Posted at 9 a.m. Thursday, May 21
So, Kris Allen is your new American Idol.
As Simon, Paula, Randy and Kara would say: America, you played it safe.
By voting for the low-key Kris over the more daring Adam Lambert, America chose the lesser of two talents.
Take no offense, Allenites. Kris is a fine singer who I’m sure will score hit after hit. But let’s be honest, Adam has been and will be the more entertaining, more charismatic star.
I confirmed this opinion this morning when I watched the pair together on Wednesday’s finale, which was watched by 29 million viewers according to Nielsen Media Research. Side by side, singing with Queen (below right) and others, Adam blew Kris off the stage. Heck, he blew KISS off the stage.
When I talked to Chicago singer-songwriter Matthew Santos about the two idols before Tuesday’s final sing-off, he called “American Idol” a glorified karaoke contest. He said Kris is “very safe and doesn’t take risks,” while Adam is “more dynamic.”
“[Adam] has the edge this competition is catering to,” Santos said. (See Santos' performance-by-performance ratings here.)
Santos expertly analyzed the performers, but not the show. “Idol” rarely goes for edgy.
As much as the “Idol” judges insist that competitors take chances, in the end “American Idol” and 19 Entertainment consistently manufacture conventional, Top 40-ready stars such as Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood and last year’s winner, David Cook.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that. As Time magazine music writer Josh Tyrangiel recently wrote, “They are nice singers who sing nice songs nicely.”
They are safe—something Adam most definitely is not. He’s been a lightning rod for chatter all season long with his Goth style, guy liner, black nails and every-changing ‘dos. His shameless theatricality, powerhouse voice and ability to make those old songs “Idol” loves sound new only added to the sizzle.
And let’s not forget the boy-on-boy kisses. Early in the season, photos were leaked on the Internet of Adam making out with a guy. Since then, some fans have posted angry missives on the Web deriding his assumed sexual orientation and saying he’s a bad role model.
I have no idea if the “Is he gay?” issue was a factor in the voting this season. I assume it wasn’t. If it had been, Adam would have been gone the week those photos were released.
I do know this, however. By choosing Kris, America robbed us of a grand capper to the season. It would have been lovely to hear Ryan call Adam’s name on Wednesday, and for Adam to say: “Thank you, America. And yes, I am gay.” Or straight. Or bi.
My guess is that the tween vote carried Kute Kris through. Again, he is the safer bet for tweeny boppers, who seem to go for the adorable but non-threatening boys—the guy they can bring home to Daddy. Apparently a majority of this week’s voters have yet to enter the Goth phase.
He’s also from Conway, Ark. Southern states make a huge “Idol” voting bloc, with five past “Idol” winners hailing from the South.
The “Idol” judges likely were a factor in voting as well. They all but anointed Adam the winner. Entertainment Weekly and other media outlets, including me, gave Adam a whole lotta love this season. Maybe voters just got sick of it and decided to give Kris some attention. America does love an underdog story.
Kris was the underdog, and now he’s the talented, worthy and safe American Idol. He just wasn’t the best singer onstage.
7 Comments
cwrite said:
I totally agree. America likes to play it safe; it plays into some kind of collective fantasy about our innocence. Adam was "edgy" and full of bravado - frightening. Kris was "sweet" and "soft-spoken' in an almost self-deprecating way = safe.
I was also disappointed with the Dancing with the Stars results. Two extremely talented people get passed over for America's little sweetheart.
Lesson: If you exist outside of the box, don't pursue things (AI, DWTS) that try to place you in one.
Curt's reply: Bad week for you, huh? Buck up! Thanks for commenting. I think I see you on Twitter too.
PhDude said:
Adam Should Have Won! Kris won because of the K K K Kristian "hate vote". America proves again what a bigoted homophobic nation this is.
Curt's reply: Thanks for commenting, but I don't think your reasoning is correct, or coming from a place of love.
Roger Barton said:
Listen you got it all wrong. People listen to music with their ears, not their eyes. Yes Adam had a powerful voice, and was a showman. However, the fact is KRIS SOLD MORE ON ITUNES than Adam. You can confirm this with ITUNES. He sold a lot more than Adam. So maybe America loves to watch Adam, but love LISTENING to Kris more. The fact is, if anyone is too blame for his loss, its his fans. They did not turn up to vote, and they did not buy his music.
Curt's reply: Apple doesn't release sales figures for anything it sells. It simply ranks them. At this moment, Adam is ranked higher then Kris, although Kris has 3 songs in Top 10. In April, when a glitch in the iTunes system revealed sales, Adam was blowing Kris away and everyone else away. And no one is being blamed for anything. Just conjecturing why it happened. Thanks for commenting.
Greg said:
The New BLAND HETEROSEXUAL IDOL is... Kris Allen. *fake suprise*
Curt's reply: No name calling!
The Source said:
Most media, people in the music business and fans across the country recognize Adam as the true talent and Idol. The realization that American Idol has become a voting and home state contest and not an assessment of singing talent was made clear by AT & T's statistic disclosure this morning.
AT & T CONFIRMED FROM THEIR DATA THAT 38 MILLION VOTES CAME FROM ARKANSAS. THE POPULATION OF ARKANSAS IS ABOUT 2.8 MILLION.
THEY WERE USING GIZMO AND DIAL IDOL SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY.
One Arkansas church group of 105 people said they got in 436,655 votes using the software and their texts. This is not American Idol as voted by millions, this is a few hundred thousand people trained in one state skewing the results (plus the Gokey fans).
AI IS NO LONGER A TALENT/SINGING CONTEST, THIS IS A REGIONAL VOTING AND TECHNOLOGY CONTEST.
Kris admitted "Adam deserved this" He heard after wards about the voting and technology training in Arkansas. He did not want to win that way.
The reason Simon did not stand clapping with the other judges is because he knew America made a mistake and the voting had gotten skewed.
And last, remember that Elvis lost a talent contest in Mississippi before he became a recording artist. Adam is our American Idol, Kris is an Arkansas Idol
Curt's reply: AT&T has denied that report, and the Arkansas TV station that reported it has retracted the story. Go to fox16.com for the update. Thanks for commenting.
JM said:
I don't agree that America plays it safe. I've also seen a video how Americans did not vote for Adam because he is gay. I'm a gay male and I had no interest in voting for Adam not because he is gay but simply because I personally didn't care for him. This article states "Low Key, Kris Allen" Since when did Americans love singers who hit high notes. That is considered opera singers not marketable pop singers. Kris has a great range and sings at notes similar to pop stars on the radio currently. Yes, I believe Adam is very talented but I hate reading that we didn't vote because he is gay.
Curt's reply: Thanks for commenting. I agree with you and doubt the "gay issue" was a factor.
Bill said:
Although I do believe some may have voted for/or against Adam because of the perception of his lifestyle choice, and some may have voted for/or against Kris because of his religious standing, I personally supported the performer based on his experience,or lack thereof, as a performer. I always thought, right or wrong, that American Idol was after the "guy" or "girl next door" who suddenly surfaces during competition as an artist. Not someone who has been performing professionally for years on stage or elsewhere. I think Kris fit that bill but Adam, as polished as he was, has been performing for years.
Curt's rely: Thanks for sharing.
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