» The Grassy Knoll: Conspiracy Theories (SPOILERS) Options

[TWoP Bayliss]

Hey, guys. I added "(SPOILER)" to the thread title, in case it wasn't obvious. There's no change to the rules or what you guys have been doing -- it's just because some users have been confused about what's allowed in this thread.

(It also means that we don't need any spoiler tags in this thread, obviously.)

[Sourpatch Kid]

I have to call bullshit on Ricky for claiming everyone on Idol gets the results an hour beforehand. I remember reading an article in EW seasons back (it was 3 or 4, I believe) that mentioned that the bootee is told to member of the crew on Wednesday moring for the sole purprose of making their elimination video.

Ricky, to me, is a kid with a couple of a extremely low level connections who occasionally give to him song spoilers. If you read the article on posted awhile back, he spoiled the top 24 because of his persistant (somewhat stalkerish) calling to anyone he could think of -- not because he has an "in" with any hi-ups. Now all the attention has gone to his head -- his old signature on IDF was a picture of himself as though he one of the contestants God's sake! He may be attempting Grassy Knoll fodder, but I think it's all just bullshit and I don't take a thing he says seriously anymore.

[Jennifer4]

Totally on the knoll and Totally playing out the way I predicted:

Simon said it wasn't nasally, he sounded great, great choice of song and he's finally living up to the potential that they saw in him during his first audition. He really liked it

I know that last week when they bashed him they would turn around and praise him this week. He will be the last guy standing

[ReservoirDogs]

Eh, even if Chris is the last guy standing, he definitely won't win.

I agree that he'll be the Jasmine of this season because he has to outlast Melinda or Kiki basing on her performance for tomorrow.

[bellonaclub]

that's pretty shoddy journalism.

It's pretty hard to take any news article seriously that mixes up the words "prosecute" and "persecute". Not that you can't do both at the same time, but in this sentence? Just no. </grammar police>

Eh, even if Chris is the last guy standing, he definitely won't win.

Well, no. JORD!N is going to win ;-) Believe it.

[Jennifer4]

Jordin definitely will win. Even season winners are much more obvious than odd seasons.
I know they have been setting up this arc for Chris to improve and surpass everyone....we can see the manipulation but the general public doesn't. They buy into what they are told. So they will honestly think he has surpassed Blake(and Phil etc....). When I talk to people who watch the show(not that many people do), they all just kind of look at me blankly if I bring up anything about manipulation. They just don't get it. They go buy what the judges say and they believe if you are in the bottom 3 or get voted off, well you just weren't popular enough....which obviously isn't always the case(see Chris Daughtry)....or runner ups that barely sold any CD's.

This post has been edited by Jennifer4: Apr 23, 2007 @ 11:47 pm.

[daisylove88]

Totally agree. Sorry to say but the general public is completely brainwashed and utterly foolish. They think this show is full of "integrity" but they don't realize how much they are being manipulated. These people only care about the dough in their pockets at the end of the day.

I feel bad for the non-TCOs. But then again the song that Lakisha chose is so horrendous. Ugh! Why?

[flybye]

I think they have their favorites, but I still don't think the whole thing is rigged. Mostly I think they get something into their head about someone and it NEVER COMES OUT THE OTHER SIDE. For example: Chris is contemporary! Melinda can sing the phone book! Jordin is Kelly Redux!

I actually like "I Believe," I remember Fantasia singing the freakin' hell outta that song! Heh. I bet Kiki did fine. But then again - Jordin is somehow the Golden Child this season. When did that happen? I think she's middling at best. Oh well. After her flop CD, we can expect four seasons of That's So Jordin! on the CW. Maybe Sanjaya can guest star.

Edited because I know something you don't know....

This post has been edited by flybye: Apr 24, 2007 @ 12:40 am.

[Simon Williams]

I think they have their favorites, but I still don't think the whole thing is rigged. Mostly I think they get something into their head about someone and it NEVER COMES OUT THE OTHER SIDE. For example: Chris is contemporary! Melinda can sing the phone book! Jordin is Kelly Redux!

This really does sum it up. They absolutely do not want to ever admit they are wrong. They will do anything to help Chris and Jordin. The show has loved them since the top 24, only criticizing Chris when he needed pity votes, and always treating Jordin with kid gloves.

Remember that big grin from Simon when Sanjaya/Lakisha/Blake were in the bottom 3? That's because that is the exactly what the show wants and will work hard to accomplish. Sanjaya is gone. Lakisha and Blake, or Blake and Lakisha, will follow.

They have worked this out perfectly. Chris is praised for whatever comes out of his mouth. They say he is finally the Chris they saw in the audition. This is starting the big frontrunner arc they have been trying to push for him. Meanwhile, they give lukewarm comments to Blake and have him perform early in the show. He was supposed to get the pimp spot this week, according to the rumor. Instead, they moved it to country week, when they knew he would struggle. He was in the bottom 3, and that started the media saying he is not marketable because he can't sing and this is a singing competition, and maybe no one ever really liked him, and all that. Now he is singing early, given lukewarm comments on a night when most of the others are getting out of this world praise. Meanwhile, Lakisha gets slammed, really harsh criticism. If viewers feel she was wronged, then they will vote for her. Since she will likely be in the bottom 2 with Blake, that means she will stay, and then leave next week with the Bon Jovi theme. Blake, who might do well with that theme, will never have a chance. Even if he does stay, he will be marked because of being in the bottom 3 for 2 weeks. They will say oh look, the former frontrunner is a loser, all his fans have deserted him, he's no Chris, etc. They really have worked all this out meticulously, if you ask me. They want Blake and Lakisha gone as soon as possible because this is the only way their pets Chris and Jordin have any shot.

