NEW YORK, March 9, 2007

"Idol" Castoff Faces Second Blow Of Night

Magazine Says Sundance Head Learned Of Relative's Death After Broadcast

  • OK! magazine reports that Sundance Head's cousin Burl Head, whom he refers to as his uncle, died in a home fire in Houston.

    OK! magazine reports that Sundance Head's cousin Burl Head, whom he refers to as his uncle, died in a home fire in Houston.  (FOX)

(CBS)  "American Idol" cast off Sundance Head received another painful blow after he was eliminated from the reality show last night, OK Magazine reports.

He found out that his cousin, Burl Head, whom he refers to as his uncle, died in a home fire in Houston.

The magazine reports that Burl had given the "Idol" contestant $1,500 for his stay in Los Angeles during the competition.

Head learned of the tragic news after the broadcast and went to Paula Adbul's dressing room to inform her.

He told Abdul, sobbing, "I just learned my uncle's house burned down with him in it today but they didn't tell me because of the show. They don't know what happened," OK reports.

Photos: "American Idol" Season Six

According to the magazine, Abdul was devastated upon learning the news.

Head was eliminated from the reality show during Thursday night's broadcast. The last few minutes of the show had Head and contestant Sanjaya Malakar as the final two contestants battling to make it to the top 12.

Head, 28, is from Porter, Texas. Head's profile on the "American Idol" Web site says that his toughest obstacle was growing up after his older brother died in a car crash less than a mile from his house.

A publicist for FOX said Friday that the network does not comment on the contestant's personal lives.

© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Add a Comment See all 13 Comments
by lew88-2009 March 12, 2007 1:15 PM EDT
I agree with much of what has been said. Sabrina and Sundance should be in the top 12. I think AI will need to change its system to let the judges have a little more say week to week like the "Grease" show did. America voted and judges chose between the bottom 2. Sanjaya needs to go home and THANK GOODNESS Antonothingness is finally gone!
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by frfllng714 March 12, 2007 12:59 PM EDT
WE ALL NEED TO REMEMBER WHO PUT THIS LITTLE BOY THRU TO START WITH. NOW THEY JUST SEEM TO AMAZED EVERY WEEK THAT HE IS STANDING THERE. WHERE DO THEY THINK HE CAME FROM. SO, RANDY, PAULA, AND SIMON, SHOW A LITTLE SUPPORT FOR HIM. YOU ARE THE ONES WHO THOUGHT HE COULD SING. HIS FAMILY SHOULD TAKE HIM HOME AND SAVE HIM ALL THE HUMILATION HE IS SUFFERING (IF HE EVEN KNOWS IT) ALL THE PEOPLE WHO CAN SING ARE BEING KICKED OFF WHILE HIS EGO IS BEING BOOSTED EVERY WEEK HE STAYS. HOW CRUEL WE ARE TO ALLOW THIS CHILD THE DEVASTATION WHEN HE FIGURES THIS ALL OUT. CHANCES ARE, HE MIGHT MISS HIGH SCHOOL CHOIR TRYOUTS SO HURRY AND SEND HIM HOME
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by frfllng714 March 12, 2007 12:43 PM EDT
SOMEONE SAY SINGING CONTEST, WELL, WHO PUT THAT LITTLE SQUIRRIL THRU TO BEGIN WITH? SIMON, PAULA, RANDY...YEAH, THAT'D BE WHO? SO, THEY SHOULD BE THE FIRST ONES SUPPORTING HIM. HIS FAMILY SHOULD JUST PROBABLY SAVE THE FUTURE HUMILIATION THAT CHILD IS GOING TO SUFFER, TAKE HIM HOME, AND GIVE HIM SOME SINGING LESSONS. WALK AWAY WHILE HIS NECK IS STILL STRONG ENOUGH TO HOLD THAT HEAD THAT IS SURELY GOING TO BE HANGING PRETTY LOW BEFORE ALL IS SAID AND DONE. SO, SHAME ON RANDY, PAULA, AND SIMON FOR EVEN SENDING HIM THRU TO BEGIN WITH!!!!!MAYBE YOU GUYS SHOULD MENTOR HIM INSTEAD OF SITTING SCRATCHING YOUR HEAD WONDERING WHERE HE CAME FROM!!!!!!!!!!!!
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by roni_c March 10, 2007 4:50 PM EST
Sanjaya is my favorite because he seems like a nice young man; a refreshing change from whats out there today. I'm sure that's why he is still on the show. Granted, he is not doing very well, but people like me LOVE him. I hope he stays a long time.
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by garsh548 March 10, 2007 4:05 PM EST
I love American Idol, I geuss Idol will always be in my heart. It's a wonderful show and it's a very wonderful way to folks an opportunity to get their foot in the door on to their musical career. I love also the judges, they do great job. Their job is not an easy one, it's one you can't sugar coat anyones performance. If you can't handle the heat get off the stage. The judges tell everyone every week, bring it. All you have to do is, bring your A game, nothing less. You have to pick great songs to sing and you have to sang them with all the passion you have in your heart. Less than this you won't win.
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by justcarol March 10, 2007 12:58 PM EST
I am so sorry for Sundances Loss. My heart goes out to him and the rest of his family. He got robbed of two things that night. He should never have been eliminated. Sanjaya should have gone and should have been gone. The girl who got eliminated with Anotonella got robbed, too. She could sing. I think Haley should have gone instead.
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by tucson23 March 10, 2007 5:44 AM EST
I'm sure it's been said before, but WHO THE F@#% is voting for Sanjaya for Christ's sake? Are AI voters really that tone deaf? The only way this week's results could have been worse was if Antonella Barba had made it. I would have to have stopped watching the show forever.
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by lizardbate March 10, 2007 3:09 AM EST
Sanajay has to go!!!!!!!!!! Willian Hung has him beat. GO HOME SANAJY, YOU STINK!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sorry Sundance - you have my sympathy. Sanajay needs to go on a show by himself ----AMERICAN DUD!
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by flolake March 9, 2007 10:43 PM EST
Posted by FARTKNOCKER2 at 04:38 PM : Mar 09, 2007
Your posts are as serious as your screen name, idiot.
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by herman8319 March 9, 2007 7:26 PM EST
Sundance should be in the 12 and Sanajay out. Sanajay CAN NOT Sing. Vote Sanajay off.
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by jetlizhan March 9, 2007 7:01 PM EST
as Simon says, "this is a singing competition" - that little puffball that beat out Sundance CAN'T SING!!! and the 2nd girl eliminated was a dynamic singer and should not have been voted off - and yes, i voted for both to stay.
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by ssporleder March 9, 2007 6:44 PM EST
So many are getting screwed...


The men that the three judges PICKED are now getting slammed by them, like it was not their doing!
Then people that should have been cut stayed and while I feel for the men, they are not as strong as the women and yet because of the way they do the eliminations, women had to go no matter what.
Ugh.


Sanajay needs to GO! Just awful.


I feel that someone out there will reach out to Sundance and he will, indeed, get the job he yelled for and things will go well for him.

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by ajaxrose1 March 9, 2007 5:33 PM EST
That is so awful. My heart goes out to Sundance and his family. I really think he got rooked last night, by the way, but this really makes my heart hurt for him. I hope he's able to continue with his life as he would like it to be and to be happy with his family.
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