Paul McDonald booted from ‘American Idol’

4/14/2011

LOS ANGELES  — Paul McDonald kept grinning while being gouged on “American Idol.”

The smiley 26-year-old singer-songwriter from Nashville, Tenn., was revealed to have received the fewest viewer votes on the Fox talent contest Thursday after kicking off Wednesday’s film-themed performances with Bob Seger’s “Old Time Rock and Roll” from “Risky Business.” Jennifer Lopez requested he sing “Maggie May” as his swan song, and he happily obliged.

McDonald was joined in the bottom three by fellow finalists Stefano Langone, the smooth 21-year-old crooner from Kent, Wash., who sang Boyz II Men’s “End of the Road” from “Boomerang,” and Haley Reinhart, the bluesy 20-year-old college student from Wheeling, Ill., who growled Blondie’s “Call Me” from “American Gigolo.”

Seven finalists remain in the competition.