Michael Giltz: American Idol Top 3: Is It A Real Race?

The top three finalists on Idol performed last night amid the growing possibility that the inevitable David Archuleta crowning is not in fact so inevitable. Last week, Ryan Seacrest said that the votes for the top three contestants were each within one million of the next. That meant even if Archuleta were #1, he was no more than about a million votes ahead of David Cook, who was no more than about a million votes ahead of Syesha Mercado. Then last night Ryan Seacrest dubbed it "the closest race this show has ever seen." They may be referring to the closeness in voting for the top 3. So if Syesha says goodbye tonight as expected - amid huge but not as huge ratings as before and rumours of a meddling parent -- who will her votes go to? You have to think they might either fall away or go more often to David Cook. I know my brother -- who is as Middle America as it gets -- has grown bored with Archuleta, who may have played it too safe the last few weeks or more likely just revealed himself as ... (link)