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AMERICAN IDOL, THE FINAL SIX CONSPIRACY?

Conspiracy theorists should have a field day based on last night's show...especially since producers have acknowledged fiddling with the contestants' weekly lineup and staging.

Katharine, a bona fide star and beauty who outsings everyone, has to sing first (notoriously a bad spot), gets thrashed by the judges and no pre-song segment. Are the judges hoping to spur more votes for her, or trying to get her out? She was both stunning and stunned, all at once...
Elliott gets a special pre-song interview to play up an emotional connection to Donny Hathaway and extra sympathy by name-dropping Hathaway's daughter as one of the unseen Idol backup singers! Paula breaks down in tears?! Simon calls it "a vocal master class"??? You'd think they want Elliott to stick around as long as possible as the ultimate underdog...
Kellie also gets a special pre-song interview set-up to let the voters know she "doesn't have a boyfriend" and say stupid things about wanting someone to re-enact the Ghost pottery scene with her, which undoubtedly all was designed to get her more votes. But -- she stunk it up again! The judges agreed. As David Foster predicted, "if it's sung without passion, it can be one of the most boring songs." Yes. That sums up the Pickler. Time for her to go. Nashville Star is calling...
Paris, who genetically comes from jazz vocalists and has an old soul to her sound, does exactly that, which Foster and Bocelli loved. Simon said she sounded old. True enough. The folks at Dial Idol predict trouble, which would be unfortunate...
Taylor picked "Just Once" to fit in with his impersonation skills and didn't dance (thank goodness), and the judges finally stopped loving him. Like Elliott, though, a segment of America absolutely loves having him throw a wrench into the show. Can you remember the last time Taylor was in danger of landing in the bottom 3? No...
Chris somehow surprised the judges. I say somehow because they didn't realize that singing a Bryan Adams rock ballad wasn't much of a stretch at all. That said, I've said all along that it should come down to Chris and Katharine in the finale. Will I be right?

RELATED: Watch me on FOX25 at about 5:45 p.m. today as we engage in our weekly Idol chatter.