EW.com readers sound off about ''American Idol''

If it’s any comfort, you can rest assured that you weren’t the only one whose jaw hit the floor when Tamyra Gray got her early dismissal from ”American Idol.” Irate fans jammed EW.com’s message boards all day Thursday, at times posting new messages as often as every 10 seconds. Most posters agreed that Tamyra should have been in the final two — and that Nikki should have been the one sent packing. A few linked Tamyra’s ouster to racism, but the general consensus seemed to pin the fault on bad taste and multiple-dialing tricks. A few samples:

Disappointed: ”I am so disappointed with the results, I could barely sleep…. Tamyra was the best singer and performer and is the American Idol. A bunch of psychos just messed things up.”

angry!: ”Tamyra should’ve won! Nikki even knows this. That’s why she was in tears. Where’s the justice?”

tampa: ”I’m not going to watch anymore…. I’m girlcotting the vote-off of Tamyra.”

And there were a few votes of approval:

penny Tamyra simply is not an original. Simon said it over and over. ‘You’re like a Whitney, or a Mariah, or Celine.” Never ”Tamyra, you’re an original.” We need something new. No more copycat singers. Kelly is the one. She is fresh, and talented, and no one is more comfortable up there on that stage. Come on America. Stop being so boring!!

Meanwhile, Entertainment Weekly critic Ken Tucker caused his own backlash earlier in the week by explaining why he can’t stand ‘American Idol’ — complaining about the show’s mishmash of product placements, overly showy singing, and grating personalities. About a third of those who posted responses on the message board strongly agreed (including Kevin, who compares ”Idol” to ”five-times-reused grease — THROW IT OUT!”). A similar opinion from Marianne: ”It’s so buried in cheeky hosts and endless plugs, nonstop commercials and loud, annoying audiences that I just can’t take it.”