American Idol - race card played?

[Schwahalala]

Okay call me a wuss.

I have not watched much of the show this year or ever - I usually come in at the end - but that isn't going to happen this year.

Monday was Barry Manilow night - an atrocity in itself - however the three best singers all along and certainly Monday night where the three black women. Jennifer was the best, La Toya was second, and Fantasia third - in my opinion and the judges also seemed to share it.

So who are the bottom three - you guessed it. And who gets voted out - you guessed it again - Jennifer.

I know this is hard to believe - she made a Barry Manilow song sound good.

The show just lost all credibilty.

No - I am not a Metro.

[Neutered Cat]

Admittedly, I watch the show every week, and i thought last night was ridiculous.
Obviously, the FOX executives have something planned, or are making a statement with the way they group the black contestants together, because the bottom three last night were by far the best singers in the competition. I don't understand why John Stevens is still in this competition. He is a terrible singer, and it is proof why America should not be making all the decisions in this contest.

[Schwahalala]

Originally posted by Chesterfield Cat@Apr 22 2004, 09:37 AM
Admittedly, I watch the show every week, and i thought last night was ridiculous.
Obviously, the FOX executives have something planned, or are making a statement with the way they group the black contestants together, because the bottom three last night were by far the best singers in the competition. I don't understand why John Stevens is still in this competition. He is a terrible singer, and it is proof why America should not be making all the decisions in this contest.

Agreed -

It was almost like an anti-judges vote - something I have never seen - most people looking at this will have no idea how much of a robbery this was.

[chazzz]

What about when Ruben beat Clay? Clay has proven to be the the better talent. For that vote, speculation in the media was that more african-americans were voting in that contest hence Ruben's win. So is FOX is doing something this time to change that? They could be I guess.

[Schwahalala]

Originally posted by chazzz@Apr 22 2004, 09:48 AM
What about when Ruben beat Clay? Clay has proven to be the the better talent. For that vote, speculation in the media was that more african-americans were voting in that contest hence Ruben's win. So is FOX is doing something this time to change that? They could be I guess.

Interesting - and possible.

However both Ruben and Clay had talent -

There are at least 4 people left in the competition that Jennifer had more talent than and one guy who you and I have more talent than.

[ironman]

It is racist.

I am convinced now.

[Hedley Lamarr]

Originally posted by Chesterfield Cat@Apr 22 2004, 08:37 AM
Admittedly, I watch the show every week, and i thought last night was ridiculous.
Obviously, the FOX executives have something planned, or are making a statement with the way they group the black contestants together, because the bottom three last night were by far the best singers in the competition. I don't understand why John Stevens is still in this competition. He is a terrible singer, and it is proof why America should not be making all the decisions in this contest.

It is a matter of statistics. Latoya, Jennifer, and Fantasia have the same style and fan base. In short, they split the diva vote and the African-American female vote.

The other four have the advantage of having unique styles and being the only white guy, black guy, white girl, and asian, respectively. They do not have to split their fan bases and, in turn, their votes.

Based upon the structure of the show, last night's results made a lot of sense to me.

[ChiTownBluesFan]

I also watch the show - I do like listening to the various styles of music (tho they should bring back Big Band week), seeing who the good singers really are. And what you pointed out is the problem - each singer has a certain fan base that vot efor them no matter what. And often, it's the singer who has a good week whos fans don't feel the need to work the phones extra hard to keep their person on the show who loses.

Based on the performances, all three of the bottom three were so good, there didn't seem to be any need to work the phones and keep them on the show. Whereas the worst of the group somehow made it into the top four.

The voting system needs to be changed, but I'm not sure, aside from one person one vote, how to do that. And there's probably not an easy way for a TV show to do a one person one vote.

[nick2]

People can vote for who they want to without being racist. I think you're reading entirely too much into last night's results.

This isn't a talent show, it's a popularity contest. She-bangs!

[OldSchoolStroker]

Everyone needs to just get over it...it's a freaking popularity contest, it's not about who's really the best singer, or they wouldn't let the vast majority of the musically uneducated public call-in to vote for the winner...calling it racist is absurd, as a black man won over the squirrelly white kid last year...And what explains the Hawaiian girl still in it? There can't be that many fucking Hawaiians voting along racial lines can there? I think the host and judges were a bit out-of-line suggesting there was a racial element to the voting last night...Who were the bottom 3 last week? JPL, Stevens and Digarmo...ALL WHITE KIDS! Where were all the racist white voters last week??? I agree that the 3 black girls are the best singers, but the 2 that aren't named Fantasia don't have the personality to win-over the voters...Fantasia all the way!

[Bleacher Creature]

Look at the results of our contests. Why does it surpise ANYONE that the BOTB tourney was liliy white at the end?

[Schwahalala]

Stroker good points -

I am trying to come up with an answer for you but can't right now.

I can only say - that it bothers me that even in a popularity contest that is supposed to be based on talent - that someone with no talent can be more popular than someone who has it - the split vote thing seems to me to be an excuse rather than an explanation.

Since they share the same demog... Why must they share the same demog...

Not all decisions on this show are based on racism - but this one is stinking of it.

[dooz]

Originally posted by Schwahalala@Apr 22 2004, 10:11 AM
Stroker good points -

I am trying to come up with an answer for you but can't right now.

I can only say - that it bothers me that even in a popularity contest that is supposed to be based on talent - that someone with no talent can be more popular than someone who has it - the split vote thing seems to me to be an excuse rather than an explanation.

Since they share the same demog... Why must they share the same demog...

Not all decisions on this show are based on racism - but this one is stinking of it.

So who exactly is racist here? The American public for not voting for the black contestants? I don't understand the point.

Last week weren't the three lowest vote getters all white?? Was it racist last week too then? I think LaToya and Jennifer are great, I don't really like the Fantasia girl.. but you never know who will be in the bottom 3.

The whole point of the show is to find someone who will sell records. The public buys the records, so the public gets to decide who they like and don't like.

George Huff and LaToya have the most talent in my opinion.. I can't see how you are playing the race card with this show though.

[bigJOE]

i think there is a possiblity that the voting may have been correct. think about it, kinda like heisman voting sometimes is when there are two good players. jennifer, latoya, and fantasia were all awesome, hands down the best 3. what happened, i think, is that they all split votes, and that's why they were the bottom 3.

and did you hear fantasia hog the camera when jennifer was kicked off? off the unintentional comedy scale. in a robotic voice, "you are my american idol." classic. my wife and i were dying. it was hilarious.

[bigJOE]

john stevens is winning because he's got the teenie-bopper girl vote. listen at the beginning of each show when they go through everyone who's left. when they announce johns stevens, you hear a bunch of girls screaming.