# American Idol – 5/6/03 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 6, 2003, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-6-03/173410 "2003-05-06T15:15:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Rib\_Eye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/53a042/32.png) [@Rib\_Eye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rib_Eye)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-6-03/173410/41 "2003-05-07T14:45:13Z")
Morgainelf - FYI “Grease” was not from a Broadway show. The song was written specifically as a pop rock song by the BeeGees for Frankie Valli to perform as theme music for the film. It was never a part of the original musical. And yes, Maurice is pronounced “Morris” in the U.K. ---
**Author:** ![KinSaba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7bcc69/32.png) [@KinSaba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KinSaba)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-6-03/173410/42 "2003-05-07T14:50:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Morgainelf \* > Clay 2 (Grease): Oh. My. God. I was horrified. From the red leather jacket and shoes, to the goofy hip movements, to the awful faces. And if he’s trying to get away from “Broadway Clay”, why choose a song from a broadway show? Awful, awful, awful. The song “Grease” is not from the broadway show. It was written for the movie. ---
**Author:** ![KinSaba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7bcc69/32.png) [@KinSaba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KinSaba)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-6-03/173410/43 "2003-05-07T14:51:43Z")
Oops - hamsters taking a break, I guess. What **Rib Eye** said ---
**Author:** ![GraceTX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c4cdca/32.png) [@GraceTX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GraceTX)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-6-03/173410/44 "2003-05-07T15:10:08Z")
I thought Clay singing Grease was great. It wasn’t his best performance, but he looked like he was having fun. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-6-03/173410/45 "2003-05-07T15:23:24Z")
I have trouble assessing the singers’ performances due to my serious dislike of virtually everything the Bee Gees ever did. I’ll just let it go by saying I didn’t hear anything new from any of them, and the judges’ comments were even more unrelated to what they actually heard. I do find Clay a trifle annoying, but that isn’t new either. On the bright side, I did get some votes in for Ruben before the busy signals set in. Let’s get this over with and get that CD out. On a different matter, Kelly and Justin got a movie deal, too (that beach party thing we’ve seen previews of). Ruben and Kim, though, are, um, not good physical types for the Swimsuit Competition, though. What story line do you think they’ll be given - something with real acting, maybe, about a couple whose love for each other lets them work their way up life’s ladder in between musical numbers? ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-6-03/173410/46 "2003-05-07T15:29:21Z")
I think a lot of times the song choice is the whole basis for some of the responses the judges give. Clay’s singing was great and he was having fun with it, but let’s face it, the song is hokey. I think he would have gotten the same response to “Stayin’ Alive” (we already had disco night). Simon can be brutal especially with songs like that or overplayed songs (My Heart Will Go On, anyone?). Several songs would have been better, like: How Can You Mend a Broken Heart I Started a Joke More than a Woman (okay, so it’s sort of disco) But I think Clay was trying to go with an uptempo song after his slower one, and he took a risk, gotta give him credit for that. Ruben never takes risks. ---
**Author:** ![Morgainelf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Morgainelf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgainelf)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-6-03/173410/47 "2003-05-07T15:48:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by KinSaba \* > \*\*The song “Grease” is not from the broadway show. It was written for the movie. \*\* I don’t think that really makes a difference. It’s got the same connotation. Next thing, you all will be telling me that Ralph is pronounced Raiff!!! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Ketch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/43a26b/32.png) [@Jack\_Ketch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Ketch)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-6-03/173410/48 "2003-05-07T16:27:15Z")
A little off topic but still about the show: Was that Bono from U2 sitting behind Randy last night? The hair was a little grey but he was wearing those thin, blue sunglasses. I gotta know. ---
**Author:** ![evilhomer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/43a26b/32.png) [@evilhomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/evilhomer)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-6-03/173410/49 "2003-05-07T17:26:21Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Rilchiam \* > \*\*But what did Clay say to/about Simon? \*\* I don’t remember the exact wording, but Ryan made a remark about Clay having fun and not taking things too seriously, and Clay joked about not taking Simon to seriously either. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Brynda \* > \*\*Ok, can I ask a really dumb question? I thought you could vote anytime after the show on Tuesday until the show on Wednesday, but last night Ryan “Could He Be More Awful” Seacrest said something about phones being open for two hours. I assume that means you can only vote for the two hours after the show, but I wanted to check \*\* I think the phone lines have always been open for two hours only after the end of the show, at least for the final 12. > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jack Ketch \* > \*\*A little off topic but still about the show: > > Was that Bono from U2 sitting behind Randy last night? The hair was a little grey but he was wearing those thin, blue sunglasses. I gotta know.