The Good, the Bad, and the Bizarre
It's been a week since Kris Allen was voted "American Idol." Just like last year, America failed to crown who really deserved the title. Judging from the past two seasons of this nearly decade-old singing competition series, it seems as though the U.S. believes that an "American Idol" is not someone with a unique voice and creativity, in the case of this season.
Everyone knows Adam Lambert won the popularity category this season. The female teenage fans who call themselves "The Glamberts" is enough proof. But this wasn't popularity without talent. True, his androgynous appearance and dramatic clothing caught our attention. Likewise, the Internet photos of him lip-locked with another male garnered more curiosity about his sexual orientation. Yet, it is his ability to reach those high notes and his original twists on songs like "Mad World" and "Tracks of My Tears" that made him unique, talent-wise, among the contestants.
Similarly, last year when it boiled down to David Archuleta and David Cook, even Simon Cowell pretty much all but crowned Archuleta. I'm not saying Cook wasn't good enough to win, but he wasn't a 17-year-old with a warm, stirring tenor voice that is unique for such a young age. Even Cook himself anticipated his rival's victory, according to Vh1.com.
What most upsets me, as well as many other viewers, is that despite Lambert's originality and skill, he lost because of politics. The only reason Kris Allen won, in my opinion, is because Lambert was too much for some conservative AI watchers. Many other fans also think this. The strong possibility of him being homosexual, as suggested by the online photos and his appearance, won Allen, who is a Christian, many Christian votes.
Speaking of Christian votes, one must also consider those who wanted Danny Gokey, who also happens to be a Christian, to win. After he finished in third place, some who were rooting for Gokey voted for him through Allen. Even though Allen may not have been their favorite contestant, he was close enough, religious-wise and okay, perhaps talent-wise too. But clearly, AI is not all about talent anymore. Last Wednesday's episode proved just that.
What's more infuriating is that AT&T, one of the biggest sponsors of Idol, may have also done their part in messing up the votes. Representatives of the mobile phone network provided free text-messaging services at two parties in Arkansas, said the New York Times. They showed Allen fans how to send power text messages, which are ten or more texts at the press of a button. Naturally, power texts affect voting more so than single texts or phone calls.
All skewed voting aside, I'm not bashing on Kris Allen. He's an adequate singer. But that's the word, adequate. Just another ordinary singer. Sure, he may have pulled off his own acoustic version of Kanye West's "Heartless," but his quietness and mellowness got to me. Lambert was not afraid to show his flamboyance. We saw that through his eyeliner, painted fingernails and outfits. That's what an American Idol should be; someone unafraid to express who they are. A screeching yet harmonious set of vocal chords doesn't hurt either.
Sadly, Lambert's loss emphasizes the homophobia in our society. God forbid (really, God forbid) we have an American Idol who isn't straight. As if we need more emphasis on this issue, two days ago California's Supreme Court ruled 6-1 to uphold Proposition 8. Thus, gay marriage remains illegal here. I'm ashamed to live in a state that refuses to serve "with liberty and justice for all."
I also can't help but wonder if America had a similar discriminatory mindset seven years ago when Clay Aiken was runner-up for AI. Although it wasn't until last year that he revealed his homosexuality, viewers probably detected signs of it during season two of the show. I didn't watch AI then, but I wouldn't be surprised if this factored into Ruben Studdard's victory.
Such more or less subtle homophobia isn't that bizarre, as it remains constant in society. I don't need to tell you whether it falls into the "bad" or "good" category.
We know by now that one need not win the competition to be successful in the business. Look at Daughtry and Aiken. Where did Studdard disappear to after he won? I'm happy to hear that Queen has invited Lambert to join their band. Pure awesomeness. Or is it now out of the question for a member of a rock band to be homosexual?