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Ousted 'Idol' Abrams felt guilty after save

When “American Idol” judges used their one and only save of the season to keep their early favorite, Casey Abrams, in the game, the generous gesture left the crooner feeling sick.Abrams, who was eliminated from the talent competition once and for all last week, explained his post-save perspective during a Tuesday morning visit to TODAY.“This time, I was like, ‘I’m just so happy to have

When “American Idol” judges used their one and only save of the season to keep their early favorite, Casey Abrams, in the game, the generous gesture left the crooner feeling sick.

Abrams, who was eliminated from the talent competition once and for all last week, explained his post-save perspective during a Tuesday morning visit to TODAY.

“This time, I was like, ‘I’m just so happy to have made it past that point,’” he explained. “I felt sick when they put me back on. I felt guilty.”

While the save represented another chance for Abrams, he saw it as an opportunity lost for other members of the “Idol” cast — at least at first.

“You know, people like Pia (Toscano), if they had a bad week and they would get voted off. (The judges) couldn’t save her,” he said. “After that, I started doing more music and more performances, and I started to feel better about it. So I was just happy to be there. I felt like I could get a couple of more good performances out before I got voted off again.”

Besides the save, Abrams also chimed in about the two other topics “Idol” fans most often inquire about — his relationship with Haley Reinhart and his facial hair. As for the former, Abrams continued to simply insist Reinhart is his platonic, musical pal. As for the latter, the singer had more to say about his shaggy look.

“I’d like to think it’s just the laziness,” the 20-year-old joked about his beard. “But also you don’t have to shave every day. If you shave, it gets kind of itchy. I like letting it grow out. And I live in the mountains, so I’m a mountain man.”

While the hirsute ex-“Idol” hopeful is out of the competition, he'll join his former fellow finalists again. Abrams is a lock for the “American Idols Live Tour,” which launches this summer.

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