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Vote for the Girls
Vote for the Girls (USA) logo
Voting Males off since 2010
Screenshot
Screenshot from April 18, 2013
Type of site
Entertainment web site
Available inEnglish
OwnerAeverine Zinn Holdings
Created byHost:
Ava Zinn
Holly Everman (2014-present)Chief Moderator(s):
Holly Everman (2010-2014)
Kellie Rock(2014-present)Moderators (Current):See belowModerators (Former):
Robyn Hurd (2010-2012)
Michelle Steele (2012-2014)
Ariel Swaringen (2013-2014)
URLvoteforthegirls.us
CommercialYes
Registrationoptional
Launched28 April 2010; 14 years ago (2010-04-28)
Current statusOnline

Vote for the Girls, known as Vote for the Girls USA is an internet website created by American entrepreneur Ava Zinn. It originated in the United States, where it was devised as her answer to Vote for the Worst. The web series programs are produced by executive producer Ava Zinn and her company Aeverine Zinn Holdings. Vote for the Girls is a website devoted for voting for only female contestants, based on the original US website.

The site started in 2010, which is devoted to voting for the female contestants on the Fox Network television series American Idol as well as The X Factor, the NBC Network television series The Voice, and the ABC Network's Rising Star. Smaller campaigns have also been started on the site for ABC's Duets and Dancing with the Stars as well as Fox's So You Think You Can Dance and NBC's America's Got Talent. The moderation panel consists of Zinn, Holly Everman, Kellie Rock, Kathi Jameson, Lanise White, Julia Passalt, Karly Ryder, Jr., Kym Christian, Khayla Chow, and Tracia Ward.

On Vote for the Girls (VFTG), fans of the site are encouraged to "only vote for female contestants" - call in and vote for who, they view, as to end the male winning streak on Idol. According to the site, the purpose is "to support voting for the entertaining contestants who the producers would love to see win on American Idol" in order to make it a "real good show."

The similarities between Vote for the Girls and Vote for the Worst prompted VFTW creator Dave Della Terza, to heavily criticize VFTG until Terza's site closed in May 2013.


Since the site's very first season, fans of the site are strongly discouraged to vote for the male contestants (exceptions were added in the site's fifth season). If all the male contestants are eliminated before the singing competition's finale and/or the female contestant wins the show, not only does the site claim a "victory", but Zinn and the moderators that participated in the particular singing competition get rewarded (usually getting a massage, eating with Ava Zinn at a fancy restaurant, etc.) while the losing moderators faces punishment, usually doing very tedious tasks or more humiliating (usually cleaning the VFTG set and prepping for the next competition, handling the deliveries, such as sorting through the garbage, paying up on friendly wagers, etc.), if all the female contestants but the last one were eliminated before the singing competition's finale, the site promotes votes only for the female contestant and often the moderators get into screaming matches supporters of the site had to vote for the girl to the Victory; failing to support the female contestant to the Victory or all female contestants are eliminated before the singing competition's finale resulted in not only the "loss" and subsequent "Vote for the Girls Punishment for Failure," but also Zinn and the VFTG moderators were forced to support the female contestants in a make-up competition (usually So You Think You Can Dance and/or America's Got Talent) during the summer.

However, the site's biggest success happens to be So You Think You Can Dance as the site has had huge success as the make-up competitions for American Idol (and in later seasons The X Factor, The Voice, Rising Star, and other singing competitions).

Development

[edit]

Eleven years prior to the official launch of Vote for the Girls, Ava Zinn had launched two web sites--her web site (currently known as AvaZinn.com) and INNewsCenter, a site devoted to discussing the television industry in Indiana's 10 markets (initially Fort Wayne and Indianapolis) that serve all of Indiana's 92 counties. Both were launched on November 1, 1999 while Zinn was a junior at Mississinewa High School in Gas City, Indiana. At the time of the launches of AvaZinn.com and INNewsCenter, Zinn had considered doing a reality-based web site similar to The Mole. In 2008, Zinn began watching American Idol and seeing the eliminations of female contestants from the seventh through the latter part of the ninth season, Zinn realized that she decided to do something about keeping female contestants on American Idol and eventually discovered discovered that Vote for the Worst essentially ruined American Idol.

Background

[edit]
Previous Vote for the Girls logo. Used from April 28, 2010 to May 31, 2013

Vote for the Girls was started on Zinn's web site during season nine of American Idol after Zinn asked her friends on Facebook to vote for Crystal Bowersox following the elimination of Siobhan Magnus on April 28, 2010. After realizing, in Zinn's view that Idol is a talent competition that a girl can easily win, VFTG was started as a personal campaign of Zinn's on her web site. A Wordpress website was soon created by Zinn to help promote the movement, as well as a Facebook page, Twitter account, and YouTube channel. After season 11 of American Idol, Zinn herself helped move the site to its own domain name to handle increased traffic, and VotefortheGirls.us as we know it was formed.


In all competitions, fans of the site are expected to vote only for female contestants (and in later seasons, included male-female duos, predominately and all girl groups) en masse with the Vote for the Girls moderators and to Zinn's high expectations to vote off the male contestants. Zinn demands that all males be eliminated at the earliest possible without regard to criticism and/or public backlash (meaning that fans of the site must vote for the ladies all remaining female contestants each week), introducing the possibility of an all-female finale or all-female final two.

Zinn desires to complete every competition with a Vote for the Girls "victory", but performances by the male counterparts will cause her to call off the competition, if not end the competition with a Vote for the Girls "loss" or end the competition if there are no female contestants left in the competition, and discipline the moderator(s) that have chosen the male contestant that wins the competition with a "Punishment for Failure". Once the competition ends with either a victory or a loss, Zinn determines which moderator(s) (if not all) is the wining moderator(s) for the "VFTG Victory" or the losing moderator(s) for the "VFTG Loss" (Although there have been joint-winning moderators in the past (once in VFTG 2013)).

Zinn is free to ignore these rules if she sees fit. She has frequently disciplined moderators during the competitions if a moderator's performance is abysmal, or may override the provided picks with her own selection. There have been times where VFTG moderators resigned for medical reasons or they may leave on their own free will; though the latter is not encouraged, their wishes are ultimately honored.[citation needed]

Vote for the Girls is somewhat rare of Idol related websites unlike VFTW, where VFTW promotes votes for the worst, most entertaining, most hated or quirkiest contestants chosen by a public vote and the moderators only critique about the competition. Ava Zinn describes VFTG as her philosophy, "Producers Have a Choice, Viewers Don't. That's part of the reason why INNewsCenter and Vote for the Girls have become my most successful web franchises." In earlier seasons on VFTG all decisions and VFTG picks fell under one person, Zinn, instead of a majority vote by the contestants. Additionally, Zinn has the power to override the basic format of the site, such as ignoring pick nominations from moderators (later seasons eliminated this aspect, yet since the site's sixth season So You Think You Can Dance and America's Got Talent are the only such times).

Style

[edit]

The site's YouTube videos often feature screaming matches among the moderation panel, guests, and audience members. Using a large black bowl for an ashtray, Zinn often chainsmokes during the site's YouTube videos. VFTG's fans are known as "Girl Power Man-Haters", patterned after the studio audience with lecterns decorated with the VFTG icon, from which Zinn's guests would go head-to-head against each other on their respective issues in later seasons.

Zinn's signature phrases "WGWG Commie" (in reference to the white guy with guitar that Idol pundits call and Communism), "Girl Hating Bastard" or "Girl Hating Bitch" (in reference to male contestants), and "Shush it!" briefly enjoyed some popularity in the contemporary vernacular. Zinn particularly enjoys making her guests angry with each other and often fans of male contestants angry with Zinn, which on a few occasions resulted in cyberbullying via Facebook and Twitter and physical confrontations.

Sounds

[edit]

Often in many of VFTG's YouTube videos until the end of the site's fourth season, the sounds used on VFTG are also currently used on The Price is Right and Wheel of Fortune. A female contestant being declared safe and advancing in the competition is indicated by a ding (from Wheel of Fortune when a letter is in the puzzle)[1], while a male contestant being declared safe and advancing in the competition is indicated by a buzzer (nominally used on The Price is Right)[2]. However, if the next to last male contestant is voted off (leaving only one male contestant in the competition) or all female contestants in the competition are declared safe and advancing in the competition, the well-known "clangs" sound, also from The Price Is Right, is heard[3].

Additionally, when a "Vote for the Girls Loss" is declared, the Wheel of Fortune (later Scrabble) buzzer and the "Losing Horns" fanfare from The Price is Right is played when a male contestant wins the singing competition or the last female contestant is eliminated from the competition[2]. Conversely, when a "Vote for the Girls Victory" is declared, the well-known "clangs and whoops" sound, also from The Price Is Right, is heard, when the last male contestant is eliminated or a female wins the competition. Starting in VFTG 2015, Aloe Blacc's The Man and Sugababes' Here Come the Girls are used for the respective losses and victories, with the latter being used since VFTG 2014.

On several occasions, a "Vote for the Girls Bankrupt" is declared, the "Bankrupt Whistle" fanfare from Wheel of Fortune and the "Losing Horns" fanfare from The Price is Right is played when Ava Zinn's primary pick is eliminated from the competition.

2014 Revamp
[edit]

Beginning with The X Factor season three four chair challenge, many of the VFTG sounds remained in use. The Wheel of Fortune ding remained when a female contestant is saved and advances in the competition while the buzzer sound from Scrabble is used when the male counterpart is saved and advances in the competition.

Holly Everman commented that the site moved to its current domain, VFTG wanted to use more sounds to make it more livelier, as was noted in the only season of Duets. After Olivia Chisolm was eliminated on July 5, 2012 (but later posted on YouTube in August 2013), the site began using the stopper sound from Scrabble when a VFTG Pick is eliminated. Additionally, Chisolm's elimination also left Bridget Carrington as the last remaining female in the Duets competition, which is indicated when the third stopper sound from Scrabble was used.

On July 15, 2012 (later posted on Ava Zinn's YouTube channel and on the VFTG YouTube channel in August 2013) Bridget Carrington was eliminated from competition and had Zinn been watching the program that night on July 15, 2012 marked the first (and only time thus far) time since Vote for the Girls launched when a female contestant is eliminated from the competition with no female contestants remaining, the competition ends, which is indicated by the well known buzzer sound from Pathfinder/Trivia Trap after three tries (later Stopper sound) when the team did not answer correctly and the losing horns.

Additionally, during American Idol's 12th season and The Voice's fourth season, there were no sounds indicating Lazaro Arbos and The Swon Brothers, whom were the last remaining respective male contestants on American Idol and The Voice--that will be indicated. The only thing close to a sound indicating in the event the last male contestant left in the competition, a dramatic background music throughout the episode was similar to a contestant spinning "The Big Wheel" in The Price is Right $1,000,000 Spectacular for the potential "Vote for the Girls Victory" in the succeeding episode. Otherwise, the Wheel of Fortune Speed-Up round music is used. On December 3, 2013 the site began using background music indicating the potential VFTG Loss.

During VFTG's fifth season premiere, the sound used for one male left in the competition is now indicated by only vowels remaining from Wheel before the finale and the second to last letter revealed from Scrabble on the semi-finals of The Voice, The X Factor, or American Idol Top 3.

Prior to the 2014 revamp, there were two occasions in which all of the female contestants were saved by the public votes before the males for a Vote for the Girls Clean Sweep. For the VFTG Clean Sweep to happen, all of the female contestants must remain intact and/or have the highest votes by the general public before any of the male counterparts. The first such VFTG Clean Sweep happened on March 28, 2013 with Lazaro Arbos, Burnell Taylor, and Devin Velez landed in the bottom three on American Idol, Zinn commented "Never before in the history of Vote for the Girls has there ever been a clean sweep." The sound used for a VFTG are the well-known "clangs" sound, also from The Price Is Right accompanied by a contestant winning the Crossword round on 1993 revival of Scrabble. However, if all female contestants have the highest votes and a male contestant is eliminated, the normal VFTG win (indicated by many dings accompanied by a correct guess in the Crossword round on 1993 revival of Scrabble.

The previously used sound effects used in other scenarios remains in use. One critic of the site said VFTG is more reminiscent of a game show than a web site.

Rarely the site will have a look back at previous episodes (should there be no female contestants remaining in the covered shows). These have been rebranded as Classic Vote for the Girls, some with a false All My Children-like theme and . The opening sequence for Classic VFTG parody the open of All My Children from 1990 to 1995 featuring past Vote for the Girls picks. These shows are interspersed with commentary from Zinn herself, usually before, during, and after the episode. The first Classic VFTG show aired in August 2013.

Site History

[edit]

Season 1 (VFTG 2010)

[edit]

Vote for the Girls started as a campaign on Ava Zinn's web site, aeverine.info (now known as AvaZinn.com) blog [4]. The very first VFTG pick during American Idol 9 was Crystal Bowersox, whom became the last female in the competition following the elimination of Siobhan Magnus at 9:00 PM Eastern on April 28, 2010. Bowersox lasted until the finale, and Zinn eventually got a big makeover (it was revealed that Zinn had placed a friendly wager between Patrice Refferty on who would make the season 9 finale; had Bowersox won, Zinn would have added a "Girls Night Out".) Following Bowersox's defeat, Zinn slammed supporters of American Idol 9 winner Lee DeWyze, and the site began to what eventually became a traditional "Vote for the Girls Punishment" for the loss as Zinn, Holly Everman, and Robyn Matthewson (then known as Robyn Hurd), abstained from shaving their legs in October to support Beards for Breast Cancer.

Matthewson and Everman decided after Bowersox's defeat, they began to follow So You Think You Can Dance as a make-up competition with their support of eventual SYTYCD 7 winner Lauren Froderman, but it was largely unknown to the general public at this time and did not completely declare SYTYCD as a make-up competition until July 2014.

Season 2 (VFTG 2011)

[edit]

The site began to post full episodes on YouTube for the finals episodes were introduced in VFTG 2 (2011) during American Idol's 10th season, the site gained its first bit of notoriety with the VFTG's first painful bankrupt with the elimination of Pia Toscano. That season also became a turning point for the web site due to its support of Lauren Alaina and Haley Reinhart. Zinn posted on her YouTube channel of the "VOTE FOR LAUREN AND HALEY" campaign after Toscano was voted off. Alaina and Reihart went on to last 6 more weeks in the competition, but it was largely unknown to the general public at this time, and slammed Vote for the Worst on Zinn's web site and called the winner "Scrappy McCrabby". Lauren Alaina later broke the record for Vote for the Girls' longest-running American Idol pick, which remained intact until being tied with Jessica Meuse on the 13th season of American Idol and surpassed by Jena Irene. She remained VFTG pick for 12 weeks, from top 24 to the finale. She was the runner-up, as was Crystal Bowersox in Season 9. However following the elimination of Paul McDonald, Ava Zinn announced on her YouTube channel (which at the time hosted the VFTG episodes until Zinn created the official VFTG YouTube Channel) that she would be auditioning for the following season of Idol herself. Due to Zinn's age, it was the first and only opportunity that Zinn would ever try out.

Once again, the site claimed the second consecutive loss on Idol had Lauren Alaina won (or had Scrappy McCrabby not even make the finale resulting in a Lauren-Haley finale, Zinn would have gotten a tattoo of the Double Venus symbol to reflect Zinn's gender identity (Blue Venus, for Zinn as a trans woman) and sexual orientation (Pink Venus, for Zinn's future siginifcant other/spouse--that makes Zinn a lesbian).) Despite having almost always accompanying Zinn and Everman on VFTG promotions outside the set, Robyn Matthewson was sidelined by varicose veins in late April 2011 after her wedding in Iowa City, Iowa; she was forced to host VFTG while Zinn and Everman took the summer of 2011 outside the VFTG set from Marion during the SYTYCD 8 competition while Zinn had a busy schedule with her American Idol audition in Pittsburgh, the Mississinewa High School Class of 2001 Reunion, ongoing issues with her children moving away from Marion, returning to her hometown of Van Buren for the town's Popcorn Festival (which began the same night of the So You Think You Can Dance 8 finale) and Holly Everman was also dealing with her brother's death and eventually her alcoholism following Toscano's elimination; Robyn Matthewson was the only VFTG moderator for the SYTYCD make-up competition with the site supporting of eventual SYTYCD 8 winner Melanie Moore and runner-up Sasha Mallory. For Matthewson, the situation was agonizing.

Season 3 (VFTG 2012): Expansion to The X Factor

[edit]

Because of the successful runs of Bowersox, Alaina, and Reinhart on American Idol and Froderman, Moore, and Mallory on So You Think You Can Dance, Vote for the Girls has expanded its site to include The X Factor (since its debut in September 2011). With the addition of The X Factor, the site allowed each moderator chose who their picks to win the respective competition and new element was added as moderators were given a "wild card", allowing each moderator to select one additional individual.

