ABC Era is the Worst: 5 Most Controversial Moments in American Idol History

American Idol has been around for almost two decades. In its early seasons, the reality singing competition was second to none in terms of fan love and public interest, but in recent years, the show has really taken a nosedive and is only remembered for the scandals that often erupt behind the scenes. And some fans think ABC's poor management is to blame.

Here are five of American Idol's most controversial moments.

Laine Hardy's arrest

The winner of the 17th season of American Idol managed to win over the judges with his great voice and thoughtful lyrics, but Laine Hardy's real-life antics made fans hate him. In 2022, Hardy was arrested for planting a listening device in his girlfriend's dorm room and using it to interrogate her about her personal life.

What a terrible end to a once promising career!

Caleb Kennedy's disqualification from the show

While Kennedy looked like a possible contender for the American Idol title, he was disqualified from the show because of the photo of him sitting next to a man in the KKK outfit. The controversy didn't stop there — some time later, Kennedy was arrested for a DUI that resulted in the death of another person.

Cecil Ray's arrest

During his time on American Idol Season 19, Ray failed to really impress the judges, but his time in the spotlight came a while ago when he was arrested for breaking into his girlfriend's house and assaulting her.

Looks like Cecil Ray won't be singing any songs anytime soon.

Benson Boone's self-elimination

The promising musician from Season 19 decided to leave the show early, even though he made it to the Top 24. As a result, producers were forced to cut him, and fans felt that American Idol's failure to interest Boone was a huge wasted opportunity.

Since then, Boone has gone on to have a pretty successful career, proving that he didn't need American Idol to become famous.

Arthur Gunn missing the finale

Gunn was an undeniable frontrunner for Season 18 ever since his first audition, so fans were not surprised when he was announced to compete against Just Sam in the finale. However, Gunn simply didn't show up for the final challenge, and no one really knows why, with people blaming ABC for allowing it to happen.