Does talent count?

This morning when I woke up, it was very interesting to me that American Idol made it into the Today Show headlines. I was unsure if this week's A.I. "hot topic" was an appropriate headline, much less an Okay topic to blog about. I figured it was when I saw Larry King talk about it, Joe Scarborough talk about it and Keith Olberman talking about it as I write this. Last time I checked, all three were established journalists.

It started this past Tuesday night when Sanjaya Malakar, a 17-year-old from Federal Way, Wash., sported a Mohawk. Although, now the new saying "faux-hawk" has been coined for him in the media. From the beginning of the competition, his talent has been in question with the judges (and in this case, Gwen Stefani). Watch if you dare...




Now, after watching the performance, you have to sit and wonder. How is he still in the American Idol competition? When the Top 12 were picked, Sanjaya nailed the last spot. After he went over to join the other top finalists, Ryan Seacrest asked Simon Cowell what he thought. His response, "The volume was turned down?!?! I don't know." That has not been Cowell's only public statement about Malakar. Publicly, he has made statements saying he will quit if Malakar goes on to win the competition. Tuesday was no exception. Cowell had nothing nice to say about the new "faux-hawk."

"I presume there was no mirror in your dressing room tonight," Cowell said.

All kidding aside though, is American Idol still really looking for talent or higher ratings? I find it hard to believe this "talent competition" is not in some way fixed. Malakar was in the bottom two contestants for weeks, and suddenly after Tuesday's performance with the crazy hair and crazy media attention (when he forgot the words, I might add) he is not even in the bottom three. How is that possible?

As a religious American Idol voter and dedicated fan, I expected a little more and am beginning to wonder if Fox is fixing the vote for ratings. I realize there are always going to be multiple favorites, but I, like Simon Cowell couldn't believe when he made it into the Top 12. That even surprised me. Whether it really is America voting to keep him in the competition or not, I know I, as well as many others, will be tuning in every week now just to see what he will do next.