Ryan Seacrest's 'Nasty' Comments Spark American Idol Backlash Yet Again

Season 21 of American Idol has already been one of the most controversial in the history of the reality singing competition, as Katy Perry's ridiculous antics, including mom-shaming comments and torturing contestants with false news of their elimination, have made fans really uncomfortable throughout the season.

And it looks like host Ryan Seacrest decided not to take a backseat to the celebrity judges and made a rather controversial remark during Monday's episode.

In this episode, Ryan was tasked with announcing to the contestants who would advance to the Top 12 and who would be eliminated. At the beginning, fans were sure that Ryan would treat the losing singers with dignity, making them feel safe and respected even though they were eliminated from the competition. But to everyone's surprise, the host did just the opposite, basically insulting the losing contestants with his witty yet hurtful parting remarks.

'You sang Lose You to Love Me. We might lose you tonight,' Seacrest told one contestant.

Fans were outraged by Ryan's comments, calling him a bully and demanding that ABC fire him immediately. While such pleas can be seen as a bit overdramatic, the idea behind them is certainly righteous — singers join American Idol to prove something to themselves and the world, hoping that the celebrities will support or at least not mock them for losing, so hearing harsh words from the show's host was definitely a big blow to the contestants.

However, not all fans agree with the backlash, calling Seacrest one of the hardest-working hosts in television, capable of turning a three-hour live episode into a spectacle. Moreover, the harsh line he uttered was most likely written by American Idol's writing staff and not invented by Rian himself, as it is simply unnatural for a reality show host to work without a script.

'Ryan keeping this episode moving at breakneck pace without it feeling rushed. That's why he deserves his paycheck,' a fan on Reddit said, defending the host.

American Idol Season 21 Episode 15 will arrive on ABC on April 30, 2023.

Source: Reddit