\*\* I didn’t notice, but you’d think if someone as famous as Bono was in the audience, they’d have at least mentioned it. I know they’ve pointed out celebrities before. ---
**Author:** ![Realhoops](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8dc957/32.png) [@Realhoops](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Realhoops)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-6-03/173410/50 "2003-05-07T17:36:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jurhael \* > > Order of like: > > 1. Ruben > 2. Josh(SHUT UP!) > 3. Clay > 4. Kimberly L. > > Actual bottom 2: Josh/Kimberly > > Eliminated: I’m afraid it will be Kimberly, unless she managed to nose past Josh. It could easily go eithe way though(especially since I have about 40 min left to vote…mwhaahahah). I’m just curious about something Jurhael. Please don’t take this as being confrontational or negative, because I certainly don’t intend it that way at all. Why were most of your votes for Kim if you felt she was the worst performer this week? In fact, you clearly said that you thought Ruben was the best of the night, both when critiquing the songs and when ranking performers, but said you didn’t vote for him because the line was busy. If Kim was the worst performer of the night, why did you feel compelled to cast most of your votes for her? I think people voting like that have a lot to do with it when people who almost everybody thinks should be voted off get to remain at the expense of others. I mean, just because you couldn’t get through to vote for Ruben doesn’t mean you _had_ to cast a certain number of votes and were therefore forced to give them to the worst performer, right? Just curious why you say you voted the way you did, given your opinions of the performers. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-6-03/173410/51 "2003-05-07T17:50:36Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Jack Ketch \* > \*\*A little off topic but still about the show: > > Was that Bono from U2 sitting behind Randy last night? The hair was a little grey but he was wearing those thin, blue sunglasses. I gotta know. \*\* It looked like [Jere Burns](http://www.nbc.com/Good_Morning,_Miami/bios/Jere_Burns.html) from that new show _Good Morning, Miami_ to me. I saw no resemblance whatsoever to Bono, in spite of the blue tint to his glasses. As for the show, I thought Ruben did a great job of moving away from his norm on the first number – particularly with the finger snapping and not reaching out to beg for his baby at all. I thought he was just OK singing it, though. And he ended with an identical “run” he’s done before at the end of another song, though I can’t recall which one off the top of my head. His second song he reverted back to those stupid arm movements, but vocally he was excellent! Clay simply rocked. I completely disagree that Grease was a bad choice and I think he sang it perfectly. And while the first song was totally awesome, I disagree that it was the best performance of any of the AI or PI shows (even though I didn’t see any of the others, I can say that because it wasn’t even the best of _this_ show – Solitaire was!). Kimberley must not want to win this competition. She totally phoned in both performances last night. What a shame. She has no business winning because in spite of having a pretty voice, she’s entirely too inconsistent (and has been through this entire season). Josh just has got to go. He’s downright painful to have to watch! Between that constipated look, the finger pointing (I HATE finger pointing) and _wagging_ his damn finger and _crooking_ it with that “come here” thing he does and getting his ugly mug RIGHT UP IN THE CAMERA until his face is literally distorted, he SUCKS! He is so godawful I cannot stand it. Yes, he did do very well with his second song, vocally. But it was a complete fluke. And he still looked like he was about to crap the stage. I HATE him. PLEASE let him be gone tonight! PLEASE! I spent all 2 hours voting for Clay. Got through maybe 5 times in the first 30 minutes, then had alternating spurts where I could get through 3 or 4 times in a row, then busy signals and “all circuits are busy” messages, right up 'til 11:00. If I had to guess, I think I may have gotten through about 50 times (??). ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-6-03/173410/52 "2003-05-07T18:07:23Z")
Just to reaffirm my prediction from last week’s thread: Tonight Ryan Seacrest will say something to the effect of “More people voted this week than have ever voted before.” I truly believe AI is juggling the vote totals to make the show more dramatic. My gut says that Clay is in the bottom two tonight, although he won’t be the one voted off. Not based on performance (I didn’t see the show), but because AI knows that if they scare the fans of the two contestants generally perceived to be the “frontrunners” (Ruben and Clay) they’ll get more participation. If I’m wrong, I’ll cheerfully eat crow. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-6-03/173410/53 "2003-05-07T18:30:12Z")
