Unlike last season in which he openly claimed that Carrie Underwood would walk away as America's newest Idol, American Idol judge Simon Cowell isn't ready to definitively predict who will win this season's fifth edition of the smash-hit Fox reality series, but he has revealed that he has narrowed the list down to just three possibilities.
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Extra followed American Idol 5's newly christened finalists after last Thursday's live results show, tagging along to the post-show party in which they celebrated reaching the Top 12 milestone and Cowell shared his thoughts about the finalists.
Naturally, all the contestants were ecstatic to have survived American Idol 5's semifinals.
"It doesn't get any better than this!, " Kellie Pickler told Extra correspondent Terri Seymour (also happens to be Cowell's real-life girlfriend) in a segment broadcast on Friday's edition of the syndicated entertainment news program. "I can't believe I'm standing here on the red carpet with you!"
"This is crazy," gushed Paris Bennett. "This is so amazing," added Lisa Tucker.
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 American Idol 5 judge Simon Cowell. See more American Idol 5 photos in our American Idol photo gallery (photo credit FOX.) |
But according to Cowell, the odds makers will be wrong. "It'll be between Kellie, Taylor Hicks and Chris Daughtry," the sharp-tongued judge -- teased by fellow judge Randy Jackson for "finally showing a tear" following Ayla Brown's emotional reaction to her Thursday night elimination -- told Seymour.
Cowell also doesn't see Kevin Covais, another favorite of the show's female viewers, making it to American Idol 5's final round. "He won't be winning this competition," Cowell remarked. "You heard it here first."
However the 16-year-old high school student disagrees with Cowell's assessment. "You'll be seeing me, I think so," Covais told Extra.
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