Idol performances only, not on what they have accomplished since their time on the show.



1. Mandisa Hundley (Season 5)
Best Performance: "I Don't Hurt Anymore" (Top 11)
Worst Performance: "Wanna Praise You" (Top 10)-- bringing too much of church to Idol may have been responsible for her surprise exit the next round
Post-Idol: Releasing a book called "Idoleyes" next month



2. Gina Glocksen (Season 5)
Best Performance: "I'll Stand By You" (Top 10)
Worst Performance: "Paint it Black" (Top 11)
Post-Idol: Who knows??



3. Nikko Smith (Season 4)
Best Performance: "Georgia on My Mind" (SF #3)
Worst Performance: "Can We Talk" (Top 10) -- although Nikko didn't really have any trainwreck performances
Post-Idol: "Working on a CD" -- uh huh.



4. Corey Clarke (Season 2)
Best Performance: "Drift Away" (Top 10)
Worst Performance: "This Old Heart of Mine" (Top 12)
Post-Idol: I think we all know about Mr. Clarke's allegations about Paula Abdul, and that's just about what he's most famous for at this point (aside from his embarrassing "song" about the incident); he has also spent some time in the clinker. Not the alumni Idol is most proud of.




5. Camille Velasco (Season 3)
Best Performance: "For Once in My Life," (Top 12) I guess, but there really wasn't a standout
Worst Performance: So many to choose from -- "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" (Top 9)?
Post-Idol: "Working on a CD" -- uh huh. Can't wait for that one!



6. Jim Verraros (Season 1)
Best Performance: There wasn't one, really, but I guess "When I Fall in Love"
Worst Performance: "Easy Like Sunday Morning" (Top 10)
Post-Idol: Thus far the most successful of the 9th place finishers, with two dance CDs and a starring role in the gay cult films "Eating Out" and "Eating Out 2"; along with RJ Helton, he is one of the only two openly gay former American Idol finalists.