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‘He made an ambitious song choice this week and it did him in,’ one expert says. By Gil Kaufman Tim Urban Photo: Frank Micelotta/ Getty Images There are worse ways to fail than being too ambitious or too nice. But for booted “American Idol” finalist “Teflon” Tim Urban, it was a combination of his sunny persona and decision to stretch outside his comfort zone that contributed to his undoing on the show. After Urban was eliminated during Wednesday night’s “Idol Gives Back” special, some “Idol” experts said they weren’t shocked — and might have been a bit relieved. “Tim Urban was the little engine that could … not stop smiling,” said MTV News’ “American Idol” expert Jim Cantiello . “He went from being one of the worst semi-finalists to being one of the most well-liked contestants in a matter of weeks thanks to his ‘kill ’em with kindness’ attitude toward the especially nasty judges.” Even though Simon Cowell was annoyed by Urban’s grin-and-bear-it persona and often denigrated the Texas singer’s iffy chops, Cantiello said the mop-toppers’ undoing was deviating from his proven formula: singing songs with limited range that he could mostly nail. “That Goo Goo Dolls tune [“Better Days”] was way too big, too obscure and not romantic enough for him to make memorable,” said Cantiello, who actually thought it was Casey James’ time to go on Wednesday night. “Previously, his failures were AWESOME ones. Remember when he turned the Rolling Stones ‘Under My Thumb’ into a campfire reggae sing-along? Or when he decided to croon ‘Sweet Love’ while limping toward the front of the stage like a horror villain?” Like another finalist with limited skills (to whom he was often compared), Sanjaya, Cantiello said once Urban delivered a performance that lacked in water-cooler buzz, America dropped him like a cold bowl of soup. That said, Cantiello wouldn’t be surprised if Urban could still carve out a decent music career. “The guy’s got the looks and the personality and enough of a voice to cut a marketable album,” he said. “Or maybe I was just brainwashed by his gaze.” Another “Idol” expert, MJ Santilli of , also didn’t predict Urban’s ouster this week — she went with Aaron Kelly — but said it was clearly Tim’s time to go. “Tim did well as long as he chose songs within his very limited vocal range,” she said. “He made an ambitious song choice this week and it did him in. His pitchy, uneven vocals overruled his sincerity. Having said that, Tim didn’t really have much left in his tank anyway. He had a good, solid run for a contestant with so few vocal gifts.” MJ sees modeling and acting in Urban’s future, or possibly a shot at another reality gig. “If Jason Gaston moves out of the ‘If I Can Dream’ house, Tim could take his place as the resident hottie.” Do you think Tim Urban should have been sent home this week, or did America get it wrong? Let us know in the comments below! Get your “Idol” fix on MTV News’ “American Idol” page , where you’ll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. Related Videos ‘American Idol’ In 60 Seconds Related Photos Stars Perform On ‘Idol Gives Back’ ‘American Idol’ Season Nine Performances A Look Back At Tim Urban’s ‘Idol’ Journey

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‘American Idol’ Experts Say Tim Urban Tried Too Hard