On Tuesday, May 19, college boy Kris Allen and musical theatre star Adam Lambert battled it out for the final time this season, hoping to win the hearts of America and be named "American Idol of 2009." The following night, Ryan Secrest proclaimed Kris Allen the winner. Allen fans were ecstatic - Lambert fans were enfuriated - and based on friends and other people I know who watch American Idol (including myself), most of them were part of the furious crowd.
According to a few online polls I came across, around 63-73% of American Idol viewers were Lambert fans. Yes, Kris is a cute guy with a warm, soulful voice, but it doesn't compare to the powerful vocals that present Adam's high potential. If so many people were in favour of Adam, then how in the world did Kris Allen get the title? Some say AT&T gave Kris an unfair advantage by providing free phones and "power texting" to fans in Arkansas, Allen's birthplace. Some even say the voting was fixed. Others think the votes came from his secret fan base of "gum-snapping girls." Then there's the people who oppose Adam's homosexuality. Did it play a role in Allen's victory? Maybe, maybe not.
These kind of peculiar situations make me wonder about other voting competitions: how fair are they REALLY? Let's use student council as an example. Be honest now - what do you base your choices on? Do you base them on their speeches, how good of a friend they are to you, or how well they can bribe you to vote for them? I bet most students don't even pay attention to the candidates when they speak, leaving it to be a popularity contest. During the semi-finals for AI, one of Kris's song choices was "Heartless" by Kanye West, no doubt a hit-song. Think about it though - unless you are changing the arrangements so it's completely distinct from a rap song, would you really choose a rap song to sing in a COMPETITION? Yes he made some adjustments, but anyone can tell that the difference isn't overly large. I thought it was an unwise choice; the judges thought it was brilliantly creative. So what, he became extremely popular just because he picked a popular song? While Adam's selections weren't as well-known, his performances always made up for that; Kris chose from the hit list, performed them mediocrely, and he winned it all. What's the point in wasting effort if this is what will happen?
The reason for television competitions like American Idol, and elections like Student Council, is to choose the best of the competitors based on the standards of a winner, and the majority vote. However, various votes are placed for the wrong reasons, making it unfair for those who are truly worthy of representing one's grade, or one's country as "American Idol."
SOURCES:
http://realitytvmagazine.sheknows.com/blog/2009/05/28/american-idol-did-att-help-kris-win/
http://weblogs.redeyechicago.com/showpatrol/2009/05/american-idol-poll-adam-vs-kris-may-12.html
http://www.quizilla.com/polls/result/9579379
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