Elliott Yamin - Season 5

[Misty8723]

That's exactly how it went for me. I think it's a good sign.

I feel pretty hopeful that Elliott is still in it. He has the best voice. People love him, and he is looking good.

Simon seems convinced he's going home, but I don't think so. I was very encouraged that I redialed on three numbers for two hours and only got in 20 or so votes--his lines were ALWAYS busy, busy, busy...

Unfortunately, I'm not convinced that getting all busy signals is a sign a person is safe, especially with Simon's pronuncement. It sounded like he already knew who was going to be the final two. I so very much hope I'm wrong and Elliott makes it to the finals. He deserves it far more than Kat, and I don't think Taylor is in danger.

[roundercat]

I'm done with AI if Elliott goes home tomorrow. It's just not fair that Elliott gets to sing only 1min20secs for his second song, Taylor gets 1min50secs and Katharine gets a whooping 2min30secs. Tonight's theme was clearly to get Elliott out. I must be kidding myself to expect TPTB to allow a level playing field for everyone.

Thanks for confirming that...Elliots song seemed to be short and it did seem like SOTR went on forever. I don't think I would watch the finals without him either....

[marlap]

...especially with Simon's pronuncement. It sounded like he already knew who was going to be the final two.

Don't worry, I don't think there's any way! He wouldn't have been so shocked that Chris left.

I'm really encouraged because last week I was able to get in around 40-50 votes for Elliott--this week, only 20-25 or so. I think Elliott fans are rallying AND I think that last week's preformances garnered him a whole new bunch of fans he was so fantastic!! There are at least two people at my office who hadn't voted the whole show, but after "Trouble" last week, they are now voting--just because he was so completely fantastic.

I really think he got a lot more fans after last week, and I'll bet that's why I had more trouble (in a good way) getting through to vote last night.

I could see that the show was rigged to favor Kat and Taylor last night--song length, judges comments, etc...but who the heck cares?!

It's VOTES that count and I could barely get through last night.

[libgirl2]

Thanks for confirming that...Elliots song seemed to be short and it did seem like SOTR went on forever. I don't think I would watch the finals without him either....

And here I thought it was just me. When Katharine was singing I kept thinking this song is going on forever! That was unfair.

[tdoug]

Elliott has had a great run, but it takes no great insight to see that TPTB wanted him out last night. I suspect there was a lot of hand-wringing in the back room after Chris was eliminated, and 19E decided that whatever Kat and Taylor's flaws, either could be marketed as a pop star more successfully than could Elliott. Until last week, E was no threat to win, so I doubt they paid much attention to him. (Incidentally, none of this is personal; most agree Elliott has the best voice of the remaining three but the least commercial marketability. This is in the end a business decision.)

If you believe the above hypothesis, then as difficult as this may be to accept, it may be best that Elliott be eliminated tonight, and here's why. If he squeaks past Katherine (and it's going to be very close), TPTB will go into No Holds Barred mode to ensure there are no surprises next week, and the operation will commence immediately. Each contestant is usually invited to reprise a performace on the Final 3 results show; Katherine will of course do "Somewhere Over The Rainbow" and be overpraised again. Taylor will be sent to safety. More gushing over SOTR will follow. Simon will be asked for his opinion who should go...and Randy too, and perhaps even Paula if they can count on her to say the "right" thing. Ryan will announce the results - America, what have you done, Kat is leaving! Shock and boos come next, followed by shots of random outraged head shots. Fade to black and let the backlash against Elliott begin.

It sure looks like that they set Kat up to be the villainess last week, then backpedaled fast and furious when they realized it was against their best interests. But then, I suspect they'd set up Taylor most of the season to be the villain in his anticipated Finals showdown with Chris. AI isn't much different than Orwell's Oceania in "1984" - friends become enemies in mid-sentence and vice-versa if that's what's necessary to ensure order.

