Ju'Not Joyner, Former American Idol Contestant, Says Show is Rigged

Ju'Not Joyner made it to the final 36 contestants on season eight of American Idol.

This gives the aspiring singer a unique perspective into the country's top-rated show, one he used to either exploit for personal gain this week; or speak the truth about how the competition is rigged by producers.

In an online chat with fellow semifinalists such as Felicia Barton and Kendall Beard, Joyner went off on the series.

He declared "it's a fixed thing if I ever saw one," and made the following accusations:

• American Idol producers labeled him a "troublemaker" because he questioned the show's contract (which he referred to as a "slavetract");
• He was cut from the show due to his concerns over this contract;
• The show makes contestants use the same lawyer;
• Producers had it out for him after he refused to let them highlight his background on air: "They wanted me to put that out to the world and expose my personal business for ratings. I wouldn't do it," he said.

Most damning of all, Joyner says the results of American Idol are fixed. He said that Kris Allen is a talented musician, but:

"The producers know who they want and they slant it to reflect that. They fix it in a way that makes you surprised but it's still manipulated. Think about it...ADAM, ADAM, ADAM, then...Kris....SURPRISE SMITHCHES!!!!"

In conclusion, Joyner scoffs at the notion that Idol is a regular talent show, writing in the chat:

"It's a reality show with writers!! We're all actors. All these shows have writers that guide the public opinion. The Hills, Real World. All of them. Do you think a billion-dollar enterprise is subject to the whim of the public?"

The Hollywood Gossip take: Joyner's comments, while seemingly inflammatory and newsworthy, are really not that groundbreaking to anyone that watches American Idol.

It's clear the judges make comments based on which performer they want to see move on, often at the expense of one individual's singing ability for another's marketing potential. It's also obvious the show focuses on interesting backstories, as the constant mentioning of Danny Gokey's wife's tragic passing proved this season.

But so what? This is a TV show. It needs viewers and ratings.

At the end of the day, Allison Iraheta, Allen and Adam Lambert were the three best singers in the competition. Almost every season, there's little to complain about at the end.

Until Joyner can provide some sort of proof that the show is truly rigged, we're chalking his comments up to bitterness over his placement. What do you think?