American Idol: Enough With The Surprises! (4/4/07)

Just like that ... an emotional Gina is booted from the competition. And there's me - mouth on floor. Are you as confused as I am? Can Haley's nice legs really keep her in the competition? Do Sanjaya's hairstyles make a difference? I asked some radio DJs from around the country to sound-off & help unravel the mystery that is ... American Idol Elimination Night.

Today's panel:

Ty Bentli

103.5 KissFM - Chicago

Afternoons 4p-8p

Request line: (312)591-1035

Jordan
Kiss 95.7 FM - Hartford

Mornings 6a-10a

Request Line (860) 247-9570

Jonathan

Q95.1 FM - Meridian, MS

Nights 7p - 11p
Request Line (601) 483-9595

RC: Who did you see as being the most talented Idol this season?

Ty: I have a tough time saying 'talented' - Melinda and Lakisha obviously both have INCREDIBLE voices and emotion. I really think that Jordan has an amazing presence and voice (especially for her age). She will grow into one of the biggest stars to come from this competition Blake has an uncanny ability to contemporize and individualize his songs (and makes SMART choices for his performances).

Jordan: Obviously Lakisha, Melinda and Jordin are the best singers. However Blake, Chris Richardson and Haley may be the best performers. What I look for in contestants is who will be the one to get a record deal and make it in today’s business. The best singer may win this year…but that doesn’t guarantee they’re going to have the best career of the group. Just look at Taylor Hicks compared to Daughtry!

Jonathan: Jordin Sparks, by far. She's got an awesome voice and the fact that she's cute also helps out a ton. She'a also got the most drive out of any of the other contestants and that also goes a very long way in helping her stand out as a talent.

RC: Who is the most marketable Idol? Who would you play on your station tomorrow?

Ty: I think the two (sorry, I have a fear of commitment) most marketable talents to come out of this competition will be Jordan and Blake (although that JT version 2.0 could probably squeeze some moments of fame, too). Same reasons as above...Jordan is an upcoming superstar, and Blake is a smart artist.

Jordan: Chris Richardson, Blake, Jordin and Haley are the most marketable. Any of those four have the potential to come out with a hit that could be played on the radio. Blake is the one in this competition that has that element of surprise. Ya never really know what he’s going to do from week to week which is a good thing!

Jonathan: Again, I have to go with Jordin. She's got the most potential to have a hit record out of anyone on the show. That said, I would also play records by Blake. Gotta show that guy some love because he's always gone out of his way to stand out.

RC: What is the deal with Sanjaya? Why are people voting for him & how is he still in this competition?

Ty: People might be sick of American Idol...we realize that we are tired of it, but we can't quite tune out...its like a bad relationship...the only way out is to deal it a crushing blow...like having Sanjaya win...I think we've come to the point in our culture where we're willing to sink that ship. The people who hate IDOL are voting for him, cuz if he wins, it will just simply destroy IDOL's credibility forever...the people who are getting a little sick of the whole IDOL circus are voting for Sanjaya cuz its like a joke to them...and the little girls think he's got nice teeth and pretty eyes...

Jordan: Sanjaya is basically a national joke. He’s not going to win, but he’ll keep people talking about American Idol. He may make the top 5 but that’s probably where it will end for him. I honestly think he wants to be kicked off, he doesn’t look comfortable on stage at all and knows people are keeping him on just to mess with the show.

Jonathan: I have a few conspiracy theories but I'll save those for now. I think that it really boils down to is a combination of efforts of those such as Howard Stern and the people behind votefortheworst.com There are a lot of people who are fed up with what they see as a cookie-cutter pop star so it wouldn't surprise me if this was a sabotage job. Another factor is that Sanjaya's just a cute kid and people feel sorry for that kind of person.

RC: This is not the first year we've had sub-par finalists (like Sanjaya or Haley). Why do the judges put through people who clearly weren't the best of the tens of thousands who tried out?

Ty: I think Simon Cowell is one of the sharpest entertainers/manipulators on the planet, and would bet money that Exec Producers Simon Fuller and Nigel Lythgoe are brilliant in their own right. Sanjaya (and Haley...although I would marry her tomorrow) are in there, because America needs diverse options...vote for Haley cuz she has nice legs (Simon was right)...vote for Sanjaya cuz its a phenomenon and he's hilariously weird...we have bad contestants, cuz they weren't in it for the music...they were in it to highlight the differences between themselves and the amazing talents in the competition. Can I still vote for Katherine McPhee??

Jordan: I think Sanjaya and especially Haley deserve to be there. The problem is Sanjaya doesn’t really have a style that fits what people today like. He seemed most comfortable when he sang an old classic the other night. Haley has a lot of potential, the look and charisma she just is apart of a very talented group of female singers!

Jonathan: Like any other TV show, Idol lives and dies by Nielsen. The judgets and producers (a lot of people don't realize how much they have to do with who makes it through) want to put on the people with talent but they also want to have someone who will generate a buzz (be it positive or negative; buzz is buzz) that will translate into ratings. Higher ratings=higher profits through advertising. It happened with William Hung and Sanjaya is this season's William Hung.

Thanks to all the DJs who participated.

Make sure you check them out on MySpace & their station websites.