Why Kris Allen won

It was not really the talk of the town last week. That honor or its opposite went to Hayden Kho’s sex videos. But it came close and also made the front pages, largely because the result was so unexpected. Clean-cut Kris Allen, a college student who learned how to sing in church, won over rock god wanna-be Adam Lambert, a 26-year-old musical theater actor from California.

I’ve been asked several times for my opinion so I thought I’d better put in writing my own post mortem on the outcome of the finals episode of this year’s season of American Idol. Why did Lambert, tall and dark, to whom the show’s four judges have all but handed the trophy lose to Allen, short and blonde?

The answer is America spoke. That is what the big-rating show is about. Votes from the public. You like a contestant? You vote for him or her by texting the assigned number. You are a contestant, you get relatives, friends, classmates, townmates, every person possible to vote for you. There is big money to be made by the show from the voting and those in the running do not mind spending a lot to win.

But why did most of the nearly 100-M votes sent in go to Allen? The voters rebelled against having the judges tell them what to do and that made Allen likable. Besides he has this puppy dog appeal that knows no demographics. Kids think he’s cute. Older women want to mother him. Men see in him a son who will do the right thing and somebody they would not mind going out with their daughters.

Lambert, on the other hand, wears eye-liner and nail polish, screams when he sings and has had his sexuality put to question. Now Idol is a singing competition and such things should not really affect the outcome. The best singer should win. Still, there were probably a lot of people who thought giving him the prize would be like making Marilyn Manson Miss America.

Stephen Holden’s article in The New York Times on the day of the finals called the sexuality angle (Adam’s) a godsend for the aging show in desperate need of controversy (whether or not manufactured) as well as flash.

He also made the interesting comparison of the Lambert/Allen face-off to the Elvis Presley/Pat Boone rivalry in the US during the late ‘50s. You all know Elvis. He became king of rock and roll. Boone also had lots of hits. Love Letters in the Sand, April Love, Friendly Persuasion and others. But these did not prove to be as memorable as Presley’s.

Holden wrote: In the mythic scheme of things Mr. Lambert, with his sultry cat eyes, jet black hair and theatrical make-up is Elvis, who some may recall was initially perceived as effeminate. Mr. Allen, a polite, self-contained, unfailingly earnest 23-year-old married Arkansan, is Mr. Boone. Elvis won the match.

It was actually Danny Gokey whom I wanted to win in this one. I thought Adam too contrived and Allen nice but bland. Unfortunately though, Gokey was booted out in the second to the last week of the competition. I still believe though that his kind of blue-eyed soul could have done wonders with this year’s Idol song, No Boundaries and given the show its first original hit. I also think it was one of the things that did Lambert in. Although he had to sing in a key too high for him, the song sounded better on Allen.

But then, while winning is nice and happens at the finale of an enjoyable, star-studded musical the world now looks forward to every year, it is not the only thing that matters on Idol. Think Jennifer Hudson. She now has hit songs, an Academy Award, a Grammy and other trophies. Think Chris Daughtry. His band Daughtry had the biggest selling CD of 2007. Both of these successes didn’t win the title. And did you hear that Constantine Maroulis who was in the finals three seasons ago is on Broadway and has been nominated for a Tony?

There is hope for Gokey yet.