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You make the call

Tonight's the night to cast your final vote. Who will be the next American Idol?

By SHARON FINK and SEAN DALY
Published May 23, 2006

[Fox/AP photos]

Kat McPhee battles Taylor Hicks for the title tonight on American Idol.

	And the winners aren't. . . What happened to the picks Sharon Fink and Sean Daly made in their March 14 chart in Floridian previewing Idol's final 12? America votes, but TV producers build the ballot box PREVIEW: American Idol airs tonight at 8 on WTVT-Ch. 13, with the two finalists performing, followed by the two-hour season finale Wednesday night at 8, when the winner will be revealed.

KATHARINE MCPHEE

Age: 21

Residence: Los Angeles, Calif.

Catchphrase: Catch McPheever!

Loyal Fanbase: Anyone who has paid to see Celine Dion; foot fetishists

Fashion: Pre-Raphaelite meets Forever 21

Best Performance: Somewhere Over the Rainbow in the final three

Worst Performance: That Hound Dog/All Shook Up debacle for Elvis Week

Best Simon Snark: After the Elvis mess, "It looked like a desperate, manic audition."

It Factor: Great voice, great hair, great curves

Ick Factor: McPhakeness

Ten Years From Now: Playing Belle in Beauty and the Beast . . . in Des Moines, Iowa.

TAYLOR HICKS

Age: 29

Residence: Birmingham, Ala.

Catchphrase: Soul Patrol!

Loyal Fanbase: That guy who sold you nails at Home Depot; that guy's wife

Fashion: Soccer dad chic.

Best Performance: You Are So Beautiful for the final three

Worst Performance: Take Me Home, Country Roads for Country Week.

Best Simon Snark: After Stevie Wonder's Living for the City, "Your appeal is that you're like every dad who ever got drunk at a wedding."

It Factor: Makes Home Depot guy think that he can sing, too.

Ick Factor: Dude, you're not Ray Charles . . . or Joe Cocker . . . or Michael McDonald.

Ten Years From Now: Auditioning for the lead in The Sam Cooke Story.

AND THE WINNER IS . . . TAYLOR HICKS

[Last modified May 23, 2006, 06:41:52]