Anyone else think American Idol is rigged?

[BamaBaloo]

I have been keeping up with a site called "DialIdol.com" for a few weeks now. They provide software that, when your computer is connected to a phone line, will repeatedly dial the number of your choice for as long as you want, making it easier for people to vote. Now, I don't think this is very fair, and I don't use that service, but it is what it is.

The part of the website I liked was based on an offshoot of the dialer program. Whenever the dialer program receives a busy signal, it reports that back to the website. The owner of the website then posted the contestants in order by the percentage of calls to their number that received a busy signal. It was a very accurate (>80%) way of predicting who would get the boot each week. Even when they were wrong, the person who got voted off was always very close (usually within one spot) to the bottom of the list.

Now, the last time I checked yesterday, Melissa was not even close to the bottom three according to their ranking. Then, yesterday, the website was shut down by the folks at American Idol, via a "cease and desist" letter.

I'm no big fan of Melissa, and I could care less whether she stays or goes, but I do think that they threw out the votes and kicked her off due to forgetting her lyrics. I think that is a big pet peeve of Simon's. Then they "suddenly" closed down a website that has been up for at least a couple of seasons so that no one would get suspicious.

I'm not saying that they always throw out the votes. But I am beginning to believe that they have the ability to do so and use it when a situation arises with a contestant. Anyone else feel this way?

Another issue I have, which is purely speculation and I have no proof whatsoever for, is that I believe they manipulate the "bottom three" sometimes, regardless of votes. For instance, I think they put the person with the lowest vote total in the "bottom three" (obviously) and maybe even always put in the two with the lowest totals (for instance, the aforementioned website had Ace, Lisa, and Kevin listed as the bottom three before being shut down yesterday). But I think sometimes they stick a contestant in there who really was high on the list just to mess around with the voters and keep the interest up. Seems to me like every year, every contestant is in the "bottom three" at some point, even the winners. I mean, if you knew your favorite was going to cruise every week, wouldn't you be a little more slack about voting? But if your favorite is suddenly in the "bottom three", you are going to sit and call like mad for two hours.

Sorry for the rant, but there is nothing worse to me than a "voting" process with dubious credibility.

 

[mtblujeans]

Oh, I thought you were referring to the whole show......sorry!

 

[MUFFYCAT]

American Idol is actually a conspiracy run by Tom Cruise

 

[donnajon]

I remember seeing Paula on Entertainment Tonight years ago saying the solution to combatting the people who do the mass voting is to get the software to mass vote yourself. I thought that was the most ridiculous thing I had ever heard of. I don't understand why they don't limit the number of times you can call in like every other show does. If they really want an accurate vote, that is what they would do.

 

[nana2tots]

oh yea

 

[RyMickey]

In a few simple words, Idol is not rigged. Why rig a show in which the producers want the winner to be the person who will sell the most cds? The public votes for their favorite and, in turn, buys the winner's cd.

In reference to DialIdol: Melissa McGhee was on the bottom of the list for a good portion of the night. She and Lisa Tucker kept switching the last place position as the night continued, but Melissa was absolutely on the bottom of the list for a good portion of the evening. DialIdol was simply a fun site to look at, but by no means an "accurate" representation. Someone with DialIdol's software could've seen that Melissa was at the bottom and consistently voted for her. When you looked at the raw numbers on the website and you hear that 34 million votes were cast, the people voting with DialIdol were really a nonentity.

Every year there's talk of Idol being rigged...the talk is starting really early this year...and I don't understand why. Melissa just made the cut last week. I don't see why she was expected to do well this week. Maybe it's because Kevin wasn't in the bottom three. Personally, I think Kevin was a hoot to watch. Now, I didn't vote for him, but I'm not the least bit disappointed he wasn't in the bottom three.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Naaaa, it is a reality show, none of those are.

 

[esmetutu]

I don't understand why they don't limit the number of times you can call in like every other show does. If they really want an accurate vote, that is what they would do.

Even more proof it's rigged or fixed in some way. If people can vote as many times as their little fingers(or a program) can dial, it's harder to prove AI is tossing out votes, or adding more in, at their discretion. I've always felt the results were nudged in the direction the producers wanted. It's disappointing. But it's still a really entertaining show. Who just doesn't love Kellie?

Also, I don't think they have an official vote counter like the Academy Awards, either. I mean, who exactly tabulates all those votes and confirms it's really what's coming in? Geez... smells like the last two presidential elections! :ducks flames:

 

[sandramaac]

Wasn't there a web site last season that urged folks to keep voting for the worst, thereby eliminating the better contestants. I forget what the site was called.

 

[disneychrista]

I am pretty sure that AI is regulated by the same rules as any other "game show." So in that sense if it is rigged, then eventually they will get caught and shut down.

 

[RyMickey]

Wasn't there a web site last season that urged folks to keep voting for the worst, thereby eliminating the better contestants. I forget what the site was called.

Yep, it's still around. Their picks this year are Kellie Pickler and Kevin "Chicken Little" Covais.

 

[Snow_White]

The site is called vote for the worst, but it's a non-issue. They don't have enough voting power to do ANYTHING.

 

[theSurlyMermaid]

But it's still a really entertaining show. Who just doesn't love Kellie?

...me.

 

[Stacerita]

American Idol is actually a conspiracy run by Tom Cruise

This is true.....they told me all about it at the last Scientology meeting.

 

[Minnie824]

I understand why Melissa is gone...but why...how, could LISA be in the bottom 3, and not Kevin? Kevin is a HORRIBLE singer...what is wrong with people? Also, I think the judges know the results before they're announced. They act as if Ryan is reading them, and they just find out, etc, but Simon made a comment to Ace about next week, etc....not saying if youre still here, but matter of factly as if he knew he was there. I think the show is rigged in the fact that Paula, who has no valuable comment other than saying they look nice, and Randy, say things to influence voters. And for some reason, people try to vote against Simon....the only person who apparently hears the people singing and is honest with his evaluation.

 

[BamaBaloo]

In reference to DialIdol: Melissa McGhee was on the bottom of the list for a good portion of the night. She and Lisa Tucker kept switching the last place position as the night continued, but Melissa was absolutely on the bottom of the list for a good portion of the evening. DialIdol was simply a fun site to look at, but by no means an "accurate" representation.

I stand corrected. I just thought I remembered her being higher on the list. Honestly, I could care less who stays or goes each week, or even who wins. I'm not going to be buying their CD when it comes out (with the possible exception of Taylor, if he gets a record deal). I just like the drama and some of the older music.

I do disagree with your assertion that dialidol was not "accurate". There is no perfect prediction system for Idol, but dialidol seemed to be doing a pretty darn good job. Their prediction rate was over 80%, with the ones they missed usually being within one spot of what they predicted.

And I still believe that even if they don't manipulate the vote count, they still put the bottom two vote-getters, plus someone they pick for effect in the "bottom three" at times.