By By George Costantino for Good Morning America ABC – May 13, 2021

My cmnt: Here we have the Cancel Culture rearing its ugly head once again. This 16 year old boy posted a 3 second video when he was TWELVE. He is not even doing what the MSM and hysterical, hypocritical loony left are accusing him of. Yet he is yanked from the show without a hearing or a trial or anything – just an accusation. Even IF he was doing what he is accused of it would be nonsense to hold him accountable. He was 12 yrs old you morons. We make excuses for democrat politicians and celebrities who have actually DONE something FAR worse when they were full grown adults (sexual assault, racial epithets, theft, plagiarism, lying, murder, etc.) and say they have changed or were young. What a load of Behar.

My cmnt: Let’s face it here. Caleb represents everything that Antifa, BLM, the democratic party, the Squad, MSM, Hollywood, and all of the Loony Left hate about America: A white, patriotic, country music singing, probably Republican, cowboy boot wearing, southern state Male. He was born guilty and all they needed was any excuse to condemn him and make him apologize and kick him off a popular reality show.

“American Idol” contestant Caleb Kennedy took to Instagram on Wednesday to address an old Snapchat video in which he’s seated beside someone wearing what appears to be a Ku Klux Klan-style hood.

“Hey y’all, this is gonna be a bit of a surprise, but I am no longer gonna be on American Idol. There was a video that surfaced on the internet and it displayed actions that were not meant to be taken in that way,” the 16-year-old country singer wrote.

The production company behind “American Idol” confirmed to ABC News that Kennedy, who was in the top five, is no longer on the show. This Sunday’s episode will feature the final four contestants, with one singer being eliminated.

“I was younger and did not think about the actions, but that’s not an excuse,” Kennedy said in the post. “I wanna say sorry to all my fans and everyone who I have let down. I’ll be taking a little time off social media to better myself, but saying that, I know this has hurt and disappointed a lot of people and made people lose respect for me. I’m so sorry!”

“I pray that I can one day regain your trust in who I am and have your respect! Thank you for supporting me,” the Roebuck, South Carolina, native concluded.

Kennedy’s family told South Carolina’s Herald-Journal that the video was recorded when he was 12 years old.

Kennedy’s mother, Anita Guy, insists there was no malice intended in the three-second video.

“I hate this has happened and how Caleb is being portrayed by people online,” Guy told the Herald-Journal. “This video was taken after Caleb had watched the movie ‘The Strangers: Prey at Night’ and they were imitating those characters.”

“It had nothing to do with the Ku Klux Klan, but I know that’s how it looks,” she continued. “Caleb doesn’t have a racist bone in his body. He loves everyone and has friends of all races.”

Guy also said Kennedy enjoyed the film “V for Vendetta” and even dressed up as the main character, V, for Halloween when he was in the 7th grade. In the film, V wears a Guy Fawkes mask.

American Idol Judges Break Silence on Caleb Kennedy’s Departure Days After Controversial Video Surfaced

“This is one of those unfortunate decisions that had to be made and we move on,” Lionel Richie told PEOPLE after Sunday’s semi-final episode.

By Christina Dugan May 17, 2021 08:41 AM – for People Mag

The American Idol judges are breaking their silence four days after top five contestant Caleb Kennedy exited the show due to a leaked controversial video.

After Sunday’s emotional semi-final episode, judges Luke Bryan and Lionel Richie expressed their feelings on Kennedy’s sudden departure — and what they hope for the young singer in the future.

“First and foremost, as judges, we love these kids,” Bryan, 44, told PEOPLE after the show. “We get emotionally involved in these kids. We want the best for Caleb. As far as the nuances on how ABC gets viewed, either way, decisions got made and it’s our job as judges to show up and do our best job and comment on the kids who are in front of us. But we wish nothing but the best for Caleb. It does make for a very, very challenging and upsetting week.”

Richie, 71, then said, “A lot of times, we think about it, we grow up and we make mistakes and we look at our life behind us many times and we say, ‘God, what was I thinking about when I did that?’ This was one of those situations where we kind of give him a big hug from the three of us.”

“He has definitely has a talent. The problem is, this is one of those unfortunate decisions that had to be made and we move on. But this will be remembered in his lifetime and he’ll know what it’s all about,” he added.

Kennedy exited the show after a controversial video featuring the South Carolina native surfaced online, in which he can be seen hanging out with a friend wearing a white hood similar to the ones worn by Ku Klux Klan members.

In a statement shared to his Instagram on Wednesday, Kennedy addressed the video, saying that it “displayed actions that were not meant to be taken in that way.”

“I was younger and did not think about the actions, but that’s not an excuse,” he said. “I wanna say sorry to all my fans and everyone who I let down.”

Kennedy, 16, also said that he will “be taking a little time off social media to better myself, but saying that, I know this has hurt and disappointed a lot of people and made people lose respect for me.”

“I’m so sorry!” Kennedy added. “I pray that I can one day regain your trust in who I am and have your respect! Thank you for supporting me.”

During Sunday’s episode of the ABC singing competition show, America said goodbye to 16-year-old Casey Bishop — leaving Willie Spence, Grace Kinstler, and Chayce Beckham left fighting for a chance at being the next American Idol.