Can't imagine anyone answering an American Idol thread but,

[moof]

after being threatened with physical harm and after enduring said harm
as the reasonable choice between that and watching an installment ofAmerican Idol, this question has been generated in a more than rhetorical nature regarding this newest form of Quiz Show.

Are there really people out there watching this show that think it is not rigged and scripted right down to the judges comments ?


Spoiler alert, the show that was seen here was when there were 5 people on and the assembled audience seemed truely shocked that the least talented person on the show would be the one to win.

[unblock]

1. moronic voting system: busy signals ...

here's the key "problem":

they have separate lines for each candidate. you dial one number for candidate one, a different number for candidate two, etc.

now, if all these lines had infinite capacity, that would be fine. however, they don't. each line has limited capacity, they can only process so many calls at a given time, only so many calls in the two hour voting window.

let's say there are two candidates. i'll call one "rueben" and the other one "clay" for argument's sake. let's say that 10 million callers want to vote for rueben and 5 million want to vote for clay.

but the lines can only handle 2 million calls in the two hour window. busy. busy. busy. each line will tally very close to 2 million votes. it all depends on the subtle randomness of how much TIME during the line spent at peak capacity. so the vote ends up at 1,999,853 to 1,998,734. very, very, close.

now compare to having a single voting line where you touch-tone 1 for rueben, 2 for clay.

at any given moment, 2/3 of the callers are voting for rueben. so rueben will win 2/3 of the votes. very simple.


in the above example, the "right" person won, but that was far more out of luck than anything else. given that the structure encourages very close voting, randomness can take over easily.


i should note that the phone companies could easily set it up so that there is (virtually) infinite capacity even on the multiple lines. but the producers do NOT want this. they WANT close voting, they WANT surprises, they WANT controversy, and they WANT busy signals (it makes people feel the show is oh so popular).


so companies do this for their call centers. l.l.bean was famous for this. they wanted to give the impression that they were a swamped mom and pop shop, so they cut back on the lines in order to INCREASE busy signals to the desired level.

[Darth_Kitten]

2. I started an American Idol is kind of rigged don't you think.......

post yesterday. :D Yesterday I believed it WAS rigged because I honestly didn't think this one singer was singing THAT great and the comments coming from the judges were just too sweet.

I watch American Idol at times, so those who think that these kind of shows are just too beneath them to watch, I say lighten up. :D What's the harm??? :eyes: :D

[Misunderestimator]

3. I watched it last night... and I agree with the judges

Fantasia is phenomenal! I also agree with the other poster who said that because of the way the phone lines are setup, the tallies are rather random, so the winner will be a crapshoot. I did like Simon's saying that Fantasia needed some sympathy votes so he said that it was the worst thing he'd ever heard (tongue in cheek). Her style might not be for everyone, but she's got a great voice, a unique sound and a whole lot of charisma. American Idol will just be a platform for her.... it's already done the job. I'm sure she'll be signing a record deal soon.

[Darth_Kitten]

4. She's got charisma.........

but I don't think she has the best voice. (ducking) :D ;) JMO

[Misunderestimator]

5. I think she has the best total package

The only other one capable of singing is just not together enough. She could use a couple of years of grooming. Being on stage is so much more than just the voice. If you've got good equipment, along with everything else.... that's all you need (e.g. Maria Callas). A good voice alone is a bore.

[bigwillq]

8. It'll be a crime if Fantasia doesn't win

especially with Diana and Jasmine as her two opponents. I agree that Fantasia needs some grooming but damn that girl can sing.

[vi5]

6. I don't think it's rigged, as evidence by...

the fact that sub-par singers are getting through to the end. Despite the controversy factor, no record label wants to have to sign a bad singer that they are going to have a hard time selling records by.

I just think that the fact that the results have been so cock-eyed that there's no way they would rig it this way.

They would stand to generate more money and excitement if it had come down to a "battle of the divas" as everyone had expected. Now they are losing viewers and faced with the possibility of having to sell a poor singer to the american public.

[saracat]

7. UmmmThat Talentless

Obnoxious Marine, Josh Gracin , fom last seasn , got a contract and he was awful1 Simon publically stated he would have been gone but for the war!

[ronnykmarshall]

9. You're kidding?

Remember last year with all the "Marines" in the audience?

Central casting at it's best.