Author Topic: American Idol: The Next Twenty-One? (Read 3467 times)

GS Warehouse · « **on:** April 13, 2007, 04:20:56 PM »

I don't get on the soapbox often, but no TV competition series since the Survivor All-Stars spoiler three years ago has made me want to speak out like this. During my sabbatical from here, I've been active in other groups, and there are, as is the case with every group, a few characters. But I'm starting to question which is the worst category of online poster after sexual predator: troll, spammer, or conspiracy theorist.

One example of the latter is Mike Falkner, who posts to Usenet under the user name "starcade". Allll the way back in 2002, when Tamyra Gray was eliminated from American Idol, he has alleged that AI is rigged. Ever since then, with each new season, he gets more and more convinced that AI is 100% scripted, where the producers decide who is the winner immediately after the auditions, and who is eliminated when. These are just some of his allegations:
- Season 3: Twelve contestants were named for wild-card week, but after an off-camera performance for the judges, four were immediately eliminated before the performances. One of those four, Lisa Leuschner, was arguably the best of those twelve.
- Season 3: The signs were obvious--to Mike, at least--that Fantasia Barrino was the person to beat right from the day she auditioned. Her voice is not popular with the alt.tv.american-idol at all.
- Season 4: ABC interviews Corey Clark, who was DQed from S2 for not disclosing an earlier arrest. Clark allegedly had an affair with judge Paula Abdul during his time on the show. All parties besides Clark, including Fox, denied anything ever happened, but Mike was convinced that AI, by not firing her, never had any integrity.
- Season 6: After the city auditions, the producers (from Mike's POV) realize that out of the contestants selected to go to Hollywood, not one single person can be marketed as a pop star. So Fox shows more bad auditions (delusional frauds, he calls them) than ever, and the judges select the 24 finalists based on TV purposes rather than singing ability.
- Season 6: Speaking of which, isn't it a coincidence that Antonella Barba was eliminated just a couple of days after those, shall we say, controversial photos of her led to offers from Girls Gone Wild and the like? Mike doesn't think so; he thinks they DQed her under the table.

I have always thought AI is on the up-and-up--if it was rigged, the FCC would have shut down the show a long time ago. And I have my own arguments to support it:
- Season 4: Considering Simon Cowell never once gave Fantasia a negative critique, I kept my ear open for a contestant whom the judges couldn't say anything bad about even if it's obvious he/she did not have the best voice in the field. That contestant was Bo Bice. Carrie Underwood won. Enough said.
- Season 5: Using that same theory, I had Paris Bennett is the so-called "anointed one". She went out in fifth place.
- Season 6: Simon championed Jason "Sundance" Head in the city rounds, and even though Sundance performed poorly in the Hollywood rounds, he still made the Top 24. But Sundance did not make the Top 12. If the show clearly was rigged, Sundance would still be here and Sanjaya Malakar would not.

Mike is not conceding, however, saying if AI really is legit, Sanjaya will win and the show goes down the tubes. Once or twice, I've wondered whether I can believe anything anyone says anymore. BTW, Falkner will be at the taping of the TPiR Bob Barker tribute next week.

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #1 on:** April 13, 2007, 04:39:30 PM »

I don't think the show will go away if Sanjaya wins. The show has evolved enough that is is more about the look than the singing ability. Sanjaya looks like a teen idol. Former game show host Danny Bonaduce had his face on millions of albums, sold a lot of records without singing or playing a note. But in the end, it really doesn't matter who wins the title. The TV exposure is enough in my view. Clay Aiken, Josh Gracin and Chris Daughtry didn't win but have very successful singing careers.

One thing they may want to try is having the audience vote on who should leave or limit the voting to ten votes per phone. Is it a free call to vote?

clemon79 · « **Reply #2 on:** April 13, 2007, 06:34:28 PM »

I'll point out that this is the same guy who was already established as a net.kook long before we left UseNet, and has posted here more than a few times suggesting that Survivor is similarly rigged and that the FCC should step in and Do Something About This Immediately.

In other words, you have already given him far more attention than he deserves. He's a nutball. Let it go.

/and why do I give one tin one what taping he's attending, much less two?

Speedy G · « **Reply #3 on:** April 13, 2007, 07:27:25 PM »

Wake me when Sanjaya starts outlasting legitimate contenders to the title. Thus far, nobody who has gone home qualifies as such, and there are yet still a couple others who don't have a chance to win. This is silliness.

bandit_bobby · « **Reply #4 on:** April 13, 2007, 08:43:00 PM »

I think they should make the grand prize record deal worth $10 million instead of $1 million, so that it means more to win it all.

tpirfan28 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 13, 2007, 08:47:20 PM »

[quote name=\'bandit_bobby\' post=\'150145\' date=\'Apr 13 2007, 08:43 PM\']
I think they should make the grand prize record deal worth $10 million instead of $1 million, so that it means more to win it all.
[/quote]

I finally get to use my creation!

