The following article is shared from CBSNews.com with my comments posted up first:
My thoughts:
Wow. I’m not really sure what to say. At first glance I was thinking, “yea, whatever ….. there’s always speculation of cheating, etc.” but this is really TRUE! At & T itself admitted its employees brought demonstration phones and offered tutorials on power voting to those who were interested in using them to powervote for Kris Allen. I was *shocked* to hear At & T admit this took place! I understand Kris’ fans wanting him to win but showing this level of desperation is a little pathetic, yes? Why would anyone want their man to win with swirling accusations?? I would only want a clear and clean win for Adam. Shouldn’t Kris’ fans want this as well? Why would they resort to cheating? And involve a major sponsor of the show? Ridiculous. Offensive, even.
Listen – Kris Allen is a good singer. He is. But he’s not *that* good. Adam deserved to win. Adam was the frontrunner from day 1. The first week on the Big Stage Adam sang Michael Jackson’s “Black or White” and the audience and Paula couldn’t contain themselves! At that moment Paula exclaimed we would be seeing Adam straight through to the finals and Simon couldn’t hide his superwide grin, either (the entire season!). For a consistent frontrunner, who always received positive feedback from the judges week after week, to be the only one to receive a standing ovation from SIMON – to lose to any one of the cling-on’s is ….. just ….. unbelievable. So unbelievable, in fact, that it most likely didn’t even happen legitimately.
And what a huge disappointment. Yes, Adam is taking it all in stride. Yes, he says he feels like a winner just making it to the finals. Yes, he has gained enormous exposure and has a famously exciting career ahead of him. BUT, there’s nothing like working hard for something and wanting to be acknowledged for it by hearing your name called as the winner and hearing …. Kris Allen, instead. Especially when the vote was wrong. Adam can talk all the positive talk he wants and I’m glad he does because that’s what keeps his head in the game, always moving forward, and taking advantage of and appreciating the opportunities before him. But there’s no way possible he can convince me he wasn’t upset when his name wasn’t called. No matter how much mental and emotional preparation he reached for prior to the last five minutes of the finale show. Just the fact that it took preparation means he held it close to his heart. And holding it close to his heart means he was hurt by the loss. It’s only human to be hurt by a loss. And this was a loss.
Okay, so he’s moving forward and congratulations to him. I only see a bright future ahead for him.
But that does NOT forgive the ill-gained win of Kris Allen due to his desperate fans actions.
Unacceptable. Period.
Did you forget these two guys are people with feelings and their dreams on the line? How dare you mess with that. Ruthless. And rude. The result? A tainted win for your guy. Way to go, Kris Allen fans! Way to go!
Adam Lambert is *MY* Idol.
Latest “Idol” Voting May Have Been Tainted
Report: AT&T May Have Skewed Balloting Toward Upset Winner Kris Allen
From left, finalists Adam Lambert and Kris Allen with host Ryan Seacrest during “American Idol” on Tuesday, May 19, 2009 in Los Angeles (AP Photo/ FOX, Frank Micelotta)
(CBS) It was considered a huge upset when Kris Allen beat Adam Lambert to win the season eight crown of “American Idol.”
Now, published reports say Allen may have had a little help from AT&T, one of the show’s biggest corporate sponsors.
After 100 million votes were cast, Allen, a 23-year-old Arkansas native, beat Lambert, who was heavily favored.
But, according to a report in The New York Times, AT&T seems to have stepped in somewhat on Allen’s behalf.
Representatives of the phone company are said to have distributed free text messaging services at two Allen parties in Arkansas on the night of the finals. The reps reportedly showed party-goers how to “power text” — cast 10 votes at the touch of a button — a tactic that violates “Idol” rules.
The Times says power texts “have an exponentially greater effect on voting than do single text messages or calls to the show’s toll-free phone lines.”
The newspaper cites as sources people at the parties, and the company itself.
AT&T issued a quasi-denial, saying, “A few local employees brought a small number of demo phones with them and provided texting tutorials to those who were interested.”
