Turning the Other Cheek on 'Idol'

American Idol contestant Mandisa Hundley threw the book at brash Brit judge Simon Cowell Wednesday night--a bit of the Good Book, that is. After the full-figured Hundley’s initial audition in Chicago, Cowell raised eyebrows and ire by asking if the stage was “Going to be bigger this year” and responding to Paula Abdul’s comment that she sounded like former Idol contestant Frenchie Davis by saying “Forget Frenchie, she’s like France.”

Last night, after the contestants made their way to a semi-final group of 44, Mandisa and the other Idol hopefuls faced judges Randy Jackson, Paula, and Simon one last time to find out whether they had made it to the final group of 24. Instead of releasing a string of expletives at Simon, a common occurrence on the show, Mandisa calmly addressed him saying:

A lot of people want me to say a lot of things to you. But this is what I want to say to you. Yes, you hurt me and I cried and it was painful... But I want you to know that I’ve forgiven you, and that you don’t need someone to apologize to forgive them. And I figure that if Jesus could die so that all of my wrongs could be forgiven, then I could certainly extend that same grace to you.

A very refreshing sentiment on a show where God's name is usually invoked by braggarts. Jackson responded to Mandisa's spiel with an “Amen,” while Cowell confessed, “I’m humbled... I’m just so appalling aren’t I?”

Apparently, Hundley has discovered the one thing that cows Simon Cowell--forgiveness.