ses3225 wrote:
oldguy - I have no problem with the judges using the save on Jessica. At that point in the competition, it was very warranted to use it on her. She should've been top 3, top 4 easy (without the save). I was even shocked that she was voted off that night. I don't think we're questioning the judges' use of the save. The conspiracy theory is that the results that night weren't the actual results, and they (the producers *cough*Nigel*cough*) purposely put Jessica at the bottom of the totem pole because they knew the judges would use the save on her - she's their 'golden girl' this season and they wanted to create a dramatic story for her since she's got nothing else to lean on. I mean she's a normal 16-year-old with a voice. There's not much about her that's unique.
A rigging like that would be pretty risky.   Some way or another, those sorts of things seem to be found out.  The quiz show riggings decades ago ruined several show business careers and I'd guess anyone in TV knows all about those scandals.  These guys have too much at stake to play around with one contestant.  The quiz show  riggings involved the contestants as well as the producers, but that is irrelevant to the credibility of the show.  Obviously, anything is possible, but it would be pretty reckless  and unless the judges were in on it, too, possibly done for nothing.  What if the judges  did something the producer didn't count on, like protecting, say Josh, for at least one or two more shows.

BTW, on the point about changing how the voting is done, the producers have a different issue.  It makes the show sound unbelievably popular to say that there were over 70 million votes.  A system that cuts that significantly isn't all that appealing to them, I'm sure.  But if the outcome becomes so predicable based on a string of unusually similar results, then they obviously start to have the show lose appeal to the larger audience.  There was a pretty good stretch starting with Kelly that arguably the best singer (voice I mean) that year won or at least came in second.   Obviously there was an occasional early surprise knockout,  but the contestants who survived seemed to belong in the winners circle.  I think that it was after Jordin Sparks won, that things started to change.  I will say that last year,  McCreery by voice alone, I think belonged, although personally I don't like pure country and the way he crooks his neck I find annoying.    I just wonder if the voting system were not so favorable to chain voting if he would have made it to the finals.