ARLINGTON, Va. — He’s still in it. But for how long?
Popular television show “American Idol” judges and viewers alike seem to be tiring of Marine Lance Cpl. Joshua Gracin, who sings live weekly for the coveted title on the Fox show.
It’s down to four contestants, with the 22-year-old Marine still in the running after wowing voting TV audiences for the past eight weeks.
Last Wednesday, the announcement that the viewing public cast enough votes to keep Gracin in the running generated “boos” from the studio audience and prompted judge Simon Cowell, the most crass of the three-judge lot, to ask the voting public to vote based on singing talent. The other two judges are singer Paula Abdul and music producer Randy Jackson.
Each week, viewers call toll-free numbers assigned to each contestant and vote for their favorites. The contestant with the fewest viewer votes goes home. Results are reported live on an episode shown Wednesday in the United States.
Gracin is an administration supply clerk at Camp Pendleton, Calif., with the 1st Force Service Group. He has not received deployment orders to the Middle East with other members of the large unit. If he does while a contestant, Fox Television promised to return him to next year’s competition at the same standing.
This Tuesday, however, promised another live performance with Gracin competing against Clay Aiken, 24, Kimberley Locke, 25, and Ruben Studdard, 25.
