False Idol: Christians damned Chris Sligh

American Idol

By Tabloid Baby | Thursday, March 29, 2007 | 2:30 pm | 9 Comments

chrissligh2.jpgchrishaley.jpg

Jesus Christ!

Who’s to blame for Chris Sligh’s elimination from the American Idol Top Ten?

That’s how the Jeopardy! question would read. The out-of-breath doughboy with the mop of curls had a built-in constituency that should have trounced Sanjaya’s Desi factor. But he never capitalized on or gave a signal to the widespread, Southern-based voting bloc– and that could be because many had damned him for making it to Idol in the first place.

See, although Chris today claims he comes from “an indie, alternative-rock background,” he’s actually a product of the Christian music scene. And until recently, the Mark Volman lookalike (look it up), known to Idol fans as a jokester who went a wisecrack too far when he backsassed Simon Cowell (in the notorious “Il Divo and Teletubbies” incident), sang only the Lord’s music.Though he cites Jesus (along with Adam Duritz) among his heroes on the Idol website, Chris never played up his Christian background. He’s the son of Christian missionaries, spent much of his childhood overseas, attended the conservative fundamentalist Bob Jones University, and was a favorite of the influential Gospel Music Association.

He even participated in the GMA Music in The Rockies showcase back in 2002.

But though Chris currently performs as part of the Seacoast Church “praise band” in Greenville, South Carolina, he’s been the target of backlash because he recently began performing mainstream (The Devil’s) pop music. Jonathan Pait, spokesman for the Bob Jones school, even said publicly: “We really are somewhat disappointed with the direction he has gone musically.”

Well, we and Idol voters were also disappointed with Chris’ direction– into bland pop music and apologies (to Simon, and for his singing– and Chris should have known that Simon’s suggestion to keep the glasses was revenge for the teletubbies crack).

And let it be a lesson to future Idol contestants: Keep away from that satanic yogic lute-playing (and Studio 60 on The Sunset Strip guest star), Sting. Both Chris and Phil Bat Boy” Stacy sang boring Sting songs–and both wound up in the bottom three.

Now watch the producers slip Sanjaya the lyrics to “De Do Do Do De Da Da Da”…

(The GMA, by the way, says it recognizes three Christian finalists as “keeping the faith alive” on Idol: Jordin Sparks, Melinda Doolittle, and Phil.)

–Tabloid Baby

9 Comments

  1. 1
    the voice of reason
    Posted March 29, 2007 at 3:18 pm

    no one cares. please stop posting useless stories.

  2. 2
    georgiababe
    Posted March 29, 2007 at 4:31 pm

    I care. I find them useless, but interesting little tidbits to give me a little break in the day. If you don’t like it, don’t read them.

  3. 3
    Katie
    Posted March 29, 2007 at 5:34 pm

    Agreed. And it’s not useless because it’s curing my work boredom. That is a use.

  4. 4
    JTContinental
    Posted March 30, 2007 at 8:42 am

    Actually, the quality of TB’s news has improved greatly since Antonella Barba was voted off.

  5. 5
    TV4ME2
    Posted March 30, 2007 at 1:38 pm

    I’m from Greenville, SC and the paper that came out today said Chris Sligh was kicked out of Bob Jones.

    Here’s a bit from the article:

    Sligh said he has no hard feelings, even though he was expelled from Bob Jones after attending a contemporary Christian concert featuring the group For Him.

    “They kicked me out,” Sligh said. “It was actually good, because I had been trying to figure out how to leave. My parents had given me the option of going to two colleges, and I chose the less-crazy one, believe it or not.”

    Sligh’s history with Bob Jones followed him throughout the competition.

    “I specifically kept my comments about Bob Jones to myself, just for personal reasons,” Sligh said.

    “I don’t want to throw them underneath the bus. I respect what they do — it’s just that their sect of Christianity is not really what I want to be associated with.”

  6. 6
    Tracie
    Posted March 31, 2007 at 5:43 pm

    Bob Jones is WAY strict, 4 Him is adult contemporary Christian music. I’m glad he didn’t play up his faith, but didn’t go against it either. He was an all-around nice guy, as are Chris, Phil, Blake, etc.

  7. 7
    tom
    Posted April 2, 2007 at 9:02 am

    I think he looks more like the kid who tries to buy the goldfish boots in 40 year old virgin

  8. 8
    flymotha
    Posted April 2, 2007 at 1:03 pm

    Notice how he basically used the same exact line on getting kicked out of Bob Jones and getting kicked off of Idol: I was looking for a way out anyway. Sore loser. Hypocrite. Can’t stand this guy.

  9. 9
    jim
    Posted April 5, 2007 at 6:57 pm

    um…i believe his whole “looking for a way out” comment about bob jones. i grew up in the same fundamentalist christian world as him and i have friends who went to bob jones and trust me–that place is like a nazi concentration camp! nobody leaves there on their own terms! good for chris that he got out :) :)

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