The very first X Factor picks were Stacy Francis (Over 30s), girl group Lakoda Rayne, and Drew. After the eliminations of Francis and Lakoda Rayne, the site switched to Rachel Crow and Melanie Amaro during the Top 5, which Crow was eliminated, and brought Amaro into the finale where she became the first victory for the site][5].

Even before season 11 of America Idol's premiere, the site's creator auditioned as a contestant on Idol, and went undercover as a journalist reportedly exposing the previous season's gender voting bias and eventually would end the trend that Idol pundits call the "white guy with guitar" or "WGWG" factor. During American Idol 11, VFTG picked Hallie Day and Erika Van Pelt in the semi-finals because they also auditioned at the same Pittsburgh audition venues as Zinn and Elise Testone as the wild card. In what would become Robyn Hurd's final VFTG season (before her death on May 24, 2012), she and Holly Everman picked Hollie Cavanagh and Skylar Laine in the finale of American Idol with Jessica Sanchez as the wild card. Cavanagh was VFTG's longest running contestant.

In May of 2012, Robyn Hurd announced that she had been battling with blood clots and, as before, guest moderators, mostly consisting of Zinn's friends and colleagues, filled in for her. Robyn Hurd died of a stroke on May 24, 2012, at her apartment in Fort Wayne, at age 51.

The Duets competition on VFTG was dedicated to Hurd's memory. Her death ended the 23 year era of the so-called "Big Three" I-69ers: Hurd (Fort Wayne), Ava Zinn (Marion), and Holly Everman (Muncie)--the latter moved to Indianapolis within the year of Hurd's death). During her tenure, Hurd was known for her ability to calmly portray events as they were happening. The site was unable to help Olivia Chisolm and Bridget Carrington during the only season of Duets, of which following Carrigton's elimination became the first (not counting Christina Grimmie's third place finish on The Voice in May 2014 and the eliminations of Audrey Kate Geiger and Dana Williams on Rising Star in August 2014) time in the site's history as a loss been declared before the finale followed by the third season of The X Factor in December 2013 (later reversed), in which the season ends.

Season 4 (VFTG 2013): Expansion to The Voice

[edit]

In the fall of 2012, the site began officially following The Voice, of which would become a turning point for the site ad drew the ire of Vote for the Worst. The very first Voice picks were Adriana Louise and Sylvia Yacoub (of Team Christina), Cassadee Pope and Michaela Paige (of Team Blake), and Melanie Martinez and Amanda Brown (of Team Adam). This also marked the first time that the VFTG moderators chose which female would win. After the Top 12 eliminations of Louise and Paige, site creator Ava Zinn chose Pope and Brown, site moderator Holly Everman chose Brown and Martinez, and site moderator Michelle Steele chose Yacoub and Brown. VFTG's final pick was none other than Cassadee Pope[3] following the Top 6 eliminations (and painful bankrupt, which has since become a tradition of VFTG) of Melainie Martinez and Amanda Brown, in which Pope became the last female in the Top 4 and put her through the finale where she won and gave the site its second victory[3].

In season 2 of The X Factor, the site started the live shows with Zinn picking Jennel Garcia, Fifth Harmony, and Carly Rose Sonenclar with Diamond White as the wild card; Everman choosing Paige Thomas, Diamond White, and CeCe Frey with Carly Rose Sonenclar as the wild card. The site claimed their first and only loss when Sonenclar was declared runner-up.

During the twelfth season of American Idol, Zinn, Everman, and Steele, made their picks as follows: Zinn and Steele chose Angie Miller with Everman choosing Candice Glover to win American Idol with Zinn picking Kree Harrison as runner-up and Glover in 3rd, Everman picking Miller as runner-up and Harrison in 3rd, and Steele choosing Glover as runner-up and Harrison in 3rd. Vote for the Girls gained its first bit of notoriety when Lazaro Arbos was eliminated in the top 6 of Idol's twelfth season, and drew the ire of VFTG's rival, Vote for the Worst, as Zinn said back in May 2012 that she was done watching American Idol only to resume watching on April 10, 2013 when she learned that only one male was left in the competition. Also Miller became Vote for the Girls' longest-running American Idol pick for the season, tying with aforementioned Harrison and Glover from the top ten to finale in which marks the first time in site history as a wild card pick had won and finally the site's first (and thus far only) American Idol victory[3], which was declared following the elimination of Lazaro Arbos[3].

For The Voice season 4, the site chose Judith Hill (from Team Adam), Sasha Allen (from Team Shakira), Holly Tucker (from Team Blake), and Cathia (from Team Usher) during the Live Playoffs (or Top 16 as Ava Zinn calls it) with Sarah Simmons as the wild card. Following Cathia's elimination, the site then chose Michelle Chamuel (from Team Usher), where she made the finale. After Simmons' and Hill's elimination, Sasha Allen, Amber Carrington, Michelle Chamuel, and Holly Tucker were originally selected for Top 6 week, but after the performances, the website switched the latter to eventual winner Danielle Bradbery[6], marking the first time the website had changed its mind on which contestant to vote for based on performance alone.


Season 5 (VFTG 2014): The Alex & Sierra Rule added

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On October 1, 2013, Vote for the Girls began its fifth season as Ava Zinn rewarded the moderators with Indiana State Fair tickets for the entire run as a "Reward for VFTG Victories" and awarded with a fine dining at K Bistro in Marion, Indiana.

For the third and final season of The X Factor, Zinn, Everman, Steele, and Swaringen made their picks to win as follows: Zinn chose Rachel Potter, Rion Paige Thompson, and girl group RoXxy Montana with her wild card picks of Ellona Santiago and Khaya Cohen[7], but made a rare pick of Alex & Sierra, making this the first time in site history that a male-female music duo (as well as the first and so far only male pick) had been picked and Zinn calls it as a rare "Vote for the Best of Worst". Everman also chose Potter and Thompson as her picks, but chose Alex & Sierra, stating that the VFTG Victory will be awarded to Sierra Denton if the duo wins X Factor) with wild card picks of Santiago and RoXxy Montana with her Best of Worst pick being girl group Sweet Suspense[7]. Steele chose Lillie McCloud, Khaya Cohen, and Sweet Suspense with her wild card picks of Thompson, Santiago, and RoXxy Montana [7]. Swaringen chose Potter, Danielle Geimer, and RoxXy Montana, with wild card picks of Santiago, Thompson, and Alex & Sierra.[7] [8] The site's first loss of 2013 was declared with the eliminations of Santiago and Thompson on December 5, 2013, and the site's pick of Alex & Sierra proved to be controversial (see below). It was the second time in site history, after Bridget Carrington's elimination on Duets, that the site declared a loss (which was later reversed when Alex & Sierra won The X Factor).

For The Voice's fifth season, only Zinn made her picks while Everman, Steele, and Swaringen abstained and refused to even make a pick. Zinn chose Tessanne Chin from Team Adam, Olivia Henken and Jacquie Lee from Team Christina, Shelbie Z from Team Blake, and Kat Robichaud and Caroline Pennell from Team CeeLo.[9]

For American Idol's 13th season, the site added two new moderators. Kellie Rock and Kathi Jameson were added to join Zinn, Eveman, Steele, and Swaringen. Beginning with this competition, during the semi-finals and until the Top 10, opposing moderators have the ability to steal the pick that was cut by the original moderator. Each moderator can save two picks. All six chose Marielle Sellars, five moderators Jillian Jensen and Brandy Neeley[10]. The site also chose M.K. Nobilette but declared a transmale and becoming available only to Zinn, Jameson, and Steele as Everman, Swaringen, and Rock were ruled ineligible to choose Nobilette as a pick but ultimately chose Jessica Meuse to make it a "TRANSWOMEN vs. BISEXUAL WOMEN"[10]. The pick of Nobilette stirred up controversy as a fan of the site pointed out and mentioned on Twitter [11]. Jena Irene later broke the record for Vote for the Girls' longest-running American Idol pick, which will remain intact, surpassing Jessica Meuse on the 13th season of American Idol and Lauren Alaina of the 10th season of American Idol. Jena Irene remained VFTG pick for 14 weeks, from top 30 to the finale while Jessica Meuse remained VFTG pick for 12 weeks from the top 30 to the top 4. Meuse finished in 4th place, and is considered to be a candidate to make the VFTG Hall of Fame.

The site was unable to help Christina Grimmie during the sixth season of The Voice, which resulted in the site's first loss on the program.[12]. In addition, the site also declared its first "Double Whammy VFTG Loss" [13] which counts as two losses.

The American Idol 13 and The Voice 6 competitions marked the first time in the site's history that conflict with the contestants from American Idol XIII and The Voice prevented Zinn from completing the season. The male contestants on both competitions were mostly "white guys with guitars." The competitions became increasingly heated and the American public reacts defensively, refusing to accept the truth about WGWG's, and blaming others for no reason. Zinn concludes, "I think the competition's too far gone". After the eliminations of MK Nobilette, Majesty Rose, Malaya Watson, and Jessica Meuse landed in the bottom two the week following Watson's elimination, and Zinn tells in a YouTube video on April 18, 2014, the competition that's basically lopsided with dreaded WGWG's are not normal for this kind of competition and announces that she would be auctioning off her virginity, and it is implied that she called off the competition for that reason.

VFTG Jackpot Showdown
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In September 2013 to commemorate VFTG's fifth year, Ava Zinn indicated on the VFTG Facebook page that new sound effects will be added.

Zinn also indicated that the site will include a Vote for the Girls jackpot consisting of Ava Zinn credit (for one person selected in a drawing that submitted a contest entry to use at any Aeverine Zinn Holdings-owned venue) jackpot that starts at $5,000 Ava Zinn Credit and increased by $1,000 per competition when a VFTG Loss is declared. Additional money is added when a Vote for the Girls pick is eliminated, VFTG Bankrupt, a male contestant saved by public votes and/or a female contestant being eliminated with the least number of votes by the general public.

The wheel contains 24 sections showing values from 5–100, in increments of five, plus a jackpot wedge. Two Male "Stopper" wedges and one Female "WILD CARD" wedge are present. The first player spins the wheel and may choose to stop with his or her score or spin again, adding the value of the second and/or third spin to their first. The second and third individual then spin the wheel and try to match or beat the leader's score; if they fail to do so, they must spin again. If their total score is either less than that of the leader, lands on the male wedge twice, or over $100, the player is eliminated from the game. The player whose score is nearest to $100 without going over wins a spot in the VFTG X Factor and American Idol Showdown. If the first two players go over $100, the last player automatically wins a spot on VFTG X Factor and American Idol Showdown, but they are given one spin to see if they can hit $100 and/or the Female Wedge, of which acts as a wild card (and getting the 100 score by default).

Any player whose score equals $100 (from either one spin or a combination of three spins or less and/or stops on the Female space) receives a $100 bonus and a bonus spin. In the bonus spin, the wheel is positioned on $5 and the player takes their spin. If the wheel stops on $5 or $15 (which are adjacent to the $100 space and painted blue), the player receives a bonus of $1,000. If the wheel stops on $100, the individual wins an additional $2,500. If the wheel stops on the Female WILD CARD, the individual wins $5,000. If the wheel stops at the jackpot wedge, the player receives $10,000 and plays for the jackpot in the VFTG Bonus Round. If the wheel stops on another space or fails to make two complete revolutions, the player wins no additional money and does not get to spin again.

Two or more players who are tied with the leading score compete in a spin-off. Each player gets one additional spin and the higher scorer gets the X Factor or American Idol spot. Multiple spin-offs are played until the tie is broken. Those who hit $100 in their spin-off spin still get $100 and a bonus spin. If two or more players tie with a score of $100, their bonus spins also determine their spin-off score. Only the spin-off score, not any bonus money won, determines which contestant wins the Santa Ava spot. A tie in a bonus spin spin-off means the ensuing second spin-off will be spun with no bonuses available.

Each spin must make two complete revolutions in order to qualify. A player whose spin does not make two complete revolutions is traditionally booed by the audience, and is required to spin again, except during a bonus spin, when the player's turn ends. However, if the bonus spin was also part of a spin-off, the contestant is required to spin again but does not have an opportunity to win any bonus money, similar to a tie-breaking spin after a bonus spin.

The first VFTG Jackpot showdown aired February 18, 2014.

VFTG Fall and Spring Showdown
[edit]

Beginning with the Vote for the Girls in May 2014, the winner of the first VFTG Jackpot Showdown (after the fall cycle should a female win the X Factor and/or The Voice as a VFTG Reward for Victory) won $1,000, and plays seven words of six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, or twelve letters to try to set a time for the winner of the second VFTG Jackpot round (after the American Idol finale should a female win the X Factor and/or The Voice as a VFTG Reward for Success) between four other players (very similar to the Scrabble Sprint). That player would try to beat the time set by the first player, and if she did so, they would win $2,500, and advance to the next round.

Seven words were played and the clock would start counting up when Zinn says "go" and each word started with two letters for the contestant to choose from each time a letter was called up until the last possible letter was put in the word, when only one letter would be displayed. In order to guess the word the player had to hit a plunger to stop the clock. If the contestant either guessed incorrectly or failed to come up with an immediate answer at any time, 10 seconds were added to the time as a penalty. If all the letters but the last one were revealed, a player had 5 seconds to hit the plunger and give a guess; guessing incorrectly or failing to guess resulted in the contestant being forced to play a make-up word.

After the X Factor Round winner played their set of words, the American Idol Round winner played hers with the clock counting down.

For fairness, both players began playing the same set of words. A wrong answer or no answer now resulted in 10 seconds being deducted from the remaining time instead of being added to it. If the American Idol Round winner managed to complete their set of words within the set time, she won $5,000 and would move on to the VFTG Bonus Jackpot Round. Otherwise, the X Factor Showdown winner won and the American Idol round winner left with whatever she had earned to that point.

The first Fall/Spring showdown is slated to air in 2014.

VFTG Jackpot Bonus Round
[edit]

The VFTG Jackpot round, also introduced on the Vote for the Girls in 2014, was played with exactly the same rules as the VFTG X Factor and American Idol Showdown with the only difference being the winner of the VFTG X Factor and American Idol round had to correctly guess four words within 30 seconds (which meant as many as three mistakes and its 10 second penalty was an automatic loss). Doing so won the Vote for the Girls jackpot that started at $50,000 (initially $5,000) and increased by $25,000 each season it went unclaimed. Additional money is only added to the jackpot as the competitions progresses.

The first VFTG Bonus Round is slated to air in May 2014.

Male Moderator Offer
[edit]

Starting with the December 3, 2013 episode, Zinn offered a buyout to the moderator(s) to quit the respective competition before the program's results are revealed. A male moderator, whose appearance and voice are not shown, will phone down to Zinn's phone on the podium. The Male Moderator and Zinn will converse (the Male Moderator's voice is never heard) and Zinn will then inform the moderators of the Male Moderatror's "offer", the amount of which depends on the number of female contestants remaining in the competition, in exchange for not to continue with the competition. This changed in VFTG 2015 with the site's male moderator began to post tweets as @VFTGMaleMod tweets to the moderators (six women and two trans women) of the Male Moderatror's "offer" in exchange for not to continue with the competition. A Male Moderator Cash Offer is offered as chance to end the competition, with the Male Moderator Deal offer. Although the Male Moderator will talk to Zinn (and occasionally the moderators) via phone or via Twitter, and is said to calculate the offers. The calculation is essentially the average value of the VFTG Jackpot slightly higher or lower depending on the progress. Cash is offered prior to the Semi-finals of the respective competitions to be split evenly among the moderators that accepted the offer. In the Semi Finals and Finale, each individual moderator could choose to take a buyout consisting of cash a and various prizes (a trip, Mini Cooper, or home makeover in the semi-finale) and a bigger prize (usually a luxury trip or a car in the finale) cash.

Zinn will then ask all seven (initially three, then five) of the moderators the option to stop the competition after there are two female contestants left on the American versions of The Voice and X Factor (before the finale) and one female contestant on American Idol. If one or more moderators wishes to stop, the moderator(s) presses the button to end the competition and take ten percent of the VFTG Jackpot, otherwise, the moderator(s) declares "No deal!" and does not press the button, requiring the moderator(s) to continue into the next round of the competition. This also can happen though there were still female contestants left in the competition in which due to a lopsided competition or a level of conflict, any VFTG moderator can decide whether or not to continue to the next level.

If one or more moderators chose to take the buyout, the value is deducted from the Vote for the Girls jackpot. If at least one moderator chose to continue with the competition, the competition continued. If one or more female contestants advanced, the cash award is added to the Vote for the Girls jackpot.


