Rocking (chair) 'American Idol'

Unforunately Idol doesn't appear to be a show of talent anymore - it's a popularity contest. Certainly some of the women were far better than David Cook with stronger voices and better range. Cook's voice is so typical of what you already hear so much of, how original is that? Maybe instead of the judges making positive - negative verbal comments to the contestants after they have completed a song, they should have + or - buzzers. This would allow the viewers to vote without verbal input from the judges. One judges opinion can alter the whole outcome Idol. Too bad.

I agree with Sue. The judges should hold their comments until elimination night. I believe their comments do influence the way some veiwers vote.

Simon Say, I've seen your posting on several comment pages. Maybe if you take name Clay Aiken out of it people will read it. I've avoided reading it because I don't care to read anything that has the name Clay Aiken in it.

One thing about the show that makes no sense to me at all is the Top 12?
Only 10 get to do the traveling show so why do they even bother with the 12 in the first place? I do believe that the judges at times do try to get more votes for certain contestants. Example: Last week David Archuletta was a total snooze-fest and Randy said he was the "Bomb". I think and others will agree he bombed and was not "The Bomb". Also they need to get better suited artists it was awful when they had Mariah Carey her songs just aren't for everyone and I didn't get Andrew Loydd Webber week at all! The Beatles week was great but 1 week would have been enough. It's getting to the point of boring! Paula is trashed half the time and rambles on like a crack head Randy needs some new lines the what's up dawg and the bomb are getting real old I think Simon is the only interesting one of the Judges and the only one that seems to be on the mark when it comes to actually judging.

I sincerely hope that America can see the huge difference between the two Davids. David Archuletta is gnome-like and has absolutely no stage presence whatsoever. The interviews that I have seen conducted with him are painful in the extreme as he seems to be able to think of nothing to say but "Gosh." This lack of personality is what we're all sensing when he sings. There's no experience and personality to back up his quite reasonable voice.
David Cook, on the other hand, exudes star quality from every pore. And contrary to the Archuletta fan's allegations of "cocky" behavior, seems like an extraordinarily humble and well-mannered young man. I hope Wednesday night we are not saddled with David A as AI for the next year. I'm already bored.

They are both so cute, I don't know who I'd pick.

I bet David wins!

Frankly, Vaulter,

I LOVE seeing Clay Aiken's name mentioned!!

But, that was NOT the point of SimonSays' post.

I think it would be more fair and not so much a popularity contest if they would have callers vote for the the one who should be off the show, rather than for their favorite.

If that was the case, then contestants like Michael John, Jennifer Hudson, Tamyra Grey wouldn't have been voted off when they were, and Nikki, Justin, and Sanjaya might have been voted off sooner!

Of course, then Idol wouldn't be able to boast about the number of calls they received.

It should be decided by a fight to the death

The best change they should make is in the voting. They should let the judges vote at the end of the night for their top three without the public knowing what they are. Then on the results show, they reveal the audience vote and THEN the judges votes get counted in as 1/2 the overall vote and THAT'S how the weekly shows should go. The final two should be based solidly on audience vote.

Crying Shame wrote:

The best change they should make is in the voting. They should let the judges vote at the end of the night for their top three without the public knowing what they are. Then on the results show, they reveal the audience vote and THEN the judges votes get counted in as 1/2 the overall vote and THAT'S how the weekly shows should go. The final two should be based solidly on audience vote.

I could go for that.. My biggest complaint is that everyone should have "one" vote, yet the current system allows those who don't work or have a life to cast up to 500 votes. This is turning the talent show into a modeling competition.

Idol has been lame since the beginning. If the judges are qualified to be judges, leave out the popular vote.

David Cook is a dime a dozen.

Its ARCHULETA all the way... YES!

I agree, David Archuleta for the win! David Cook is a dime a dozen. Stage presence in a 17-year-old "boy" from Utah? He still has the better voice and this is a singing competition in case anyone forgot.

Oh Yes wrote:

David Cook is a dime a dozen.
Its ARCHULETA all the way... YES!

Sorry buddy but I think you have it the wrong way!
If you want to be put to sleep in a painful way listen to Archuletta!
If you want to be entertained and moved by the music Listen to David Cook!
VOTE DAVID COOK!

Chris wrote:

<quoted text>
My biggest complaint is that everyone should have "one" vote, yet the current system allows those who don't work or have a life to cast up to 500 votes. This is turning the talent show into a modeling competition.

I also agree that each judge's vote should count as 1/2 of the total number of viewer votes per contestant and each viewer limited to one vote. But limiting viewer votes to 1 will happen. Idol and cell phone companies make millions each week on texting tweens as they cast 10s of millions of votes each week. It is all about profits and not necessarily talent. The more text votes the more money.

IMHO, the judges are entertaining (and very lucky) The results are the problem when someone like Castro makes it to the top four. Castro is unequivical evidence that the results are a modeling contest.

I agree that a certain percentage of the judge's vote goes towards the contestants (like Dancing With The Stars). It is very difficult to change the show from it's popularity contest.

I think that there needs to be more of a surprise factor or some unique twist. The idea of instruments this year was a very good addition. I would like to see a better selection of mentors. This year's were awful!

Crying Shame wrote:

The best change they should make is in the voting. They should let the judges vote at the end of the night for their top three without the public knowing what they are. Then on the results show, they reveal the audience vote and THEN the judges votes get counted in as 1/2 the overall vote and THAT'S how the weekly shows should go. The final two should be based solidly on audience vote.

If the judges were on the up & up I would agree but I think they are very bias perfect example: Randy Jackson calling David Arculetta "The Bomb" all the time sorry but I don't think he is the bomb! He has a nice voice but becomes very boring song after song. If this show is judged by talent alone David Cook should be the winner.

Radtrans wrote:

I agree, David Archuleta for the win! David Cook is a dime a dozen. Stage presence in a 17-year-old "boy" from Utah? He still has the better voice and this is a singing competition in case anyone forgot.

You and your buddy from floriDUH must have just arrived from votefortheworst.

17 year olds:

Jordin Sparks: Can speak in entire sentences! Can sing and keep her eyes open! Doesn't weep repeatedly.

Now let's compare those attributes with Little David! LOL!!!!!!