"So Sad To See You Gone" - Arlenes, 2002

I still haven't recovered from Chris Daughtry having been voted off "American Idol" last week. What a bummer...

This is the first season that John and I have followed "American Idol" like this, from start to finish. Coincidentally, we saw the first episodes of this season's Idol while we were in Singapore earlier this year. And thanks to ITV in the UK, we've been following the series ever since.

We're disadvantaged, though, in that we see both the performance show and the results show starting at 8:30 on a Friday night. That means that my American friends are sworn to secrecy between Wednesday night in the States and Friday night here (Claudia has been especially amazing in that regard), and John and I have learned to be very careful not to read too many online US news reports beginning on Thursday. So far, John accidentally read who had been voted off once, but he kindly didn't spoil the suspense for me. And last Friday, I inadvertently read a the headline about Chris having been offered the lead-singer position for a US band but thought absolutely nothing of it. Chris, I felt, was likely to be the last one standing when this year's Idol ended.

But it was not to be. To be fair, I've had a real fondness for Taylor since the beginning, but I've felt that Chris was most likely to win. I have found an interesting op ed column from the "New York Post" about last week's vote. Perhaps it helps explain what happened.

Well, so now there are only three. And my husby and I are going to have to be even more careful reading news stories from the States in the coming two weeks, aren't we?

We haven't heard the last of you yet, Chris! I see a fantastic career in the future for you, and I'd certainly buy your first CD...as I would Elliott's and Taylor's as well. (As a matter of fact, I already have bought us a Taylor Hicks' CD, and it's pretty good stuff!) I'd also be tempted to go see Katherine on Broadway or playing the West End, because I think that's where she's likely to end up...on the stage somewhere...looking gorgeous while belting out a love song.

But Chris, I am so sad that you're gone...

Janet