Well, I think you’re wrong, **Sauron**. There’s no way in hell that Fox is manipulating those vote totals – there’s far too great a legal risk in doing so. In [this article](http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/entertainment/special_packages/clay_aiken/5757252.htm), Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe is quoted as saying > [@](#): > > Lythgoe says the outcome is not clear. The show keeps a tight lid on information about the top vote-getters to maintain suspense, but Lythgoe says the top three contenders in the group have shifted during the contest. > > Last year, Lythgoe acknowledged, that wasn’t the case – Clarkson was top vote-getter from the beginning weeks. Why on earth they’d start manipulating the vote totals this year and not last year would be a complete mystery to me. I think your conspiracy theory is absurd. Nice try, though. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-6-03/173410/54 "2003-05-07T18:44:33Z")
**Shayna, Shayna, Shayna** – your naivete is refreshing, if somewhat depressing. What’s Lythgoe gonna say? “Yep, we manipulate those vote totals like mad bastards.” Right. Legal risk? From who? I guarantee you the participants have signed waivers. The advertisers aren’t gonna care as long as the ratings are good. And even the “losers” of last year’s show have decent gigs, according to a recent article in _USA Today_ (although since Murdoch owns that too, that could just be cross-promotional hype). Can I prove it? Of course not. Just fun to speculate about. As has been noted before, Fox doesn’t own the show, so they wouldn’t be the one manipulating the totals. However, I seriously doubt Fox is terribly concerned with morals and other such sticky conundrums. Did you even _watch_ “Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire”? Two predictions from me: 1) Unprecedented voting totals this week; 2) Clay in the bottom two. Will that mean I’m right about vote manipulation? Of course not. But if I’m right, it’ll be interesting to consider, huh? ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-6-03/173410/55 "2003-05-07T19:01:18Z")
I’m hardly naive (and I find that extraordinarily insulting!). And no, it won’t be interesting to consider, because it’s just absurdly ridiculous. Are _you_ unfamiliar with the $64,000.00 Question scandal? I assure you these contestants haven’t signed any waivers that say the votes can be manipulated and if they get screwed, too bad. Utterly freaking absurd allegation. I’m aghast that you seem so hell bent on perpetuating such stupidity. Fox may have a different idea of what morals are than you do, but morals and vote fixing are two entirely different things! And I assure you they’re plenty concerned with law suits. And if you think they’re not, then _you’re_ the naive one. Jesus! Get OFF the conspiracy theories already. If you can’t prove it, then shut up! ---
**Author:** ![Jurhael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/cab0a1/32.png) [@Jurhael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jurhael)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 7:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-6-03/173410/56 "2003-05-07T19:06:27Z")
Realhoops: “Why were most of your votes for Kim if you felt she was the worst performer this week? In fact, you clearly said that you thought Ruben was the best of the night, both when critiquing the songs and when ranking performers, but said you didn’t vote for him because the line was busy.” I did actually manage to get some votes for him, but since the line was so busy, I just figured he should be fine. That went for Clay too(I got a couple votes in for him too though). “If Kim was the worst performer of the night, why did you feel compelled to cast most of your votes for her?” Because overall she IS better than Josh. Also, when I found that her line was the least busy(in my area) there was a part of me that really couldn’t stand seeing Josh beat Kim, despite my voting for him too. So, she ended up with most of my votes. ---
**Author:** ![mobo85](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mobo85](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mobo85)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-6-03/173410/57 "2003-05-07T19:11:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Morgainelf \* > **I don’t think that really makes a difference. It’s got the same connotation.** Not really. Unlike the songs from the musical which shares its name, _Grease_ was written by the Bee Gees, which allows it to fit the theme of “songs written by the Bee Gees.” ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-6-03/173410/58 "2003-05-07T19:12:59Z")
My apologies, **Shayna**. I’ll keep my theories to myself. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-6-03/173410/59 "2003-05-07T19:22:40Z")
Regarding rigging votes: Of course they do. So do most people on this thread who are freely admitting they are stuffing the ballot box with multiple phone calls. If YOU are cheating, what is the big hooha about FOX rigging the votes as well. Like anybody would notice if Ruben got “only” 10,546,998 votes instead of 11,546,998. It is mind-boggling that anybody believes FOX has more morals than pond scum. They are simply scoring trends, doing their best to create excitement (Ruben vs Trenyce) and planning how to market (The Pre-Determined Winner) as we write this. And as there is no prize money per se being awarded, there ain’t no laws against doing it. (Geez…now I know who watches WWF wrestling matches and sits on the edge of their seat to see who wins…) ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [May 7, 2003, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-6-03/173410/60 "2003-05-07T19:28:46Z")
For those who care: [Title 47, Section 509 - the US “Game Show Law”](http://www.geocities.com/TelevisionCity/6739/gsrig.html), which refers specifically to intellectual activity. Its applicability to a singing contest is unclear, but more general fraud and false advertising laws would certainly apply. FTR, Mark Burnett and CBS are careful to call “Survivor” a “game drama” just to stay clear of the law. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-6-03/173410.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-6-03/173410.md?page=4)