/AI sucks.

BrandonFG · « **Reply #6 on:** April 13, 2007, 09:00:04 PM »

[quote name=\'bandit_bobby\' post=\'150145\' date=\'Apr 13 2007, 08:43 PM\']
I think they should make the grand prize record deal worth $10 million instead of $1 million, so that it means more to win it all.
[/quote]
Mark this date: I have stopped taking your posts seriously, and I don't think you do either. I seriously think you like saying ridiculous things just for entertainment. But that's just me.

dzinkin · « **Reply #7 on:** April 13, 2007, 09:27:01 PM »

[quote name=\'GS Warehouse\' post=\'150127\' date=\'Apr 13 2007, 04:20 PM\']
But I'm starting to question which is the worst category of online poster after sexual predator: troll, spammer, or conspiracy theorist.

One example of the latter is Mike Falkner, who posts to Usenet under the user name "starcade".
[/quote]
Actually, with Mike, you get a sexual predator and a conspiracy theorist rolled up into one neat little package. First you have his comments and acts toward Deborah Gibson, and then you have his stated belief that American Idol was rigged on orders from George W. Bush, and that doesn't include everything in between. I'll repeat what Chris said: you're wasting your time.

(Besides, everyone knows that Bush couldn't have been involved -- he was too busy shutting down Bo Bielefeldt's web site. Twice. ;-)

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #8 on:** April 13, 2007, 10:49:10 PM »

[quote name=\'Speedy G\' post=\'150133\' date=\'Apr 13 2007, 07:27 PM\']Wake me when Sanjaya starts outlasting legitimate contenders to the title. Thus far, nobody who has gone home qualifies as such, and there are yet still a couple others who don't have a chance to win. This is silliness.[/quote]
The beauty of American Idol, nay its very genius, is that the teenyboppers aren't voting off the worst act, they're voting for their favorite. Play it like Survivor (or almost every other 'attrition' reality show) by voting to get rid of somebody, and Sanjaya would have been out weeks ago. This way, he stays on because the little girls love him, and the show gets tons of extra publicity while the entertainment media work themselves up into a lather about this latest 'controversy'.

Genius, and nobody has to rig anything.

DrBear · « **Reply #9 on:** April 13, 2007, 11:15:07 PM »

[quote name=\'bandit_bobby\' post=\'150145\' date=\'Apr 13 2007, 07:43 PM\'] I think they should make the grand prize record deal worth $10 million instead of $1 million, so ~~that it means more to win it all.~~ contestants will have an incentive to attack each other live on camera.[/quote]

There, fixed that for you.

GS Warehouse · « **Reply #10 on:** April 14, 2007, 12:29:40 AM »

[quote name=\'dzinkin\' post=\'150149\' date=\'Apr 13 2007, 09:27 PM\']Actually, with Mike, you get a sexual predator and a conspiracy theorist rolled up into one neat little package. First you have his comments and acts toward Deborah Gibson ...[/quote]
I missed that memo. Now we know who the "delusional fraud" really is here!

As for voting limits, that's a popular idea at ATAI, but anything that limits the income that [telecommunications sponsor] makes from text messages will fall on deaf ears at said sponsor. At least I gave Lemon a reason to stay in Seattle next week. Who says I don't do my part to cut travel costs? ;-)

clemon79 · « **Reply #11 on:** April 14, 2007, 04:50:44 AM »

Debbie Gibson was in soft-core porn?

/giggity
//giggity
///gig-i-tee!
////would hit that so hard her love would shake on its own

clemon79 · « **Reply #12 on:** April 14, 2007, 04:52:03 AM »

[quote name=\'bandit_bobby\' post=\'150145\' date=\'Apr 13 2007, 05:43 PM\']
I think they should make the grand prize record deal worth $10 million instead of $1 million, so that it means more to win it all.
[/quote]
You're a troll.

TheLastResort · « **Reply #13 on:** April 14, 2007, 10:13:11 AM »

[quote name=\'bandit_bobby\' post=\'150145\' date=\'Apr 13 2007, 07:43 PM\']
I think they should make the grand prize record deal worth $10 million instead of $1 million, so that it means more to win it all.
[/quote]
That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Clearly, it should be $20 million.

Anyway, I think Sanjaya will eventually get the boot. Right now, the votes are split between too many people. Once it gets down to the final 3 or so, the Melinda voters should outnumber the Sanjaya saps. (I'm assuming Melinda will win, based on her singing ability...)

Ian Wallis · « **Reply #14 on:** April 14, 2007, 12:00:58 PM »

Quote

But in the end, it really doesn't matter who wins the title. The TV exposure is enough in my view. Clay Aiken, Josh Gracin and Chris Daughtry didn't win but have very successful singing careers.

Agreed. Look at William Hung! Besides, those above mentioned artists have been more successful than several of the past winners. Anyone heard from Ruben Studdard lately?