Jason Castro’s sloppy (if lyric-relishing) performance on American Idol’s Neil Diamond night may have been caused by little practice and a big lack of interest. Entertainment Weekly claims that Jason Castro may be done with the show, even if America isn’t done with him. “What happens happens,” he reportedly said earlier this week. “I’ll sing and if people like it, they like it. And if they don’t, they don’t. I’m kind of ready to go home.” One could chalk that up to his natural tendency to go with the flow, but it also might have something to do with the fact that none of the TV veterans and professional musicians left on what was once perceived as a contest of amateurs could be under the impression that winning the show matters.

Really, when you look at the careers of Elliott Yamin, Fantasia, Ruben Studdard, Kelly Clarkson, Clay Aiken, Katherine McPhee, Taylor Hicks, Daughtry, Constantine, and that creepy bald dude from last season who needs to get his ads the fuck off of Web sites I visit pronto, there’s no clear benefit to actually winning the contest as opposed to merely placing highly. Either way, you’ve gained public recognition and a fan base. Will Michael Johns’ career suffer because he was tossed off early? Will David Archuleta get to sing on a Disney soundtrack only if he wins? They’re all winners, as Paula would happily note, and all we have left is the tired formality of finishing the damn season. Maybe if there were some true amateurs on the show, there’d actually be some competitive spirit and lingering enthusiasm for letting Randy say whether or not they were the bomb.

Things were happier for Jason Castro once. Like when he was dating Cheyenne. That was nice. Please enjoy this clip of a romantic date spent kite-flying and chalk-writing before his band opened one of her concerts (make sure to catch his shirtless drumming, ladies!).

Idol Jason Castro: “ready to go home”? [EW]
Jason Castro – Almost Famous – Episode 6 [YouTube]

(Thanks to Leila for the Castro clip. Happy anniversary, babe, let’s buy some kites.)