'Idol' Gaffe Could Turn To Boon

Eleven contestants on the hit show "American Idol" are getting an unexpected do-over, because of a goof.

And The Early Show correspondent Tracy Smith reports that what may have seemed like a slip-up could turn to a bonanza for the show, already a mega-hit.

The problem, Smith explains, was in the numbers – not the musical numbers -- but the phone numbers that audience members use to vote for their favorite performer. Three of them were wrong.

"Idol" judge Paula Abdul shared her shock with "Entertainment Tonight:" "It was disastrous. There's nothing you can do!"

What the show's makers did do was scrap the votes. And last night, they gave fans a chance to vote anew, on a rerun of Tuesday's performances.

Now, what seemed a blunder could turn out to be brilliant, says New York Post TV reporter Don Kaplan: "A lot of it has to do with getting people to pay attention. And sure, a little drama adds headlines, gets people talking, but that's a good thing."

So far, Smith observes, most fans seem willing to forgive.

"Accidents happen. Problems happen," one fan told Smith.

And no doubt they'll watch when, in a special Thursday edition, voting results will be announced.

But no matter who advances to the next round, the big winners may once again be the "American Idol" producers, who may have stumbled onto a way to make the biggest show on TV even bigger.

This is the second extraordinary event to hit the show this season. Less than two weeks ago, popular contestant Mario Vazquez quit.

But producers insist there's no conspiracy to grab headlines-- Vazquez is leaving for personal reasons.