If you are a fan of American Idol, or just a casual observer, you may wonder whether the system for choosing the final winner really selects the most talented performer.

American Idol is the popular TV phenomenon, and spin-off of the U.K. reality series called Pop Idol. The goal of this show is to find the BEST undiscovered talent in the U.S. and reward them with a recording contract from one of the BMG record labels (a company owned by the producer of the American Idol television show).

But, does this show produce the most talented, most deserving singer at the end of the season?

Before you answer that question, consider all the variables that affect who goes on to appear on the next weeks American Idol show, and who, ultimately, becomes the singer to take home the coveted American Idol prize (the recording contract).

Lets start with the early auditions. These are held in selected cities across the United States. If you dont live in one of those cities, you are not likely to get to audition (so weve cut out quite a few talented people in that first selection).

Secondly, a panel looks at thousands of people who line up in the convention center in the city selected for an audition visit. This panel chooses contestants based on singing ability AND on human interest and novelty, or humor.

This selection is designed to make the early audition shows more interesting, funny and entertaining so that people wont turn off the TV before the competition gets to the finalists. THEN, producers choose a certain number of contestants to appear before the judges.

This is the FIRST time the American Idol judges have seen any of these contestants, and already there may be many talented people left in the dust in favor of someone who is SO bad that the American Idol TV audience may find them humorous and like to watch them for that reason.

After all the city auditions are completed, auditions are held in Hollywood and a final selection is made for the initial shows. Although the age limit was raised in the fourth season, the age limitation is still below age 30, so many very talented contestants are ruled out based on age alone. This is because MOST of the American Idol viewers are young and the producers dont feel that an older contestant would be interesting to a younger viewer.

Finally, the American Idol contestants parade their talents in front of the panel of judges and the TV audience. And here is where the question of talent really SHOULD come into play but often does not! Although the judges provide feedback to the contestants on ways to improve their performance, and each contestant works with a coach throughout the week to prepare the song they will sing that week on the American Idol broadcast, the final decision on who stays and who goes lies with the voters. Unlike the American political process, voters are not allowed just ONE vote to express their opinion. They may call in or text message as many votes as they wish within the prescribed voting period for their time zone.

In most communities, teenagers talk to their friends and influence one another to vote for one American Idol contestant. Blogs and message boards and web sites discuss the finer points of the performers clothes, hair cut and looks. American Idol talent is judged by less than professional knowledge of vocal talent, and many contestants struggle to learn proper vocal technique from the coaches backstage even as teens are text messaging their fingers off to vote for what may be described by some as screaming instead of singing. So, it can be said that the final contestants are chosen by popularity contest, rather than by singing talent.

Even as very talented people are voted off the show, other American Idol contestants will go on to the next show, because they are more popular with the teenage audience, or because some very enterprising group of kids decided to push their favorite American Idol contestant over the top by text messaging 200 votes.

So, after all of those variables are considered, can it be said that the most talented undiscovered singer will be awarded the coveted American Idol recording contract? Perhaps it would be more appropriate to say that the luckiest, most popular person in the appropriate age range will win!