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'Idol' Speculation - Chris Daughtry's Loss Holds a Lesson in American Politics
The New York Post ^ | May 12, 2006 | John Podhoretz

Posted on 05/12/2006 3:24:52 AM PDT by jocon307

As a seasoned political observer with more than two decades of experience analyzing voting patterns and the like, I would now like to explain to you one of the greatest mysteries in the history of balloting - a mystery so profound that people have sobbed and scratched their heads, gasped and cried out in anger, and insisted they would never again participate in the voting process.

Am I talking about the Florida election in 2000? The 1984 controversy over the victor in the race for Indiana's Eighth Congressional District? The race for president in 1876?

No, I'm talking about the elimination on Wednesday night of rocker Chris Daughtry from the list of contenders for the title of "American Idol."...

How could this happen?...

If you want to understand "Idol," you need to understand American politics. And if you want to understand the workings of American politics, "Idol" isn't a bad introduction to the way political coalitions are formed and elections are won....

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: americanidol; podhoretz; television; votingtrends
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To: montag813
Chris got tossed because there is only one female left.

That definitely hurt, and plus the Elvis theme fit Taylor perfectly. Elliot is the best singer remaining.

21 posted on 05/12/2006 4:11:38 AM PDT by Always Right
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To: Glenn

Love to meet that blender.


22 posted on 05/12/2006 4:16:08 AM PDT by billhilly (The Democrat symbol is no longer the donkey, it's a strait Jacket.)
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To: Samurai_Jack

I think one thing amazing about the Idol threads is how we all have such different interpretations watching the same contestants. IMO, Taylor is the karaoke singer and he looks silly "dancing" around the stage - I just can't take him seriously. I don't much care between Elliott and Kat who wins. I think Kat has a great voice and I always look forward to her performances.


23 posted on 05/12/2006 4:18:59 AM PDT by Alissa
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To: jocon307
Chris is from my town and the local press was all over this yesterday. One woman called a local radio show and told how she was so upset she couldn't sleep the night Chris lost. Others are convinced it's a conspiracy.

Chris was supposed to make a visit today and sing at the local elementary school where his kid attends, but that was canceled. The newspaper has a story about it today and said a bunch of kids were crying over it on the school buses yesterday morning.

Good grief.
24 posted on 05/12/2006 4:21:19 AM PDT by Rebelbase
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To: jocon307

The entire problem with Idol that results in situations like Chris Daughtry being sent home well before it was time for him to go home is that their voting system is all screwed up. Because they have you vote FOR the people you want to move on, you have to split your loyalties and vote for several people if you like them all. Instead, they should have you vote AGAINST the person that you think should go home. If they did that, then a single really bad performance would almost surely result in that contestant going home that week.

Chris didn't receive more votes than the others this week, but he surely would not have received the most votes against him if they reversed the voting and treated it like a true competition. As it is, it's more of a popularity contest.


25 posted on 05/12/2006 4:22:18 AM PDT by RightFighter
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To: listenhillary

It's a talent show of "regular Americans" who can sing well. The songs they perform on a given week are all by the same artist or band. One week it was Stevie Wonder songs, last time it was Elvis songs. Each singers performance is judged/and or humiliated by three judges: Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson (no not THAT Randy Jackson).

When each show is over people use their telephone or cellphone to call in and vote on who was best that week. Whoever got the least votes gets kicked off. Currently, they're down to just 3 people as you've read.

I've watched several episodes recently, by force, (someone TiVo'd it and i was a captive audience) and after that it kind of grew on me. I liked it because of the songs more than the singers. And it's also funny seeing just how drunk Paula Abdul is gonna be on a given week. It's not appointment TV for me, but if i remember i'll click over to it when whatever else i'm watching is on a commercial.


26 posted on 05/12/2006 4:30:33 AM PDT by uncitizen
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To: Always Right

Chris is a star and I think you are right about him outselling the remainder. Taylor seems to have a huge fan base and depending on how he gets marketed he could do very well. I don't really see him singing country but that may be the best choice. But what do I know--I am stuck in the music from the 70's.


27 posted on 05/12/2006 4:35:40 AM PDT by babaloo
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To: Past Your Eyes

LOL...did you see the interview with the President (actor from 24) on the Glenn Beck show the other night. Pretty good stuff.

We watch Idol through the audition process...because it's just plain funny. After that, we don't follow it.


