American Idol just did Allison Iraheta an incredible favor -- though it probably doesn't feel like that to her right now.

Since the gutsy 16-year-old's vocals first began making an impression with Idol voters, I've feared for the down-to-earth phenom -- who brings an adult's chops at the microphone, but turns into a ball of teen insecurity when the music stops.

As a former musician and recording artist, I've always felt Idol plucks some talents from obscurity a little too soon, exposing incredibly young and inexperienced performers to the biggest vortex of public attention and industry machinations on the planet.

And once you've spent weeks serenading crowds on network TV's most-watched show, heading back to high school and weekend wedding gigs must feel like going back to Romper Room.

So Iraheta's long walk off the show tonight -- which came after a typically padded results show featuring performances from Slash, Paula Abdul, No Doubt and Daughtry -- may just be the best thing that happened to the young singer, giving her a break from Idol's highest heights just long enough to let her grow into the amazing potential she's shown.

Let's hope she does better than judge Abdul, who may be the only Idol performer to lip-synch on the show -- offering a performance of her new single I'm Just Here for the Music that felt like warmed-over Janet Jackson -meets-Music-era Madonna.

Luckily for Abdul, ex-Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash kept up the mentor tradition of sucking worst on the results shows, declining even to reveal who would be singing lead on the solo album he was supposedly there to promote.

Next week, the big question: Can Kris Allen's puppy dog eyes and come-from-behind popularity unseat Adam Lambert or Danny Gokey -- the two guys fans always thought would land in the Top 2?

While you ponder that question, check Abdul's performance again below. *