AI: Who Will Win?

Other bloggers have been chiming in on who they think is going to win "American Idol" tonight - we're still waiting for a prediction from fellow crossword constructor Stella Daily, who's been following the competition for some time (she's a singer herself). Up until last night, I really thought Bo Bice was going to take it. Now it seems to be a tossup.

Bo sang well, but his material was a little on the dreary side. While Carrie had some good songs (including a Martina McBride cover), her pitch was all over the place.

I had to keep in mind what I'd been telling my sixth-grade students the other day during their auditions for their positions in intermediate school band next year - you're going to be nervous during an audition. Some of the AI advisors (as I call Randy, Paula and Simon - they don't really sit in judgement and don't really have a sway over who ultimately gets in) had read the nerves on both contestants' faces, including the usually unflappable Bo.

If Vote For The Worst is to be believed, tonight's winner will be Carrie Underwood. And in some small measure, I agree. But neither of the two finalists are going to be poorer for the experience; both will get record deals in some way. And my favorite, Vonzell, already had a small album out; someone's gotta get that one bigger distribution, or at least a chance to record some new stuff now that she's been through the "Idol" finishing school.