American Idol 5: The Case for Elliott

The five remaining contestants are undoubtedly talented and unique, each in their own way. In fact, I’d say with a great deal of certainty that this is the best top five in American Idol history. Thinking back to the first four seasons, eliminations seemed much easier to predict, and the less-talented players were glaringly obvious, whether they were ousted in a timely fashion or not (Josh Gracin, Jasmine Trias, and Scott Savol come to mind, for example).

While certain of the remaining contestants this season have faltered from time to time, not one of them has performed poorly on a regular basis. Earlier in the game, we watched less-talented performers outlast great singers like Mandisa. This is no longer going to pose a problem. With Kellie out the door, it comes down to a matter of personal preference, because not a single sub-par singer remains.

So who is it that the public prefers? It seems like they just can’t decide. At first, Katharine McPhee seemed vulnerable, but last night she found herself in the top two. Taylor Hicks has long seemed like the front-runner, but last night he found himself in third or fourth place. Now it looks like Chris Daughtry is leading the pack, but then again, he was in the bottom two just last week! If I were placing money on the show’s outcome, those would be my top three. But in the back of my mind, I fervently hope that Elliott Yamin will persevere and emerge as the dark horse for the finale.

For the first time ever on American Idol, it would be nearly impossible to pick even one member of the top five who truly doesn’t belong there. We all have our favorite(s), but can also begrudgingly appreciate the greatness of the others. And as the finale approaches, voting for more than one person becomes more of a challenge; in my case, I really, really like all of them. Elliott is my above and beyond favorite, but that doesn’t mean I want anyone to go home at this point. They’re all just so good. But anyone else I vote for could potentially knock Elliott out of the running. So it’s for that reason that I must pledge my allegiance to Elliott, and only Elliott.

He has some great competition, and it’s more difficult to garner large numbers of votes when so many of the contestants have developed manic fan bases. There’s the “Soul Patrol,” Taylor Hicks’ loyal followers who’ve lovingly dubbed him “Gray Charles” Get it? Like Ray Charles, but Gray… oh, never mind.

Last year, the “rockers,” Bo and Constantine, attracted a whole new set of American Idol viewers. Those people (plus lots and lots of others) are lining up in droves behind Chris Daughtry, who, I’d be willing to bet, is being positioned to win it all.

Katharine McPhee is beautiful, wholesome, and has an amazing and well-trained voice. She appears to be steadily gaining support every week. Then we have Paris Bennett, who, as this season’s last teenager standing, is also the only remaining minority contestant, which might or might not make a difference. We know she is a vocal powerhouse, but is her personality and grating speaking voice holding her back? Only time will tell for sure.

And then there’s Elliott. There are so many reasons why he should win, I’m not sure I know where to start. First, there’s his incredible, goose bump-inducing voice. He’s a genuine, unpretentious, real guy who represents the ‘everyman’ contingent. He’s humble, warm, sincere, and considerate. Notice how he takes the time to give hugs or shoulder-squeezes of encouragement every time he’s sent back to safety on elimination night.

I watch the contestants closely to see how they interact with one another, because I like to see which contestants seem to care about someone besides themselves. A real offender in this respect is Paris. Every time she’s been assured of her safety, she’s smiled triumphantly and, without a backwards glance, marched back to the couch. Elliott is quite the opposite. When he was sent to the center stage with Mandisa, he whispered in her ear, smiled good-naturedly, and held her hand. He didn’t get caught up in the news of his own reprieve the night Bucky went home, either. He seemed more concerned with trying to make the others comfortable, grinning his goofy smile and taking the time to offer hugs before returning to safety. This is a testament to Elliott’s character. He just radiates goodness. And that, compounded by the fact that he is, as Simon said, potentially the best male singer the show has ever seen, means Elliott is the perfect American Idol.

I don’t think the judges ever planned for Elliott to become such an important part of this season. His laid-back personality and less-than-flashy looks kept him pretty far below the radar. We knew he could sing, but no one realized quite how well until the semi-finals. American Idol is a talent competition, sure, but more importantly, it’s good television. That’s why the producers go out of their way to feature the most seemingly marketable contestants. The poor, beautiful country bumpkin; the ruggedly handsome sex symbol; the gray-haired phenomenon with the soulful voice; the sweet little girl with a timeless voice of another era; the noble would-be rocker and dutiful husband; the fresh-faced beauty with the classically trained voice and singing coach-mom… see where I’m going here? The only remaining performer without an instantly recognizable ‘slogan’ is Elliott. This makes him the true underdog and, perhaps, the person who really deserves to win this competition.

Every other singer in the top five could have a real chance (if they take the right steps) to make it as a singer. They’re good and each of their images will sell. Elliott isn’t as easy to label. He isn’t as commercially marketable. It’s for these reasons that Elliott needs this title more than any other contestant. So, for those of you who are on the fence, who just can’t decide in whose direction to throw your support, the choice is clear. Vote for Elliott. (Or get onboard the E-Train, as they say.) It’s the right thing to do.

If you haven’t already, be sure to check out these other recent American Idol articles on Foxes On Idol and RealityNewsOnline:

Stephanie is a communications and public relations specialist in the Washington, D.C. area. She is also a freelance entertainment writer whose obsession with American Idol hovers at dangerous levels. She would love to hear your opinions at Stephanie.bissell@mac.com.

Be sure to sign up for the RealityNewsOnline/FoxesOnIdol e-mail update so you can stay informed about new articles on both sites! For all of our articles, check out our sections on American Idol, American Juniors, Nashville Star, and Canadian Idol. Also make sure to check out RealityNewsOnline for recaps and articles covering other reality TV shows.

For even more news about reality TV, be sure to check SirLinksALot: American Idol and Reality TV Fever!

Follow us on Twitter and on Facebook! On Twitter, get up to the minute notifications on article postings and other reality TV news. And become a fan on Facebook, join discussions, and more!

Click for our American Idol Store! Melinda Doolittle’s new book, Beyond Me: Finding Your Way to Life's Next Level David Archuleta’s new autobiography: Chords of Strength: A Memoir of Soul, Song and the Power of Perseverance Did you know Lee DeWyze already has an album out? Actually, he has two: So I'm Told and Slumberland Buy the American Idol Season 9 CD! Clay Aiken’s latest, Tried and True and you can also order Tried & True Live! on DVD Pre-Order Fantasia’s new album, Back To Me Pre-Order Kimberly Caldwell’s debut album, Without Regret

Bo Bice’s appropriately-titled third album, 3 Jason Castro’s Debut Adam Lambert’s debut CD, For Your Entertainment Taylor Hicks’ Live DVD, Whomp at the Warfield