Yay Kradam though for being poster boys for that beautiful thing called tolerance. Their sweet friendship saved us some nasty red state/blue state media coverage.

This AI season IMO was THE best collection of talent! And what a priviledge to witness that young man, Adam Lambert get his “big break”! For that, I’ll be forever grateful to AI. I, too was devasted when he didn’t win; he just gave so much of himself every single week … but Kris is also a fine young man and so happy to see the graciousness and respect that they have for each other … if this were any other Top 2; I don’t think I would’ve accepted it.

There’s a video out there with Kris coming from behind and giving Adam a sincere hug … aww … it’s right up there with Adam/Allison embrace after their duet. Does it get any better than this?

Finally, mjs … a very sincere THANK YOU and if you’re ever in the islands; please let me know so that I can return the Aloha!

And –

hollygo9
May 25th, 2009 at 10:38 pm
.. They only thing more consistant than Kris Allen this season was shiteous directing. Poorly timed, sloppily filmed, badly edited and crappily staged whenever possible.

Thanks for not only reiterating the biggest screw up of the season (closely followed by heinousity of the judge’s save) but doing so with the proper use of adverbs. You impress holly!

I feel the same way, honestly, it’s going to take me a long time to get over this one.

For me, it’s the artist that who stops me dead in my tracks and literally takes my breath away – this year that was Adam Lambert.

He is a shining star.

Kudos to you and the wrap up for this amazing season. I believe we will be seeing alot more interesting tidbits on your blog along the way till next season, and i will definitely be popping my head in here every once a while. (oh yeah, KRIS ROCKS!!!!) :king_tb:

I have to say, I had no idea how much stuff you don’t see, read or know about just following this show in the print press and on TV. The post-show interview circuit etc has been a real treat, as has Idolotry. Though it does mean I’ve become far too invested this year! Kind of glad I’ll be back in LA come next season so I can regain some of my sanity – though I may still have to pop onto EW and here every so often just in case I miss out on any hidden gem!

I too am disappointed Adam didn’t win – more than I thought I’d be as I really liked both him and Kris. Love or hate him, he has made the show so much more enjoyable and exciting this year. In fact, even at the end it still feels like we’ve just spent the last however many months watching The Adam Lambert Show, featuring Kris Allen and friends. Some people are just born to be shining stars and I really do think he is one of them. Having seen him perform I can attest to the fact that he is mesmerising live – he just has that elusive x-factor that everyone is always searching for.

And I think Allison is one to watch. I’m still of the opinion she’d be better off waiting a while just to really come into her own but I think she’s going to be a real asset to the music industry.

I am really pleased for Kris as well. He is hugely talented, blessed with fabulous musicality, was the only one really able to hold his own against Mr Lambert on that stage and he certainly came good when it mattered.

And you’re right, their friendship has been an absolute joy to behold. I hope (and think) both of them will have great success. Aside from their obvious talent, I firmly believe in karma and if anyone ever deserved a huge, fat dollop of the good stuff then it’s these two.

1. Danny fans going more for Kris

2. Middle-of-the-road tendency for any kind of popularity contest like this (people are just going to naturally gravitate toward the center, when only given 2 choices, especially when one is so near center, and the other is so far out there.)

3. Don’t underestimate the teeny-boppers who thought that Kris was 2 HAWT and texted like mad

4. Anti-pimping sentiment (aka the vote for the underdog effect): I definitely heard people say they got sick of the judges saying how great Adam was, even when they admitted he really was good (they just didn’t want the judges telling them that). Similarly, David C. got a huge boost last year when Simon proclaimed a knock out by David A – lots of people wanted to get behind the underdog. Same thing this year, when the judges already had Adam in the finals before the votes were cast, and called him a world wide star (which he is!) vs. puppy-dog faced Kris. 2 times in a row, now, the “underdog” has won.

5. Though I hate to say it, I do think the sexuality angle played into it as well. I had friends at work (and I live in a pretty progressive area) who actually asked, after I said Adam was my fav, “But you do know that he’s, you know…?” and I couldn’t believe it. And this was from someone I considered pretty open-minded. So don’t underestimate the people who just couldn’t get 100% around someone like Adam, even if they wouldn’t admit outloud they really had a problem with it.

Just my 2 cents. Kris was definitely the safe pick, and lets face it, that’s what AI tends to produce (as it has the last 7 seasons before).

Adam was in another league compared to any other AI talent.

I agree with your reasons for the final result, and I too am happy that Adam always stayed true to himself. His biggest weakness may have also been his biggest strength – he could, and did, just about everything, in terms of style, range, etc. That meant that fans who loved one side of him didn’t necessarily love the other. And then, there were those of us who loved all the sides. I definitely didn’t like him at first, had him grow on me toward the middle of the season, and by about the top 7 I declared that no one else deserved to win this year, because his talent was so much better than the others.

I recognize Kris’s talent, to be sure, and he was a great competitor, but his style and music are just not for me. However, Kris was a smart competitor, knew what he did well and played to those strengths (particularly when it came to playing the guitar or piano, his obvious comfort zone). That approach worked well to win fans, because people knew exactly what to expect from him. Adam was the chameleon, and you never quite knew what you were going to get from him.

That said, I completely agree that he made this season so memorable. It would have been really really boring (yes, even with Kris’s talent) without Adam. He gave people something to talk about, and I completely agree with you that if he had sacrificed his own style for the sake of winning over “middle-of-the-road” fans it would have been worse than just competing on his own terms.

Lastly, I am also a huge fan of the bromance between Adam and Kris: they are so cute together, have such a great friendship, helped each other, and others, out throughout the competition, and I think Adam’s press conference said it all when he said he just wanted the fans to come together, just as Adam and Kris themselves had.

Rock on, Adam! And thank you for making this season so memorable!

We managed to get into rehearsal, Tuesday’s show and the finale. Adam live is something to see and experience. His voice fills that arena. He was made for venues like that. On every song he did on finale night, you can pick out his amazing vocals over everyone, not in a “Adam is louder” way but because they are so clear and beautiful. The audience on Finale night was all about Lambert. It’s a completely different experience watching it on the TV. The place went nuts when he was out there. During the Kiss thing, when Adam appeared wearing the “outfit” to sing Beth, the audience literally went crazy. It was the Adam Lambert Show and special guests. When they announced Kris as the winner, there was very nice applause, but it was a little subdued. I think the entire theater was in shock.

The best part of the trip was Thursday Morning, we got up very, very early and went back to the Nokia to the press area to see him. Watching Adam interact with the reporters was very interesting. No one could keep their hands off him. Men, women and children were constantly touching him. He oozes charisma and everyone around him can see it. Kris was adorable but he was immediately lost in the crowd. He looks like some guy in a T-shirt and jeans who wandered into the reporters area. I do have to add that there is no question that he and Kris are very good friends. Its plain as day they are. Adam is already a star, you would have to be blind not to see it. On Wednesday after the finale he and Kris were doing press and the crowd was going wild for Adam. It was all about Adam. Everyone was all about Adam.

We were lucky enough to spend some time with him between interviews on Thursday and first of all, he is more beautiful in person than on TV. He is very tall and very slim and the eyes are outrageous. We got hugs and kisses from him and when he speaks to you, he is completely focused on you. Spending that time with him was an amazing experience, he is sweet, flirty, SEXY, funny, did I mention SEXY? Yeah, really, really sexy!