American Idol Indifference

For the past three television seasons I’ve anxiously spent the final week of May sweeps anticipating the American Idol finale and voting for the singer that I thought would win. (I didn't watch the innaugural season.) Once I voted for the eventual winner, and the other times I didn’t.

In 2003 I called numerous times in order to cast as many votes as possible for Clay Aiken to defeat Ruben Studdard. It turns out the audience and I disagreed, and Ruben ended up walking away with the title of American Idol.

2004 was the year that I actually got it right. Fantasia Barrino was my vote getter, and she prevailed over runner-up Diana DeGarmo.

Then along came 2005. It was a great singing duel between country crooner Carrie Underwood and rocker Bo Bice. I sent many a vote Bo’s way, but Carrie was the eventual winner.

Fast forward to 2006 and the current season of American Idol. I had two favorites all along, and I really did believe that they would be the final two contestants. The final four contestants were the unique Taylor Hicks, “funky white boy” Elliott Yamin, soulful rocker Chris Daughtry, and well-trained Katharine McPhee. I thought that I had actually predicted it right. Elliott was the one singer that had shown consistent growth throughout the competition while Chris was the one who stayed true to himself and who he is throughout. I just knew that they would be competing against each other in the final two.

Then two weeks ago Chris was shockingly eliminated. He, along with his legions of fans, was rightfully shocked. This was followed by last week’s elimination of Elliott, who was voted out by less than a half percent of the vote.

This leaves us with a finale between Taylor and Katharine. I’ve thought all along that Katharine was a great singer but didn’t have much personality, while I thought Taylor had a strange style and not a lot of substance.

So I’m faced with the final performances tonight, and truth be told I don’t really care who wins. I don’t believe that either one is capable of succeeding in the music world. I see this season’s winner going the path of Ruben Studdard, immediate success but nothing long term, rather than the path of first season winner Kelly Clarkson, who has had continued success ever since her win.

I hate to have to ask, but is it too early to starting rooting for next season's American Idol to come?