Randy Jackson defended the decision by American Idol judges to save contestant Michael Lynche this week after he was booted from the competition by viewers.
"He sang his brains out," Jackson tells MTV at Thursday's America's Best Dance Crew finale. "It was the right thing to do. I'm happy we did it."
The move was essentially a reversal of Idol voters' decision to eliminate Lynche from the Fox talent show. The judges get just one save a season.
Jackson says he and fellow judges Simon Cowell, Kara DioGuardi and Ellen DeGeneres knew they had to give serious thought to their decision, as it's the only chance they'll get to rescue a favorite from elimination.
"We get one save in the season," Jackson said. "He was so good Wednesday night, and this is a singing competition. He was the best singer in the whole show."
America delivered the lowest number of votes to Lynche, but he wowed judges by belting out "This Woman's Work" in an attempt to save himelf. Obviously, it worked.
"We started out discussions and were saying, 'My God, well, he's singing amazing tonight,' even though he's had up and down weeks," said Jackson. "I think he would have been safe, and I think they forgot to vote for him, thinking, 'Ah, he's going to be there next week." -- Catherine Donaldson-Evans
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