Season 6 (VFTG 2015): Make-Up Competitions

[edit]

On July 11, 2014, Vote for the Girls began its sixth season with the site airing a special episode revolving around the events on American Idol XIII, The Voice VI, the subsequent VFTG Losses, and punishment that soon followed during and after the respective competitions with a new, specially-recorded interview with the moderators conducted by Zinn herself, and reading the complaints that several of Zinn's friends complained about her virginity auction and the consequent Punishment for Failure that followed after Christina Grimmie and Jena Irene's defeats: Ava Zinn and Kathi Jameson wearing strapless tops with Zinn wearing thong panties occasionally, while Kellie Rock and Holly Everman binding their breasts with Rock appearing as a Breast Cancer survivor if she had a double mastectomy and Everman (after shaving her traditionally long hair) appearing as a female-to-male transgender individual.

The site also officially added Rising Star (to possibly fill the void left by The X Factor USA), America's Got Talent, and So You Think You Can Dance with AGT and SYTYCD becoming make-up competitions during the summer months after Ava Zinn gave it some thought and consideration. However, during the August 20, 2014 program, Ava Zinn announced the site will also add Dancing with the Stars for the 19th season as a make-up competition for Rising Star, and confirmed on Zinn's Twitter page[14].

The first Rising Star picks were Sarah Darling, Maneepat Malloy, and 12 other VFTG picks that raised the wall during the Qualifiers. On the episode taped June 29, 2014 (aired July 12, 2014), VFTG added "The VFTG iPad" to vote Yes for all VFTG Picks on the Rising Star ABC app via VFTG's Twitter account (@voteforthegirls). The site was unable to help Maneepat Molloy and Macy Kate to the finale. Likewise, the site was unable to help Dana Williams and Audrey Kate Geiger to win Rising Star, as well as a third consecuitive loss (in addition to the second time after the elimination of Bridget Carrington on Duets two years earlier.)

The site's very first AGT picks were singers Mara Justine, Kelli Glover, Blue Journey, ACTE II.

Like the American Idol, X Factor, The Voice, and Rising Star campaigns, the site supports all female contestants on So You Think You Can Dance 11 since Zinn says in a 2010 interview "the eliminations on SYTYCD are more fairer since one male and one female are eliminated each week." Zinn stated in July 2014, "Dropping SYTYCD in 2012 was one of the biggest mistakes I've ever made as a webmaster." Zinn states that on SYTYCD (and also stated from American Idol 12 Top 5 to Top 3), "All the VFTG Picks are good." It should be noted that the site has been successful on SYTYCD.

The sound effect for the VFTG Loss will include the instrumental version of Aloe Blacc's The Man following the known losing horns on The Price is Right.

Pick selection and format

[edit]
Vote for the Girls alternate logo. Used since June 1, 2013

Each reality-based competition begins with the, where Vote for the Girls moderators form their team of frontrunners, which began with the inaugural season of The X Factor USA in October 2011 (two picks for American Idol and three picks for The X Factor USA in VFTG 3 (2012).) In VFTG 4 (2013), this was increased to three picks for American Idol, The X Factor USA, and The Voice of America. In VFTG 5 (2014), this was increased to four picks for American, Idol, The X Factor USA, and The Voice of America), whom fans of the site vote for through the remainder of the season. The moderators watch the audition phases and during the performances of the auditions; those interested in a frontrunner press their signaling device, which illuminates their seat.

In the “Opening Round” (auditions on Rising Star (US) - which are shown on the site's YouTube), at which point all moderators watch the audition phases and during the performances of the auditions; those interested in a frontrunner press their signaling device. The “Opening Round” episodes were introduced in VFTG 6 (2015) with Rising Star auditions that were taped on June 22, 2014; but were not shown until July 11, 2014.

In the “quarter-finals” (battle rounds on The Voice, boot camp or 4 Chair Challenge on The X Factor USA, and before the American Idol semi-finalists are revealed—the latter of the three are not shown on YouTube), at which point all moderators must have their frontrunner picks made. The “quarter-finals” episodes were introduced in VFTG 4 (2013) with The Voice of America 4 Battle Rounds in April 2013.

The finals episodes were introduced in VFTG 2 (2011). Starting with inaugural season of The X Factor USA, each moderator chose who their picks to win the respective competition. A new element was added in VFTG 3 (2012); moderators were given a "wild card", allowing each moderator to select one additional individual. This element increased to two “wild cards” for The Voice when Vote for the Girls added The Voice in November 2012. Another new element was added in VFTG 5 (2014): moderators were given a "Best of Worst pick", allowing each moderator to select one pick not eliminated during a finals round by another moderator, this is usually a female Vote for the Worst pick. In contrast, the site also added a new element upon the shut down of Vote for the Worst (it was reported that Zinn was acquiring the votefortheworst.com domain in May 2013 and redirect the URL to VFTG's site), and added VFTW picks (which are never revealed until the end of the competition) and in some episodes, Ava Zinn in a pre-recorded clip asking "Oh, mighty sound effects lady, is the Vote for the Worst pick eliminated from the competition?" or if a white guy with guitar is eliminated.

The site only claims "victories" with the successful runs of the American The X Factor season 1's Melanie Amaro[5] (Hurd's first and only victory), The Voice US season 3's Cassadee Pope[15], The Voice season 4's Danielle Bradbery[6] The Voice US season 5's Tessanne Chin (all Ava Zinn's victories as winning moderator), The X Factor USA season 3's Alex & Sierra (Holly Everman's victory), as well as three automatic "victories" following the eliminations of the aforementioned Arbos of American Idol season 12[3], The Swon Brothers and Will Champlin finishing in third place on the fourth and fifth seasons of The Voice[6], respectively. The site's first wild card pick of Candice Glover and the site's pick of Danielle Bradbery eventually won that season of American Idol and The Voice, respectively. The victories of Glover, Bradbery, Alex & Sierra, and Tessanne Chin marked the first time multiple victories have happened in any calendar year in the American version of the site's history as well as in the same calendar year. The victories are inducted into the Vote for the Girls Hall of Fame (see below).

Also the site claims "wins" when a male contestant is voted off. Two such notable eliminations were Colton Dixon on American Idol on April 19, 2012 and VEDO on The Voice (season 4) on May 14, 2013.

The site claims "losses" with the runs of the aforementioned Bowersox, Haley Reinhart and Lauren Alaina of American Idol 10, Jessica Sanchez of American Idol 11, and Carly Rose Sonenclar of The X Factor season 2, and notably Bridget Carrington of Duets and Ellona Santiago & Rion Paige of The X Factor.

The site has claimed several "painful bankrupts" with the notable eliminations of Pia Toscano of American Idol 10 on April 7, 2011; Jennell Garcia and CeCe Frey of The X Factor US 2 on November 15, 2012 and December 6, 2012, respectively; Angie Miller of American Idol 12 on May 9, 2013; Judith Hill of The Voice on May 28, 2013. Toscano, Garcia, and Miller were Ava Zinn's (as well as VFTG's) primary picks to win American Idol (in an ironic twist of fate, the dates of the aforementioned eliminations have a connection to Zinn's late mother, Margaret, as Toscano was eliminated on what would have been Zinn's mother's 68th birthday and Miller's elimination on the day before the 11th anniversary of her death.)

After Hill's elimination, Sasha Allen, Amber Carrington, Michelle Chamuel, and Holly Tucker were originally selected for Top 5 week, but after the performances, the website switched the latter to eventual winner Danielle Bradbery[6], marking the first time the website had changed its mind on which contestant to vote for based on performance alone.

The site also claims "painful eliminations" (later "robbed" picks) with the eliminations of Holly Henry on The Voice of America 5, RoXxy Montana, Rachel Potter and Ellona Santiago of The X Factor USA 3.

Beginning with Vote for the Girls' fifth season, a new feature to the site was added The Vote for the Girls Hall of Fame (which is featured on the site's app and at the opening of many VFTG episodes) including the victories of the VFTG Picks that made the finale of the competitions. In the sixth season, the VFTG Hall of Fame included the following categories:

  • VFTG Victories (Melanie Amaro, Cassadee Pope, Candice Glover, Danielle Bradbery, Tessanne Chin, and Alex & Sierra)
  • VFTG Make-Up Victories (Lauren Froderman, Melanie Moore, Eliana Girard, and Amy Yakima)
  • Non-Finale Non-Victory (Angie Miller)
  • Finale Honorable Mention (Crystal Bowersox, Lauren Alaina, Jessica Sanchez, Carly Rose Sonenclar, and Fifth Harmony)
  • Honorable Mention (Sasha Mallory, Kree Harrison, Michelle Chamuel, and Jacquie Lee)

A non-victory VFTG Pick is only inducted in the VFTG Hall of Fame for one of the following reasons: A male-female duo wins, a female from Indiana wins, an undefeated season (of which two picks are inducted by Ava Zinn based on other metrics), or the VFTG moderators. A Finale Honorable Mention is only inducted into the VFTG Hall of Fame for one of the following reasons: a female wins So You Think You Think You Can Dance and/or America's Got Talent (of which only the VFTG Pick that made the finale of the respective competitions finished Runner-Up).

The first non-winning VFTG Pick was Angie Miller of American Idol 12 following the victory of Alex & Sierra of which Zinn states, "Angie Miller is in the VFTG Hall of Fame Angie clearly has great recording artist qualities. I heard something in her that was quite special. She had the best potential across any other pick in Vote for the Girls, and in my business I think long term. I definitely, definitely made the right choice. This, for a 19-year old recording artist, is a phenomenon. This woman is going to be a big success."

Starting in the sixth season (VFTG 2015), the site added two Honorable Mention categories to the VFTG Hall of Fame (Finale Honorable Mention and Honorable Mention as they are usually VFTG Picks that lost their respective singing competitions). The first Finale Honorable Mention VFTG Picks will be American Idol 9 Runner-up Crystal Bowersox, American Idol 10 runner-up Lauren Aliana, American Idol 11 runner-up Jessica Sanchez, The X Factor USA 2 respective 1st and 2nd runners-up Carly Rose Sonenclar and Fifth Harmony declared by Zinn because of the victories of So You Think You Can Dance winners Lauren Froderman, Melanie Moore, Eliana Girard, and Amy Yakima (since Yakima resided in the Detroit television market, which is a significantly viewed market on Zinn's other popular site, INNewsCenter, Amy Yakima's victory allowed both Carly Rose Sonenclar and Fifth Harmony as co-inductees). The first Honorable Mention in the VFTG Hall of Fame will be VFTG Picks So You Think You Can Dance 8 runner-up Sasha Mallory, American Idol 12 runner-up Kree Harrison, The Voice US season 4 runner-up Michelle Chamuel, and The Voice US season 5 runner-up Jacquie Lee declared by Zinn because both the winner and runner-up were both female.

Also in VFTG 2015, the site officially added So You Think You Can Dance as a make-up competition. The site previously followed SYTYCD for the seventh and eighth seasons, of which Lauren Froderman and Melanie Moore were added to the VFTG Hall of Fame as the first and second make-up victories for Crystal Bowersox and Lauren Alaina, respectively. VFTG Moderator Kathi Jameson posted on her Twitter page about the site adding SYTYCD: "Kellie and I absolutely love #sytycd and I've wondered why the fuck Ava dropped the show in 2012." Ava Zinn posted the reason for dropping SYTYCD in 2012 was due to the "the storm that basically sealed my faith in Marion, Indiana". Also starting in the sixth season, the site added America's Got Talent as another make-up competition.

Special considerations are given for a VFTG pick to be included in the VFTG Hall of Fame due to circumstances beyond their control, such as illness, military commitments, or unusual delays. This occurred for the first time in Season 6, when Maneepat Molloy who won on the first season of Thailand's Got Talent, was a contestant on Rising Star but finished in 6th place, with Zinn explaining at the top of the August 20, 2014 episode that in such a case, the VFTG pick would be inducted in the VFTG Hall of Fame as a non-finale pick at a later date as a co-victory.[16]

Notable Painful Bankrupts

[edit]
  • Pia Toscano (American Idol 10 - April 7, 2011)
  • Haley Reinhart (American Idol 10 - May 2011)
  • Stacy Francis (The X Factor USA 1 - November 17, 2011)
  • Lakoda Rayne (The X Factor USA 1 - November 23, 2011)
  • Drew (The X Factor USA 1 - December 1, 2011)
  • Jennel Garcia (The X Factor USA 2 - November 15, 2012)
  • Sylvia Yacoub (The Voice of America 3 - November 20, 2012)
  • Amanda Brown (The Voice of America 3 - December 4, 2012)
  • CeCe Frey (The X Factor USA 2 - December 6, 2012)
  • Angie Miller (American Idol 12 - May 9, 2013) - VFTG Hall of Fame (December 19, 2013)
  • Judith Hill (The Voice of America 4 - May 28, 2013)
  • Sarah Simmons (The Voice of America 4 - May 28, 2013)
  • Sasha Allen (The Voice of America 4 - June 11, 2013)
  • Amber Carrington (The Voice of America 4 - June 11, 2013)
  • Shelbie Z (The Voice of America 5 - November 7, 2013)
  • Rachel Potter (The X Factor USA 3 - November 14, 2013)
  • Caroline Pennel (The Voice of America 5 - November 26, 2013)
  • Lillie McCloud (The X Factor USA 3 - November 28, 2013)
  • Ellona Santiago (The X Factor USA 3 - December 5, 2013)
  • Rion Paige Thompson (The X Factor USA 3 - December 5, 2013)
  • Malaya Watson (American Idol 13 - April 10, 2014)
  • Bria Kelly (The Voice of America 6 - April 29, 2014)
  • Audra McLaughlin (The Voice of America 6 - May 6, 2014)
  • Sisaundra Lewis (The Voice of America 6 - May 6, 2014)
  • Kat Perkins (The Voice of America 6 - May 13, 2014)
  • Kristen Merlin (The Voice of America 6 - May 13, 2014)
  • Summer Collins (Rising Star 1 - June 22, 2014)

Notable Painful Eliminations/VFTG Pick Robbed

[edit]
  • Rachel Crow (The X Factor USA 1 - December 8, 2011)
  • Paige Thomas (The X Factor USA 2 - November 29, 2012)
  • Melanie Martinez (The Voice of America 3 - December 4, 2012)
  • Diamond White (The X Factor USA 2 - December 6, 2012)
  • Monique Abaddle (The Voice of America 4 - April 29, 2013)
  • Mary Miranda (The Voice of America 4 - April 29, 2013)
  • Holly Henry (The Voice of America 5 - October 28, 2013)
  • RoXxy Montana (The X Factor USA 3 - October 29, 2013)
  • Elizabeth Daly (The Voice of America 5 - October 29, 2013)
  • Sweet Suspense (The X Factor USA 3 - November 14, 2013)
  • Kat Robichauld (The Voice of America 5 - November 19, 2013)
  • Cary Laine (The Voice of America 6 - March 25, 2014)
  • Clarissa Serna (The Voice of America 6 - April 7, 2014)
  • Kaleigh Glanton (The Voice of America 6 - April 7, 2014)
  • Brittnee Camelle (The Voice of America 6 - April 7, 2014)
  • Dani Moz (The Voice of America 6 - April 22, 2014)
  • Tess Boyer (The Voice of America 6 - April 29, 2014)
  • Daniel & Olivia (Rising Star 1 - June 22, 2014)

Differences from Vote for the Worst

[edit]

Unlike Vote for the Worst, VFTG's webmaster, Ava Zinn posts voting information for the female contestant on the site, on both the Vote for the Girls and Zinn's own Facebook page[17] (as well as uncensored versions) and Twitter[18] accounts.

In earlier seasons, if a male contestant (which are almost never VFTG picks but usually male Vote for the Worst picks) is eliminated, Zinn does say thank you for not voting for that particular contestant. She may do a celebratory dance or other forms of winning.

