yeah rueben was definitly and underdog, and so was Clay Aiken, he's competition. That was certainly the underdog show down! However, I don't listen to either of those boys, so I don't know a lot about them.
I think the reason that I like Elliot so much is because he is a good singer, and also because his mom mentioned in one of the interviews that Elliot was the most unhappy child in the world, and nothing could ever cheer him up. She said that changed 100% the first time he ever sange karaoke (and that wasn't until a few years ago. His own mother never even knew that he could sing until then!). Plus, the poor kid had diabetes and is 90% deaf in one ear and still sings like a champ! I think that definitly influences my love for him and his music, I think its because I like to hear about kids being happy, and kids with disabilities really making it (such as deaf and with childhood diabetes). I think its the child psychologist in me!