Well, the way I always voted for in Canadian Idol, was that if a certain performance blew me away, I would vote for the person. If the person were consistantly good, I would vote consistantly.

However, if there were a really, really bad performance (for example, singing the entire song out of key which Gary Beals, runner-up of CI1 did), I will never vote for the person. Why? Because if I'm paying $50 to see a concert, I want the guarantee that I will get my money's worth. I don't want the person to forget all the songs that were meant to be sung, and I don't want to have all the songs with wrong and sour notes.

Three is the perfect number.

I would not vote for Mikalah under any circumstances.

If I were Mikalah I would take Paula's advice from the end of the Top 12 results show. She told her to be goofy again. She's been too serious the last couple of weeks - not herself.

As Simon has said in the past, half of America hates Mikalah because she's goofy and annoying and half of America loves her because she's goofy and annoying.

Anyway you slice it though - half of America is alot of people. Especially when people can vote 2,3,or 20 times.

In the end, those of us that walk away winning, win more than just a loss - Audrey, Apprentice loser

I listen to everything the judges say, I appreciate their opinions, but I don't let them tell me who to like or who to vote for. I would continue to vote for Bo, unless he stopped sounding good to me but it would have nothing to do with what the judges said. The judges will never convince me that Mikalah is talented.

at least not yet.

We sat around during Mikalah's preformance holding our ears and saying 'watch because we are hate this, and are assuming we are tone deaf, the judges will love this' and whalla that is what happened. I don't think I would ever vote for her based on what I've seen thus far. I'm in the I think she is spunky camp so I don't dislike her (hubby does).

I really like Bo, Nadia and Jessica... I liked Nikko also.
So far I have only voted for Bo.

I am actually getting really sick of Paula heaping on the praise to performances that are not so great. I can understand not wanting to hurt someone but she has (at times) crossed over to the land of giving people false hope, which I think is meaner than being blunt.

I find that my cynicism this season (after naively watching previous seasons) has added a whole 'nother dimension of entertainment to the show. I only listen to the judges to catch them trying to manipulate the viewers....then I yell at the t.v. and spout conspiracy theories while my kids watch in amazement. "Whatever, ma, it's just a show!" My daughter only listens to the few singers she likes already and leaves the room for everything else.
Is it possible that the "American Idol" is being chosen by 40-something housewives re-living their youth? Where are Donny, David, and Bobby when you need them?! (think Donny would have made the top 12?)

LAST EDITED ON 03-13-05 AT 01:10 PM (EST)

So, what do you do? Your favorite is clearly Bo, but the judges didn't give him favorable feed back. You can't stand Mikalah, but the judges praised her performance. Do you still vote for Bo despite what Randy, Paula, and Simon said? Or do you vote for Mikalah, who in the words of the judges, had a better night?

There is no way I would vote for Mikalah! She is so inconsistant. Furthermore, if Bo had great performances up until that night, why would I think of changing my vote? Everyone has an off night, especially if it is a ridiculous theme night.

Let me make this point. In season two, I really wanted Clay to win. After about the third week, I realized that the judges had another idea of who they wanted to win. Meaning, Ruben.

Week after week, Simon would find a way to bash Clay's performance. He would grasp at straws, picking on his facial expressions, dancing, broadway, etc.

All I did was vote for Clay even more. I had the attitude of "Screw you Simon! Clay is my American Idol."

So, in way, I do listen to the comments of the judges. They do sway my vote. If they pick on my favorite, I vote for them over and over.

ETA: Spelling

i don't typically listen to the judges...

randy: sometimes he's good at recognizing singers who are out of tune. "you were a little pitchy tonight, dawg." but sometimes he really misses the boat, and i wonder how well he's actually hearing the performance "live."

paula: her comments are meaningless as she praises everyone.

simon: he knows "the business," but sometimes he is so fixated on a certain singer's success (or failure) that his criticisms are as meaningless as paula's praise.

I pick who I like on my own, and vote for those people regardless of what the judges say.

The one exception is that I sometimes vote more times than usual for my favorites if the judges have given them bad reviews that week, because I don't want to see them eliminated.

The judges can tell me over and over again that Mikalah or Constantine, for example, are good...but I have ears and know who's a good singer and who's not. I'm not going to vote like some sheep following the herd.

Disclaimer: I'm one of the six Americans who doesn't watch this show, and I have no desire to start now.

If what Randy, Paula, and Simon say carry no real weight in the voting (or, apparently with Paula, carry no weight anytime), why even have them? Solely for entertainment? Or just to winnow the field in the beginning?

I chose to bump this thresd rather than start a new one.