Notable male contestant eliminations include:

  • On May 12, 2011, during the American Idol tenth season Top 4 Results, after learning that Haley Reinhart and Lauren Alaina were in the Top 3, Zinn celebrated by spontaneously whipping off her shirt and falling to her knees (not shown in the video) in her bra (a la Brandi Chastain in the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup finals). Zinn does this three more times during The Voice fourth season on June 18, 2013 as Zinn's pants fell down on the American VFTG; The X Factor series 10 on November 3, 2013 after Kingsland Road's elimination; and even naked after Sam Woolf's elimination on American Idol season 13 on May 1, 2014 .
  • On March 28, 2013, despite Zinn being not present, she appeared in a recorded video asking in a parody of One Away from The Price is Right, "Oh, mighty sound effects lady, is there one girl in the American Idol Competition?" for the first, and "Oh, wise and noble sound effects lady, are all five ladies still in the competition?" After Amber Holcomb was the last of the five ladies to be declared safe, and Ava Zinn wins (as a VFTG Clean Sweep Win) if the first five ladies received the highest number of votes.
    • The second VFTG Clean Sweep Win happened on May 21, 2013 during The Voice results. However Zinn appeared live also asking in a parody of One Away from The Price is Right, "Oh, Carson Daly, is there one girl in the competition?" for the first, and "Oh, Carson Daly, are all seven ladies still in the competition?" Since VFTG 2014, pre-recorded clips of Zinn asking in a parody of One Away from The Price is Right, "Oh, mighty sound effects lady....." phrase when the next possible female is saved.
    • A third VFTG Clean Sweep Win happened on July 6, 2014 (aired July 11, 2014) during the inaugural season of Rising Star. This occurred when Cliff Cody and boy band TX3 were eliminated.

In the first two seasons, if a VFTG pick is eliminated (usually a primary pick by Zinn under her sole discretion), she will then use an insulting remark such as "all you had to do was vote for a girl to stay in the competition....," "Guess What, someone voted for a guy. Wanna know who it is? It's you, you fucking idiot." (the latter quote is bleeped on the Vote for the Girls YouTube channel while Ava Zinn's Uncensored, later VFTGUK YouTube channel is unedited); this can happen if there is only one woman left in the competition before the finale of the singing competitions, and usually occurs when she shouts her trademark phrases "CALL IT OFF! and/or "CLEAR IT DOWN!". Beginning in the fall of 2013, pre-recorded clips of Zinn are also used, with many of of the clips that are aforementioned.


There have been four occasions in which a Vote for the Girls pick have been male contestants. During The X Factor season 3, the site decided to include pop duo Alex & Sierra (Alex Kinsey and Sierra Denton) as a "Best of Worst Pick" for Zinn to count as a male-female duo (counting as a 0.5 male and 0.5 female contestant).[19] A year earlier, the site initially chose Lyric145 as a VFTG pick only to find out that the group was rejected since there were only two males and one female in the group; therefore not counting as a VFTG pick [19]. During the live finals, if the male-female duo wins the competition, the site declares a draw (no VFTG Victory nor VFTG Loss) with the duo or group earning a place in the VFTG Hall of Fame with a non-finale pick. Alex & Sierra won that season and Angie Miller was added into the Vote for the Girls Hall of Fame.

Starting with February 18, 2014 YouTube episode, the site began to allow LGBT-related picks when the site decided MK Nobilette as a transman (female-to-male) based on performances and also counted as another "Best of Worst" pick for Zinn (See below). [20] The pick of Nobilette was proven to be controversial.

A similar decision happened on the UK version of which the site declared James Byron as a transwoman (male-to-female) based on performances and counted as an automatic Vote for the Girls pick for the bisexual and lesbian moderators, but this has not happened on the US version.

Unlike Alex & Sierra on The X Factor USA, Nobilette was declared a transgender male (even though Nobilette is a female). Ava Zinn and Holly Everman chose Nobilette as a second "Best of Worst" picks while Swaringen changed her pick to Andrina Brogden prior to the transman declaration of MK Nobilette. Two other F2M picks have been declared in subsequent seasons: Kristen Merlin of The Voice of America 6 and Deedra Ervin of Rising Star 1.

Finale

[edit]

At the end of the respective competitions, Ava will post a video on her YouTube channel as a Vote for the Girls crossover after making friendly wagers on who would win (and often the gender of the winner of the respective competitions.) If a female wins the competition (or if all male contestants have been eliminated before the finale), Zinn declares a reward for the "Vote for the Girls Victory." Theses rewards vary from the moderators going on a week-long vacation, Zinn having a relaxing day away from the AvaZinn.com center (where VFTG is produced) or a prize.

If a male wins the competition (or if all female contestants are eliminated before the finale and in rare instances, a VFTG pick loses), Zinn declares a punishment for a "Vote for the Girls Loss." These punishments vary from Zinn's close female friends growing a leg beard during the month of October while the males grow a facial beard that month for Beards for Breast Cancer, Ava traveling more than 30 miles by bicycle, etc.

Rewards for VFTG Victories/Wins
[edit]
Season 1
[edit]

During VFTG's first year (VFTG 2010), Zinn placed a friendly wager as a protegee/mentor relationship with Patrice Rafferty on who made the American Idol finale. After learning Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze made the finale of the ninth season of American Idol, Zinn won the wager as Rafferty, meaning that Ava Zinn got a much needed makeover and vacations in Texas and Florida, the latter of the two rewards as of July 2014 have yet to be fulfilled, though Ava Zinn has conisdered taking Vote for the Girls on the road.

Season 3
[edit]

Following the victory of Melanie Amaro on the first season of The X Factor, the reward for Robyn Hurd (for the first time in site history the moderators chose their picks to win) was treated to a day at a spa, got to go out with her transgendered wife, Hillary Matthewson, at Applebees, and visited a local boutique, where Robyn spent $500 on new clothing, while Holly (despite the site's victory) had to set up the VFTG USA set, to clean up the VFTG set and decorate the set for Ava Zinn's birthday on January 4, 2012.

Season 4
[edit]

Following the Vote for the Girls victories of Candice Glover and Danielle Bradbery, the VFTG moderators (Zinn, Everman, Swaringen) were rewarded with a trip to the Indiana State Fair. On August 10, 2013, Everman attended the Danielle Bradbery and Lauren Alaina concerts while Zinn was in her hometown of Van Buren, Indiana committed to the town's popcorn festival. Zinn stated had she knew about the Danielle Bradbery concert before making the trip to Indianapolis, she would have given Bradbery an autographed Vote for the Girls T-shirt.

Season 5
[edit]

Following the victories of Tessanne Chin and Alex & Sierra, the VFTG moderators were rewarded to Ava Zinn's birthday party on January 4, 2014. Additionally, Holly (for Alex & Sierra's victory) and Ava (for Tessanne Chin's victory) award for being the winning moderator were lunch at Conncannon's Bakery and Coffee Bar in Muncie during the summer plus Ava being awarded with four new pairs of shoes, a belly button piercing, an iPad and another gadget plus Zinn's laptop being fixed after Zinn's significant other, Mandy, caused the laptop to malfunction (thus Ava unable to access iTunes for The Voice 5 Top 12).

Punishment for Failure and VFTG Loss
[edit]

In almost every October (following a Vote for the Girls Loss), the Vote for the Girls moderators, which are all females, grow their leg hair out during the month of October. However, as of VFTG 2015 (Season 6), which saw the site's addition to So You Think You Can Dance and America's Got Talent as make-up competitions, the punishments for failure are shown on the site's YouTube channel starting in July 2014. Also in season 6, should a VFTG Moderator take the Male Moderator's offer before her VFTW pick is eliminated, she will earn immunity from another Punishment for Failure.


Season 1
[edit]

Due to Crystal Bowersox's defeat on the ninth season of American Idol, Holly and Robyn had to clean the home of Ava Zinn without a vaccuum cleaner or any appliances as well as repairing a TV tower. During the punishment, on June 1, 2010 (six days after the American Idol finale), Angie Zinn, the wife of Ava Zinn died of a heart attack. That same month, Zinn went to Indianapolis via Greyhound Bus Lines for placement testing at Franklin University's Castleton campus. Robyn repeatedly joked during the punishment, irritating Holly and tensions rise within the moderation panel. Holly and Robyn also began to watch the seventh season of So You Think You Can Dance. for losing the friendly wager between guest moderator Patrice Rafferty (who filled in for Ava Zinn while she took time off for her wife's death and sexual assault in Indianapolis. Conversely, in what has since become a tradition for any VFTG Loss, Ava Zinn usually takes these Punishments for Failure as a blessing in disguise, as well as the entire moderation panel refraining from shaving their legs in the month of October to support Beards for Breast Cancer.

Had Crystal Bowersox won American Idol, the reward for success (and VFTG Victory) was a Florida vacation for Holly and a Texas vacation for Robyn.

Season 2
[edit]

During VFTG's second year, Zinn lost a wager after not only Pia Toscano finished in 9th place, yet despite a successful campaign of the "Vote for Haley and Lauren" on VFTG. On April 18, 2011, Zinn announced on her YouTube channel that she would audition for the following season of American Idol. In addition to the American Idol audition for the 11th season in Pittsburgh, Zinn also made two bicycle trips from Marion, Indiana to nearby Muncie and Wabash on August 8, 2011 and August 17, 2011, respectively. The former of the bicycle trip was necessary as Zinn decided to sell her plasma as a condition of her American Idol audition, but was later turned away. Because of the successful campaign of Lauren Alaina and & Haley Reinhart, Zinn also voluntarily went to her hometown of Van Buren, Indiana via bicycle from Marion on August 10 and 11, 2011 to celebrate the Popcorn Festival in her hometown and thus missing the So You Think You Can Dance season 8 finale.

Season 3
[edit]

On May 3, 2012, during the Top 5 results, Ava says "That's fucking BAD" followed by Zinn smashing a piece of fish, and following Skylar Laine's elimination. That episode proved to be the last appearance of Robyn Hurd.

Another punishment was Zinn making a brutal two-hour bicycle trip from Marion to Ivanhoe's Restaurant in Upland in which Zinn claimed was 100-plus degree heat after Jessica Sanchez was declared runner-up on the 11th season of American Idol. But the heat index was above 90 degrees when Zinn made the bicycle trip.

Season 4
[edit]

On December 22, 2012, after the winner of The X Factor was revealed, Ava is seen throwing an orange across the set (which explodes) and Holly Everman called a woman named Heather who voted for The X Factor season 2 winner "a fucking cunt" for voting for a male contestant. Zinn has adopted her name of X Factor 2 winner "Tabby Stabby." As a VFTG Punishment for Failure, Zinn posted a YouTube video on December 26, 2012 walking a half mile in a blizzard from the VFTG USA set to a Dollar Tree store and announced she will once again encourage her female friends to grow a leg beard for the month of October 2013.

Season 5
[edit]

On the December 7, 2013 episode after declaring its first Loss of 2013 Zinn announced that she is threatening having sexual intercourse as a male one final time, by selling her virginity, and launching a porn web site--the latter of which is much to the chagrin of what Zinn said "nearly 3 million people that watched The X Factor".

During American Idol 13, while there were still females in the competition, Zinn announced on her Twitter account that she went on a "Meat strike" as a punishment following the eliminations of Jillian Jensen and Mairrelle Sellars. The meat strike began March 1, 2014 and was initially expected to last until the American Idol finale (had a girl won). After the eliminations of Malaya Watson and Jessica Meuse on American Idol and the eliminations of Bria Kelly, Audra McLaughlin, and Sisaundra Lewis on The Voice of America 6, as well as the first loss on the UK version of Vote for the Girls--which Jermain Jackman won The Voice UK's third series, Ava Zinn's meat strike will conclude on January 3, 2015.

On April 18, 2014, Ava Zinn announced that she would follow through on her threat from December 7, 2013 of having sexual intercourse as a male one final time, by selling her virginity to the highest bidder.

Season 6
[edit]

A new element to the Vote for the Girls Punishment for failure was added in August 2014. If a VFTG Moderator takes the male moderator offer before all her Vote for the Girls picks are eliminated before her Vote for the Worst pick is eliminated, she will gain an advantage and Zinn and Everman will take the individual(s) to an off-site location and explain the theme of the VFTG Punishment for Loss in private (if a male wins the competition). This moderator is told of her advantages, which can include a reward with a recreational activity away from the Vote for the Girls set and other potential prizes, automatic moderator panel renewal for the next season, or selecting the specific theme of the punishment for failure/loss. The rest of the moderators are then informed of the decision at the end of the competition.

The first such immunity occurred on August 17, 2014, when Kellie Rock became the first moderator to earn immunity. She made a $1.2 million deal with the male moderator before the Rising Star Quarter-Finals on August 10, 2014 with her VFTW pick of Joshua Peavy eliminated on August 17. In addition Julia Passalt made an $8 million deal with the male moderator before the Rising Star finale on August 20, 2014 with her VFTW pick winning Rising Star.

Opening theme/Theme Song

[edit]

The primary opening theme was Here Come the Girls by the UK girl group Sugababes, and still used sparingly due to licensing issues. The intro from 2010 to 2013 was not shown until the site celebrated its fifth Birthday in April 2015.


On two occasions and on the uncensored version (on Ava Zinn's Uncensored, and later the Britain VFTG YouTube channel) the opening theme is "What You've Done To Me" by Australian X Factor season 4 winner Samantha Jade; however, the instrumental version of is used on the uncensored version until the change became permanent on June 1, 2013 and as of July 2014, the instrumental version is now used with the vocal version used sparingly. The intro is a montage of Ava Zinn on most webisodes while others are a montage of various clips since VFTG's debut.

On October 1, 2013, the intro was changed again and unlike the four previous seasons, it begins with the iconic "Indianapolis Welcomes You" sign, which morphed to "Vote for the Girls Welcomes You". This is followed by an Indianapolis Colts home game-style opening, featuring video montages of Amaro, Bradbery, Glover, and Pope's performances at Lucas Oil Stadium (making the audience feel they are at a concert), with Zinn appearing at the end. Later in the season, the intro featured a video montages Tessanne Chin and Alex & Sierra, as well as the aforementioned video montages of Amaro, Bradbery, Glover, and Pope's performances at Lucas Oil Stadium.

In August 2014, the intro was changed again. The intro begins with the virtual VFTG set featuring video montages of Alex & Sierra, Amaro, Bradbery, Chin, Glover, and Pope's performances and introductions of moderators of Kellie Rock, Kathi Jameson, Lanise White, Julia Passalt, Nermal Everman (later Karly Ryder, Jr.), Kym Christian, with Zinn and Holly Everman appearing at the end. Also the instrumental version of "What You've Done to Me" from the uncensored version becomes permanent. Additional montages include the So You Think You Can Dance victories of Froderman, Moore, Girard, and Yakima, and eliminations of Magnus, Reinhart, Cavanagh, Bridget Carrington, and Christina Grimmie.


Unique openings
[edit]
  • Zinn parodies the open of 1980s American drama series The A-Team. The background images used were real images used from The A-Team's intro sequence, but used the Indianapolis skyline and Siobhan Magnus' elimination.
  • In a Twitter post by Ava Zinn, it was revealed that Zinn will parodies the open of The Morton Downey, Jr. Show. The opening used were modified real images used from The Morton Downey Jr. Show's intro sequence, but used Indiana icons, such as newspaper front pages from the state of Indiana, past Vote for the Girls picks, etc.


Notable episodes and Crossovers
[edit]

The site and YouTube channel often uses a guest moderator and/or on occasion, an Indiana pick (most notably Valerie Rockey of So You Think You Can Dance 11), the latter of which reside in Indiana (the home state of Zinn, Everman, Rock, Ryder, and Ward). Through pick placement, certain Vote for the Girls US picks on certain episodes, often crossing over from another Aeverine Zinn Holdings web property (mostly AvaZinn.com/Save Us Ava Zinn since VFTG's launch, and INNewsCenter since its 2014 revival) or courtesy of Zinn as an invitation. Some such guest moderators and Indiana VFTG picks, are used in guest appearances during the respective competitions. Zinn stated when talking about the revival of INNewsCenter, she said "Expect crossovers between INNewsCenter and Vote for the Girls" as one of the five things that she states that will be different between INNewsCenter's original run from 1999 to 2011 and the 2014 revival.

