Misunderstanding on 'Idol' stage causes tension

LOS ANGELES, April 16 (UPI) -- American Idol contestant Quentin Alexander seemingly called the show "wack" on air Wednesday night, and it wasn't taken lightly. Judge Harry Connick Jr. countered with the comment "if it's that wack, you can always go home."

Alexander, 21, noticeably upset after his performance of "Are You Gonna Go My Way," told host Ryan Seacrest, "This sucks," with a frown. "You got two of the best vocalist sitting over there -- my best friend is sitting over there. This whole thing is wack."

"What's wack?" Connick Jr. asked, "It's a competition."

Tension rose as Alexander walked to the judges' table to explain himself. He said he did not mean to disrespect the competition, or that Idol was "wack," but later told People that he was afraid the show was going to pit him and best friend Joey Cook against each other in the bottom two.

"Yeah, yeah. I get it," judge Keith Urban empathized with the contestant.

After singing his second song of the night and receiving his critiques, Alexander asked to be allowed to make a statement.

"I just wanted to say that it wasn't my intention to disrespect anyone. It was just a matter of my opinion. I can't help the way I feel," he said.

Judge Jennifer Lopez gave her advice after the misunderstanding, "I understand that this is a lot of pressure. That is part of being an artist," she says. "We have to control our emotions."

Alexander later told People, "What kind of threw me off was how [Connick] said, 'If you think it is wack, you can go home.' If you think I'm being rude, to be disrespectful back isn't right."

Joey Cook was voted off the show at the end of the night by 2 percent of the votes. Alexander reportedly says he is not as "heartbroken" as he expected to be.

"I'm happy that she gets to branch out and flourish now because she's a monster," he says of best friend Cook. "She gets the chance to fly now -- to soar."

American Idol airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Fox.