When Mariah Carey was announced as American Idol judge onlookers gleefully predicted diva
tantrums and outrageous behaviour.
But it looks like they got the wrong girl.
Nicki Minaj proved she's the volatile one as she threatened to walk off stage on live TV on Thursday.
'Are you kidding me?' Furious Nicki Minaj jumped up from her seat and threatened to QUIT American Idol on Thursday
Having a strop: When it was annouced that Curtis Finch Jr was out of the show Nicki left her seat in disgust
And when she discovered that the 24-year-old from St Louis, Missouri might be out, she said she would quit the show.
Goodbye! Curtis Finch Jr - who at one point was being tipped as a possible winner - received the lowest number of viewer's votes
'I definitely think Curtis should not be in the bottom two. I mean, I love Devin but I think that Curtis, if you look at every one of his performances, I mean - come on, America, are you kidding me?' she raged.
'I didn't think that your performance last night was your best, I think it was your worst.
'Curtis, if you go home, I go home,' she said.
Fellow judge Keith Urban agreed in part, saying he was 'a little shocked.'
But Nicki's fears were realized after it was revealed that Curtis actually got the fewest votes of ALL the contestants.
The revelation caused Nicki Minaj - who was wearing a very revealing neon jacket and matching hotpants - to jump out of her seat and approach the stage, only to seemingly be advised to return to the judge's panel by Randy Jackson, who could be seen shaking his head , and beckoning her back.
Curtis was then able to sing one last time to save himself - but only if all four judges agreed unanimously to keep him on.
They didn't - and he was kicked off the Fox show.
He gave a heartfelt and emotional performance of R Kelly's I Believe I Can Fly, showing off his impressive vocal range.
He previously sang the song on the show to get him into the top 10.
Nicki looked like she was sulking as Randy Jackson and Keith Urban had an intense discussion on either side of her, while Mariah Carey concentrated on his make or break performance, that saw the audience go wild.
Deciding his future: Nicki looked like she was sulking as Randy Jackson and Keith Urban had an intense discussion on either side of her
'The judges have got to be unanimous,' said Seacrest, who explained that they can 'save' only one contestant once throughout the season.
'Save, save, save,' chanted the crowd.
'I'm completely shocked that this is where we're at,' said Mariah Carey.
'This entire situation has been about Curtis, in a lot of ways, for me. We have had a connection. We still do, no matter what happens.'
'We are not unanimous, unfortunately,' Randy Jackson revealed, as some of the audience members began to boo.
The previous night Nicki had missed Curtis' singing because she was LATE to the live show in Hollywood, blaming bad traffic.
The show claimed over 26 million votes had been cast. But producers changed up the usual format by first revealing who was in the top three, but not what order they came in.
Singing for survival: Curtis gave a heartfelt and emotional performance of R Kelly's I Believe I Can Fly, showing off his impressive vocal range
It was good news for Candice, Kree and Angie.
In fourth place was Lazaro Arbos. Amber Holcomb came fifth, while Janelle Arthur came in sixth place.
Burnell Taylor came in seventh place, followed by Paul Jolley.
The night also saw previous Idol winner Phillip Phillips return to the stage while Bon Jovi performed their new single, Because We Can.
Earlier producer and Idol mentor Jimmy Iovine rated the performances from Wednesday night's show.
'The girls are just outperforming the boys,' he said as viewers saw a recap.
He said that Curtis Finch Jr had to change it up if he wanted to stay in the show, telling him he had to sing something other than slow R&B.
Remember me? Former winner Phillip Phillips returned to perform his latest song Gone, Gone, Gone
'He's not even going to get past the top 8,' he warned.
But he was impressed with fitness instructor Janelle Arthur, 22, from Oliver Springs, Tennessee.
'I was completely sold. This girl isn't going anywhere right now,' said Iovine.
'I'm an overall fan. But I'm afraid that if he does that a few more times this really will be his temporary home,' Iovine said of Chicago student Devin Velez, 18, whose performance of 'Temporary Home' by Carrie Underwood split the judges.
Partially deaf Angie Miller, 18, from Beverly, Massachusetts, had wowed the panel the previous night with her version of 'I Surrender' by Kelly Clarkson.
'When she does her own songs, it's magnificent. It wasn't as great as some of the judges thought, in my opinion,' Iovine said.
And he wasn't sure about Tennessee-born Paul Jolley, 22, who is being sold as a country star.
'I don't understand this country thing, it's hitting me like pure pop. Some of the guys just did a better job than him last night,' Iovine said.
He was bowled over by Candice Glover, 23, from St. Helena Island, South Carolina, who got a standing ovation from the judges the previous night by belting out 'I Have Nothing'.
'That's what music is supposed to feel like. She just nailed it. Her talent, her poise, that song - [it] won the night,' said Iovine.
But he had harsh words for stuttering ice cream scooper Lazaro Arbos, 21, from Florida, whom he had previously criticized.
'That was a bubble bath I gave him. He has the potential but he's going to have to get down to work and really take the criticism and be able to handle it,' the industry veteran warned.
'This girl knows the material that she can sing. She was great. She's in my top three,' he said of Texas-born country singer, Kree Harrison, 22.
And he had good things to say about Hurricane Katrina victim Burnell Taylor, 19, from New Orleans, Louisiana.
Iovine said: 'Randi said Burnell vindicated the boys, and to be very frank, they needed vindicating. He was by far the best guy last night - 1000 percent.'
'In the overall charisma, star-package category, Amber, Amber, Amber. I'm a big fan. She is absolutely in my top three tonight,' he said of Amber Holcomb, 18, from Houston, Texas.
