ISTR that Dilana, clearly the best singer/performer by a mile, also did not win because the 'band' felt that when she sang they came off as her backing musicians! Surely, a triumph of ego over ability.

I don't think being non-American will hurt him particularly, but I do think the fact that he's more of a band lead singer (IMO at least) might do. I like him and can see him being fantastic fronting a band, which I think he already does (?) but I just can't see him as a solo artist.

probably yeah-americans are very atriotic and i think would rather one of their own wins so to speak

i think it will count against him in the latter stages and carly smithson too..as the previous poster says americans are EXTREMELY patriotic.

lol....no more so than those in the UK.
If this were true....they wouldn't have made it this far....
I've seen comments suggesting the same on American forums....but just as many defending their right. Michael has been her 10 years...Carly for 3...If they are both married to Americans...they are legal permanent residents.
If X Factor had an American and a Brit in the finals....what would we be hearing? The same kind of thing?

I really don't think his country of origin will hurt him at all. In fact, his accent seems to attract some fans, if the posts I've read elsewhere are to be believed. He may not win in the end, but I think just getting to the top twelve show that it is a non factor. Carly and he have already survived a number of public votes over natural born Americans so if it was a major factor it would have already bitten them in their butts.

I don't know if not being american will work against him, but would like to think it wouldn't. For some voters, it might, but that pretty much drives home the fact that in many ways these shows are more about popularity than talent. I honestly don't think he would win regardless of nationality, though, as there are stronger singers and performers than him on this season's show.
In any case, at least he isn't facing what I could see him facing if he were on XFactor instead....does anyone else see a bit of Steve Brookstein version 2.0 in him? Not saying that's a good or a bad thing, just an ovservation...

I think not being American was one of the reasons why Michael was eliminated this week. He didn't sing too well, but some of the posts on the official american idol forum is a disgrace.

I think the reason he was eliminated was cos:

1. He went first
2. He murdered his song

Mig in Rockstar:INXS came 3rd as well and he was from australia however Australia and Asia were also included in the vote not just America

Michael was definitely not the weakest of the contestants left this season. However, the way he butchered Dream On was the worst performance of not just the night, but the whole season. He went home because he made a spectacularly bad mistake, not because of his nationality.

I agree, and also because lots of people liked him but he was their #2 or 3.
I haven't seen any mention of his nationality on the american boards. People are as surprised as we are here.

I think there were several reasons why Michael was eliminated this week. I didn't see it coming as I thought he was gong to be in the top 5 but here are some theories. He certainly didn't deserve to go yet.

He went first which is never a good place to be

He didn't sing particularly well but he didn't do too bad either

The people who support Michael, David and Carly would have this week given their votes to David and Carly as they seemed more in danger than Michael due to the judges comments.

Hence Michael I feel may have been the forgotten one this week.

Oh i'm sure there are some idiots who dislike them for not being American. But obviously they are in the minority otherwise both of them would have gotten the boot ages ago.

He was kicked out because he was pretty bad and not enough people voted for him. End of story.

I've lived part time in the States for over 20 years and I'm frequently asked which part of Australia I'm from! - and I speak with British RP. Maybe you have a strong Australian accent or maybe you are meeting educated or travelled people.

Most Americans cannot hear the difference between Australia, NZ, England and even South Africa some times, the majority cannot pinpoint any of those countries on a map (that's been tested!)

The Americans (generalising like mad) are welcoming and pretty much like everyone from everywhere but when it comes to being patriotic and all other things being equal they support their own - to me this helps to explain why Michael was voted off ahead of Kristy.

I swear I must live in a different country than what you, and others describe. Admittedly, there are some who have zero geography skills but the majority? I know they exist because I've seen a few of those shows where they have complete morons on just so we can all laugh at their stupidity. It makes me cringe in embarrassment that those people are who represent my country to many. Personally, I don't know anyone who couldn't point out Australia, NZ, or England on a map.

Also for many, Michael being Australian was a bonus, I heard a lot about how cute his accent was when it was discussed at work. Of course, there are some who are a bit to zealously patriotic, but not enough to have been a big factor in his ouster.

This is ridiculous. Granted, I've lived in or around big American cities which are a bit more cosmopolitan, but I don't think things in the U.S. are as "bad" as you make them out to be. After all, we are one of the most heterogenous countries in the world. Huge "minorities" of all types live here.

I think most Americans could tell the difference between an Australian accent and a British one. However, watching "Top Chef" this season (in the U.S.) there is a contestant (or should we say, cheftestant) who is from New Zealand, and an "average" American, who was sampling his food at a Chicago Bears football game, mistakenly identified the young chef as being Australian, rather than being from New Zealand.

I haven't heard enough from New Zealand to know if they sound so much like Australians. I thought they sounded a little more British.

But, what do I know, I'm just a stupid American who doesn't know that she wasn't in New Zealand when she visited the U.K.

I'm Australian, though I've lived and worked away from home for quite a while. Just as an aside, when I was on a contract in Seattle a few years ago, I used to hang out with this huge guy who had the most outrageously over-the-top cockney accent you could possibly imagine. Whenever we'd go out drinking people would always ask if he was Australian and they would always ask me if I was English.

It's not a case of Americans being stupid, it's just they don't hear the accents all that often. I can't tell the difference between any number of Eastern European, African or Asian accents. Hell, I probably couldn't tell the difference between half of the languages they speak.

I also might add that in the UK I get asked where my accent is from on a daily basis. People here are no different.

I have a midlands accent and in the US people think I'm Australian. But US people are so American-centric - I read 90% of the pop. don't even own a passport. It's just the way it is over there.

Michael was my second favourite and Syesha my first.

Here is his recent interview with Ellen-enjoy. Hope it works

http://www.redlasso.com/ClipPlayer.a...5-56533c51d906

Babeth

Such a shame. I really wanted Michael to make it further than he did, as IMO he was definitely improving as the weeks went by.

Here we go again! The old passport thingy..

It takes six hours to fly from New York to London. It takes about six hours to fly from New York to San Francisco. It takes six hours to fly from San Francisco to Honolulu. It takes about six hours to fly from London to Iran. We can travel to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean without a passport (well recent new rules now apply) in the same amount of time YOU would need a passport and traverse several language zones. (French, Dutch, Italian, Arabic, Farsi .. ) We could travel from Miami to Alaska and still have the same language within 10 hrs flying time. In that time You'd hit India. Is that making better sense? This is a very large country. Your island could fit on the western coast of our country.

Why should we know how to differentiate between a midlands accent and a south london one? From "my" circumstances and work environment, "I" can tell a south african from a "typical" british one, an Aussie and a NZ sometimes can be problematic sometimes, but the NZ one sounds a bit softer. But still, who cares of someone cannot pinpoint an accent. Many of us do not know the difference between a northern floridian and a southern georgian accent. A South Carolinan "Savannah" accent to a "Raleigh North Carolina". Ever heard a Michigan or North Dakota accent? Sound like Canadians to me..

Vive la difference and rest those tired generaliZations say I .

I think he went because he is fairly similar to David Cook and Cook was a little better. There comes a time when the vote will split in a way that a great contestant will be eliminated.

thanks very much for that, he was really good, I missed him on the show this week.

They speak spanish in Alaska?!