Reader comments
When comparing Idols, do so style to style

Perfectly said!!! For those critics attacking someone's character and making fun of them has been really very sad for our society. We all like what we like and your article said it perfectly. At this point all these contestants are really very talented and have their own style. Kudos to all of them. They work extremely hard every week and they deserve to be recognized. Personally I love David Archuleta's style and I am a Mom. I would love to see a young role model with a great voice win for not only to teach the younger generation that listening to the softer/soulful side of music is cool again, no explicit material or loud music necessary and being a focused and clean cut young man is still cool. Needless to say, I love his voice and already downloaded all his songs. When I listen to his singing, I forget he is only 17 with such strong vocals. WOW! But anyone of them at this point will do well in their own style.

David Archuleta fans is not only for young girls, they are also for parents, grandma/pa, different nationality, senior citizen and guy like me. I would categorized it his fans is from All Walks of Life for this kid give Inspiration and Hope to people. This kid is very humble and you can just see it in him - it so natural. He is a good role model for the young teenager today. I would say: HE IS THE EPITOME OF THE REAL AMERICN IDOL. That why a lot of fans loved him so much.

It was kind of hard to get/be excited last night when Brooke was so sad and crying after being eliminated, but I am. She was over-due to leave (definately should have last week instead of Carly and then Jason this week... Carly should be in the top 4). And per true Brooke fashion, she goofed up at the start of her farewell encore song last night (though this time it was understandable why).

As Carly is gone now, that leaves David COOK as the most well rounded and deserving contestant left... he should win, but I'd rather he take 2nd. Let Archuleta win and be the one to get his debut CD content and his life controlled for the next year or so by "Idol" producers instead.

I'm going to vote for David Cook heavily to help him make it to the final 2 (as he deserves). Then on the final show I will vote for Archuleta to help ensure Cook gets the better position to wind up in career wise, 2nd place.

David Archuleta shouldn't win, but he will.

I think he's got a great voice. But he's not well rounded like David Cook & Carly are... those two can sing BOTH rock/up-beat & ballad/slow songs equally well (selling them, making them believable & come across as natural). But David Archuleta is only strong in the ballad department... of the about 4 up-tempo songs I've seen him do he's failed to sell them, make them seem natural.

My first thought Tuesday with the Neil Diamond songs were, "Cool, he's FINALLY going to do up-beat". But as he performed them I thought "Wow, he's actually managed to make an up-beat song sound like a ballad". By that I mean he over sang both of them, there was no deep register or "rock" sound in his voice... the lyrics were delivered in the same manner as his ballads were. This further cements my belief he's a "one trick pony" (can only do ballads) and is why he shouldn't win & David Cook should instead, but the avid fanbase will probably push him through (much to Simon's pleasure who has dollar signs in his eyes when gazing at Archuleta).

Cook in 2nd is fine.

David Archuleta is a gifted young man and someone who has is already setting an example for people of all ages. I read an online article written by someone who apparently sat in on the contestants' song choices for Neil Diamond week and noted how David Archuleta wouldn't sing about "partying with a woman all night"; he obviously isn't going to compromise his values and ideals and my hat is off to him! He has a unique, beautiful voice, portrays a wholesome set of morals and integrity and he will be a positive and beautiful part of our lives in music and entertainment for decades to come.

To Erika: That was Brooke White you're referencing. She said that nearly all Neil Diamond songs were either about drinking or partying with women all night. Not David Archuleta. David A. was described in that piece as having his dad running rampant at rehearsals, snapping at the producers and David A. things like 'it's in too low a key' and 'he's singing the word America too many times'. David A. is a nice kid with a clean cut look and a lot of talent, but he hasn't earned his frontrunner status. To me the much better contestant is David Cook, whose example I wish more people would emulate. He doesn't complain, always supports the other contestants, works super hard and is willing to put in the effort and hours to make sure he has done everything he can to be prepared for his song choice, and is true to himself. Also the fact that he quietly wears that orange wristband to support cancer victims (but refuses to use his brother's cancer to try to get sympathy votes) impresses me with the depth of his character.

I love both Davids. I love David C. because he has an awesome voice, and I love the way he turns every song he sings into a modern song you would hear on the radio. I love David A. because he has a beautiful voice. He puts so much emotion into his singing. He is the kind of role model teens need in this world today. Not only teens love him. I am 43 years old, all my friends love him, my 12year and my 7year old daughter love him. Both Davids deserve to win. I hope David A. wins because I think he could use the guidance he will get w/American Idol. I hope David C. is 2nd becaue I think he would be held back by American Idol.

Well then Brooke doesn't know Neil Diamond's vast song catalog very well does she? Nearly all his songs are about drinking and "partying" with women all night isn't right. I'm a life-long major fan of Neil and I should know. I'd like to see her or anyone list off all these drinking songs of Neil's. The vast majority of Neil's songs aren't ones about sadness or any heavy issues, he purposely likes to write songs that are light or up-beat, ones that make you feel good/happy.

Can I say, "Enough of the 'David Cook is so wonderful because he wears an orange writstband!'already!!" Wearing a wristband does absolutely nothing. It's an easy cop out to make people think you're giving and caring. I'll take David Archuleta mowing his sunday school teachers lawn anyday.

Gee, where have all the regulars in this column's feedback board gone this week? Carmen's fan club among others seem to be missing in action...