I don't remember any other season, except maybe the Ruben season, feeling THIS scripted. Even then, they would occasionally be honest with Ruben about a performance. It's even more painfully obvious this season, because their pets don't live up to the hype, no matter how much the show carries them along. Even if they get their Chris/Jordin final 2, I can't see either of them being all that successful in the industry. But the show would rather back a failure than admit defeat.

I feel so sorry for Phil, Melinda, Blake, and Lakisha, because the judges and the producers will never let them have a chance, and it may even get to the point where the show tries to make sure none of them have any real success outside of the show, if they are afraid that will show up Chris and Jordin. I really do believe that the show/Clive Davis helped to make sure Taylor was not a big success because they wanted the post-AI5 stars to be Katharine and Daughtry. I also think that's the real reason they refused to sign Elliott.

Chris Sligh denies having any ties to Rickey.

[Mamalita]

It's interesting how Chris can't say what happened with Phil being disqualified because of the confidentiality agreement but the same contract doesn't stop him from denying everything else. Now Ricky has come back with alleged proof of communications with the Sligh camp (though not Sligh himself--he claims Sligh was actually the source of another prominent "spoiler" at IDF). Ricky seems like a deluded egomaniac, but I don't know if I quite buy Sligh's denials, either. Do we really have to pick sides on this one? It's turning into quite the drama no matter who is telling the truth.

[Jennifer4]

With all the speculation about Chris being the favorite guy in the competition, do you find it Knollish at all the Ricky kepts saying TPTB want Blake to win yet he posted that Mayberry was the best performance of the season and he thinks Chris could win?(He also started a post saying how much he didn't like When Stars Go Blue).

[My Way]

flybye, I agree with most everything you say except that I really don't think it's *illegal* per se to fix the votes - I do, however, think the resulting fallout if caught (from the public) is a serious deterrent.

I don't know if it's illegal, but I think it would cause huge class action lawsuits by people who bought the phones to text message and huge backlash against the show if they were caught doing this.

It's even more painfully obvious this season, because their pets don't live up to the hype, no matter how much the show carries them along.

Exactly. I think the pushing for what they want is going to get even more obvious at this point. They always overcorrect in these even seasons, but Ruben and Carrie I could buy as winners. This year, I don't know. Chris? Really? Jordin is good, but if you compare any of these people to Melinda they come up short. And Blake had all the buzz, but I totally see the Blake arc your talking about.

Blake and Lakisha were both in the bottom 3 this past week. For the first time, right? So whatever fans they have will be already concerned for them. Then if you throw in decent performances but bad judging what will we get?

This week also has a major potential to be a spoiler because of all the people who will vote who don't usually vote because of the charity. So, they put Jordin in the pimp spot, which I think shows us without a shadow of a doubt that she is the chosen one. The comments about everybody tonight will be what they want to sell us for the rest of the season.

[LeilaBloom82]

flybye, I agree with most everything you say except that I really don't think it's *illegal* per se to fix the votes - I do, however, think the resulting fallout if caught (from the public) is a serious deterrent.

I don't know if it's illegal, but I think it would cause huge class action lawsuits by people who bought the phones to text message and huge backlash against the show if they were caught doing this.

I think, even more importantly from the show's perspective, it would mean a huge drop in viewers who felt "betrayed" since their votes didn't count, and thus in advertising money as well. Basically, if they were vote fixing and it ever got out, the show would be over, even without the issue of legality. And I don't think they could get money or backing to get another show on the air again, at least, not for a few years (so, the end of So You Think You Can Dance, and everything else associated with 19's television attempts). There's too much at stake for them to mess that up with some voting competition, when they can just sign and push whomever they want to in the end, anyway.

The Rickey/Chris S. saga is hilariously funny. Internet drama at its best!

This post has been edited by LeilaBloom82: Apr 24, 2007 @ 10:24 pm.

[sidneyellenwade]

I'll say one thing about Chris's blog. Truth or not, it's the best-written least-asshatty thing he's written yet (that I've read, anyway - I certainly don't spend a lot of time there). It all sounds very logical.

And Ricky 'Ho (what an appropriate moniker) denial? Nonsensical. At the end of the day, the only thing he "proves" is that Chris spoiled songs to a friend.... which Chris readily admitted to. There is no indication AT ALL that Chris knew the friend was in turn spoiling them to IDF.

All of which is not to say Chris *wasn't* spoiling on purpose - just that his denial is more believable than Ho's denial of Chris's denial.

My head hurts.

[GoldenWoman]

I wonder if all this talk of Lakisha getting bashed is going to help her out a ton in vote totals. I wonder if that is what the judges wanted. I also wonder if they are doing this to help put her ahead of Melinda.

[Mamalita]

Chris Sligh has taken down his blog post about Ricky (not to be confused with Rickey with the E in the Idol universe) and Ricky has "magnanimously" responded in kind. And I was enjoying this little melodrama so much!