It’s over.
Kris Allen won ‘American Idol," and it wasn’t even close.
The big question now is — how is this going to affect this week’s outcome of "Britain’s Got Talent?"
It’s not like the old days, when what happened in America stayed in America. Word has surely gotten back to the Old Country that there was a backlash against the pre-anointed winner.
And it’s going to have repercussions.
Were "American Idol" fans sick of Simon telling them whom to vote for? Was it a well orchestrated voting campaign for the Christian? Or did people just want a low key idol in these low rent times?
And will the Brits follow our lead?
Susan Boyle, so loved round the world only a few weeks back, faces a
possible overthrow by a slew of heavy contenders, including fresh faced
pre-teen singers Shaheen Jafargholi, Hollie Steel, and Natalie Okri
and even a grown up soprano like Susan herself, though younger… and male.
Surprisingly, Susan was as shocked as any of them when Simon said on Saturday
that she’d made it to the next level. She could have felt a bit more secure against the three old women who sat around teaching us to knit with our fingers instead of needles, but they’re long gone.
A Susan Boyle Meltdown Hoax?
Still, I don’t mind predicting that she’ll surpass 73-year-old break dancer Fred Bowers or the tattooed male cancan dancers who assured Simon they’ll have no trouble performing for Elizabeth II because they’ve already danced for plenty of queens.
What Susan needs to do now is figure out what went wrong for Adam.
Susan Boyle Was Right to Snub Obama
Are there pictures on Facebook of her kissing boys? Didn’t work for Adam. Has she gone too far with her makeover? If she must paint her nails, stay away from black.
On the other hand, the National Enquirer’s Exclusive Interview with her secret crush, Helmut Glaser, 66, sets Susan up for the sympathy vote Adam was never able to muster. Helmut turned down her invitation to go to Rome together and meet the pope, saying he’s too old for her.
By not kissing — but telling anyway — Helmut has brought Susan the heartbreak that fans can never get enough of. There is always the possibility that Kris did not really win — or wouldn’t have, if votes were limited to one per person.
RollingStone.com commenter MsWrite wrote that she texted more than 1,000 votes for Adam on the Final 3 show and many more on the Finals. That was on an iPhone.
MsWrite said fans with an AT&T Go phone with unlimited texting could send ten texts to the same number at the same time—and cast ten times as many votes as she did in the same period.
Has Britain Got TOO Much Talent?
Commenter Eagle-eyes said California voters couldn’t get through any of Adam’s three phone numbers for three hours. It has been speculated that even with several phone numbers each, the more popular candidate’s lines could be jammed while the other’s lines kept accepting votes.
TV.com’s Tim Surette pointed out that a Kris Allen win is in the best interest of 19 Management, the company that finalists sign with: “Lambert’s popularity wasn’t going to wane with a second-place finish, but Allen’s could have. Now that Allen can be marketed as a ‘champion’—boom!—more album sales, and Lambert will
do just fine as runner-up.”
On "Britain’s Got Talent," two acts from each of the five live shows this week will make it through to Saturday’s final, based on votes from both the judges and the public. Cynthia Rolando of the North Central Illinois News Tribune suggests that judges be allowed to vote on "American Idol" as well, to make the system “more professional.”
Fair or not, "American Idol" 2009 is a done deal. The concert dates are set, and Clay Aiken has at least dreamed of apologizing to Adam for suggesting that Adam’s singing made Clay’s ears bleed.
Britain has yet to decide who’s got the most talent and, ultimately, Susan can only be herself and hope for the best.