i'm a happy camper

I began watching the results show with a sense of anxiety building in me.

If Jason leaves American Idol tonight, I told myself, I would be pretty sad. The whole world is yet to stand witness to more of his musical artistry and endearing personality, and it would be such a shame to have him packing when he’s so close to grabbing the title.

If Jason is safe tonight, I was worried that the stress of learning three songs while making a number of public appearances in his hometown would take a toll on his physical, mental and emotional well-being. AI has probably stretched him to his corporal limits, but next week will only push the envelope further. I mean, three songs? To add to that, he can might as well pierce our stone hearts with emotion-packed performances one after another, and they would still throw him under the bus. Let’s not forget that a couple of weeks ago, he was dubbed as the dark horse capable of ruining the producers’ (not to mention Randy and Simon’s) all-David finale dream.

Summing up the ifs, if Jason is safe tonight, I would probably cry inside. If Jason leaves AI tonight, I would probably cry inside too. (I’m not really an overt crier, so crying inside may be my thing.)

Come the latter part of the results show, I was nowhere near tears. In fact, when Ryan Seacrest announced he was eliminated and his video package played, I was laughing.

Jason Castro has officially been eliminated from American Idol and I am laughing, even my insides are dying of laughter.

After all, he wasn’t crying, so why should I?

He said "I shot the tambourine man". How could you not laugh after that? Marley shot Dylan.

Prior to this week, I thought Carly Smithson was the happiest Idol castoff. But now, Jason takes that title hands down.

He took it all in a stride, admitted his weaknesses and blind spots, even cracked a joke or two while the girl beside him was (I think) trying her hardest to blow her tearfest out of proportion. (Read: She compared it to the presidential race, and how either a black or a woman was going to be president or something. Last night, she compared her Idol experience to some civil rights movement. I don’t even know how she’s drawing these connections anymore.)

It was a lighthearted exit, and in a way, a reminder to us all that American Idol is just a television show, a competition. It isn’t the ultimate war of the worlds.

Had this been a life and death experience, Jason died laughing. He died a happy man who has yet to wrap his head around the idea of just how many lives he has touched.

His time on the show may be up, but we, as fans, should not be too ready to arrange for a crying session. This is neither the beginning nor the end. It ain’t even the beginning of the end. Jason Castro’s exit from American Idol is only the end of the beginning. I’m a fan who’s in it for the long haul.

His antics make me happy. His music makes me happy. Heck, even his Idol exit makes me happy.

I'm glad he did the Bob Marley song for his exit performance. It gave me the chance to say... Bob Marley!

Cheers to Jason Castro!

And even if time ain’t really on my side
It’s one of those days for taking a walk outside
I’m blowing the day to take a walk in the sun
And fall on my face on somebody’s new-mown lawn
(Lovin’ Spoonful’s Daydream, performed by Jason Castro)