Ten Favorite Reality Show Contestants: American Idol's Elliott Yamin at #8

I am in the process of listing my Ten Favorite Reality Show Contestants of All Time. Some of these folks I fell in love with for the talent; others simply had personalities that won me over. Any way you look at them, though, these are my faves from shows such as American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance, Amazing Race, Survivor, and many more.

Please note: I did not include any person who was a "celebrity" before they appeared on a reality show, so all contestants from Dancing with the Stars and other shows like it were ineligible for this list.




#8 - Elliott Yamin, American Idol

While he may not have taken home the title of American Idol (he came in third place on the fifth season of the singing competition), Elliott Yamin did win my heart.

Whether it was his goofy ears, his not-so-perfect teeth, his charming aw-shucks personality, or his tremendous singing voice, Elliott won me over, hook-line-and-sinker, from day one. He wasn't the most natural performer, but he always had a smile on his face and sang from the heart, winning over millions of fans in the process. A lot of credit for his success has been given to his back story (deaf in one ear, juvenile diabetes, the song of a single mother), but that takes away from the power of his singing -- "A Song For You," "Home," "Moody's Mood for Love," "Somebody to Love," and "Teach Me Tonight" were, after all, some of the highlights of the season. Elliott has continued to prove he's got real musical chops, seeing his debut album go Gold and spawn a Top 10 single.

Keep on movin' on, Elliott. I can't wait to see what you'll do next.

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