It's easy to criticize the manner in which they release the least voted for contestants on American Idol. Ryan Seacrest with the so predictable “Right after this break” is bad enough. People on the internet refer to this and other teases as Seacresting. Noun becomes verb becomes noun. "Stop that seacresting kids, and get on with your homework."

Ryan via the writers/producers teases, taunts, and harasses the contestants until they are finally in tears, then hands them a microphone and asks them to sing for the nice people that just didn’t vote for them. All in all, it seems like a lot of bad manners, bad writing, and bad hosting. Seacrest has proven himself to be robotic at times. He may be high intensity, but he lacks in personality. He isn’t smart enough to realize he gets made the biggest jerk of all by the bad writing, or he just doesn’t care. Maybe money erases that part of your brain that might be critical of rude behavior. It is the kind of thing you’d put your child in timeout for or spank them if you were that sort of parent. Anyhow, Ryan, sorry you were so lacking in talent and chose the wrong format that your show was cancelled. How did it feel seconds after you were told? Could you repeat the last interview you did while holding that thought? See, how does that feel?

The first contestant voted off seemed stunned, then prodded by Ryan's inane questions, she finally burst into tears just before he handed her the mike and asked her to sing. She seemed bitter and had some words to say about favoritism early on in the competition. I think most people could write a better script for the dismissals than this. Just make it casual with everyone sitting around on the floor. Talk quietly and get to the point. Don’t tease and taunt. Talk about how much fun it’s been so far and how it’s sad, but the format requires that someone go home. Don’t try to make them cry and let them have a moment to self-compose if you must make them sing. No rude judges statements. Don’t tell them it was a terrible song choice and ask them to perform it one more time immediately after. State it as though fact is a fact. You’re going home and good luck. What’s wrong with that? Thirty minutes is plenty of time, even if you COULD sell four times that amount of time in advertising. It’s just not worth it to further tarnish a vehicle that is getting older and seems a little clunkier every year.

Although they may do some teasing in other countries, some don’t at all. Culturally, it’s just too rude. In Norway, they come back for 15 minutes later the same night and give the results. If there are tears, they aren’t dragged out to the point of inhumane treatment. American Idol producers seem to think tears are appropriate and if not freely offered, send in Ryan to squeeze a few out. It’s much ado about nothing. Maybe use a guest host for results night like Dr. Phil or Katie Couric. You know, someone that can discuss the worst and make you feel your best. Instead, we get a smart ass with little or no real emotion that enjoys the sound of his voice above all. There may be a lot of words and explaining to do, but a robot could do what Seacrest does with more compassion. It’s a bad format and a bad hosting. Who’s in charge over there? Wake up. Act right. Be kinder and quicker and stop all the silly seacresting. It’s old, boring and trite. Show some simple kindness and stop the methamphetamine pace, hour-long trip to nowhere. Give the contestants and us the results concisely, quickly, and without all the drama. It’s a talent show, not a thriller. You’re in the fourth season. Let’s see some real changes other than forced gender equity so that your group numbers work well on the tour. Grow up.