  • Notable episodes
    • Zinn was bleeped 90 times on July 12, 2012 following Briget Carrington's elimination on Duets.
    • In two episodes, Zinn was bleeped nearly 150 times ("fuck" was used 70 times on the uncensored version) spanning 90 minutes. This led to several of Zinn's fans in the UK commenting: "She's (Ava Zinn) got to be the Judge Judy of The X Factor."
    • On December 6, 2013 following the elimination of Ellona Santiago and Rion Paige on the third season of The X Factor USA a day earlier, Zinn announced on that episode as "Punishment for Failure," Zinn announced on that episode of her intentions of doing pornography and intentions of having sexual intercourse for the last time as a male, only for the decision to be reversed two weeks later when Alex & Sierra won the competition. Zinn would later make the virginity auction announcement official on April 18, 2014.
    • On the December 10 and 12, 2013 episodes, Zinn is seen in a one piece swimsuit on both episodes.
    • On the February 27, 2014 episode the VFTG audience booed loudly after Jennifer Lopez on the VFTG board announced Spencer Lloyd's name as Zinn asked "did she say what I think.." followed by three and a half minutes of booing (as WGWG's, or "white guys with guitar" have been traditionally booed since VFTG 2014)
    • On May 1, 2014 following the elimination of Sam Woolf on the 13th season of American Idol, Zinn stripped naked for the first ever Vote for the Girls Knockout.
    • On the Vote for the Girls sixth season premiere in August 2014, the aftermath of the respective eliminations of Christina Grimmie and Jena Irene were finally shown nearly three months after the two losses were declared. On the same episode, as part of the site's punishment for failure, Ava Zinn and Kathi Jameson trade gender roles with Kellie Rock and Holly Everman. Rock and Everman bind their breasts, with the latter appearing as a female-to-male transgender individual and shaved off her traditionally long hair and the former appearing as a woman that had a double mastectomy; Zinn and Jameson returns the favor (as both are male-to-female transgender individuals) by wearing provocative outfits such as strapless tops and thong panties alongside.
    • On August 6, 2014, Zinn was bleeped 112 times ("fuck" was used 80 times and "shit" was used 28 times on the uncensored version) spanning the first 15 minutes. The first 15 minutes consisted of the aftermath of the eliminations of Sonnet Simmons, Alice Lee, Megan Tibbits, Lisa Punch, and Macy Kate on Rising Star. Holly Everman was also bleeped off screen. Additionally, this essentially ties a record set by Gordon Ramsay on the first episode of Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares, in May 2004, a single episode of Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares contained the word "fuck" 111 times.[21]
  • Crossovers (with other versions of VFTG)
    • On the December 8, 2013 VFTG UK episode, VFTG USA Moderators Holly Everman and Michelle Steele were guests with Zinn and UK Chief Moderator Ariel Swaringen.
  • Crossovers with AvaZinn.com/Save Us Ava Zinn
    • In August 2012, following the aftermath of Bridget Carrington's elimination on Duets and Jessica Sanchez finishing runner-up on the 11th season of American Idol, Ava Zinn posted a video of her bicycle trip from Marion to Upland on Zinn's YouTube channel.
    • As part of the Vote for the Girls Punishment for Failure, Ava Zinn on July 19, 2014 and Holly Everman on August 14, 2014 biked from their homes to a notable landmark in the VFTG moderator's hometown(s) as Ava Zinn biked from the VFTG Set in Marion, Indiana to Concannon's Bakery in Everman's hometown of Muncie, Indiana; Everman planned on returning the favor on August 14, 2014 when she biked from Castleton Square Mall in Indianapolis to the Van Buren Popcorn Festival in Zinn's hometown of Van Buren, Indiana. However, in a Facebook post by Everman, it was revealed that Everman biked two days from moving Indianapolis to Van Buren via bicycle.

Ava Zinn has indicated that there will be an INNewsCenter/Vote for the Girls USA Crossover.


Co-hosts and moderatrors

[edit]
Ava Zinn has hosted the US and UK versions their inceptions.

The moderator line-up was unannounced. At the time of the U.S. version of VFTG's debut, Zinn was the only confirmed moderator for the site. She later said that she was taking the choices of who to join her on the site very seriously, saying, "It's pointless hiring moderators who don't know anything about the music business, yet demonstrates passion about voting for female contestants on Americna Idol. I'll probably go and find someone who did what I did for a living. I was an host 10 years." Eventually, Zinn's long-time friends Robyn Hurd and Zinn's former Patrice sidekick Holly Everman were confirmed to join Zinn in the moderator panel.

Hurd was the original second moderator of the site and show for almost two years, and remained with the site until shortly before her death in May 2012. Her last episode aired on May 3, 2012.

After the American Idol 11 season finale, Robyn Hurd died after suffering a stroke and was also seeking a fourth moderator to compliment the addition of then-new singing competition Duets. Amanda Smith, Ariel Swaringen (also serving as Vote for the Girls UK), Rhonda Spencer, Raymond Passalt (son of current VFTG Moderator Julia Passalt), and Matthewson's daughter Maribel Mort filled in after Matthewson's death, and Swaringen was confirmed as the permanent replacement in 2013 at the start of Vote for the Girls' fifth season.

When searching for replacements, Zinn sought to hire a young superstar, in order to bring in a younger audience to replace Hurd. In November 2012, it was announced that Michelle Steele and Ariel Swaringen, had signed a one-year contract with the site.

In December 2013, Zinn revealed on AvaZinn.com that Zinn and Everman will remain on the VFTG USA panel, while Michelle Steele and Ariel Swaringen were are asked not to return for VFTG 2015. Steele accepted the chief moderator role of VFTG AU before Zinn announced the Australian version was a no go and Swaringen was slated to remain chief moderator of the UK version of Vote for the Girls. Swaringen died of natural causes on March 22, 2014.

In a January 2014 Facebook post, it was revealed that a fifth and sixth moderators for the US site was added. Kellie Rock (from Terre Haute) joined Everman, Steele, Swaringen, and Zinn while a sixth moderator, Kathi Jameson (from Chicago) joining the panel in March 2014. Replacements for Swaringen and Steele were expected to be filled in October 2014. Reports on who were going to replace Swaringen and Steele on the moderator panel circulated for months. The remainder of Vote for the Girls fifth season went on with two less moderators following the departure of Steele and Swaringen's death as they were not yet confirmed. Zinn has confirmed that there will be only two transwomen and four women on the moderator panel.



Moderators Seasons
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
Fall 2011 Spring 2012 Fall 2012 Spring 2013 Fall 2013 Spring 2014 Fall 2014 Spring 2015 Fall 2015 Spring 2016 Fall 2016 Spring 2017
Ava Zinn
Holly Everman Took leave of absence on August 25, 2014
Robyn Hurd Deceased May 24, 2012(2012-05-24) (aged 51)
Michelle Steele Deceased May 10, 2014(2014-05-10) (aged 33)
Ariel Swaringen Deceased March 22, 2014(2014-03-22) (aged 23)
Kellie Rock
Kathi Jameson
Lanise White
Nermal Everman Substitute
Karly Ryder, Jr.
Julia Passalt
Kym Christian
Khayla Chow
Tracia Ward

After a shaky start to the Spring of 2014, Zinn had confirmed in a Twitter post on April 30, 2014 that she would undergo some changes which resulted in, what media outlets called, a "Vote for the Girls Shake-up". Zinn announced that Khayla Chow would join Zinn, Rock, and Jameson for the spring cycle of Vote for the Girls USA 2015 (the site's sixth season) while also confirming Rock as the only confirmed moderator panelists for the upcoming fall cycle for Vote for the Girls 2015. Chow had previously served as a moderator on the inaugural series of the UK version of the site.

Amanda Smith, Patrice Rafferty, and Johnathan Steele (brother of late VFTG moderator Michelle Steele) have occasionally served as substitute moderators.


Notes:

  1. The first seat serves as the chief moderator. When the chief moderator is off, Zinn (from 2010-2014) and Holly Everman (since 2014) acts as chief moderator and moves to the first seat.
  2. Robyn Hurd died May 24, 2012 with Hurd's official final show on May 3, 2012. During the period between May 24, 2012 and October 2, 2013, the second seat served as a guest moderator.
  3. Ariel Swaringen died March 22, 2014 with Swaringewn's official final show on March 20, 2014.
  4. Michelle Steele died May 10, 2014 with Steele's official final show on March 6, 2014.
  5. Starting with the sixth season of the site, there will be moderator panels for the fall and spring.

Ava Zinn

[edit]
Ava Zinn
Born
Frank A. Zinn

(1983-01-04) January 4, 1983 (age 41)
LaGrange, Illinois
Other namesAeverine Zinn (2004-present)
Ava Frankie
Ava Nieves (2006-2009)
Franky Zinn (1983-1999)
Alma materMississinewa High School
Years active1986-present
Height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Spouse
Angela Willis
(m. 2001⁠–⁠2010)
Partner(s)1) Amanda Davidson (1993-97 and 2012-13)
2)Elisa Everman (1997-2000)
Websiteavazinn.com

Vote for the Girls creator and web master Ava Zinn was selected as the main host for the American version debuted in April 2010, a role she has held ever since, except on the episode aired April 7, 2011 on the US version. Zinn also served as the third moderator for the American version of Vote for the Girls until November 2012 when the site added a fourth moderator to compliment VFTG adding The Voice (eventually replacing Duets) from February until May 2014, served as the sixth moderator, and currently serves as the eighth moderator since July 2014.

Ava Zinn frequently faces criticism when she advises fans of VFTG to never vote for a male contestant, which often times viewers of singing competitions see as a blatantly sexist remark. "I don't see it as a witch hunt," she said. "It's all about seeing it as a way of supporting American Idol contestants and correcting the bias against the girls on that particular show. Who's more likely to molest a child or sexually assault someone? A biological male, not a biological female? What contestants did VFTW did likely support and piss pundits off? A white guy with guitar (WGWG) and rap artists."

Zinn's signature phrases "WGWG Commie" (in reference to the white guy with guitar that Idol pundits call and Communism) and "Shush it!" (a phrase used to quiet an irate moderator), use of profanity and harsh critics enjoys some popularity in the contemporary vernacular. Zinn particularly enjoys making her guests angry with each other and often fans of male contestants angry with Zinn, which on a few occasions resulted in cyberbullying via Facebook and Twitter and physical confrontations. One confrontation that occurred on VFTG after the elimination of Malaya Watson on April 10, 2014, involving fellow VFTG USA moderator Holly Everman and VFTG UK moderator Khayla Chow. The exchange between the two women culminated in Chow shoving Everman into her chair, knocking her to the floor and Zinn intervening to separate the pair (which was not shown due to the nature of the brawl). Another confrontation that occoured after Lisa Punch was saved over Sarah Darling, involving Kellie Rock and newcomer Lanise White after Rock called Lisa Punch a "nappy headed hoe."

From VFTG 2010 to VFTG 2014, when Holly Everman was off, Zinn moves to the first seat. Since VFTG 2015, Zinn will only move to the first seat when both Kellie Rock and Holly Everman are off.

Current Moderators

[edit]

Kellie Rock

[edit]
Kellie Rock
Born
Kellie Anne Buchanan

(1964-02-18) February 18, 1964 (age 60)
Erie, Pennsylvania
Years active1984-present
Spouse
Megan Rock (formerly Melvin Rock)
(m. 1989)
RelativesRobyn Hurd (deceased sister)
Maribel Mort (niece)

Following speculation after leaving the TV business, on December 9, 2013, it was announced that former Wabash Valley anchorwoman Kellie Rock would be joining the moderator panel lineup in 2014. Speaking about joining the site, Rock said "I'm very excited to become a mod on Vote for the Girls. I love the concept of the site and have been an avid fan of the site. The moderator rewards for a girl winning is such an important aspect of the music industry and VFTG USA gives us all a part to play in that. Will I be competitive? Probably more than even I imagine! Watch this space!" VFTG Founder and Webmaster Ava Zinn, said that "Kellie is a hugely respected figure within the world of female artists and will be a fantastic addition to Vote for the Girls USA." Fellow moderators, Michelle Steele and Ariel Swaringen spoke highly about Kellie joining the site. Steele stated in a press release, "I'm excited to be returning for the second half of VFTG USA 2014 and to work with Kellie, Ava, Holly and Ariel. Together we will mix it up and bring new energy and ideas to the site." Swaringen said that Kellie and the then unnamed sixth moderator would be a welcome addition to the site.

Prior to accepting the offer for the second half of VFTG USA 2014, Rock was rumored to have turned down the $75,000 offer to join Vote for the Girls in 2012 following the death of Rock's sister, Robyn Hurd. Rock inherited Hurd's only victory of Melanie Amaro. Rock became the fourth moderator on Febraury 18, 2014 and moved to the second moderator seat following the death of Ariel Swaringen.

On April 30, 2014 Kellie Rock initially announced that she will be taking a hiatus on Vote for the Girls and made a suggestion that the moderator panel be rotated for the fall and spring cycles. It was announced a month later that she will be replacing Holly Everman as the chief moderator after Everman accepted the co-hosting duties.

On July 14, 2014, Rock was suspended from the moderator panel after posting a racist remark on her Facebook page.

Kellie Rock announced on August 18, 2014 that her husband of 25 years, Melvin Rock, will undergo male-to-female gender transition and will go by the name of Megan Rock.

Lanise White

[edit]
Lanise White
Born
Lanise Kay White

(1963-08-08) August 8, 1963 (age 61)
Green Bay, Wisconsin
Years active1985-present

It was announced on June 9, 2014 that American host and presenter Lanise White from Milwaukee was confirmed as a moderator of Vote for the Girls. White's moderator panel role on Vote for the Girls USA have made her a much-sought after commentator on Milwaukee television that led to her hiring on this American version of Vote for the Girls. She anchored news in Milwaukee from 1989 until May 2014.

Julia Passalt

[edit]
Julia Passalt
Born
Jeffrey Alvin Passalt

(1957-01-02) January 2, 1957 (age 67)
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Years active1979-present
ChildrenRaymond Passalt

It was announced on June 9, 2014 that American presenter Julia Passalt from Minneapolis was confirmed as a moderator of Vote for the Girls. Passalt's moderator panel role on Vote for the Girls USA have made her a much-sought after speculation that Passalt was retiring from the news journalism industry and Passalt (with Zinn and Jameson) are the transgendered women of Vote for the Girls. She anchored news in Minneapolis from 1989 until May 2014. She is the oldest moderator of Vote for the Girls, surpassing Kellie Rock.

On August 20, 2014, Passalt took the Male Moderator's $8 million offer that consists of a $4 million RV, two 30-night vacations to London, England and Sydney, Australia (valued at $500,000), and $3 million cash to walk away from the Rising Star season 1 competition. Passalt said she plans on taking the trips after the American Idol 14 competition ends.

Karly Ryder, Jr.

[edit]
Karly Ryder, Jr.
Born
Chelsea Karly Ryder

(1982-10-11) October 11, 1982 (age 42)
Years active1995-present
Parent(s)Karly Ryder, Sr. (mother)

It was announced on June 23, 2014 that American radio personality and daughter of long-time Indianapolis personality Karly Ryder, Jr. was confirmed as the eighth moderator of Vote for the Girls. A source said, "Karly is a done deal. She's a big radio personality and is not afraid to tell it like it is.". Karly Ryder, Jr. was later confirmed as a moderator on Vote for the Girls USA, of this she said, "I'm thrilled to be doing Vote for the Girls because as a fellow Hoosier, country music was the first place I saw success," she said. Ava Zinn added, "I am delighted that Karly Jr. has agreed to be a moderator on VFTG USA. She is a huge personality who will bring creativity to the site." Talking about the differences between the site and the competitors (VFTW and Vote Against the Producers), "I’ll never be a moderator for VFTW or VATP. VFTG is different and no comparison between the three. One, you have a site that have moderators that are all women who promote votes strictly for the female contestants and voting out the WGWG's to make the music stars. The other two sites you have Dave Della Terza and Lawrence Hedrick who have fetishes and completely addicted to WGWG's, and worse of all, those two sites are mostly male-dominated polling fans on who is the worst contestant.

Karly Ryder officially became the fifth moderator of VFTG, replacing Nermal Everman, on July 1, 2014.

Kym Christian

[edit]
Kym Christian
Born
Kimberly Laura Christian

(1967-07-28) July 28, 1967 (age 57)
Denver, Colorado
Years active1989 -present

It was announced on June 9, 2014 that American presenter Kym Christian from Denver was confirmed as a moderator of Vote for the Girls. In a interview with Kathy Finlemyre, Christian revealed in March 2014, she had accepted a moderator panel role on Vote for the Girls USA and confirming she would be leaving the news industry after 25 years.


Nermal Everman

[edit]
Nermal Everman
Born
Nermal Marie Everman

(1994-07-10) July 10, 1994 (age 30)
Muncie, Indiana
Years active2000-present
ParentMichelle Steele (1980-2014) (father)
Elisa Everman (mother)
RelativesTiffani Zinn (half-sister)

In a Facebook post by her aunt (Holly Everman) on the American version of Vote for the Girls, it was revealed on July 11, 2014 that Nermal Everman was confirmed as a moderator of the British versions of Vote for the Girls. Nermal inherited the moderator role that her father, Michelle Steele. However, Nermal Everman was initially dismissed from the American version of Vote for the Girls due to Aeverine Zinn Holdings (owner of Vote for the Girls franchise) strict family contractual restrictions disallowing immediate family members serving as moderators to protect the Vote for the Girls' ratings and revenue; in the case of Nermal Everman, she is the niece of current co-host Holly Everman and daughter of former VFTG USA moderator Michelle Steele, and Nermal's aunt Holly has been with the American version since its debut in April 2010. Nermal Everman could serve as moderator on the American version, but only off-camera, including making frontrunner picks, except for common primary picks not claimed by Holly Everman, so Nermal's mother, Elisa Steele (and the sister of Holly Everman) approached Ava Zinn about allowing Nermal to become a moderator of Vote for the Girls UK as a birthday present for Nermal after she chose to resign from the American version completely. As mentioned above, Nermal Everman is the niece of of VFTG USA co-host Holly Everman, which would have come in handy had Holly Everman resign from the American version.[22] This issue has also affected many other members of the same immediate family that have worked with Ava Zinn over the years, Nermal Everman was initially dismissed from the American version, but was later reinstated following her aunt's second DUI arrest on August 24, 2014.[22]

Tracia Ward

[edit]
Tracia Ward
Born
Tracia Beth Ward

(1989-12-07) December 7, 1989 (age 35)
South Bend, Indiana
Years active2003-present


It was announced on June 23, 2014 that American presenter Tracia Ward was confirmed as a moderator of both the American and British versions of Vote for the Girls. In a interview with Fiona Johnson in San Fransisco, Ward revealed she had accepted a moderator panel role on Vote for the Girls USA and Vote for the Girls UK.

