America voted. But for Luke Menard, they did not vote enough.
Menard's time on American Idol came to an end Thursday night, as he left with Danny Noriega of Azusa, Calif., Asia'h Epperson of Joplin, Mo., and Kady Malloy of Houston, Texas.
Jessica Turpin, 16, said that she was disappointed that Menard did not receive enough votes to stay on the show another week.
"He is good," she said. "I thought he performed great."
Turpin said that she did not think he would make it as far as he did when she first heard that he advanced to Hollywood.
"I didn't think so at first, but he changed my mind," Turpin said. "His performances have kept getting better."
She said that while the judges were harsh, they were fair, even Simon Cowell at times.
"I think he is right some times," she said. "He doesn't always pay attention to the little things."
Jill Jarvis said that Menard being on American Idol was an accomplishment in itself.
"He was able to showcase his talent on national TV," she said. "It is not every day that it happens."
She added that him being on the show was good for the community.
"I think it makes a sense of pride in the community," Jarvis said. "Everyone wanted him to do well."
People all over the country now know where Crawfordsville is.
"He drew a lot of attention to Indiana," she said.
Jarvis said that each week as Menard advanced on the show, his fan base grew.
"I think more people were aware," she said. "More people watch to see what the judges would say."
Thursday may not be the last time Menard is on Idol. On previous seasons, the contestants voted off made appearances at the end of the season, including performing on the season finales and touring the country over the summer.
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