Though “American Idol” claims to have a pretty thorough screening process, contestants with less than savory backgrounds keep getting through. Which wouldn’t be a problem if “Idol’s” producers said they didn’t care one way or the other – but they’ve kicked singers out for unsavory things in the past. A few years ago singer Frenchie Davis was eliminated from the competition after topless photos of her surfaced on the internet. However last year contestant was allowed to stay when her racy photos popped up. Now it’s been revealed that 24-year-old contestant David Hernandez used to work as a stripper in a gay strip club for over three years – and it’s been confirmed by the club’s owner.

“American Idol” contestant David Hernandez once entertained audiences by removing his clothes instead of singing tunes, a manager at a male strip club in Phoenix told The Associated Press.

The 24-year-old finalist from Glendale, Ariz., once worked as a stripper at Dick’s Cabaret, appearing fully nude and performing lap dances for the club’s “mostly male” clientele, club manager Gordy Bryan said Monday.

“He had the look and the type that people like, so he made pretty good money here,” Bryan said. According to Bryan, Hernandez steadily worked at the club for three years until September 30, 2007. “He never renewed his licensing with the state, so he hasn’t been on my roster since then,” Bryan said.

[From the Huffington Post]

“American Idol” producers could get a lot of bad press if they kick Hernandez out. If they’d had a clear-cut policy on this kind of issue, that’d be one thing. But since they’ve kicked one person out and let another stay, it could look like bias if they made Hernandez leave the competition. I wonder if the producers would consider working as a stripper better or worse than posing nude. They’ve also kicked people out for having criminal backgrounds – but have let some people stay as long as they revealed whatever negatives were in their past. I honestly wish they’d be a little more lenient. If a criminal has paid their debt to society, they have a right and responsibility to get a job. Why shouldn’t they try out for American Idol? What an inspirational story that would be – “Ex con turns his/her life around.” Same thing with someone who was a stripper. Talk about following your dreams. Hopefully Hernandez will be judged based on his talent and not his past.