28 posted on 05/12/2006 4:44:12 AM PDT by dawn53
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To: jocon307
Good theory, but here's mine:

Chris got voted off because I think most people ASSUMED he was the odds on favorite, so they voted for their next favorite. Good political lesson here, though. You need to not only keep your base, but give new voters a reason to vote FOR you. Chris's song choices the last 2 weeks have been poor; he already had the cutting edge vote, and thought that was enough.

My daughter, who has me hooked too, voted for Chris every week, but voted for Catherine this week because she wanted a girl in the finals. She told me she would have voted for Chris again if she thought it was going to be close.

29 posted on 05/12/2006 4:44:25 AM PDT by paul in cape
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To: jocon307

Well, I'd comment on what a good article it was, but since he's saying exactly the same thing I was posting yesterday on the AI thread, that would sound a little self-serving. :)


30 posted on 05/12/2006 4:44:55 AM PDT by kevkrom (Posting snarky comments so you don't have to)
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To: Always Right
Chris will have a multi-plantium record before any of the remaining contestants, if any of them even reach that level.

Possibly. But not as a soloist, only as the front-man for an established band.

31 posted on 05/12/2006 4:47:07 AM PDT by kevkrom (Posting snarky comments so you don't have to)
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To: paul in cape

"I think most people ASSUMED he was the odds on favorite, so they voted for their next favorite."

Yes, I think that might be part of it too. Your daughter is a good example. I might have done similar myself.

In my house we are non-voting fans, based on what happened with Chris that could change next year. But I must say, in seasons gone bye I've NEVER been able to get through.


32 posted on 05/12/2006 5:10:42 AM PDT by jocon307 (The Silent Majority - silent no longer)
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To: dawn53

Haven't caught Glenn's TV show yet. Maybe tonight.
This morning I was checking out a couple of threads about him on DU (What was I thinking????). They hate him. And they hate CNN, too. Made me LMAO.


33 posted on 05/12/2006 5:10:49 AM PDT by Past Your Eyes (Every time you think, you weaken the nation.)
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To: ekwd
I don't recall the Boy George article, nor am I a fan of American Idol. All I know about it is from reading articles like this one.

I do think that in a culture where most of our young people get their news from Comedy Central and cannot name more than two Presidents, that the fact that millions of young people who are eligible to vote in a political election, get to practice on Idol. Just by reading the posted responses, we see people weighing their options, their pick has already lost but they are still interested in voting for the second choice, and most importantly, they are PAYING ATTENTION.

One of the most disturbing and telling stories from the last election was Puffy Daddy Diddy whatever. Here we had a man who flew across the country, in the "Vote or Die" campaign for Kerry. Puffy was the leader of this highly publicized stunt. He himself is not registered to vote, so he probably didn't. Puffy has my vote as the ultimate Democratic Party member, I wish there were a million of them.
34 posted on 05/12/2006 5:12:30 AM PDT by ishabibble (HEY MODS...WHERE IS MY TAGLINE?)
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To: ekwd
As I remember it, in 1987 Podhoretz wrote an article in National Review that claimed to see signs of a conservative cultural revival in Boy George's music. It's been hard for me to take him seriously ever since.

OMG, that's too funny!!!! Does he also see Mary Magdalene in coffee grounds?
35 posted on 05/12/2006 5:15:07 AM PDT by DustyMoment (FloriDUH - proud inventors of pregnant/hanging chads and judicide!!)
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To: Always Right

Chris has already been offered the job as lead singer for Fuel...he sang their song Hemmorage in an earlier performance. Regardless of what he does after his contractual obligation to AI, he will be a household name in the music world within 5 years IMHO.


36 posted on 05/12/2006 5:19:04 AM PDT by borisbob69 (Old shade is better than new shade!)
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To: Past Your Eyes

His first show monday night was God awful but is getting better every night!!


37 posted on 05/12/2006 5:20:48 AM PDT by Antique Gal (Antique Gal)
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To: Past Your Eyes
Or 24.

24 is fun because it's so refreshing to see some non-PC action for a change. The good guy shoots Arab or Iranian terrorists without discernable guilt or angst; he breaks people's fingers; he's a superhero, except that he's an idiot when it comes to choosing a girlfriend. But that's true of some of the best men.

38 posted on 05/12/2006 5:22:10 AM PDT by Fairview
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To: jocon307
Katherine McPhee is NOT fat!

She has a beer belly and a ghetto booty

39 posted on 05/12/2006 5:27:18 AM PDT by Echo Talon
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To: jocon307

Chris clearly has more talent than any of the others remaining. It is sad that he lost as he should have been an easy winner. I feel he will have far more success than the eventual winner of the remaining drones.


40 posted on 05/12/2006 5:30:57 AM PDT by MBB1984
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