The show wasalmostnice and friendly
Simon Cowell was nearly nixed before the show even started.
If America loved a talent show, then they doubly loved watching the talent respond to Internet trolls.
Ryan Seacrest was brought in for a meeting specifically to learn how to text.
Even Ryan thought that the concept of the text vote was absurd.
Now people are pretty much programmed to never speak on their phones.
Oh, how times change.
Carrie Underwood, unsurprisingly, dominated the vote count every week of her season.
Executive producer Nigel Lythgoe noted that she was suspected to be crownedIdolfrom very early on.
He moved over and joined the Three Divas of Jennifer Hudson, Fantasia Barrino, and LaToya London.
It just so happened that he was wrong and Jennifer Hudson went home.
The split choice has been used multiple times since.
It was after that Ellen DeGeneres was put in her place.
Theres still a slight chance that he still hasnt, to be honest.
But he, Jennifer, and Randy made the show warmer and cut the critical tone thatIdolwas founded upon.
And then, of course, there was the Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey year.
Thats when theIdolpowers that be decided to go out with their heads held high.
One producer went on to say that she didnt think this was the end ofIdolat all.
