AI knows this season is a turkey so they have to bring out the big stars for a telethon.
Next: the AI contestants sing for you as they dance through a Cambodian field detonating land mines...
I think they'd have better luck if each year, once the final 12 are chosen, let the following week be 'vote for the person you want to leave' week. Then donate money per vote cast. I think the phones lines would be smoking. They could even have different charities/causes available.
We have needy vets, families of our military, uninsured citizens, elderly with prescription problems, scads of organizations like St. Judes, Make a Wish ect. We send so much overseas in foreign aid already. It's American Idol. Let World or International Idol donate money to international causes. jmo