I won't post the entire article text here, but this is on the front page of Yahoo.com about Carly Smithson. I suspect this chick is going to get cut very quickly as part of an anti-vet backlash. And it doesn't help she's not from America, either. AI has really shot itself in the foot by not presenting these people in their true light. Maybe people won't care, but I suspect the cover-up is going to fuel an outrage if a lot of people (voters) find out about this. Michael Johns is in the same boat, except Carly's the poster child.
hxxp://new.music.yahoo.com/blogs/realityrocks/13980/irish-idol-smithsons-secret-past
"American Idol is supposed to be all about giving undiscovered talent a chance. Please note I used the word "undiscovered." As in, artists who have not had record deals yet. Artists who need a show like this to GET a record deal in the first place. Artists who have not already had major labels waste millions of dollars unsuccessfully trying to mold them into next big things.
What's my point? Well, last night the visa-challenged Irish artist formerly known as Carly Hennessy--but now conveniently going under her new married name, Carly Smithson--made it into
American Idol's top 24, despite having had a flop album out on MCA Records nearly seven years ago. An album that sold only hundreds of copies, despite the fact that MCA spent millions of dollars trying to promote it."