Is Caleb Kennedy racist? 'American Idol' ousted singer over video of him posing with person wearing KKK hood
'American Idol' Season 19 has a history of contestants dropping out of the show for no reason. It began with TikToker Benson Boone who had confessed he was a late-bloomer as far as singing was concerned. Then Wyatt Pike dropped out without an explanation and now it's Spartanburg, South Carolina native Caleb Kennedy who has exited.
However, what's different in his case is that the reason for him leaving the show is as problematic as can be. An old video of him has resurfaced showing him sitting next to a Ku Klux Klan hood-wearing person. The 16-year-old country singer recorded the video on Snapchat sometime in 2018 and claims he was 12 years old when he took the video.
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Is Caleb Kennedy racist?
There are a lot of claims being made on social media from people who profess to belong to the same town as Kennedy, saying the singer deserves to be booted from the show amid all the hate he's receiving. However, Kennedy has denied every single claim saying he was really young and "did not think about the actions" when he pulled out his phone to create the video.
"I wanna say sorry to all my fans and everyone who I have let down," Kennedy wrote in an apology he posted on his Instagram feed. "I know this has hurt and disappointed a lot of people and made people lose respect for me. I am sorry!"
Where is Caleb Kennedy now?
In his explanation, Kennedy also shared that he now prays for the day when he could once again regain the trust of all his fans and followers and get back the respect he evidently lost. The teenager also wrote that he is taking a breather from social media to "better" himself. Kennedy seems to have packed his bags and headed back to Spartanburg amid the racism row.
This is the second time this year that someone from an ABC show has been canceled after their racially charged actions resurfaced on the internet. Earlier in January, 'The Bachelor' Season 25 contestant Rachael Kirkconnell's past came back to haunt her. Pictures from an antebellum-themed party surfaced on Reddit and the person posting it claimed Kirkconnell bullied her for liking Black guys. Kirkconnell has since then apologized and put in the work to educate herself.
Will Hunter Metts or Arthur Gunn replace Caleb Kennedy?
Kennedy was the final contestant to have been saved in last week's Top 7 show on 'American Idol'. Hunter Metts and Arthur Gunn were sent home at the end of the Coldplay-themed episode. For those who are wondering if any of them will be replacing Kennedy, the answer is no. The show will carry on with four finalists — Grace Kinstler, Willie Spence, Chayce Beckham and Casey Bishop. One of them will end up going home and the season will reveal its Top 3 contestants who will then compete in a three-hour finale on Sunday, May 23.
'American Idol' airs Sundays at 8 pm ET on ABC.