I have been following American Idol with my kids and think I am witnessing another example of the law of unintended consequences. This year one of the surprises on the show has been the success of the youngest contestant. He has survived the first three cuts from 24 to 20, to 16, to last night's featured 12.

Last night when asked by MC Ryan Seacrest if the judges thought "America got it right," the judges said no. Simon Cowell, the curmudgeon of the group, then opined: "They must have turned the sound down," referring to the voting public. I myself was first surprised by the 17-year-old's success with voters when he made it past the first cut and Seacrest said that he had the fourth highest vote tally among the 12 boys. I thought that strange, as did Randy, Paula and Simon. Last week and again this week the judges gave this young man no encouragement and Simon was his usual bad self, basically telling him he was the worst of the whole group. Yet "America voted," and he survived again.