Seriously. Mario has withdrawn for personal reasons. Link to Fox Idol page.
How’d you find out about Mario’s reasons? FOX’s page mentions nothing about way they were switched. Unless there is a link or something I’m missing.
Biggirl, there’s an article floating around that says the reasons are “personal.”
Look at the contestants page. Nikko is on there and Mario is not.
Thats a shocker. He was one of the judges favorites. Too bad.
I’m glad Nikko is back. But Mario was so pretty. 
Theyre about to say why on the local news…okay,they said nothing after hyping it the whole hour.
Do We Not Deserve To Know???
FWIW, Drudge is saying "SOURCES: Did not want to be tied to exclusive IDOL contract… "
Here’s a link to the Variety article, which doesn’t really say much.
I saw the thread title and became so excited I scared bowler guy and the fish. I’m sorry for Mario and his fans but Nikko is back!!!
Wow.
I can’t fathom what personal reasons would make you change your mind at this level, must have been something unexpected.
Good for Nikko, and I’m just glad it wasn’t another scandal type thing like we’ve seen before.
My sentiments exactly! And Mr. Rilch is downstairs on the phone, saying “Rilchie just scared the sh!t out of me…”
Oh wait; he’s talking to Boss, who is also a Nikko fan! I could almost hear his “WOO!” over the phone!
This is so great! And I’m glad it doesn’t mean anything bad happened with/to Mario, so I don’t even have to feel guilty!
I see that Mario is gone and Nikko is there on the Idol site. What I don’t see is an explanation. Not that I don’t believe anybody here, I just want to read an “official report” myself. Because I’m nosey.
Please link to the story. Please?
Just saw a news report on my local TV station. They stopped his mom in the street and told her. “What’re ju talkin about!” she exclaimed. “He no tell me. Nobody tell me!” (She’s got a thick Spanish accent)
The report said Idol is being very secretive about the reasons why. Mario is supposed to be on the news show later this morning but I’ll be gone by then.
Biggirl, check your email.
This is the first interesting thing Mario has done.
I’ll pass along a rumor. I heard it on a local radio station, so it could just be someone making it up.
A guy who called in said that his mother was renting a room to one of the Idol Top 12 contestants. Apparently, if you make it into the Top 12, you are required to sign a 3 year contract obligating yourself exclusively to the American Idol folks — touring with them, recording with them, etc. According to this guy, someone approached Mario and told him “Hey, babe, the people love you. You don’t want to tie yourself into that deal. Sign with us instead.”
It hasn’t seemed to hurt Kelly Clarkson. But anyway, I always wondered if record companies try to poach the singers before they’ve even been booted off the show, if that’s true I guess that answers that question.
Mario was okay, but I thought he was a bit too boy band for my tastes. I liked Nikko but not too win.
Why oh why, couldn’t someone have made that offer to Constantine?
The sooner his camera f***in’ 15 minutes are over, the better. That boy is going after the lens like a chihuahua whose owner has learned Bob Barker’s lesson.
Err, has **not ** learned. :rolleyes: