valid points made by you two-Larry/Brian

but overall-for every Carrie Underwood (who does indeed have talent) theres way too many (in my opinion) Jessica Simpson types rising to the top for whatever reason......remember the one who showed up wearing a bikini?......I just think that ok-given that its commercial tv and has to do stuff for ratings-the show and the American Idol process has become totally bastardized in favor of ratings and not talent.....but I do have some prejudice I admit-seeing so many truly talented singers in the honkytonks trying to make it the old fashioned-PRE IDOL-way..

Tom