Idol time change this week!

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XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX MON APRIL 12, 2004 17:00:05 ET XXXXX

UPDATE: BUSH BUMPS 'IDOL'

FOX will delay this week's AMERICAN IDOL competition by 24 hours, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned, after the White House scheduled a formal Bush press conference during IDOL's Tuesday timeslot.

"We are going to tape the show Tuesday night -- and air it on Wednesday, and the results from the show will be revealed during a special live Thursday night hour," a FOX source explained from Los Angeles.

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I am still stunned! LaToya, Fantasia and Jennifer in the bottom three??? And Jennifer gone? And George and Red-headed _________ (as I call him) is STILL there?

Outrageous! I'm starting to think this thing is fixed somehow. I simply can't believe that was the way the votes came in....just can't believe it.

[Michelle]

I can't believe they were in the bottom three either! I thought for sure the red-head was packing his bags this week! In all honesty though, I didn't like Jennifer from the very beginning... So no tears shed! Should be interesting to see what happens next week...

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Elton John Says 'American Idol' Vote Is 'Racist'


NEW YORK (Reuters) - British Rock star Elton John, a guest judge this month on the U.S. talent hunt TV series "American Idol," said on Tuesday that he found the voting by the national viewing audience "incredibly racist."
John, who heard the wannabe pop stars perform his songs during an appearance on the FOX TV show, added his voice to a chorus of dissent that followed last week's shock exit of black vocalist Jennifer Hudson, considered one of the top talents among those vying for a recording contract.

"The three people I was really impressed with, and they just happened to be black, young female singers, and they all seem to be landing in the bottom three," said John, commenting on the tally in which the lowest vote-getter is eliminated.

"They have great voices. The fact that they're constantly in the bottom three -- and I don't want to set myself up here -- but I find it incredibly racist," John said at a news conference promoting his Radio City Music Hall concert backed by an orchestra of students from London's Royal Academy of Music and The Juilliard School of New York.

The show often gets more than 20 million people voting.

The other two singers grouped in the bottom three of the seven remaining "American Idol" finalists last week were black divas La Toya London and Fantasia Barrino.

The results moved show host Ryan Seacrest to remind viewers that the series was a talent hunt and not a popularity contest.

"America, don't forget you have to vote for the talent," Seacrest said before closing the show. "You cannot let talent like this slip through the cracks."

FOX Television declined to comment

[Patrick]

Didn't Rueben Studdard win American Idol? Last time I checked he was black. While I haven't seen the show lately I think Elton John's comments are ridiculous.

The elimination of contestants on this show is based on public voting and the public will vote how they want whether people like it or not. There are definitely votes being awarded based on popularity rather than talent, but would you not expect that on this type of show?

If Americans are so prejudiced how do you suppose a gay fellow from England sold millions of albums in the US?

Elton John - Stick to what you do best, writing and performing music.

[Michelle]

Well, let's just say hopefully John the redhead gets the boot this week... I thought he sang terrible . And I think that Diana's performance was the best out of them all, she really made me say "Wow!"

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I agree....thought Diana's was the best of the night. EVERY WEEK the Redheaded _______ sings exactly the same, poorly. And every week I say this is it, he's got to go for sure tomorrow.

Actually I thought Jamine also did a good job with this genre...and surprisingly I didn't think Fantasia or LaToya did as well. LaToya danced pretty good but I thought it was her worst showing thus far vocally.

[Michelle]

WOOHOO!!! John's gone! Thank goodness I don't have to sit through listening to him sing anymore! His "farewell song" was absolutely terrible too... Oh well, maybe some record company will scoop him up and make him the next William Hung!

Dustoffmom, did you call in and vote last night? Unfortunately we can't vote from Canada... otherwise Diana would have gotten my vote for sure!

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Oh yea.....actually I voted for Diana and Jasmine....I'm always a two vote gal! Extremely glad John is finally gone too...now, get rid of George and let's have a diva fight!

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.....and almost sadly, big bands would have been redheaded _________'s best shot.....not that I regret seeing him go though.

Last week, the American Idol ride finally came to an end for John Stevens. Bad timing too, what with Big Band night on deck this week. Speaking of which, who will be able to transport us back to the '40s with a classy, swinging performance? And who will regret the trip back in time as they struggle through a performance?

Find out when you watch another round of live performances this Tuesday at 8/7c! Then come back Wednesday at 8:30/7:30 for the live results show. Only four can move on, so somebody has to go home!

SPECIAL PROGRAMMING NOTE
Tonight, don't miss an all-new hour-long special, AMERICAN IDOL: THE FINAL FIVE '04. Go inside the lives of the final five contestants and really learn what they're all about!

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While she was good....Fantasia did NOT follow the night's genre....neither of her songs were any where near big band and so I totally discounted her. Same with Latoyas second song...not big band. There are literally thousands of 'classics' from this genre, so if they could not find one to suit them....well, I crossed them off tonight.