By DON KAPLAN Kellie Pickler Post file photo Kellie Pickler Post file photo Email Archives Print Reprint Feeds Newsletters March 17, 2006 -- SNARKY Simon Cowell made his picks for the three top finalists of this season's "American Idol" yesterday.
Chris Daughtry, 26, Taylor Hicks, 29, and Kellie Pickler, 19, will be the final three singers vying for the top prize in May, Cowell said during a call-in to Howard Stern's Sirius satellite radio show.
"Let me tell you who's gonna be in the finals," Cowell said. "The bald-headed kid [Daughtry] and the guy with gray hair [Hicks]."
A few minutes later, he added: "I think the top three will be the two I mentioned and Kellie Pickler."
The blunt-spoken record executive-turned-TV star - who over the years has proven that his opinions and criticism of the talent show's contestants are generally dead-on - holds tremendous sway with the viewers, who vote each week and eventually choose the winner.
Simon has rarely been too far off when he goes out on a limb to make predictions.
Last year around this time, he correctly told last year's winner, Carrie Underwood, that she would be the champ, although Cowell might have overstated her ability to sell records.
"Carrie, you're not just the girl to beat, you're the person to beat," he said at the time. "I will make a prediction, not only will you win this competition, but you will sell more records than any other previous 'Idol' winner."
So far Grammy-winner Kelly Clarkson - who Cowell also said would win - has been far and away the most successful singer to emerge from the competition.
Mrs. DFU heard it was fixed and that Taylor was going to win. It had something to do with the order in which they appeared in a photo. How is that for a conspiracy?
I am hoping that Simon is wrong. I hope that the final three comes down to Chris, Catherine, and Mandisa.
My prediction...
I say Chris Daughtry will win.
And if he does not win then he will end up selling more records than the person who actually wins this year. (Chris not winning American Idol might be the best thing for his career.)
The American people are not stupid...they will not pick a pretty face over talent. Kellie Pickler was AWFUL last week. She couldn't carry the tune. Period. If she can't carry a tune in a genry she's not famiar with, she will not be the Americal Idol. This is just Simon's wishful thinking. The Idols who made the most money for them happened to be easy on the eyes... Clarkson and Underwood. Who are the other idols? I forget. But those two can really, truly sing. Doesn't matter, because it's going to be a guy anyway.