How the American Idol is Chosen

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"American Idol" has returned for its ninth season. In January, the judges traveled to several cities. On TV we saw many hopefuls, many of them atrocious for our entertainment. The show then moved to Hollywood Week. Many contestants who received "the golden ticket" that brought them to Hollywood are new to us. On the road, the judges were Simon Cowell, Kara DioGuardi and Randy Jackson. Each city had a guest judge. Hollywood week will crown the top 12 women and 12 men.

Once the 24 compete, the judging is done by America. The judges' opinions are important (and seem to color the voters' opinions). Each week the two singers with the fewest votes are voted off. One time in each competition the judges have the discretion to save one contestant. Now the guest judge is replaced by Ellen DeGeneres, following the departure of Paula Abdul. It's a big improvement. Don't consider Ellen a pushover.

The audience can call to vote or text if they're with AT&T. You can't call until the show is over, and then you have two hours. A separate phone number is provided for each contestant. Voters may struggle through busy signals, so AmericanIdol.com has suggested voting toward the end of the two hours. You may vote again and again and again, which represents the millions of votes gathered each year.

http://www.bestofamericanidol.com/blog/2010/02/07/and-the-next-american-idol-is.html

How the American Idol is Chosen

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