Yup.  I’m a fan — I think she’s — well — you know.  Just sweet and humble and ditzy and real.

But in the talent department, she just didn’t have the stuff anymore.

For kicks and grins, I went to the Kellie Pickler fan site (the biggest one I believe — there are many) to see the initial reactions.

First of all, I noticed that Kellie fans over these past few weeks have been encouraged to wear a Hot Pink Ribbon in support of Kellie.  Excuse me, but that’s kind of in bad taste. 

Let’s see.  There are ribbons to promote AIDs awareness, breast cancer awareness, and teen suicide awareness, among other causes.  Oh, yeah.  And for Kellie Pickler.  (All together now — "one of these things is not like the other").

Thank God for the elders in the Town of Albemarle NC, Kellie’s hometown.  In the Albemarle website, we are again encouraged to wear the "Hot Pink" Ribbon in support of their native daughter.  But we’re given the following admonition:

The color is " Hot Pink " and shouldn’t be confused with the " Baby Pink " used for Breast Cancer Awareness.

Yeah.  Heaven forbid people think you’re supporting breast cancer awareness when you meant to be showing your support for a TV talent show contestant.  I mean, that would be embarrassing!

But I digress.

Anyway, the initial reactions from Kellie fans:

KellieROX15 writes:

Kellie off???  I can’t believe it.  I am bawling as Im typing this and Kellie is someone I look up to and I lover her to death.  Im going to need some support because my friends hate Kellie and where cheering for her to go tonight. I will get yelled at at school tommorow by them. I seriuosly didnt expect Kellie to leave. It was a schocker and I think i took it harder thatn Kellie cause Im bawling.

Then, at the bottom of her post, she has a photo montage of Katharine McPhee.  I’m not joking.

Ah, fickle youth.

Michael6k goes berserk:

Noooooooooo!  I am almost speechless. What happened? Kellie is way better and has been far more consistent than Paris. This is terrible. Ahhh!

Jessy89, who describes herself as a "New Kellie Fan", responds to Michael6k:

I Know I cried my meyes out and im still crying

Apparently, she was crying so much she can’t see the keyboard.

Anyway — it was fitting, I thought, that the show ended with Kellie kind of rambling on.  Cute and fitting.  But Kellie fans don’t agree.  Casper14, for example, writes:

…and kellie didn’t even get to sing!!! i say we all write fox and tell them that they should let her sing next week to make up for it!!! god i’m pissed!!!

Some are trying to put on a happy face.  Amanda434 sez:

Kellie did not deserve to leave tonight! But at least now she’ll be home for when her dad comes home…..

From prison?  Is he getting out soon?

But most are devestated, like Lauren:

Man guys this is awful! I don’t know if I will be able to go to school tomorrow!!!!!!

And then there’s sour grapes:

Yeah, I’m definitely done with idol. Besides.. the top 24 is a good deal. It’s just the name, and personally I’d be ashamed of the name idol if the show’s rigged.

and

UGGHHHH!!!!! IM SOOO MAD/SAD!! Im actually crying!!!! the second she said ‘thanks to my kellie fans[us]’ the tears came flowing!! They’re still going!!! OMG!!!! I HATE THAT SHOW!!! No way she coulda got the lowest votes! ITS SOO FIXED!!!!! UGGGHHHH!!! chris better not win!!!

Well, enough of that.

Anyway, the local TV news affiliate just teased with the story.  Oh, boy — they’re taking us live to Albemarle for reactions.

But …Kellie done good.  Nothing to be sorry about.  We’ll be hearing from her soon, at least locally.

P.S.  How classy of her to thank the backstage crew?

P.P.S.  BTW, to show how I can be both ignorant and an asshole at the same time….

I was getting really annoyed with that Andrea Bocelli guy as he was singing.  "Why doesn’t he open his friggin’ eyes?" I kept wondering. "He’s trying to be all emotive, and he just looks dorky.  He looks like he’s blind or something!!"

Oh.  Oops.