If you find all of this outrageous, well...you know, they did pretty much the same thing to Nikki, K-Lo, Jasmine, and Vonzell in previous Final 3 weeks, and the cries of outrage were muted then. TPTB will let America choose the Final 3, but then they'll take it from there, thanks, because the top 2 traditionally get recording contracts, and 19E and BMG have a lot of capital invested in that. This was arguably the first season in which the least marketable of the Final 3 also happened to be the best technical vocalist. Anyway, a graceful exit for Elliott tonight might be preferable to whatever they'd have in store for him next week...we've never seen an upset in Final 3 week, so we have no idea what 19E's Plan B is, but I'm not sure I want to find out. Just something to think about.

Wow, what an interesting, thoughtful read. The downside of Elliott leaving tonight would be career prospects. If he made it to the final 2 19E would almost without question give him a record contract, whereas if he leaves tonight he's most likely on his own, and the track record of number 3 finishers isn't great. (Only Kim Locke has ever been heard from again.)

I think TPTB will continue to ignore him after the fact. Clive Davis has already talked about wanting to work with Chris and Paris, but hasn't mentioned Elliott.

Certainly I will continue to follow his career with great interest, but I think he'll have a much harder time getting the backing he needs if he leaves tonight. I'm hoping there's a record exec out there, maybe at a jazz or R&B label, who is an Elliott fan and will sign him.

[jasminefan]

What TPTB wants, what TPTB gets. I feel sick to the stomach thinking about all the blatant manipulations going on.

[Misty8723]

Wow, what an interesting, thoughtful read. The downside of Elliott leaving tonight would be career prospects. If he made it to the final 2 19E would almost without question give him a record contract, whereas if he leaves tonight he's most likely on his own, and the track record of number 3 finishers isn't great. (Only Kim Locke has ever been heard from again.)

I think TPTB will continue to ignore him after the fact. Clive Davis has already talked about wanting to work with Chris and Paris, but hasn't mentioned Elliott.

Certainly I will continue to follow his career with great interest, but I think he'll have a much harder time getting the backing he needs if he leaves tonight. I'm hoping there's a record exec out there, maybe at a jazz or R&B label, who is an Elliott fan and will sign him.

No. 4 finisher Josh Gracin is making some waves in country music. Elliott just needs to find his niche, which probably would be jazz or R&B rather than pop. If nothing else, I think this show has given him the confidence in himself and his talent to pursue a career.

I hope I"m surpirsed tonight and he's in the final, but I'm not holding my breath.

[ReneeM]

On my(well the one I listen too!lol) radio station this morning they were talking about AI...on Wed's they all 4 try to guess who will be gone. 2 people said Kat, 1 said Tay and 1 said E. I hope it is Kat but I can't help but be nervous! The show is a freaking hour tonight....this is gonna be TORTURE!!

[LAGuy]

It's just not fair that Elliott gets to sing only 1min20secs for his second song, Taylor gets 1min50secs and Katharine gets a whooping 2min30secs.

Thanks for confirming that.

I thought WYWDFL seemed awfully short - even by AI's usual, truncated standards. And that kind of song is dependent on rhythm & a soulful "vibe" to work, rather than big vocal flourishes. I think it was a good choice for Elliott - provided they had let him do enough of it to matter.

The minute Kat started off with the frequently-skipped intro to SOTR, I was thinking "WTF?! Why would you include that if you're going to be pressed for time?" Well, the answer was that she wasn't constrained. Simon and TPTB obviously wanted to give her all the time in the world to sell the song.

Elliott got screwed.

[jasminefan]

I'm calling the shenanigans on this one. Here's the breakdown for the mp3 song lengths:

Elliott = 4:43
"Open Arms" 1:31
"What You Won't Do For Love" 1:20
"I Believe To My Soul" 1:52

Katharine = 5:37
"I Believe I Can Fly" 1:43
"Somewhere Over The Rainbow" 2:34
"I've Got Nothing But The Blues" 1:20

Taylor = 5:18
"Dancing In The Dark" 1:35
"You Are So Beautiful" 1:56
"Try A Little Tenderness" 1:47

Credit: Formicide @ TWOP