Article by: Rumer Certeza
Photo: American Idol Website 

It sure isn't no beauty contest. But ousted 'American Idol' contestant Casey James believes that he wouldn't have gotten far had he not bared a bit of flesh at his first audition.

James, 27, the tall blue-eyed blond guitarist from Texas, had judge Kara DioGuardi oozing with excitement when he exposed his torso at her request.

This 'mini-strip' scenario would give birth to more naughty humor later on in the season, with DioGuardi teasing James that he should perform for young girls and women in the competition.

"There's a possibility that had I not done that I might not have made it past that first round," says James. "It definitely wasn't something that I thought of, or even realized was going to happen. It obviously worked out."

James had been evicted from the show on Wednesday, leaving the top two contestants, Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze for the grand showdown in next week's season 9 finale in Los Angeles.

James reveals that everything was unpredictable, a primary reason why he has always conditioned himself even for the worst.

"I'm the kinda guy who accepts what happens, I am definitely happy with where I landed," he says, being a third placer. "I am elated to have landed here and I am going to make the most of it."

That kind of attitude's quite rare, nowadays. Everybody seems like a diva, right, Simon?