Lest we forget, Ricky did get national exposure. Not as much as others. But the judges did think he was good enough to be the top 36. Possibly a wild card, which is in my opinion supposed to remedy exactly what Ricky fans are complaining about.

Do I fault Danny? No, he is a total pawn in the chess game. It’s getting obscene, and it’s turning a lot of us off the show. They tried it to some degree with Archie last year, and so sorry, but out of nowhere came Cook whose terrific CD just went platinum. (And I didn’t fault Archie, but the Idol heads.) This year, it’s even more blatant. and the only one to blame is the AI team. Wow,. I thought it would get better with Nigel’s departure, but I was wrong.

The wild card round will be the most telling of all. If contestants like Ricky and Anoop don’t make it and others (you can guess who I mean) make it, then AI has lost all cred, and probably me as a loyal fan and viewer. That’s what this dishonesty will get Idol and Fox. And that’s too bad for singers like Danny and Alexis, who will end up losing as much as the other strong singers won DO NOT get to Top 12.

I really do miss S7. This season is a friggin’ mess so far. Nice job changing it up, Idol producers.

It’s an easy fix – FOX had the opportunity to fix it – and they CHOSE NOT TO. I think this is one direction the Braddy Bunch can go towards if they do pursue a 1st Amendment infringement case.

Secondly, an “anonymous poster” on an Anoop fansite used technically & legally proficient verbiage (”indicia” — uh…huh… because that’s everyday terminology) to detail the complaint and C&D letter sent to braddybunch.com? Uhm, again, I call bullshit.

Thirdly, something is smelling awfully rotten in Denmark, and to me, it smells as though the fix is in for Danny Gokey to be the next American Idol.

And to that, all I’ve got to say is, YAWN! (Bet you thought I was going to call, “BULLSHIT,” again

A less-talented, raspy-voiced singer won last season, and if it happens again this season, it will be my second & last season watching American Idol.

unfair advantage?! no air time. we didn’t even know this guy existed!

that danny guy showed his wife photo for how many times already? fair??

danny is this year’s david archie.

i think Ricky is AMAZING and i really hope he gets a wildcard!

Regarding the judges, I actually like that the judges choose. Given that “we”, given the chance, kept Sanjayay (sp?) on so long, I would rather leave the tough calls in the hands of the judges who have actually seen these contestants all along the way (see Braddy, Ricky) because they would dump the people we don’t like, usually. While there is some chance of bias in keeping Ricky out of the wildcard round I hope it doesn’t happen. That being said, I trust the judges more than the fans to get it right. Now, if you think the judges are pawns of the production company, then you’ve got me on that one. I am thinking (or hoping) that they are above that and wouldn’t eliminate a possible winner just because they were told to do so.

I am even more peeved about the wild card situation now, b/c the JUDGES get to choose this year, meaning there will be further bias. If AI wants to alienate its audience, they are doing a fine job of it thus far.

It became comical when AI apparently said that he was gaining an unfair advantage. That from an organization who it could easily be argued was putting him at a significant unfair DISADVANTAGE by completely failing to feature his singing (not his story, but his singing) at every available opportunity. You can argue that lack of exposure is not related to votes but you would fly in the face of commonly held political (and I am sure other marketing) campaign strategies.

Had they just said that he had to shut it down because it violated the terms of his agreement and then started another fan site independent of that URL he SHOULD have been OK. Even if they asked him not to link to the other one that would have been OK with me. BUt it was the apparent reference to giving him an unfair advantage that put egg on AI’s face and what, as I read, has people up in arms.

Their lawyers really stink if, before they asked for the C&D order, they couldn’t have figured that out and phrased it more appropriately to the terms of his agreement.

If the goal was to turn this into a “Rickygate” for extra show publicity then it has had that effect. If it ends up that Ricky doesn’t get selected even in the face of an excellent performance or doesn’t make the wildcard round after his last week’s performance and if his previous (audition, Hollywood week) performances were substantially good then, if I am him, I am looking into legal remedies, something AI has to avoid.

The most FORMAL & clearest answer found WHERE!?!

February 20th, 2009 by admin

None other than… Anoopdog.com!?!?

It seems as though the best text-provided explanation in regard to the shutting down of http://www.TheBraddyBunch.com has come from (what appears to be) an anonymous FOX representative on the message board of Ricky’s competitor’s Official FanSite:

If this is TRUE… then technically, Ricky’s parents did no wrong! By watching the video found on THIS LINK, you’ll see & hear Ryan Seacrest prompt the licensing/brand issue in reference to the t-shirt (now that’s fishy, isn’t it! – if it’s something they are trying to AVOID, then why would Ryan bring attention to it?) and Ricky’s mother says:

” braddybunch.com”

Hmmm… go to this link: http://www.BRADDYBUNCH.com !

NOW… go to this link: http://www.THEBraddyBunch.com !

You’ll find the pivotal word “the” is missing!

Due to a slight error on the mother’s behalf in promoting the WRONG website, I ask YOU this question:

Does FOX’s claim have legal merit?

Feel free to post your opinions and answers on the comments section below or at the missing square.

“The reason [thebraddybunch.com] was shut down is because the contestant promoted his site on FOX. The contestant and his parents had prominently displayed indicia with the address and/or domain name of a promotional web site; using American Idol airtime to promote extra-show collateral and/or propaganda constitutes an unfair advantage for the contestant in question, vis-a-vis the others on the show. Displaying indicia with the address of a promotional web site on American Idol also may lead to a misleading implication of endorsement by FOX independently, and/or by FOX on behalf of the contestant. Any such association or endorsement, whether express or implied is detrimental to fair operation of the Contest and in contravention of rules mentioned in the Participant Agreement. Violations of the rules in the Participant Agreement are determined at the organizers’ sole discretion.”

Fox PR is crafty – it is VERY possible that this whole controversy is cooked up by the promotions department to create a buzz online and give Ricky the much needed PR he missed out on during the audition rounds.

How is that FAIR and the BraddyBunch.com was not?

My only thought is because Ricky’s mom plugged the web site when they interviewed on LIVE TV – HELLO – all the other parents could have done the same thing. Fair advantage.

Please – Idol is afraid of Ricky’s talent overshadowing whomever becomes the next American Idol.