What I was getting at above was that they put a few that actually have talent on there, but mostly its characters they go after when culling down to the final 12 (the reason that the Sunshine guy made it over that african american guy who has the best voice Ive heard in years) because characters get talked about at the water cooler and drive up viewership..which drives up ad rates.

Im telling you the people at the top make a killing on this stuff, you know how much Kelly Clarkson gets off of her contract? It is rumored between 7 and 8 % of album sales. Simon Fuller and 19 Management get the other 92-3 %.

Though they are unable to confirm how little they actually make because if contestants reveal anything to anyone about the workings of the show or the contract they signed, they're liable for damages "in excess of $5 million." Their recording, management and merchandising companies, needless to say, are all owned by 19 Group -- a fundamental conflict of interest familiar to anyone who has studied the machinations of the music biz.