RECAP: 'X-Factor' Sends Stacy Francis Packing

Astro should really mail Stacy Francis a thank-you note. If The X Factor contestant had found himself in the bottom two with any other performer, he would be packing his bags back to Brooklyn. Despite throwing a temper tantrum ending in tears during elimination, Astro was saved only by Francis' lackluster rendition of "It's All Coming Back to Me."

It was rock week at X Factor, and Astro once again stole the judges’ hearts with his rendition of “I'll Be Missing You.” Judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, L.A. Reid and Nicole Scherzinger couldn't seem to heap enough praise on the pint-sized performer.

It was little surprise that Francis found herself singing for survival Thursday night (Abdul described her Wednesday night peformance as her worst yet), although her version of "Amazing Grace" on Thursday was a step up. Francis was the obvious choice for elimination – until Astro took the stage.

Clearly unhappy with his placement in the bottom two, Astro announced he wasn't really feeling it when he came out for his performance, “Hold up. I really don't want to perform. I feel like it's unnecessary,” Astro said. He went on to perform a personal rap to the Jackson 5's "Never Could Say Goodbye," which the crowd loved.

His attitude, though, did not sit well with the judges. “Stop folding your arms, look at me and think about your mom watching this show, because you're showing disrespect to your mom, you're showing disrespect to the audience at home, and I don't like people with this attitude,” Cowell said.

Astro was brought to tears as he defended himself, “No disrespect to you or this show. I just feel like if you're going to put me in the bottom two, I just don't want to perform for people who don't want me here. You know what I'm saying? That's it.”

Reid and Abdul voted to give Francis the boot, but mentor Scherzinger stuck with her and voted to kick off Astro – leaving it up to Cowell to decide outcome.“Based on who I believe has got the best chances of winning – and I really don't want to do this – I'm going to send home Stacy,” Cowell said.

X Factor will return Tuesday November 22. Watch the video of the elimination here: