Last words: Fallen ‘American Idol’ Carly Smithson bids chipper farewell

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“Hiya!” exclaimed recently axed “American Idol” contestant Carly Smithson in a conference call with the media this morning. During her exit call, Carly was more chipper than any Idol who fell before her, and one sensed more than a little relief on her part to be out of the competition. “No more theme songs,” Carly noted gleefully, adding that she’s looking forward to focusing on her own material.

Carly also sounded like she was looking forward to a vacation from Simon’s criticism. “It’s like he set this high bar for me straight away,” mused Carly, adding that Simon was wrong when he told her, during auditions, “that wasn’t as good as two years ago.” It was the “same song,” she explained, and noted that when she watched the two auditions, they appeared identical. “They had set the standard so high for me,” Carly said, echoing what many Idol pundits have observed. “I felt like I had to beat myself.’

But Simon’s criticism wasn’t the only thing Carly thought might have handicapped her. “I kinda started out on the show with some bad press,” she admitted “and I don’t think it really helped me that much.” Carly also felt that the voting bloc was more likely to vote for the male contestant than the females. “Women vote for the show. It’s obvious. And they vote for the boys ... . I definitely think it was a bit of a struggle for the ladies.”

So, if it’s a struggle for the ladies to stake their turf, will it come down to a battle between the two Davids? According to Carly, “It’s kind of anyone’s game ... Castro could look into the camera and bat his eyelids and go into his amazing falsetto voice ... [or] Brooke could melt someone’s heart.” When asked who she was rooting for, Carly was brave enough to name a favorite. “My favorite went a long time ago,’ she recalled. ‘My favorite was Amanda Overmyer.”

And although Carly’s fans are crushed by her ouster, Carly is delighted. “It’s like a gift of two weeks to spend with my family before I go on tour,” she exclaimed. She’s looking forward to going to the beach, but the thing she misses most might shock you. “What I miss the most is like my pots and pans,” laughed Carly, adding, “I’m like a kitchen gadget nut.”

Carly’s reunion with her pots and pans, however, is bittersweet; she knows how much she’ll be missed in the ‘Idol’ apartment. When asked how the other ladies will survive without her support, Carly admitted, “I have no idea. I was like camp counselor. I was always there, like, drying everyone’s eyes.” Hmmm, I wonder whom she’s referring to ...

-- Stephanie Lysaght