[Pokey78]

Idol ping.

[ewing]

The Bachelor is much more addictive than American Idol (IMHO)

[Pyrion]

Can't say I don't give a damn.

[JesseShurun]

ah the fix has been in since the beginning and the reason for putting Rueben on the hot seat one night was only to make it look real. Even Cowell was reportedly heard saying that he can't believe people think it's real

[cgk]

Wow. This is exactly the kind of mindless drivel I have to fight to convince my 12 year old daughter is better left turned off.

[cyncooper]

This is exactly how the show turned out (I didn't click on the article to read the rest. Maybe they mentioned it). Ruben was just OK, I wanted to like Clay's performances better than I did, and I thought 2 out of 3 of Kimberly Locke's performances were great.

Having said that, I am going to vote for Clay because I resent the obvious pushing of Ruben, though Simon has a monetary stake in it, so I can understand his wanting a particular contestant to win.

[cyncooper]

Ping for Ruben hype out in the open.

“We have a problem,” Cowell is overheard carping outside the soundstage later. “I want Ruben to be in the final two, and Kimberley just had a great rehearsal.”

[rvoitier]

Pokey,
It seems I've been hearing about American Idol for about 2 years now and want to know if this is the first finals ever OR is this the first finals of this season?

Thanks.

[MattAMiller]

That picture makes me realize that somewhere someone is writing AI slash fiction, and that they must be stopped.

[thegreatbeast]

Who cares? As soon as the attractive blondes were cut I was out of there.

[Arthur McGowan]

Why is it that it's a given that the white potential "idols," male or female, must be as thin and/or buff as runway models, while it's acceptable for the black contestants to be as big as a house?

[Celantro]

Voting for Clay ten times at least.

[pbear8]

This is from Drudge's website:

XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX SUN MAY 18, 2003 19:45:37 ET XXXXX

RIGOROUS SCHEDULE, STRESS: 'AMERICAN IDOL' FRONTRUNNER HEALTH FEARS

With recording legend Luther Vandross still hospitalized after a severe stroke, concern over AMERICAN IDOL finalist Ruben Studdard's health and well-being has become a priority with recording executive Clive Davis, sources tell the DRUDGE REPORT.

Pound-progressive Studdard is often captured on TV sweating profusely after only a few notes. "He sometimes can be terribly lethargic, he moves slow," one top insider explains.

[rintense]

I can honestly say I haven't watched one week of this show. Not a single one.

[small_l_libertarian]

Newsweek is just wrong (why am I not surprised?). "24" is the most addictive show on TV, hands down.

I watched every show of the first season of "American Idol," but have not watched an entire show this whole season.

On the other hand, I have never missed "24." Totally compelling TV, but you can't miss a show, or you'll be lost.

[ladyinred]

The inside story is that Clay had seen the piece of paper saying that Ruben had won, not himself ahead of time. Apparently Brian (is that his name?) wasn't very careful about keeping it private.
Although I only saw the actual show once, I watch Good Day Live from LA every morning, and they really had a lot of features on the show.

[Fixit]