Andy DehnartLast year, producers of American Idol told Access Hollywood that a web site “Each week millions of votes are received for each contestant, and based on the tiny number of visitors this site has allegedly received, their hateful campaign will have no effect on the selection of the next American Idol. Millions of fans of “American Idol” have voted for their favorites so far this season, and that success speaks far louder than any vicious and mean-spirited website.”
Of course, that just fueled Vote for the Worst’s fire, and their burning desire is to make horrible contestants advance in the competition. After the first live show, which airs a week from today, they’ll announce which two candidates in the top 24 they’re supporting, and they’ll continue to support them unless they’re eliminated. When the top 12 rolls around, they’ll pick the suckiest candidate and support him or her, encouraging people to vote for that awful singer.
Why would anyone do such a cruel, heartless thing? The site says it’s because “American Idol is not about singing at all. Carrie Underwood was a lifeless, boring farmbot, and she still won.” Plus, as Vote for the Worst’s Dave Della Terza writes, “American Idol lets really untalented singers into their casts, such as Scott Savol from last year. These people are placed in the competition for ratings, because they wouldn’t be there if this was a legitimate competition to find the next big superstar.”
The site also calls producers on their flagrant hypocrisy, noting that they “profited from a ‘Worst of American Idol’ DVD set last year. How can the producers let Simon mock all of the contestants but then call us ‘vicious’ when a campaign exists to help those very people?”