>Who watched "American Idol" this week? What did you think?
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>I don't think a spoilers warning is needed for a show that is watched by 30 to 40 million viewers per episode. It was the next to last round. Elliott Yamin went home and Katharine McPhee and Taylor Hicks advanced to next week's finals. The vote was extremely close. Out of a claimed 50 million votes, all three contestants received 33.xx% of the votes. (33.06, 33.26, and 33.68 IIRC). You can't get much closer than that.
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>After so many surprises this season I am no longer predicting anything. Katharine and Taylor have been my favorites going all the way back to the auditions so whichever way it winds up is going to be fine with me. My suspicion (not prediction) is that to the extent the final vote is a popularity contest, that will be in Taylor's favor. How can anyone not like him? Katharine is likeable, too, but with a hint of haughtiness she is keeping under wraps as much as she can. I think her voice is better than his -- not that there is anything wrong with his, or any of the others among the final dozen candidates -- but I'm not sure that is the top criteria for voters.
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>Thoughts? Predictions?

My money is on Taylor. He has never been in the bottom 3 or 2.