Is A Website Influencing "American Idol" Viewers To "Vote For The Worst"??

[Joseph_Gallant]

If you saw this week's (March 7th-9th) three editions of "American Idol 5" (the eight remaining girls performing on Tuesday; the eight remaining guys performing on Wednesday; and the results show on Thursday which saw the six girls and six guys getting the most votes advancing into the "Top 12"), and thought that Kellie Pickler (on Tuesday) and Kevin Covais (on Wednesday) should get the boot only to find out on Thursday that they made it to the "Top 12", there may be a reason why.

There is a website out there (and thankfully, I'm not affiliated with it) called Vote For The Worst.com. On their homepage all week, they were urging "Idol" viewers to vote for Pickler and Covais this week.

Given that Pickler and Covais made it, whereas contestants like Gedeon McKinney and Ayla Brown (who many viewers thought were more talented than Pickler or Covais) were eliminated, not to mention Scott Savol first becoming a finalist on "Idol 4" last year and staying on the show for several weeks, I'm beginning to wonder if this website's efforts are beginning to affect the outcome of the show.

 

[KMRichards]

> I'm beginning to wonder if this website's
> efforts are beginning to affect the outcome of the show.

Who cares if it is, other than you, our favorite speculator?<P ID="signature">______________


</P>

 

[clichemoth]

> Given that Pickler and Covais made it, whereas contestants
> like Gedeon McKinney and Ayla Brown (who many viewers
> thought were more talented than Pickler or Covais) were
> eliminated, not to mention Scott Savol first becoming a
> finalist on "Idol 4" last year and staying on the show for
> several weeks, I'm beginning to wonder if this website's
> efforts are beginning to affect the outcome of the show.
>

Of course VFTW affects the results of the show. They're why John Stevens and Jasmine Trias lasted so long in season 3, and of course Scott last season (although he was only the second choice, that cute brunette who talked her way through every song was the original pick, but it didn't work).

In case you're wondering, I was a full participant in those shenanigans last season, although I doubt I'll do it this year, or even watch the show at all, really.

 

[BRice16]

> > I'm beginning to wonder if this website's
> > efforts are beginning to affect the outcome of the show.
>
> Who cares if it is, other than you, our favorite speculator?
>

I've never seen the show or voted. I really have no interest. But if people were intentionally voting for the bad people, I would find that hysterical.

 

[BRNout]

> > I'm beginning to wonder if this website's
> > efforts are beginning to affect the outcome of the show.
>
> Who cares if it is, other than you, our favorite speculator?
>
No, I'll stick up for our overly speculative friend this time. After last night's well-viewed spectacle, it's appropriate.

I couldn't believe some of the results!! Ayla Brown was unfairly ousted - Melissa was awful. Ayla was far more talented than Melissa! I chalked it up to Melissa's bare midriff though Ayla is not hard to look at either.

And, even that nerdy kid (Kevin) was shocked that he made the final 12. Along with the rest of America. He was awful. Gedeon was tossed and Kevin stayed in?

VFTW (and this is the first I've heard of it) would seem to be involved in this garbage.

 

[HomerJay]

The site's creators can encourage anything they want, but in the end, it comes down to what people want to do. If they're inclined to tweak "Idol" by voting for someone who didn't perform that well, they'd probably do it anyway.

> > > I'm beginning to wonder if this website's
> > > efforts are beginning to affect the outcome of the show.
>
> >
> > Who cares if it is, other than you, our favorite
> speculator?
> >
> No, I'll stick up for our overly speculative friend this
> time. After last night's well-viewed spectacle, it's
> appropriate.
>
> I couldn't believe some of the results!! Ayla Brown was
> unfairly ousted - Melissa was awful. Ayla was far more
> talented than Melissa! I chalked it up to Melissa's bare
> midriff though Ayla is not hard to look at either.
>
> And, even that nerdy kid (Kevin) was shocked that he made
> the final 12. Along with the rest of America. He was
> awful. Gedeon was tossed and Kevin stayed in?
>
> VFTW (and this is the first I've heard of it) would seem to
> be involved in this garbage.
>

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

The reason I started this thread and brought-up Vote For The Worst.com is that the credibility of "American Idol" could be at stake.

Under an agreement with 19 Entertainment, Freemantle Media, and Fox (the two former companies co-produice "Idol"), Sony/BMG Records (subsidiary labels of that company include RCA, J, and Arista) is contractually obligated to sign each year's "American Idol" winner to a recording contract worth at least one million dollars to the winner (and possibly more, if the winner becomes a top-selling superstar recording artist; for example, "Idol 1" winner Kelly Clarkson has probably made far more than $1 million off the contract she won).

Although Sony/BMG is not obligated to sign any other "Idol" contestants or finalists to recording deals, they did sign the runner-ups of the first four seasons of "Idol" to recording deals. While the CD's of "Idol 1" runner-up Justin Guarini and "Idol 3" runner-up Diana DeGarmo didn't sell very well, "Idol 2" runner-up Clay Aiken has become a major recording artist, and "Idol 4" runner-up Bo Bice also appears headed for long-term success as a recording star.

But if an untalented singer wins the competition, he or she has to receive the recording contract anyway. And while VFTW may be overjoyed if an untalented singer wins "Idol", that singer's CD won't sell very well, and Sony/BMG takes a financial bath.

"Idol" could be hurt in several ways:

* Future potential contestants may not want to audition because even if they were as good as a Kelly Clarkson or Ruben Studdard, he/she would be voted-off anyway because viewers embrace the bad singers.

* If Sony/BMG takes a financial bath after an untalented "Idol" winner's CD tanks in the sales figures, the company will have second thoughts about renewing it's deal to offer the recording contract to the "Idol" winner.

* And if Sony/BMG ends it's relationship with "Idol" because they lost money on an untalented "Idol" winner's recording deal, other major labels may not want to "step up to the plate" to provide such a deal.

* Most importantly to Fox, an untalented "Idol" champion could backfire, and "Idol"'s ratings could plunge because viewers realize that "Idol" has become a competition where the best singers get eliminated.

 

[KMRichards]

> The reason I started this thread and brought-up Vote For The
> Worst.com is that the credibility of "American Idol" could
> be at stake.

"American Idol" and "credibility" in the same sentence?

I can't stop laughing.<P ID="signature">______________


</P>

 

[BRice16]

> > The reason I started this thread and brought-up Vote For
> The
> > Worst.com is that the credibility of "American Idol" could
>
> > be at stake.
>
> "American Idol" and "credibility" in the same sentence?
>
> I can't stop laughing.
>

"Joseph_Gallant" and "credibility" in the same post did it for me, KMR.

 

[Garrett]

> > The reason I started this thread and brought-up Vote For
> The
> > Worst.com is that the credibility of "American Idol" could
>
> > be at stake.
>
> "American Idol" and "credibility" in the same sentence?
>
> I can't stop laughing.
>

If you listen hard enough KM you can actually hear a whole chorus of laughter, in fact...