LJ Idol Presents:

Like Rupert Murdoch listening in to all of your phone conversations, all good things must come to an end.

So must it be for Idol Season 7.

It's almost time to leave the Green Room and be escorted, by armed flying monkey guards, down to the Banquet Hall to crown our next winner http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/482510.html.

Given how the poll has been since going up, and how unpredictable the last few hours have been all season long, it is anyone's guess who that will end up being! So make sure to get out and support your favorite(s), or rather, the one you like a tiny bit more - because all three of them are top-notched!!

***

Speaking of top notched, and Season 7, there was someone who showed up this season that had Life not hit, would have been with us much longer. It's the nature of the beast, and something that every veteran of Idol has either personally dealt with, or seen, first hand over the course of seasons.

For those who remember sunnybananas - you know what an incredible writer she happens to be - for those who don't, after the season is officially over, go back and read her introduction. She didn't stay long, but I had high hopes for her if she was able to get over that initial hump.

My reason for mentioning her specifically isn't just to talk about the depth of talent this season. She has apparently been in the ICU for the past couple of weeks and her family has fallen on some difficult times. Some of her friends have gotten together and have started a fund to help her out.

http://joeymichaels.livejournal.com/610150.html

Boost the signal on this please. Boost it far and wide, and if you are in a position to help out - give to help one of our own. Thanks.

***

With that, say goodbye to the Green Room. One by one, the lights are going out and staff is just outside the door waiting to come in and spray everything down with a pressure hose to get to the deep cleaning this place needs after housing you folks for so long! ;P

The Banquet Hall is down the hallway and two doors on your right. Don't worry, you won't get passed the activated traps, so it's not like you can get to anywhere else in the compound!

I'll see you there later!

A few words from clauderainsrm:

If you talk to me one on one about Idol long enough, there is one phrase that tends to pop up. That Idol is going to give me the winner I need not necessarily who I might think would be the "likely choice". Every season I start out with the hope that the trend is going to continue. Every season my faith is proven justified.

Reading the final arguments from these three, and seeing how they have been over the duration of the season - I can say that Idol has once again given me a situation where any outcome is going to be marvelous.

It's just a matter of what the voters decide is coming out on top this time. Regardless of who it is, it will be a new kind of Idol Winner, breaking the mold that has been cast over the past 6 seasons.

That's pretty exciting.

One more click of the buttons. That is all we have of Season 7.

the poll closes at Wednesday, July 20th, at 8 pm EDT. The contestant with the greatest vote total will be named our next LJ Idol.

Good luck to everyone.

( Click here to Vote! )

Chill to the Results from last night: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/481261.html
Thrill to the Official Final 3 announcement: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/481507.html
Spill (your drinks or something) reading the entries that will show up in the Topic thread: http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/481579.html
Mill - around here. It's the Green Room after all!

I can hear kithan outside the doors with her mop and bucket, muttering things about what "some people" will do to a perfectly nice room. But we're not letting her in just yet. We still have one more, crucial, round to go before she starts scrubbing that built up gunk in the corners caused by so many people cringing there over so many weeks!

If everyone could pitch in though, and make sure the recycling gets to the correct can, I'm sure she would appreciate not having to shift through.

I can also hear the finishing touches being put on the Banquet Hall down across the way. It's looking quite nice. It's where we will be having the post-game celebration. I've spoken with the caterers, and if anyone has any last minute food restrictions to let us know about, please let the Internet Food caterers know. :)

If anyone wants to sneak over and help put up decorations, I'm sure no one would mind - as long as you get back here in time for the final vote! :)

No, I'm not going to unlock the door. But you can climb through that little air shaft to the right. I'll turn off the saw blades. :) And the poison gas! There, now you can get through safety. At least to the Banquet Hall. There are no guarantees after that!

With that last announcement - http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/481261.html - our Finalists for Season 7, out of an unbelievably deep talent pool, are

amenquohi
mstrobel
nishi_kaze

Three absolutely incredible writers.

Congratulations to you. Well deserved.

It's down to the wire - http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/480443.html on the semi-finals. Which means, if history is any indication, grab some popcorn and settle in for the rest of the day!

I'm pretty sure that if I didn't vote for everyone, that I would be having a whole lot of problems trying to make up my mind of who I wanted in the finals. It's definitely one of those seasons where I could have easily had it at 4, or 5. . . or 10. . . and no one would have blinked at the quality of the work at the end.

