Hi, new poster here. Have been following this discussion and want to add my 2-cents.

First, to clarify (since people seem to care about these things): I'm not black or from the U.S.

Second, I think the basic thing is that this is a rock show about picking the singer of a rock band. From its origins (which we all acknowledge are in the blues, soul music) rock has been about invoking 'feelings': anger, sadness, and, let's be blunt, sexuality, among others. We generally call this ability to invoke feelings 'charisma' - and you either got it, or you don't.

Third, I never voted for Ty. I didn't vote for him for the same reason that I haven't voted for JD (an apparent fan favourite)- he didn't 'do it for me'. If Lenny or Jimi were on the show, they would get my vote. Why? Because both of these guys were hot!! They made women - white, black, brown, want to take their clothes off (hmmm ... let me get back on track here). I don't doubt that discriminatory attitudes play a role in sexual preference - that's the nature of preference. Speaking for myself, however, I couldn't care less what colour the dude was, as long as he was able to invoke something in me. He didn't. While other people talk about tongues and smiling through songs, that's just their way of saying that he 'didn't do it for them' either. He was fiercely talented, but not likely to lead a teenage rebellion or to make middle-aged women shuck their clothes.

(For the record: I've never asked a black person why they don't smile - is this a common experience in the US??).