On Hiatus

[edit]

Holly Everman

[edit]
Holly Everman
Born
Holly Marie Everman

(1980-04-21) April 21, 1980 (age 44)
Muncie, Indiana
Other namesHolly Willis, Holly Everman Willis (occasionally)
Alma materBall State University
Muncie Central High School
Years active1989-present
Spouse
Veronica Willis
(m. 2012⁠–⁠2014)
PartnerButch Quincy (1994-2009)
ChildrenAiden (b. 2013)

Holly Everman has served as the chief moderator of the American Vote for the Girls site and show since its April 28, 2010 debut, a role she has held until May 21, 2014, except on the episodes that aired on December 22, 2011 and October 14, 2013 when Zinn filled in for her to avoid a clash with Indianapolis Colts games (to which Zinn is also a rabid Indianapolis Colts fan) plus June 28, July 5, and July 12, 2013 when Frank Davidson filled in for her while Everman married her partner Veronica Willis and November 28, 2013 when Zinn filled in for her (per VFTG rules, see below); in addition to Patrice Rafferty (mother of the late VFTG UK chief moderator and VFTG US moderator Ariel Swaringen) filling in for her and Ava Zinn in April 2011 when Everman's brother was killed in a car accident in March 2011 as well as Holly's niece (Nermal) filling in for her for the VFTG 2015 after Holly's two DUI arrests.

After learning of Malaya Watson was announced as the act with lowest number of votes for Top 7 reveal night on April 10, 2014, and taking offense of UK moderator counterpart Khayla Chow (by calling Chow a "bi-black bimbo" after the UK Version's first ever loss) during the viewing of the Malaya's final performance Chow shoved Everman to the ground sparking the Vote for the Girls brawl. Hours later on the early morning hours of April 11, 2014, Everman was arrested under suspicion of DUI in Indianapolis, Indiana. [22] According to a source that alerted Ava Zinn, Everman has had an ongoing alcohol problem since the elimination of Pia Toscano three years earlier. On August 23, 2014, Everman was arrested for the second time for DUI on the northeast side of Indianapolis.[22]

On April 14, 2014, Ava Zinn announced that Everman has been suspended from VFTG USA indefinitely following Everman's DUI arrest and preceding brawl with Vote for the Girls UK moderator Khayla Chow. Everman returned on April 21, 2014 (appropriately for her 34th birthday).

On May 13, 2014, upon learning that primary pick Christina Grimmie was not the top vote getters on The Voice, an audience member (presumably an irate Josh Kaufman supporter) struck Everman in the face by a blunt heavy object and wound up with a concussion, resulting in Everman having no memory of the incident. Ava Zinn did not press charges, saying she does not wish to be "tied up with the Grimmie-Kaufman brawl", and also claiming "if there ever was a case of deserved violence, this was it".

On May 26, 2014, it was announced that Everman was promoted to co-host.

On August 25, 2014, following her second DUI arrest, Everman posted on Twitter that she will be taking a leave of absence. Everman plans to return for the Fall 2015 cycle.

Former Moderators

[edit]

Robyn (Hurd) Matthewson (1961-2012)

[edit]
Robyn Hurd
Born
Robyn Lynne Buchanan

(1961-03-16)March 16, 1961
Erie, Pennsylvania
DiedMay 24, 2012(2012-05-24) (aged 51)
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Cause of deathStroke
Other namesRobyn Matthewson (2011-2012)
Robyn Mort
Robyn L Hurd
Years active1982-2012
Spouse1)
Gordon Mort
(m. 1972⁠–⁠1992)

(divorced)
2)
Hillary Matthewson
(m. 2011⁠–⁠2012)

(Robyn's death)
ChildrenKathleen Mort (1973-2004)
Maribel Mort (1991-)
ParentTim Hurd
RelativesKellie Rock (sister)

Robyn Matthewson (then known as Robyn Hurd) was the original second moderator of the site and show for almost two years, and remained with the site show until shortly before her death in May 2012. Her last episode aired on May 3, 2012.

In late April 2012, viewers started noticing that Matthewson's voice sounded uncharacteristically gravelly and unhealthy during VFTG USA. On May 3, 2012, Robyn co-hosted VFTG for the last time; her poor health also prevented her from covering the Jessica Sanchez's save from elimination. On May 9, 2012, Robyn Matthewson informed VFTG supporters of Sanchez and Cavanagh through a taped message on VFTG that she had been in treatment for blood clots. "As some of you now know, I have learned in the last couple of weeks that I have been having blocked arteries and blood clots," she said. "Yes, I was a smoker until about 10 years ago, and I was weak and I smoked over the death of Angie (wife of Ava Zinn). Whatever the reason, the music does slow you down a bit." Although she stated her intention to continue participating whenever possible, the message was to be her last appearance on VFTG.

Shortly after 12:30 am on May 24, 2012, Robyn Matthewson collapsed at her home in Fort Wayne. She was recording voiceovers for the premiere of Duets. According to Matthewson's daughter, Maribel Mort, Matthewson's last words were, "What the.... what's happening?" spoken as a greeting. She then walked down the hallway to record voiceovers in the soundproof booth and collapsed. Matthewson's transgender wife, Hillary began CPR on her. The Fort Wayne Fire and Rescue service received a call from Matthewson's home at 12:40 am, and dispatched an EMS unit which arrived at 12:44 am. Paramedics attempted to defibrillate Matthewson's heart three times, but she did not respond. Matthewson was then transported to Parkview Hospital, arriving at 1:07 am, where she was pronounced dead. She was 51 years old.

In accordance with American journalistic tradition, the public announcement of Matthewson's death was withheld by both the wire services, until Matthewson's family had been notified. Holly Everman then delivered, the news on Vote for the Girls, the news of Robyn Matthewson's death. VFTG host Ava Zinn was on assignment near "the Marion, Indiana suburb" of Jalapa and could not host the special report. Matthewson had just returned from a family picnic in Columbia City, Indiana, where she had celebrated her daughter's new job.

Robyn Matthewson's longtime friend and physician, said that her asymptomatic coronary artery disease had not been controlled with medication yet exercised, and that she had been warned about a stroke after a stress test in early January 2012. An autopsy performed on the day of her death determined that her history of smoking led to a myocardial infarction (stroke) with the immediate cause being an occlusive coronary thrombosis in the right anterior descending artery resulting from a ruptured cholesterol plaque.

Hillary Matthewson, Kellie Rock, Maribel Mort, and family held a private service in Fort Wayne. Robyn Matthewson was cremated and her ashes split in quarters. One quarter of her ashes remained in her home in Fort Wayne, a second quarter was placed in her hometown of Warren, Pennslvania, and the other third was placed in Robyn's summer home in Pittsburgh.

In September 2012, after much speculation, and nearly four months after Hurd stopped co-hosting, VFTG admin Ava Zinn named Michelle Steele and Ariel Swaringen as co-moderators as Matthewson's replacement (in a sad and ironic twist of fate, two years later, both Steele and Swaringen would be pronounced dead from a car accident and natural causes themselves, respectively).


Kathi Jameson

[edit]
Kathi Jameson
Born
Alexander Heath Jameson

(1991-11-17) November 17, 1991 (age 33)
Joilet, Illinois
Other namesKathi Alexa
Years active2011-present
Parent(s)Alaina Jameson

On October 25, 2013, it was reported that Chicago transgender socialette Kathi Jameson, the transgender daughter of Alaina Jameson, would be joining Vote for the Girls as a moderator. A source said, "Kathi is 90 percent a done deal. She's a big star and loves nurturing female singers. She shoots from the lip, and will not be afraid to tell it like it is.". Kathi Jameson was later confirmed as a moderator on Vote for the Girls USA, of this she said, "I'm proud to be doing Vote for the Girls because as a fellow Chicagoan (unlike DDT of VFTW), Chicago was the first place I saw success," she said. "It's the place I'm the most creative outside of Chicago." Ava Zinn added, "I am thrilled that Kathi has signed up to be a moderator on VFTG USA. She is a huge star who will bring a unique creativity to the site." Talking about the differences between the site and Vote for the Worst, "I’ll never be a moderator for VFTW. VFTG is different. You can’t even compare the two. One, you have a site that promotes votes for the female contestants and voting out the WGWG's to make the next generation of music legends, giving their opinions on things when they don’t really know, other than Simon Cowell. The other site you have a gay man, the gay man's sister, a man addicted to WGWGs, and a guy smarter than Kellie Pickler polling fans on who is the worst contestant.

In preparation for the role as a moderator, she asked friend and former Chicago reporter Amy Jacobson. Talking to a trusted source she said, "I reached out to Amy for advice on keeping your cool, having a poker face, the importance of sticking with the singers on TV – it's their dream, a lot of the times when you have other performers a part of the show, celebrities tend to want the shine so they hog up time. So my whole thing was that I want to do VFTG, but I don't want to hog up time to where the singers up there are looking like, 'Is this about you guys?'." Ava Zinn said, "Kathi goes everywhere with her music kit. So it was no surprise to everyone when she and her crew turned up with a stack of gear on her first day. I think it is great as we want her to be happy while she's on the site, and who knows what ideas she'll come up with for her picks?".

Kathi Jameson became the fifth moderator on February 27, 2014 and moved to the third moderator seat on March 11, 2014 following the departure of Michelle Steele. Jameson also served as a moderator on the UK version of Vote for the Girls and left after one series on April 7, 2014. Jameson indicated that her troubles with Jameson's gender transition from male to female is the primary reason she signed up to do Vote for the Girls.

On August 20, 2014, Jameson announced on the program that she will leave VFTG at the end of the season to focus on furthering her education. But on August 22, 2014, it was revealed that Jameson will be joining the Australian version of Vote for the Girls.

However, on September 18, 2014, hours after the America's Got Talent 9 finale and seeing that her Dancing with the Stars 19 pick Lolo Jones and Keoikantse Motsepe were not saved, Jameson punched and bitch-slapping fellow VFTG moderator Julia Passalt causing Passalt to the ground striking her head into her moderator's seat. Upon seeing both incidents, Ava Zinn announced in a Twitter post that Jameson and Khayla Chow, have both been fired. Jameson's firing marks the first time in the site's history a moderator had been fired.

Ariel Swaringen (1990-2014)

[edit]
Ariel Swaringen
Born
Ariel Nichole Swaringen

(1990-04-11)April 11, 1990
Marion, Indiana
DiedMarch 22, 2014(2014-03-22) (aged 23)
Muncie, Indiana
Cause of deathNatural causes
Alma materBall State University
Years active2010-2014
ParentPatrice Rafferty
Glenn Swaringen
RelativesCathryn Swaringen (sister)

Ariel Swaringen served as the second moderatror from April 2013 until shortly before her death in March 2014. Swaringen also served as chief moderator for the British Vote for the Girls site and show since its June 1, 2013 debut, a role she held until a week before her death on March 15, 2014.

Michelle Steele (1980-2014)

[edit]
Michelle Steele
Born
Miccah Edward Steele

(1980-11-17)November 17, 1980
Huntington, Indiana
DiedMay 10, 2014(2014-05-10) (aged 33)
Muncie, Indiana
Cause of deathCar accident
Other namesMichelle Elizabeth Steele
Years active1995-2014
Spouse
Elisa Everman
(m. 2014⁠–⁠2014)
(Michelle's death)
PartnerElisa Everman (1990-1994)
ChildrenNermal Everman (1994-)
ParentJackson Steele
Dorthy Steele
RelativesJohnathan Steele (brother)
Rosanna Steele (sister)
Annie Steele (sister)

Michelle Steele served as the third moderator and replaced Zinn, while Zinn took the newly-created fourth moderator role. She missed a month of episodes in June 2013 after she was arrested for providing alcohol to a minor (which happened to be Zinn's daughter Samantha), with guest moderators filling in for her. After Steele's fiancée, Elisa Everman (sister of VFTG chief moderator Holly Everman), announced she was taking a leave of absence in October 2013, guest moderators once again filled in for her. Steele initially announced on the December 5, 2013 program that she will leave the the site in June 2014.

Those plans changed on March 6, 2014 after learning that Emily Piriz was eliminated on American Idol, an unaired clip showed Steele erupting in a tirade against Kathi Jameson during the results. The video showed Jameson yelling at Steele saying "I'm not going to put up with these fucking white guys with guitars anymore." According to a trusted source of Ava Zinn, Steele claimed that Jameson had said: "If I had a gun I would shoot the tranny bitch," a claim that Jameson then denied. Holly Everman said that she feels the feud was publicity stunt and nothing more than that.

On May 10, 2014 Steele was killed in a two-vehicle accident in Muncie, Indiana.

VFTG-supported contestants

[edit]

Note that bold indicates pick was the same as competitor Vote for the Worst (2010-2013) or Vote Against the Producers.

Since the inaugural season of The X Factor live shows, moderators got to choose their own picks. Each moderator competes with each other to try to get one of the contestants in their category to win the competition, thus making them the winning moderator in the Vote for the Girls Victory, which are indicated in bold italacs.

Regular Competitions

[edit]

American Idol

[edit]

VFTG launched following Siobahn Magnus' elimination[23]

American Idol IX
[edit]
American Idol X
[edit]
  • Pia Toscano (Women's Semifinals to Top 9) 9th Place (Painful VFTG Bankrupt)
  • Lauren Alaina (Women's Semifinals to Finale): Runner-Up (VFTG Loss, second-longest running ever American Idol pick - Tied with Jessica Meuse)
  • Haley Reinhart[b] (Top 8 to Top 3)
American Idol XI
[edit]

MODERATOR PICKS

American Idol XII
[edit]
  • Janelle Arthur
  • Amber Holcomb
  • Angie Miller (Women's Semi-Finals to Top 3): 3rd Place (Painful VFTG Bankrupt)
  • Kree Harrison (Top 10 to Finale): Runner-Up
  • Candice Glover: (Top 10 to Finale): Winner (VFTG Victory)

MODERATOR PICKS

American IDOL XIII
[edit]
  • Kenzie Hall (Women's Semi-Finals)
  • Jillian Jensen (Women's Semi-Finals - PAINFUL ELIMINATION)
  • Brandy Neelly[b] (Women's Semi Finals - PAINFUL BANKRUPT)
  • Austin Wolfe (Women's Semi-Finals)
  • Marrialle Sellars[b] (Women's Semi-Finals - Painful Bankrupt)
  • Bria Anai (Women's Semi Finals)
  • Briana Oakley (Women's Semi-Finals)
  • Kristen O'Connor (Women's Semi-Finals to Top 13)
  • Emily Piriz (Women's Semi-Finals to Top 12)
  • M.K. Nobilette (Women's Semi-Finals to Top 10 - first time a transmale contestant had been supported by the site and only available to Zinn, Jameson and Steele)[20]
  • Malaya Watson[b] (Women's Semi-Finals to Top 8 Redux)
  • Jessica Meuse (Women's Semi-Finals to Top 4, second longest running ever American Idol pick--tied with Lauren Alaina)
  • Jena Asciutto[b] (Women's Semi-Finals to finale, longest running ever American Idol pick - broke the record of Lauren Alaina and Jessica Meuse) - Runner-Up



MODERATOR's PICKS [10]

American Idol XIV
[edit]

MODERATOR's PICKS


Duets

[edit]

Season 1 (and only season)

  • Olivia Chisolm (Final 5)
  • Bridget Carrington (Final 5 to Final 4): 4th Place (VFTG Loss)

