Musings
an Online Journal of Sorts

By Alyce Wilson

Copyright 2007, Fox Broadcasting

Normally on Thursday, I'd be writing about whichever American Idol finalist had been sent home the night before. However, this week viewers got a surprise, as host Ryan Seacrest announced what he had long promised would be the most shocking results night ever.

Now of course, most of the two-hour special was a fundraising effort to help a variety of worldwide charities, primarily focusing on hunger, healthcare and education.

The show was packed by performances and appeals from celebrities to donate.

One by one, Ryan had the finalists stand up for their judgment, and he declared them safe, starting with Melinda and then Blake and Phil and LaKisha.

Now he never said he was giving them their results in order, but when he got down to the last two I became suspicious. The only two left were Chris Richardson and Jordin Sparks. Jordin had just turned in one of the best performances of her Idol career, and many people felt that she now has a chance to take the top prize.

So when Ryan declared Chris safe, even the audience waited for the surprise they'd been expecting. Sure enough, he told her she was safe, too. All the votes that came in Tuesday night will still be counted. They will be added to next week's votes, and the bottom two will go home.

Many people might feel tricked or robbed, but I actually didn't feel that last night. There were indications from the beginning that something was afoot. After all, on Tuesday night before anyone had voted, Ryan was promising the most shocking results show ever. And honestly, even if Jordin had gone home, that wouldn't have been the most shocking result ever. Every single season a great singer, sometimes even a front runner like Chris Daughtry, has gone home early, just because the votes weren't there.

Early in the show, when Ryan had Phil stand, I also had my suspicions. Phil normally looks very concerned when he waits for results. And justifiably so: he's been in the bottom three more than once. This time, though, he was smiling, even before he heard he was safe. It could just be that he was smart enough to figure out what was going on. I'm not convinced all the finalists knew. If they did, that was some really good fake crying that Jordin did when she found out she was, indeed, safe.

I think the only way viewers would be truly disappointed would be to learn that their votes would be discounted, that it was just a ruse to get the matching corporate donations which were based on the vote count. Since the votes will be used to affect the results, I doubt anyone will complain about the chance to see all six finalists sing once more.

Just when it felt like spring might give way almost immediately into summer, today it's cooler again with overcast skies and the threat of rain. So I'm getting in a dog walk while I can.

Oh! I just felt a drop of rain on my head, and I see a few on the sidewalk, so we'd better pick up the pace.

I've been working hard on the Wild Violet spring issue, coming out this weekend. I've only got a few things to finish up, which should be easy to complete in the days ahead. It's unbelievable how much time it can take. I know I'll feel a lot better when it's done.

Keep watching for the new issue, out soon!

More on American Idol:

Musings on American Idol Season 6 (2007)

Musings on American Idol Season 5 (2006)

Musings on American Idol Season 4 (2005)

Musings on American Idol Season 3 (2004)

Copyright 2006 by Alyce Wilson

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