‘Idol’ Runner-Up Leg Injury Curse Claims Katharine

There are some who might say the curse of the American Idol runner-up is that their albums don’t sell nearly as well as the winners’ do (unless your name is “Clay Aiken”). But maybe that isn’t the worst of it.

Katharine McPhee has become the third second-place finisher in three years to injure their foot during the Idol concert tour. On Tuesday, August 1, Katharine tripped while backstage before her performance at Bobcats Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina. While she managed to make it through her songs, she then went to the hospital and found out she had fractured her left foot.

Last year, almost to the day, then-Idol runner-up Bo Bice broke his foot, as discussed by Donna Reynolds at the time. At least Bo was jumping around on-stage when his accident happened.

And two years ago, again almost to the day, then-Idol runner-up Diana DeGarmo slipped down some stairs while on-stage performing “Crazy in Love” with the other Idol finalist women in Grand Rapids, Michigan. She didn’t break any bones, but did injure a ligament in her foot.

Like Katharine’s fellow runners-up before her, she plans to continue to perform on the tour, though her choreography may suffer due to the temporary cast she’ll be wearing. But at least she’s on the tour – as Donna Reynolds chronicled here on Foxes On Idol over the past couple weeks, Katharine has been plagued with problems, such as bruised vocal cords and laryngitis.

Hopefully, the curse of #2 will stop with the feet, as last year Bo also had to have emergency surgery! Of course, Katharine had other issues, as she revealed before the tour that she had suffered from bulimia as recently as immediately before she was on Idol.

Whoever comes in second place in 2007’s American Idol ought to consider investing in a pair of steel-toed boots. Or else they could simply refuse to move during the Idol concerts.

In the meantime, maybe people should stop using the old show-biz good luck quote, “Break a leg” – at least when talking to the American Idol runner-up.

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out these other recent articles on Foxes On Idol:

David Bloomberg is the Editor of Foxes On Idol, and can be reached at RNO@pobox.com.

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