Great job folks!

***

That being said, by next week - we will have our new Idol, who I will immediately forget their real name because I will call them "7" and a pretty big announcement. Perhaps two announcements, if I really have to announce one of the worst kept non-secrets. ;) Not sure about that second one, but definitely talking about the first.

But that's next week! This week - we have 4 people who really would like some more of your time and attention! So make sure you are getting out there to read, comment and of course vote for your favorites!

A few words from clauderainsrm:

Season 7 Semi-Finals. The Top 4.

If I need to say anything more than that to get you excited, I think people need to keep their brains away from you, you might just be undead!

They wrote 4 entries each.

nishi_kaze had the option to use immunity for himself this round, or give it to someone else. But he had to make the decision before the poll opened. Had it been otherwise - we just may have seen something unexpected. But with that criteria, he made the decision to use it for himself, and become the first member of our Top 3! Congratulations!

I would highly recommend checking out his entries though! They are well worth your time, attention, and comments!!

For the other three - we will be losing one of them this week.

When this poll closes, Thursday, July 14th at 8pm EDT our finalists will be revealed. This is going to be a very difficult decision for voters from what I have seen!

Good luck to everyone!

( Click here to Vote! )

Good morning.

Or it would be if it hadn't been raining all morning. So "wet morning" instead! :)

This time next week. . . *sigh* Well, we will be in the Green Room. So that's good. But it will be our last Friday together, which is sad. So happy next to last Friday together!

"next to last", hmmm. . . why does that sound familiar? ;)

http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/479084.html is where the fun is going to be, if people get around to writing and posting. . . *cue dramatic music*

Did you miss yesterday?

The poll closed and two friends said goodbye http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/478550.html
An immunity was granted http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/478876.html and a Jury dismissed.
and of course the new topics were posted http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/479084.html - the last of them before the Finale!!

In other words, it wasn't a good day to miss out on!

Oh well, you are here now. That's what matters - right?

* * *

So, what else is going on in your rapidly expanding to fill the void world?

***

Happy Birthday to our own supremegoddess1!

There was another big decision today, finalized an hour before the poll.

As advertised, the Jury was charged to make the biggest decision ever handed to an Idol Jury. It is the most influence ever handed to that body to impact the Finale, and true to form, it came down to one vote, one ranking to be precise.

Before we get to that decision, I want to thank them. There are so many people who are eliminated, and we never hear from them again until it is time for them to step back into the spotlight for a new season. By serving on the Jury, and by casting your votes every week, you continue to help and support Idol, and your fellow writers. It is an act that comes from wanting the best possible results, and genuine caring about the outcome. Which I very much appreciate, and I know the community does as well.

Thank you for your service, and I officially disband you for Season 7. :)

I hope you will continue to stick around and see how this plays out.


What was the decision though? What did it come down to a single ranking of the Top 6?

I asked the Jury to rank their favorite set of entries, and whoever had the lowest point total - who was left in the competition after this vote would be walking away with a huge prize. A crucial prize.

As I said, it came down to one vote. But 5 of the 6 were within four points. (and the 6th wasn't very far off either) In other words, a single ballot ranking could have produced completely different results. I think that speaks volume to the diversity, and talent of this group.

What is this amazing power? It's the Final immunity. To be kept for themselves, or given out (before the voting starts next round) to someone else.

The person awarded this by the Jury has been given the power to determine one member of the Final 3.

By "Final 3", I mean just that - the Finals, the Finale, the Last Gasp of Season 7, Why We Are Here.

We have 4 contestants remaining, and one of them has a guaranteed spot, thanks to the Jury of their peers, to keep, or give away.

Who is that contestant? Oddly enough, it's the same person who came within one vote of leaving us this week! Apparently, he just likes living on the edge!

Congratulations to nishi_kaze!

Why hello there! Have we met somewhere before?

You all look somewhat familiar, I just can't quite place you.

Whatever. I'm sure it will come to me, and if not, well I won't be hanging around here very much longer anyway!

For now though, have you seen this neat thing that I found over in the corner? It's a poll! http://therealljidol.livejournal.com/477868.html with what looks to be some pretty high stakes!

Maybe you should check it out before it ends tonight!

***

How was your extended weekend? Or for those not blessed with FREEDOM, how was your weekend + Monday?