With fewer candidates splitting (let's assume) the same number of votes, it was an incrementally harder task to keep Sanjaya in the running each week. Looks like his built-in network of VFTW/Stern/that sobby girl with the tee shirt finally met their match. They'll only get to install their candidate once Idol's popularity dims, but at that point, it'll be an even emptier gesture.

So can we stop talking about the show now?

do people really believe that the person with the least votes gets the boot each and every week? why couldn't it be that the producers simply decided that this would be his week to "lose"? it's not like reality tv doesn't play this game, and it wouldn't surprise me in the slightest. when we can't even get our political vote-tallying right, what makes you think that something as meaningless and superficial as this wouldn't or couldn't get the same treatment?

It was time to pull the plug. I wouldn't be surprised if we hear one day of vote rigging on the part of the producers to get rid of Sanjaya. I would be even less suprised if Rupert himself gave the order.

Still, Fox reality shows are on my permanently given up for Lent list.

I can't believe that American Idol is getting so much screen time on Salon. Is this Salon or CNN? THIS IS NOT NEWS. It's a TV show! If I cared about the damn thing, I'd watch the horrible show. Stop sloshing gossipy crap all over my news page.

Are any of those American Idol people talented? I don't watch and I'd certainly would never listen to the caterwhauling that passes as "talent" on the show.

However, it was fun following the weird Sanjaya saga in the news. Poor kid, I wish he had won the whole darn thing. There's no doubt in my mind the producers dumped him not the viewrs. They probably wanted him gone before their favorites were in danger of being Sanjayanated. I hope the ratings drop now that he's gone.

I find it embarrassing that you would write about such twaddle w/ such passion and commitment.

Just for the record - Neil Young, Dylan, Patti Smith, Tom Waits (just to name a few of many) - would have been treated by AI and its adoring and clueless viewers (which apparently include you?) as having questionable "talent" because they can't boom out a note like uber gasbag Taylor Hicks (for one of many examples) or they can't "rock" like Daughtry (I just threw up a little in my throat).

I've seen about 20 seconds of this guy who just got booted off and maybe a minute of William Hung but the reason those guys caught on as much as they did has nothing to do with your condescending attitude toward them and the fact that Simon Cowell rolls his eyes at them & uses them as mediocre one-liner fodder and everything to do with their capture of the wild anything-goes true spirit of rock and roll.

Now a little of the sound that comes out after the capture goes a long way but it's ALWAYS far more compelling than Clay Aiken, big fat Reuben, Carry Underhand, etc.

Man, get OFF the AI tip. If religion is the opiate of the masses, AI is the paint huffing of the masses.

who the f*ck is sanjaya and why would any person with a real life care?