LOS ANGELES — The producers of “American Idol” had hoped that a new focus this season on the personal stories of the contestants would stem a slide in ratings. But on Wednesday it was one of those personal stories that apparently spawned this season’s first big scandal on “Idol.”
Hours after Joanna Pacitti, a 23-year-old Philadelphia native, was named one of the 36 semifinalists in the show’s eighth season on Wednesday’s broadcast, the producers of the series disqualified her from the competition and replaced her with another female performer who viewers had been told was eliminated.
The producers would not give a reason for the disqualification, which followed a recent report in Star magazine that Ms. Pacitti had professional or personal relationships with two executives at 19 Entertainment, the company founded by Simon Fuller, one of the creators and an executive producer of “American Idol.”
An “Editor’s Note” tacked on to the end of a news release issued shortly after the West Coast broadcast of “American Idol” on Wednesday said, in its entirety: “It has been determined that Joanna Pacitti is ineligible to continue in the competition. ‘American Idol’ contestant Felicia Barton has replaced Ms. Pacitti as part of the top 36.”
Spokesmen for Fox, for 19 Entertainment and for Fremantle North America, which also produces the show, declined to comment further.
Ms. Pacitti attracted attention almost from the beginning of this season because of her previous professional singing career. When Ms. Pacitti arrived to audition before the show’s judges last summer in Louisville, Ky., Kara DioGuardi, who joined the series as the fourth judge this year, said on camera that she recognized Ms. Pacitti and asked if she was the same person who previously had a recording contract with A&M Records.
Ms. Pacitti told Ms. DioGuardi that her contract had ended “a while ago.” “American Idol” requires only that contestants not be under contract with a management or recording company.
Ms. Pacitti was one of 147 contestants — out of the tens of thousands who auditioned — who made it through to the Hollywood round, which was conducted in January but not shown until this month.
“American Idol” on Wednesday showed that Ms. Pacitti twice forgot the words to her songs during Hollywood week performances. Nevertheless, the judges put her through to the semifinals, telling her that she deserved a break.
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