Rising Star

[edit]
Rising Star (season 1)
[edit]
  • Daniel & Olivia [a](Week 1)
  • Summer Collins (Week 1)
  • Egypt Dixon (Week 2)
  • Deedra Ervin (F2M pick, Week 2)
  • Trinitti (week 2)
  • OhMG a/k/a Oh Mike & Gabby [a](week 3)
  • Skye Griffin (week 3)
  • Sarah Darling (Week 1-4)
  • Gabrielle Nicole (Week 3-5)
  • Karen Hornsby (week 3-6)
  • Morgan Higgins (week 3-6)
  • Alice J. Lee[b] (Week 2-7)
  • Megan Tibbits (Week 2-7)
  • Lisa Punch (Week 1-7)
  • Macy Kate (Week 1-7)
  • Sonnet Simmons (Week 2-7)
  • Shameia Crawford (Week 2-8)
  • April Lockhart (Week 2-8)
  • Maneepat Molloy (Week 1-9, Painful Bankrupt)
  • Dana Williams (week 3-finale, VFTG Loss)
  • Audrey Geiger (week 3-finale, VFTG Loss)


MODERATOR's PICKS [24]

X Factor

[edit]
The X Factor USA (season 1)
[edit]
  • Stacy Francis (Top 12 to Top 11)
  • Lakoda Rayne (Top 12 to Top 9)
  • Drew (Top 12 to Top 7)
  • Rachel Crow (Top 12 to Top 5)
  • Melanie Amaro (Top 7 to Finale)(Winner): (First VFTG Victory)

MODERATOR PICKS


The X Factor USA (season 2)
[edit]
  • Jennel Garcia (Top 13 to Top 12) (Painful VFTG Bankrupt)
  • Beatrice Miller (Top 13 to Top 10)
  • Paige Thomas (Top 13 to Top 8)
  • CeCe Frey (Top 10 to Top 6)
  • Diamond White (Top 13 to Top 6)
  • Fifth Harmony (Top 13 to Finale): 3rd Place
  • Carly Rose Sonenclar (Top 13 to Finale): Runner-Up (VFTG Loss, longest running ever X Factor pick)


MODERATOR PICKS

The X Factor USA (season 3)
[edit]
  • Danielle Geimer (Top 16)
  • RoXxxy Montana[b] (Top 16)
  • Sweet Suspense (Top 16 to Top 12)
  • Rachel Potter (Top 16 to Top 12 - Painful Bankrupt)
  • Khaya Cohen (Top 16 to Top 10)
  • Lillie McCloud (Top 16 to Top 8)
  • Ellona Santiago (Top 16 to Top 6 - Painful Bankrupt and Painful Elimination)
  • Rion Paige (Thompson) (Top 16 to Top 6 - Painful Bankrupt)
  • Alex & Sierra [a] (Top 16 to Finale - first time a male-female duo as well as a male contestant had been supported by the site): WINNER (VFTG Victory)


MODERATOR's PICKS

The Voice (of America)

[edit]
The Voice (season 3)
[edit]
  • Melanie Martinez (Team Adam, Top 10 to Top 6): 6th Place
  • Amanda Brown (Team Adam, Top 10 to Top 6): 5th Place (Painful VFTG Bankrupt)
  • Cassadee Pope (Team Blake, Top 12 to Finale): Winner (VFTG Victory)


Moderator's Picks


The Voice (season 4)
[edit]
  • Judith Hill (Team Adam - Top 16 to Top 8) (Painful VFTG Bankrupt)
  • Sarah Simmons (Team Adam - Top 16 to Top 8) (Painful VFTG Bankrpt)
  • Amber Carrington (Team Adam - Top 12 to Top 5) (VFTG Bankrupt)
  • Sasha Allen (Team Shakira - Top 16 to Top 5) (VFTG Bankrupt)
  • Michelle Chamuel (Team Usher - Top 12 to Finale): Runner-up
  • Danielle Bradbery (Team Blake - Holly Tucker was originally picked from the Top 16, was switched to Danielle after the Top 6 performance night): Winner (VFTG Victory)

Moderator's Picks

The Voice (season 5)
[edit]
  • Shelbie Z (Team Blake-primary, Live Playoffs)
  • Olivia Henken[b] (Team Christina-primary, Live Playoffs)
  • Grey (Team Adam-secondary)
  • Kat Robichauld (Team Ceelo-primary, Live Playoffs to Top 10)
  • Caroline Pennell (Team Ceelo-secondary, Live Playoffs to Top 8 - Painful VFTG Bankrupt)
  • Jacquie Lee (Team Christina-secondary, Live Playoffs to Finale): Runner-up
  • Tessanne Chin (Team Adam-primary, Live Playoffs): Winner (VFTG Victory)

Moderator's Picks

The Voice (season 6)
[edit]
  • Team Adam
    • Christina Grimmie (Top 12 to Finale - First VFTG Loss on The Voice)[12]
    • Kat Perkins (Top 12 to Top 5 - ROBBED)
  • Team Shakira
    • Tess Boyer (Top 12 to Top 10 - PAINFUL BANKRUPT)
    • Kristen Merlin (Top 12 to Top 5 - ROBBED)
    • Dani Moz (Top 12)
  • Team Usher
    • Bria Kelly (Top 12 to Top 10 - PAINFUL BANKRUPT)
  • Team Blake
    • Audra McLaughlin (Top 12 to Top 8 - PAINFUL BANKRUPT)
    • Sisaundra Lewis (Top 12 to Top 8 - PAINFUL BANKRUPT)

Moderator Picks

The Voice (season 7)
[edit]
  • Team Adam
    • TBA
  • Team Gwen
    • TBA
  • Team Pharrel
    • TBA
  • Team Blake
    • TBA

Moderator Picks

The Voice (season 8)
[edit]
  • Team Adam
    • TBA
  • Team Christina
    • TBA
  • Team Pharrel (pending)
    • TBA
  • Team Blake
    • TBA

Moderator Picks

VFTG Make-Up Competitions

[edit]

The make-up competitions of So You Think You Think You Can Dance (since season 7) and America's Got Talent (since season 9) were added in case a VFTG Loss is declared. However, the site did not officially add make-up competitions until the site's sixth season. Unlike the other competitions, the picks are all under the sole discretion of Ava Zinn.


So You Think You Can Dance

[edit]

The site began following SYTYCD following the VFTG Loss of Crystal Bowersox.

So You Think You Can Dance VII
[edit]
  • Lauren Froderman: WINNER (VFTG MAKE-UP VICTORY)
So You Think You Can Dance VIII
[edit]
  • Sasha Mallory: RUNNER-UP (VFTG MAKE-UP VICTORY)
  • Melanie Moore: WINNER (VFTG MAKE-UP VICTORY)
So You Think You Can Dance IX
[edit]
So You Think You Can Dance X
[edit]
  • Amy Yakima: WINNER[b]
So You Think You Can Dance XI
[edit]
  • Valerie Rockey (Official first VFTG and INNewsCenter Pick - VFTG MAKE-UP Victory[note 2]) [b]

America's Got Talent

[edit]

Eliminated

  • Jasmine Flowers, dance troupe (Quarter-Finals, Week 1)
  • Julia Goodwin, child singer (Quarter-Finals, Week 1)
  • The Willis Clan, band [note 3] (Quarter-Finals, Week 1)
  • Valo & Bobby, acrobatic duo [a] (Quarter-Finals, Week 1)
  • Hart Dance Team, dance troupe (Quarter-Finals, Week 2)
  • Acte II, opera duo (Quarter-Finals, Week 2)
  • Anna Clendening, female singer (Quarter-Finals, Week 3)
  • Aerial Animation, shadow dancer [note 4][a] (Quarter-Finals, Week 2 to Semi-Finals, Week 1)
  • Baila Conmigo, salsa dance troupe [note 5] (Quarter-Finals, Week 1 to Semi-Finals Week 2)
  • Wendy Liebman, comedian (Quarter-Finals, Week 3 to Semi-Finals Week 2)
  • Kelli Glover, female singer (Quarter-Finals, Week 4 to Semi-Finals Week 2)
  • Mara Justine, child singer (Quarter-Finals, Week 2 to Top 12)
  • Blue Journey, shadow-dancing act [a] (Quarter-Finals, Week 3 to Top 12)
  • AcroArmy, acrobatic troupe [note 6] (Quarter-Finals, Week 3 to Finale) 3rd Place
  • Emily West, female singer (Quarter-Finals, Week 1 to Finale) VFTG Loss

Dancing with the Stars

[edit]

The site began following DWTS as an additional make-up competition. VFTG's competitors, Vote for the Worst followed DTWS for the show's fifth, seventh, and eleventh seasons and Vote Against the Producers followed DTWS for the show's seventeenth season. The nineteenth season is the first for VFTGUSA.

Unlike the make-up competitions on So You Think You Can Dance and America's Got Talent, Ava Zinn breaks the moderators into two teams most often based on gender identity and/or sexual orientation, with women on the pink team, and trans women on the purple. The teams (similar to another Ava Zinn competition, "Santa Ava"--the Christmas Version of Zinn,) barring any reassignments by Zinn, are typically assigned VFTG picks under the sole discretion of Zinn herself. The losing team will participate in the VFTG Punishment for Failure once DWTS competition ends. The winning team is determined by the winner of DWTS.

Moderator Pink Purple
Pick Female Celebrity Female Partner
Safe Top Safe First Safe Last Eliminated Winner


Dancing with the Stars XIX
[edit]
Week: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Place Moderator Pick Result
Kym Christian Michael Waltrip
Emma Slater
Safe First
Nermal Everman Alfonso Ribeiro
Whitney Carson
Top 3
Julia Passalt Betsy Johnson
Tony Dovolani
Safe Last
Karly Ryder, Jr. Tavis Smiley
Sharna Burgess
8th
Lanise White Jonathan Bennett
Allison Holker
6th
Ava Zinn Bethany Mota
Derek Hough
Top 3
Sadie Robertson
Mark Ballas
Top 3
13 Kathi Jameson Lolo Jones
Keoikantse Motsepe
Eliminated
Kellie Rock Not required to participate as her Vote for the Worst pick was eliminated after taking the Male Moderator Offer


Dancing with the Stars XX
[edit]
Week: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Place Moderator Pick Result
Kym Christian
Khayla Chow
Nermal Everman
Kathi Jameson
Julia Passalt
Kellie Rock
Tracia Ward
Ava Zinn

VFTG-Supported Contestants Note

[edit]
  1. ^ Due to the winner and runner-up both residing in the same state of Florida, Eliana's win was declared a "Double VFTG Victory".
  2. ^ Before the So You Think You Can Dance 11 finale the moderators were given the option by each taking an anonymous vote to either go by Valerie Rockey winning SYTYCD since there was one winner or if all votes were "yes" Ava Zinn would declare a Vote for the Girls victory based on the dual-winners format used on SYTYCD 9 and 10 and the moderators will not choose any wild card or steal picks for the upcoming seasons of The Voice and American Idol. The votes ended with all moderators voting yes. With Ava ignoring the single winner format reinstated for the 11th season of So You Think You Can Dance and going by the two winners (one male and one female) for the competition, Ava declared a the first Vote for the Girls victory of 2014 when it was revealed that Ricky Ubela (the actual winner of So You Think You Can Dance 11) was declared the male winner and Zach Everhart, Jr. (finished in 4th Place) the male runner-up while Valerie Rockey (the runner-up of So You Think You Can Dance 11) was declared the female winner and Jessica Richens (finished in 3rd Place and the Vote for the Girls victory) the female runner-up.
  3. ^ Declared VFTG pick. Eight women and three men.
  4. ^ Aerial Animation is also known as Andy & Abigail.
  5. ^ Declared VFTG pick. Three women and two men.
  6. ^ Declared VFTG pick. Ten women and seven men.

^[a] Indicates a VFTG pick declared under the "Alex & Sierra Rule" (one male and one female)[19]
^[b] Indicates a VFTG pick declared under the "INNewsCenter Rule" (female singers that reside in Indiana, the television markets of Grand Rapids, Detroit, Lexington, Toledo, or Peoria)
^[c] Indicates not only a VFTG Victory, but also the winner and runner-up resided in the same state.

VFTG-Boycotted Contestants (aka Moderator's VFTW picks)

[edit]

Starting in VFTG 2014, the moderators also chose their picks who they would hate to see win. During the first four seasons of Vote for the Girls, the site competed against Vote for the Worst and later Vote Against The Producers.

In an interview, Ava Zinn was planning to acquire the votefortheworst.com domain in February 2014, only to discover that the previous owner renewed the domain. Becuase the site never votes for male contestants, and to maintain the integrity of Vote for the Girls, the moderators' Vote for the Worst picks are not revealed until the end of the competition or if there are no female contestants left in the competition.

Names in bold indicate VFTG Loss and Losing Moderator

American Idol

[edit]

American Idol XII[25]

[edit]

American Idol XIV[26]

[edit]

Rising Star

[edit]

Rising Star I[27]

[edit]

The Voice

[edit]

The Voice VI[28]

[edit]

The Voice VII[29]

[edit]

Critical Reception and Controversey

[edit]

Although Vote for the Girls (USA) often gets poor views and ratings on the site's YouTube channel, its first few years on YouTube were relatively encouraging. Vote for the Girls has generated controversy over the years in numerous areas. Many of the controversies have centered around the site's format and misandry. Another major source of controversy that has spanned multiple seasons has been the activities of moderators such as undisclosed criminal charges.

Despite the ongoing changes with VFTG over the years and longer length videos, the national ratings for the site often gets poor reviews on the YouTube channel compared to the site overall. In fact, the YouTube channel's ratings usually are disliked. However, Vote for the Girls (USA) is popular in the Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Erie, Milwaukee, Houston, Minneapolis, South Bend, Terre Haute, and Lafayette (IN) television markets, which are respective home markets to VFTG Founder/Administartor/Host Ava Zinn (of Van Buren), former VFTG Chief Moderator and current co-Host Holly Everman (of Muncie), current Chief Moderator Kellie Rock, moderators Lanise White, Khayla Chow, Julia Passalt, Tracia Ward, and late VFTG moderator Robyn Hurd. [citation needed]

As Vote for the Worst's site became more and more successful during the 2000s[citation needed] (as well as being popular in Chicago and having better success than the combined Indianapolis and Fort Wayne markets during the first four seasons), VFTG USA faced stiffer competition. According to Ava Zinn, towards the end of the 2010-11 TV season, she felt that Vote for the Girls could produce a better site and overcome Vote for the Worst by using a format other than the "Producers Have A Choice, Viewers Don't" philosophy Zinn created VFTG with. An outside source was brought in and concurred that the site could do a better job on YouTube production by adapting a new format. The analysis added that Vote for the Worst did not have its own YouTube channel, VFTW's admins and moderators never had experience in hosting a television series nor even auditioned for shows like American Idol or Star Search. The analysis also added that Zinn's philosophy format gave nothing to viewers which suggested that its site was any better than VFTW. With this in mind, VFTG began developing a format which would involve the production of full episodes online via Zinn's web site (and later the site's own URL) within 48 hours after the result, along with updates at the conclusion of the elimination results. This concept was known as "a VFTG Full Episode" as a way to suggest that VFTG was better than VFTW or Vote Against the Producers since VFTG produced an episode presentation of the results show. In 2011, the new format was put into place and by 2013, its format had already been licensed by Aeverine Zinn Holdings for foreign adaptations of Vote for the Girls franchise has produced their own shows representing as many different countries and comprising nearly 9 individual seasons. These adaptations, as of August 2015, have aired in the United Kingdom as Vote for the Girls UK (of which Zinn also hosts) and the most recent series to enter production, Vote for the Girls Australia, is set to air in July 2015 or 2016. Zinn will be hosting the Austrailian version. In August 2014, Zinn announced six new foreign adaptions in Thailand, Brazil, Turkey, Isreal, Holland, and Sweeden.

To try to prevent more viewers from defecting, Vote for the Girls (USA) got a new set and a new newsroom (shared with AvaZinn.com and later the revival of Zinn's other website, INNewsCenter) in 2013. More noticeable, however, was the adoption of the ManHater icon between the "Vote for" and "the Girls" wordmark (The VFTG icon is the symbol of the Roman goddess Venus is often used to represent the female sex superimposed with symbol of the Roman god Mars is often used to represent the male sex inside the Venus symbol with the No symbol over the Mars symbol) and often used to mask profanity. That year, Vote for the Girls boldly added a format similar to The Morton Downey, Jr. Show with town hall meetings dubbed as "Road Shows". Female contestants on talent shows are rewarded by vigorous applause, but male contestants are harshly booed on most Vote for the Girls (USA).


Reaction from Vote for the Worst and others

[edit]

Hours after the tenth season of American Idol ended, a moderator by the name of "insaneinthesfv" was quick to criticize VFTG webmaster Ava Zinn by calling Zinn on the Vote for the Worst message boards[30], "This lady is certifiably insane, and builds her entire life around Idol. Specifically, she thinks there's some kind of conspiracy to eliminate female contestants and gets so worked up about it, probably to a point only seen by 13-year old girls." Zinn responded on her own site (AvaZinn.com) as "BULL$#!T"[31] post.

