Does ‘Idol' Hate Ryan Seacrest?

In one of TV's cringiest moments ever, Ryan Seacrest goes to high-five a blind contestant. But why did the show leave this in?

Did you watch the premiere of American Idol last night? Good times all around, from "Bikini Girl" (a contestant of middling vocal talent who made up for it with a teeny-weeny bikini barely affixed to her gymtastic body) to a guy with bass tones so low, we expected him to bust out some Paul Robeson. But One thing we did take away from the episode -- which covered the Phoenix auditions of season eight -- is this:

American Idol hates Ryan Seacrest.

We're not sure why, and we're certainly not going to go down the road of blah blah does he feud with Simon blah. In the evening's first Seacrest-bashing moment, the aforementioned Bikini Girl -- who'd vowed to "make out" with the wee host if she nabbed a golden ticket to Hollywood -- plants one on him to the strains of Katy Perry's I Kissed a Girl. Catty? A little. Hilarious? Definitely.

But in the show's final moments, a blind contestant (whose overcoming-of-adversity tale was milked for all its worth) emerges from the audition room with his ticket to fame, only to have Seacrest raise his hand in a high-five. When the host realizes the guy can't see he's being high-fived, he sort of swoops his hand down for a light pat on the contestant's arm. It's all horrible, awkward, terrible stuff, not funny at all, and completely out of step with the episode... and thus makes us wonder. That would have been easy enough to cut. So why'd they leave it in? Is this Schadenfreude Idol? Ow! Our soul hurts!

Watch the moment unfold here.

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