Idol Thoughts

I just read Tracey's comment about American Idol, and I figured there's no need to wait until tomorrow to discuss some Idol-y business. Normally I'd just answer T.'s comment in the comments, but it's pretty far down the page, I don't know if anyone will see it, the fate of the nation depends on this discussion, etc.

So here's the issue. Simon (one of the AI judges, for the uninitiated) recently predicted on Larry King Live that the final three contestants will be my favorite Taylor Hicks, Chris Daughtry, and Kellie (Dawn) Pickler. And everything I've read in the few hours that I've been home has offered the same reaction to Simon's Pickler prediction: HUH?

But I think I know the reason.

Just for the record, my picks for the final three are Daughtry, Hicks, and Katharine McPhee.

I think what Simon gets, however, is that Pickler is going to be the favorite of a great many teenage boys because they think she's, um, well, um, a hottie. I was unaware of this phenomenon until I found myself in an AI discussion with some teenage guys from church last week. Now they didn't come right out and say that she's a hottie, because that would've been, you know, awkward since I'm basically old enough to be their mama. But what they did say was stuff like "Yeah, I definitely think I'll be voting for her" and "Who cares how she sounded?" and "It doesn't matter that she gave the worst performance - she's Kellie Pickler!"

Ergo, Simon's prediction.

The only thing about Simon's theory that really gives me pause is that I'm not entirely sure that teenage boys are the most loyal voting demographic. I didn't survey the guys I was talking to, but I should've asked them how many of them actually voted. My guess, though, is that Simon figures the following: Daughtry pulls in the teenage female vote, Pickler pulls in the teenage male vote, and Hicks pulls in the older folks - you know, the ones of us over 30 who are sitting around in our rocking chairs while we clean our dentures.

So I am resolved to vote each and every week for two people: Taylor Hicks and Katharine McPhee. And if you have your own top three picks - or any AI thoughts at all - SPEAK UP, for the love of pete. :-)