April 2014 Brawls

[edit]

April 10, 2014

[edit]

Although public perceptions of Vote for the Girls were leading to this dubious title, the episode that solidified Vote for the Girls USA as "Trash Tube" was the April 10, 2014, episode involving Holly Everman, Kellie Rock, Kathi Jameson, and Khayla Chow following the UK version's first loss on the third series of The Voice of Britan of which did not sit well with Chow and Jameson as they were also moderators on the UK version, though Chow did call Lee Glasson a "fucking dick for robbing Rachael O'Connor". A confrontation between Chow and Everman (in which Everman goaded Chow by referring to her as "bi-black bimbo") led to Chow walking over to Everman and forcefully shoving Everman to the floor, and subsequently a full-scale brawl with chairs hurled and punches thrown. Audience members, several stage hands, Jameson, and Rock themselves got involved, with Rock throwing a few punches at Chow and Everman. In the process, Jameson was struck in the face by an unknown object and wound up with a black eye. The following morning, Everman was driving under the influence of alcohol in Indianapolis following the brawl[22] while Chow, Rock, and Jameson were being treated for their injuries attained in the brawl.

On April 14, 2014, Ava Zinn (as administrator and webmaster) suspended Everman and Chow indefinitely, saying that their actions were "inexcusably unacceptable behavior. It's one thing when a VFTG pick gets eliminated as a result of having the least number of votes, but the actions of the moderator panel at the most vulnerable time in our lives were completely uncalled for". Later that night, at the start of VFTG USA, "I almost feel like saying 'Welcome to The Bad Girls Club' or 'Welcome to Vote for the Worst'[32] ." Zinn's daughter, Samantha, watching the VFTG program on YouTube, recalled that she said, "As bad as it looked on YouTube, it was at least 100 times worse in person being trapped in a catfight-type scene where Dad (Ava), Holly, Khayla, and I were just trying to escape with our lives. That's how it felt. You had to fight your way out of it."

April 29, 2014

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Another brawl occurred on the episode on April 29, 2014 involving Maribel Mort, the daughter of former VFTG US mod Robyn Hurd and the niece of current VFTG Mod Kellie Rock, and Veronica Willis, formerly the sister-in-law of VFTG US Founder and webmaster Ava Zinn and the wife of VFTG US Chief Moderator Holly Everman, upon seeing that Bria Kelly was not saved on the sixth season of The Voice of America of which criticized the moderators for not including Indianapolis native Josh Kaufman as a Vote for the Girls pick because the site's operations are in the state of Indiana [13], yet did support Alisha Bernhardt and Marrielle Sellars on American Idol 11 and 13, respectively. Kellie Rock stormed out muttering "this is a fucking joke" while confrontation between Maribel Mort and Veronica Willis (in which Mort referring to either Willis or Everman as "slutty bi-bimbos") led to Willis punching Mort into the face and forcefully shoving Mort to the floor, and subsequently a full-scale brawl in the audience with items hurled and punches thrown. Audience members, several stage hands, Jameson, and Everman themselves got involved, with Jameson and Everman intervening to separate the pair. In the process, Ava Zinn was struck in the head by a a can of shaving cream and escaped uninjured yet washed out the shaving cream off her head.

Zinn, who was taking a a reduced role at the time, took to her Twitter explaining the events that happened: "Another fight on Vote for the Girls tonight. This time... It was between the girlfriends of Holly and Kathi. It's kinda sad to see Bria Kelly eliminated, but this has to be one of the most shocking as not only as a Painful Elimination but another brawl as the wife of Holly Everman (Veronica Willis) and significant other of Kathi Jameson (Maribel, my late BFF's [Robyn Hurd] daughter) go into one nasty street fight. I don't think I have EVER witnessed anything like I saw tonight on The Voice of America and in five years of Vote for the Girls USA. After talking with Kellie Rock (she's my late BFF Robyn's sister and Maribel's auntie) judging from the severity of injuries seen on both Maribel and Veronica tonight, I have to say this was a real bad night on Vote for the Girls USA. Emotions were really high tonight. In the five year history of my site I have never seen anything this bad in nearly 26 years in the public eye." Zinn also hinted about moderator changes to the site.

Ava Zinn Virginity Auction, Stripping, and Twerking

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On April 18, 2014, Ava Zinn announced on her YouTube channel after learning Jessica Meuse landed in the bottom two that she followed through on her threat to auction her virginity as a male.

Then on May 1, 2014 upon hearing Sam Woolf was eliminated, Zinn stripped naked after Zinn celebrated by spontaneously whipping off her shirt and falling to her knees in her bra (a la Brandi Chastain in the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup finals). It was not the first time Zinn "pulled a Brandi Chastain" as three years earlier after learning Haley Reinhart and Lauren Alaina made the Top 3 of American Idol's tenth season.

On May 6, 2014, Zinn, clad in a black bra and panties, created more controversy by "Twerking" during The Voice season 6 Top 8 results after learning Christina Grimmie was saved, an episode that most notable for Zinn's raunchy and sexually-driven presentation, which received negative reactions from critics and mixed reactions from fans and fellow moderators of Vote for the Girls. Zinn does this once more on the Rising Star premiere that aired on June 22, 2014 and shown on the site's YouTube channel in July 2014 but is seen stripping and twerking.

June 2014 Punishment for Failure

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Upon being alerted that Josh Kaufman won and VFTG pick Christina Grimmie finishing third place in the sixth season of The Voice [13] and Jena Irene finishing runner-up in the thirteenth season of American Idol, several of Zinn's friends complained about her virginity auction and the consequent Punishement for Failure that followed with Zinn and Kathi Jameson wearing strapless tops while Kellie Rock and Holly Everman binding their breasts with Rock appearing as a Breast Cancer survivor if she had a double mastectomy and Everman (after shaving her traditionally long hair) appearing as a female-to-male transgender individual [22]. Some said that Christina and Jena deserved to win and others, notably news anchors Scott Swan and Andrea Moorehead of Indianapolis NBC affiliate WTHR criticized the Punishment for Failure while Ray Cortopassi of Indianapolis Fox affiliate WXIN praised VFTG moderators of supporting Beards for Breast Cancer by not shaving their legs in October and November 2014. Other friends and fans of Zinn and Everman announced that they would rather unfriend Zinn and Everman on Facebook as they were just as outraged of the punishment for failure. Two long-time friends of Ava Zinn, Alec Dailey and Cortney George, commented in a Facebook post by Zinn that they were outraged and disappointed with the punishment for failure and believed that Zinn could have made a better resolution besides the virginity auction or what some of Everman's friends speculating that Zinn would become a "lesbian whore" and prostitute.

Another controversial punishment for failure was Holly Everman's biking from Indianpolis to the Van Buren Popcorn Festival and Zinn's biking from Marion to Concannon's Bakery in Muncie, Indiana (as well as Zinn going to a local Aldi, Dollar Tree, Walmart, Meijer, Speedway, and a Dollar General in Gaston, Indiana--the former of the six Ava Zinn said replaced an Aldi in Marion following an January 2013 incident.) Zinn however, did praise Everman for recommending Concannon's while others resent Zinn for "playing hardball" with stores in Marion, Indiana.

In a self-administered survey, Zinn found that three-quarters of what little fans on the site say that Ava Zinn and Holly Everman are the biggest problems on the site while Zinn's findings were met with mixed reactions. While some of her contemporaries, like Lawrence Hedrick of Vote Against The Producers, previously stated similar opinions, others like Jennifer Morris and Alison Albucromie, felt "Zinn has changed in a bad way and about twenty years out of date". Zinn's intentions have been misunderstood by some who believe that she thinks women truly deserve to win singing competitions or should be voting out the males, no matter how good they are talented or simply because they are dreaded WGWG's, whereas VFTG's real desire and intentions are to help female contestants win the singing competitions, based on overall performances and not just on looks alone.

Kellie Rock Facebook comment and Kathi Jameson Twitter post

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Upon seeing that VFTG pick Sarah Darling had not been saved by West Coast viewers on Rising Star on July 13, 2014, VFTG moderator Kellie Rock called Lisa Punch a "nappy headed hoe save" right before Megan Tibbits defeated Darling[33]. This brought some angry responses on her Facebook page.[34]Rock then sent a series of Re-Tweets from Adam Levine with dictionary definitions of the words "joke," "humorless," "lighthearted," "misunderstand", "racist," and "stupidity" to state that it was merely a "heat of the moment" reaction.[34] Rock later provided an explanation on the site: "Sunday’s elimination of Sarah Darling was really downright emotional for me, and my comments were made based on my personal dissatisfaction with the results." Nonetheless, Kellie Rock was suspended for two weeks on July 14, 2014.

On August 3, 2014 (the day Kellie Rock returned from her suspension), another VFTG moderator Kathi Jameson called Jessee Kinch a "rapist" upon Alice Lee and Macy Kate's eliminations and accused Joshua Peavy "of Karen Hornsby's murder." Like Rock's Facebook comment, this brought more angry responses on the VFTG Twitter and Facebook pages.[35]Jameson then walked off the set muttering, "Fucking assholes" to state that it was merely a "heat of the moment" reaction.[35] Jameson later provided an explanation on the site: "Macy and Sonnet's elimination's was really downright ridiculous for me, and my posts of calling Mr. Peavy a dick and Mr. Kinch a rapist were made based on my personal dissatisfaction with the results. I'm sure that my fellow transwoman Ava will see that my posts were completely uncalled for and as a moderators of a well known site, sometimes being a misandrist or being sexist against males is good because Ava, Julia (Passalt), and I knew what it was like living as a male and as transgendered women that are passionate to keep ladies in the competition, you have to be sexist sometimes and you think girls suck, Ava will say you're a 'Girl-Hating Commie,' blow smoke in your face, likely beat the living shit of you, and ball-bust you in the nuts."

References

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  1. ^ Ava Zinn. "VFTG MASHUP: American Idol Top 10 Results (3/14/13)". YouTube. Retrieved 2013-05-13.
  2. ^ a b Ava Zinn. "Vote for the Girls Mashup: Worst Season Ever (w/Ava Zinn & Gordon Ramsay)". YouTube. Retrieved 2013-05-13.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Ava Zinn (2013-04-12). "Vote For the Girls Epic Victory: American Idol 12". YouTube. Retrieved 2013-05-13.
  4. ^ Ava Zinn web site
  5. ^ a b Ava Zinn (December 23, 2011). "VFTG Victory: Melanie Amaro Wins The X Factor". Vote for the Girls. Aeverine Zinn Holdings. Retrieved April 18, 2013.
  6. ^ a b c d Ava Zinn (June 18, 2013). "VFTG Victory: Danielle Bradbery Wins The Voice". Vote for the Girls. Aeverine Zinn Holdings. Retrieved June 23, 2013.
  7. ^ a b c d Swaringen, Ariel. "The X Factor 3 Final 16 Are Set". Vote for the Girls. Aeverine Zinn Holdings. Retrieved 11 October 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  8. ^ Zinn, Ava. "Vote for the Girls Makes Historic pick". Vote for the Girls. Aeverine Zinn Holdings. Retrieved 11 October 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  9. ^ Swaringen, Ariel. "Ava's Picks for The Voice of America 5". Vote for the Girls. Aeverine Zinn Holdings. Retrieved 11 October 2013. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  10. ^ a b c Zinn, Ava. "American Idol 13 Top 13 Revealed, All Males WGWG's". Vote for the Girls. Aeverine Zinn Holdings. Retrieved 21 February 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  11. ^ https://twitter.com/Jena_Irene_Fans/status/457984852265295872
  12. ^ a b "Vote for the Girls Loss: The Voice of America 6". Vote for the Girls. Aeverine Zinn Holdings. Retrieved 21 May 2014. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |coauthors= ignored (|author= suggested) (help)
  13. ^ a b c "VFTG's 5 most robbed contestants". Vote for the Girls US. Aeverine Zinn Holdings. 22 June 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014. {{cite web}}: External link in |website= (help)Aeverine Zinn Holdings (June 22 2014). Vote or the Girls (USA). AvaZinn.com. {{cite episode}}: Check date values in: |date= (help) NOTE: On the episode cited above, Zinn stated that a "Double VFTG Loss" is declared if a male from Indiana wins and a "Double VFTG Victory" is declared if a female from Indiana wins. Zinn indicataed this rule applies to all singing competitions.
  14. ^ https://twitter.com/aeverinezinn/status/502251629446316032
  15. ^ Ava Zinn (December 19, 2012). "VFTG Victory: Cassadee Pope Wins The Voice". Vote for the Girls. Aeverine Zinn Holdings. Retrieved April 18, 2013.
  16. ^ "SYTYCD11 Top 6 Result & AGT9 Quarter-Final Result (Part 4)". Vote for the Girls. August 20, 2014. AvaZinn.com.
  17. ^ "Ava Zinn Facebook page". Facebook.com. Retrieved 2013-05-13.
  18. ^ "Ava Zinn (aeverinezinn) on Twitter". Twitter.com. Retrieved 2013-05-13.
  19. ^ a b c Aeverine Zinn Holdings (October 9, 2013). "The X Factor 3 Top 16 Revealed". Vote or the Girls (US). AvaZinn.com. NOTE: On the episode cited above, when Alex & Sierra were chosen as a Vote for the Girls pick as a "Vote for the Best of Worst, Zinn stated that this rule applies to all singing competitions.
  20. ^ a b "Vote for the Girls American Idol 13 Picks". Vote for the Girls US. Aeverine Zinn Holdings. 14 February 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2014. {{cite web}}: External link in |website= (help)|series=Vote or the Girls (USA)|network=AvaZinn.com|date=February 22, 2014|credits=Aeverine Zinn Holdings}} NOTE: On the episode cited above, when Nobilette was chosen as a Vote for the Girls pick for Zinn, Steele and Jameson (transgender women) and Meuse for Everman, Swaringen, and Rock (bisexual or lesbian women), Zinn stated that this rule applies to all singing competitions.
  21. ^ http://www.theguardian.com/media/2007/jun/21/realitytv.broadcasting
  22. ^ a b c d e f g Zinn, Ava (26 August 2014). "What's Wrong with Holly Eerman". AvaZinn.com. Aeverine Zinn Holdings. Retrieved 26 August 2014.
  23. ^ [?? "VFTG Master List of Picks"]. Unknown. Retrieved YYYY-DD-MM. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help); Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  24. ^ Zinn, Ava (12 July 2014). "VFTG's Rising Star 1 Picks". Vote for the Girls. Aeverine Zinn Holdings. Retrieved 15 July 2014.
  25. ^ "VFTG's Vote for the Worst Picks (American Idol 13)". www.voteforthegirls.us. Aeverine Zinn Holdings. May 9, 2014. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  26. ^ "VFTG's Vote for the Worst Picks (American Idol 14)". www.voteforthegirls.us. Aeverine Zinn Holdings. TBD. Retrieved August 19, 2014. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  27. ^ "VFTG's Vote for the Worst Picks (Rising Star 1)". http://voteforthegirls.us/2014/08/24/revealed-vftgs-rising-star-vote-for-the-worst-picks-and-another-loss/. Aeverine Zinn Holdings. August 25, 2014. Retrieved August 19, 2014. {{cite web}}: External link in |website= (help)
  28. ^ "VFTG's Vote for the Worst Picks (The Voice 6)". www.voteforthegirls.us. Aeverine Zinn Holdings. August 25, 2014. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  29. ^ "VFTG's Vote for the Worst Picks (The Voice 7)". www.voteforthegirls.us. Aeverine Zinn Holdings. August 25, 2014. Retrieved August 19, 2014.
  30. ^ ""You Better Start Praying Vtfw!!!!!"". Vote for the Worst. Retrieved 2013-05-13.
  31. ^ [1]
  32. ^ "VFTG USA - The Voice USA Top 20 Result". YouTube. Retrieved 16 April 2014.
  33. ^ Zinn, Ava (14 July 2014). "Rising Star Duels (Part 1) Result, Sarah Darling Robbed, Kellie Rock's Racist remark". Vote for the Girls USA. Retrieved 14 July 2014.
  34. ^ a b Kellie Rock (July 15, 2014). "Kellie Rock Statement regarding Facebook comment". Vote for the Girls. Aeverine Zinn Holdings. Retrieved July 15, 2014.
  35. ^ a b Kathi Jameson (August 3, 2014). "Kathi Jameson Statement regarding Twitter Rape post". Vote for the Girls. Aeverine Zinn Holdings. Retrieved August 5, 2014.
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