Joanna Pacitti auditioned before the judges and won her way to Hollywood, where she performed ably enough to score a much-coveted spot in the Top 36. The day after these lucky three dozen were revealed, a change was announced: Pacitti, after all, would not be joining the competition.

So what happened?

Pacitti started out on American Idol 8 on a controversial note. Kara DioGuardi recognized this twice-signed singer the moment she arrived to audition, which sent the media into a frenzy to learn the extent of Pacitti’s music industry connections.

The brunette, who once won a competition to star in the Broadway version of Annie, is not the first to arrive on the Idol stage with a previous recording contract under her belt. American Idol 7 viewers argued that Carly Smithson, who was also signed previously, was far too experienced. Others said that Kristy Lee Cook, who had also been signed, was planted on the show. David Archuleta even won a reality competition before - Star Search. But all these singers, at least, had the chance to compete.

Why was Joanna Pacitti denied the same chance?

Twice-signed, very pretty and evidently unlucky in the industry, Pacitti was highly controversial - something Idol has never shied away from in the past. In fact, it’s the controversial contestants who often become sensations in the media and on the show. By reality TV standards, this singer could have been a gold mine for FOX. So, why’d they boot her?

Because this controversial singer was just a little too controversial - and the fans got pissed. Her nickname on the Vote for the Worst forums is “JoPlanta,” while many on the TV.com forums argue viciously she ought never to have been allowed in the contest in the first place. The rumors and innuendo got to be a little too much for America’s number one show. Tie in Pacitti’s connections to 19 Entertainment, which has ties to American Idol, and it just got to be a little too much.

Or…was it the plan all along? Pacitti may have missed her Idol shot, but so far she’s had more publicity than any of the singers who are in the Top 36. What better way to revive or create a career than to involve a pretty singer with reality TV scandal?

I can’t think of a one.

(You can find all the American Idol 8 posts here.)