'Idol' Final Four: Aaron Kelly Gets the Boot
May 5, 2010 — -- What do Harry Connick Jr. and Lady Gaga have in common?
Well, nothing really, except they both performed on the "American Idol" stage tonight. Gaga may have been an odd choice for crooner's week, in which the remaining six contestants tackled Frank Sinatra songs with Connick as their mentor, arranger and band leader.
But that didn't stop Gaga from doing her best Madonna impression. In a (literally) thinly-veiled performance dripping with sex and violins, Gaga performed "Alejandro," the third single from her aptly-titled sophomore album "The Fame Monster."
For his part, Connick Jr. was the real star of the show. The New Orleans crooner provided some genuine comic relief with a pre-taped bit in which he irreverently "mentored" each of the remaining contestants.
Afterward, he sang a lounged-up version of the Beatles' "And I Love Her," the title track off his newest record.
Finally, the audience had to bid farewell to someone. And this evening that someone was Aaron Kelly.
"I had a great time; I had a blast," the 17-year-old warbler told the audience on his way out.
This was Gaga's second, somewhat subdued, appearance on "Idol." Last April she gave a show-stopping performance of "Poker Face."
In a season of A-list performances by the likes of Miley Cyrus, Rihanna and Adam Lambert, Gaga had fans going, well, gaga, when she first tweeted about her appearance a couple weeks ago.
"See you on American Idol. MAY 5th, Little Monsters," she said in a tweet April 16.
In its ninth season, "Idol" is clearly trying to lure fans back with big-name guest performers. Tuesday's show trailed ABC's "Dancing with the Stars," which received 19.6 million viewers to 17.1 million for "Idol." That's down more than 6 million from a year ago, when the show attracted 23.4 million.
Ultimately "Idol" is an elimination show. And tonight it was Aaron's turn to exit.
The voters' decision was about as much of a surprise as last week's elimination of powerhouse singer Siobhan Magnus, who performed "When You Believe," a duet by Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston, during a week of inspirational songs.
