Letters to the Editor

TiVo can predict "American Idol" losers. (Goodbye Syesha!) The guess is based on fast-forwarding statistics. Farhad Manjoo [2008-04-10]

• The infertile ground of "American Idol"

  I'm amazed that the producers of American Idol seem to have gone out of their way to pick failed musicians for this year's "competition." The top 8 finalists (and a good many of the top 50) were all professionals who failed to make a dent in the industry, not the undiscovered "talent" that the show claims to search out.

  • Carly Hennesey Smithson - one of the biggest bombs in recent record industry history. In 2001, MCA (where she first met Randy Jackson) spent $2.2 million on her, her record, Ultimate High, sold less than 400 copies worldwide (not a typo).
  • Michael Johns - twice flopped in Australia, with two different bands (both of which he used as springboards in an attempt to start a solo career).
  • Syesha Mercado - Was a contestant on ABC's song and dance talent show The One(a fact expunged from ABC's website and her wikipedia article); she has done commercials for Ford and her father was a Motown backup singer.
  • David Archuletta - won Star Search at age 12, way back in 2004; he has sung for AI producers and contestants in two separate back-stage parties (Seasons 1 & 4) and has appeared on the CBS Early Show to promote his album releases.
  • Jason Castro - Co-starred as the love interest in the 2006 MTV drama-mentury Cheyenne.
  • Kristy Lee Cook - Signed by Arista in 2001, with a deal that included touring with and video appearances by Britney Spears.
  • Brooke White - released an album, Songs From the Attic, in 2006 and has, at least opened for country singer Phil Vassar.
  • David Cook - professional musician who fronted the Creed-like Axium and played bass and sang backup vocals for The Midwest Kings; released an album in 2006 entitled, Analog Heart.

  To borrow a line from the horrible Aliens vs. Predator movies: No Matter Who Wins, We Lose, for we'll have to suffer through their dreadful "music" on Top 40 radio for years.

  -- dvsmith
  [Read dvsmith's other letters]
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