The X Factor

It was one of the roughest nights on THE X FACTOR when two frontrunners, and two of the youngest finalists, were sent packing. And one judge clearly didn’t take it well!

Astro was the first to go home, having had the lowest votes. Drew sang for survival against Marcus Canty and in the end it was Paula Abdul's casting vote that sent Drew home.

How are they all doing now? We caught up with everyone moments after the bombs dropped on what was a highly entertaining Michael Jackson week.

Astro took the news of going home a 100% better than he took the news of being in the bottom two a few weeks back. What gives? "I’m feeling amazing. I feel like the fact that I made it this far is making history. Top 7 out of 200,000 as a hip-hop artist and so young is great," he told us tonight. "I feel like this is a great stepping stone for hip-hop and this is just the beginning for me."

He might have been in a good mood because he knew his number was up. "I was ready for the bottom two," he said. Why? "I just look at the blogs 24/7. I saw all the comments, like, why is this kid not going home yet and stuff like that. It is what it is. I'm about to go home and make some music and get back to the grind."

Drew also had a feeling she would be going home this week and the blame is indeed partly on the controversial chair she sat in during her performance last night of "Billie Jean." She explained, "From the beginning I was telling Simon, 'I don't want the chair.' I knew that I was going to look awkward on the chair. Me and Simon already talked about it and we're past that. We're probably going to burn that chair!"

Awkward stage performance aside, Drew did admit that L.A. Reid had a point all season long. "I didn't show being versatile the whole competition and that isn't Simon's fault. That is my fault," she admitted when reflecting on tonight’s elimination.

It was a tough night for the judges as well with Paula Abdul unwittingly casting the go-home vote for Drew and Simon Cowell getting visibly upset (throwing a pen and even saying it was all his fault!)

On being the final vote to send Drew home, Paula said, "When you're out there and it's live, it's that part of the competition, you don't know who they're going to go to for the final answer, do you think that I'm really thinking I'm the final answer? I'm not thinking that. It's a really surreal experience." Paula reiterated that her decision was based on that important sing for survival performance and Marcus moved her more than Drew.

Nicole, who also sent Drew home, admitted to being fearful of Simon's wrath. "I'm just trying to avoid him," she told us backstage after the show. "I think he might not be happy with the choice that I made tonight, but he always says to follow your heart…be truthful. I had to be true" She too based it on the save me performance. As for Simon's possible retribution at next week at the judges' table? "Yeah, I am actually fearful of that so I better come with a song that he loves," she joked.

Simon was feeling a bit better when we caught up with him. "I'm okay. I'm not as angry as I was," he told us. He also said that while he understands L.A.'s decision to keep his act in, he was seriously disappointed in Paula and Nicole's decisions. "I genuinely thought as girls they would support her," he said.

On why Drew ended up in the bottom, he said, "I don't know how it happened. I feel like I've let her down. I've got to pick up her confidence tomorrow. I've got two contestants left and I've got to make sure they're not in that position and I've got to make better decisions."

When someone backstage asked Simon about his "temper tantrum," he corrected them saying, "It wasn't a temper tantrum!" But L.A. sees it differently. "He reminded me of Astro when Astro was in the bottom two!" Oh Snap!

L.A. took his loss a bit better than his fellow judge. "I'm proud of Astro," L.A. said. "For a 15-year-old rapper to be in the Top 7 of a singing competition is a win in and of itself. The beauty of it is THE X FACTOR now has a youth culture following."

Let's all buck up here folks! We think Drew and Astro should now collaborate and produce an amazing song together ala Eminem and Dido! What do you guys think?

Check out their parting words here.

That's all for Michael Jackson week folks! Our Top 5 will perform next Wednesday, Dec. 7 at 8/7C on FOX and one more will go home on Thursday, Dec. 8!

What do you think of Astro and Drew going home? Right? Wrong? How about Simon's reaction? Wowza! Lots to talk about so hit those comments below.