Team Josh Fans like Moon and me are not happy campers this morning.  Last night, on the American Idol results show, Joshua Ledet, the pride of Westlake, Louisiana, was voted off the show and wrapped up Season 11 in third place.  Two contestants remain and the Idol finale is set.  Phillip Phillips will battle Jessica Sanchez for the crown and our Idol expert, Steve Thompson, has the inside scoop on the voting and who he thinks will be the next . . . American Idol!  

From Steve Thompson:

  • America, you have restored my faith in the system.  I was just about ready to hand in my resignation on trying to decipher this Idol business and finally we have reached a decision.  No, I don't think it's about race.  Yes, Joshua went further than anyone since Ruben won the whole ball of wax-- but if race was an issue, what about Jessica Sanchez going further than any Hispanic contestant ever?  See?  The old cliches just don't work anymore. 
  • Instead, let me draw you a picture of America.  America likes its female singers to sing like angels and its male singers to sway every female in the audience.  I suspect that Joshua could easily barrel through the competition as long as the other contestants were acing each other out of the picture.  Suddenly, we are down to three distinct personalities-- and Joshua could no longer count on surviving the vote.  (Hey. You come up with a better logic and FOX will beat a path to your door.)
  • My theory was shot full of holes.  According to what dialidol.com calls its Geo Predictor, Jessica won the home states of both Joshua and Phillip while Phillip won Jessica's state.  I don't know how reliable that is but my theory made more sense.  I thought, especially since the East Coast votes had Jessica and Joshua literally neck and neck, the West Coast came through and saved Jessica.  Perhaps not, as it turns out.  However, it is possible that Jessica had a strong second place showing in many of the states she didn't win.  The jury is out and not really expected to render a verdict.
  • So what does this mean?  Will we have yet another year of a White Guy With Guitar winning or will we have our first Hispanic contestant and the first female since Jordin Sparks to take it all?  The answer always lies in the songs.  If Jimmy Iovine had not chosen the Bob Seger song for Phillip, we may not be having all this consternation.  That song choice and that effort by Phillip probably sealed Joshua's fate.  Will the same hold true for next week?  I'm afraid it looks like Phillip has more than just the upper hand-- he may even have many of Joshua's voters leaning his direction.
  • Go ahead, America.  Prove me wrong again.
  • For the sake of all that's holy.

@May 17, 2012  Stephen W Thompson

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