Jasmine May Win! NOOO!!
2004-05-15 at 10:44 a.m.
I have a theory as to why Jasmine is receiving enough votes to remain "safe" week after week. I may be way off base, but I thought I'd throw this theory out there...
Jasmine is from Hawaii. People vote largely based on the geographical origins of the contestants. American Idol airs at 8:00pm easterm time, 7:00pm central. Mountain and Pacific time zones see the show at 8:00pm local time, therefore seeing it on tape delay.
Each time zone is alloted a full two hours of voting time, immediately following its own broadcast. For example... I, living in the central time zone, have from 8:00pm (when the show ends) to 10:00pm to vote for my favorite contestant. After such time, the phone lines close to those calling from the central time zone. Text votes, however and calls from cell phones, can vote throughout the entire alotted voting time (for all time zones combined), because there's isn't anyway to track from where the calls and text votes are coming.
Hawaii is six hours behind eastern time. Jasmine fans may have figured out that they can start voting via text messaging and cell phone calls as soon as the show ends eastern time, even though they haven't even seen Jamsine perform yet. If they know in which order the contestants perform (which isn't hard to learn - a quick phone call to the east coast, a check of the website or a call from Jasmine herself) they can start voting for her via cell phone an d text messaging in the afternoon, then vote for her from landlines during the two hours allotted for Hawaii viewers thus having four time the caling window, racking up millions (or at least hundreds of thousands) of extra votes.
This practice, if true, is probably not something the producers had ever thought of occuring. If it is indeed happening, something needs to be done, or Jasmine will win thing entire competition. UNFAIRLY!
*Shudders*
Again... this is just a possible scenario. I have no idea if it's actually occuring.