It's the Idol curse!

Stalkers, lower ratings, Kara DioGuardi, and crew members falling from set pieces!

A mere 2 hours before the show's live broadcast on Tuesday, stage manager Debbie Williams fell from Ryan Seacrest retractable staircase, suffering a gash to the bone on her leg that required a trip to the emergency room and stitches. A large tower also fell, littering the stage with shattered glass.

Adding to the chaos, audience members were not permitted inside until just 20 minutes prior to airing, causing ushers to urge them to disregard their tickets and simply sit wherever.

Additionally, a pre-taped segment wrapped just 2 minutes before Idol hit the air.

The staircase was again properly secured, as Gwen Stefani descended it for a pre-taped performance of "Just a Girl" for Wednesday night's show.

FOX, FreemantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment released a joint statement saying, "During rehearsal today a crew member had a mishap on set and was immediately taken to the hospital as a precautionary measure. We have no further information at this time."

And following the show, Seacrest Tweeted, "Good news our stage manager debbie is doing much better. She fell during rehersal …she's my right hand during these shows. Love u deb!"

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[Image via WENN.]