How do you balance what's good for the TV show with what's good for the music industry?
The reason we put a variety of people through is I think primarily on talent and interest in them as people. I think if you just pick everybody because they look the way you think they should look -- it happened a few years ago. I remember every blonde girl in the competition looked identical; I couldn't tell one from the other. I think it's important that you can recognize talent, personalities. So I think it's good that we have a mixed bag this year.

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