Ryan Seacrest On The Frenchie Vs. Nikki Debate

Steppin’ Out magazine put ‘American Idol’ host Ryan Seacrest on the spot regarding Frenchie Davis, and why she was booted from this year’s show while former stripper Nikki McKibbon wasn’t tossed last year for a similar scandal. “If I knew all the information, I could probably answer that question better,” he offered. Further pressed, he says, “I think that the reason that the producers made a change was because they felt the information they had would hurt the rest of the competition. I think Frenchie was one of the most talented people in this group. Trust me, the producers would have done everything they could to have kept her in the competition because it’s only good for the show.” But was race a factor? “I don’t think she would have been treated any differently regardless of her color or size. This woman was a star and one of the most talked-about contestants.”