"American Idol" Elimination: Sobbing Songstress Sent Home

NEW YORK — Diamond wasn't Brooke White's best friend on "American Idol" Wednesday night. The tearful 24-year-old folkster from Mesa, Ariz., was eliminated as the Fox show trimmed the competition to the top four finalists. On Tuesday's show, aka Neil Diamond Night, White sang two songs by Diamond: "I'm a Believer" and "I Am ... I Said." Simon Cowell called White's first performance "a nightmare," then heaped praise on her after her second act. "This is the Brooke we like. Sitting behind the piano, singing a very good song," the snarky judge said. "It wasn't incredible, but it was a million times better than the first song. Well done." White, who claimed never to have seen an R-rated movie, wiped away tears before her final performance. The former nanny told fans: "I just wanna say `thank you.'" The remaining "Idol" candidates _ David Archuleta, David Cook, Jason Castro and Syesha Mercado (Wednesday night's other low vote-getter) _ surrounded White on stage. Cook, ... [link]