The Times says it appears no similar efforts took place on Lambert’s behalf, and notes that, since the parties, “angry supporters” of Lambert have “flooded online chat boards with messages claiming irregularities in the competition’s voting.”
First word of the possible influence on the voting came in an article last week in The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
© MMIX, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Source: CBSnews.com
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oboy are we in for a fun time. But the questions is what next. AT&T knew what they were doing and so did Kris’s fans. So now it is sad for Kris as he probably did not win. There were 38millon votes from Ark. and only 2.5 million population. I would say no way did he win. Even with Danny G. votes. AT&T should have to tell what they did and apolgize to Kris and Adam plus declare them both winners. Adam should get the same money Kris gets and also his private plane just like Kris for a year. There are lots of benefits and AT&T should be made to pay then cut loose from the Idol forever. Voting should be call-in only and never texting. There should be every precaution made so this never happens. It has made Kris look bad and the Idol looke bad. SOMETHING HAS TO BE DONE.
think maths. voting continuosly for 4 hours for 1 person.
power text (free by at&t) = 144000 votes. normal text = 14400 votes. 100 phones = 12 million DIFFERENCE between the 2!
think. the difference here is staggering . and I heard at&t loan many phones that day. it was not closed properly. IT WAS NOT WON FAIR AND SQUARE. LEAVES A BITTER AFTER TASTE.
Word on the Internet says that Arkansas racked up 37 million votes in the final idol vote. Arkansas is ranked 32nd in population with its 2,855,390 people. Therefore, there are 13 votes for every man, woman, child, and infant in Arkansas. Yeah, right.
Well at least Adam can walk away with his head held high and so must we. I’m sure in his private moments he was deeply hurt but has chosen to move forward with style and grace which only adds to his attraction and so lets support him in the same way. Get over it, move on and support him in everyway we can starting with being proud of the fact that even though it was not fair and sqaure he still has his integrity in tact and is a better person for it. Kris may be a sweet guy but he will always have that shadow of a doubt following him around that takes some of the shine off an unfortunate, lack luster win and Kris did say it himself…”adam deserves it”.
NEXT! Oh yeah, there are now jerks trying to say that Adam is a rude, inconsiderate, hard to work with Diva…Right! I guess they never bothered to talk to any of the other contestants or all the people that have worked with him in the past which have had nothing but praise and kind words for Adam Lambert and how hard he works to be his best and to help others as well. Shit happens and will continue to happen. May these creeps crawl back under the rock they came from. It’s almost laughable that they would even try to smear him other than the fact that crap sells and people will buy it. Adam’s integrety and strong spirit will carry him, he does a good job of not absorbing it. I sure the pain of not getting the title is soothed very much by knowing just how many people love and support him for who he is.. and that, my friends is priceless!
Yes, it does leave a bitter taste as Lady/June 3 has stated. The response to Adam at the concerts tell the whole story. The audience stands when he comes out and until he finishes his set, can hardly contain themselves until he appears on stage and cheer at the mere site of his face on the video screen before the show starts. We all know who the TRUE winner is. There was definetely something shady about this whole thing, Adam is the reason people watched Idol this season! Kris is ok, but nobody can hold a candle to Adam’s sheer talent. Why do you think “Boundaries” was removed from the AI show? Kris couldn’t sing it in the finale and people were actually Boo-ing when he sang in on the tour show, he just couldn’t handle the notes.I thought Adam did a better job with it but it was really kind of a sh– song, but if anyone could breathe life into this excuse of a song–Adam could. Yes, Adam was wonderful about it all but I still think the recognition and ACCEPTANCE would have meant a lot to him. I’m glad Kris and Adam have become friends but I will never believe Kris won this fair and square. Godspeed, Glamey. (Adam didn’t need the title to become a star as Simon said during one show to Adam “with you, it really doesn’t matter now” so perhaps, they wanted to cash in on Kris by giving him the title because without it HE more than likely would not go too far but they knew Adam was on his way with or without the title due to the overwhelming response to him nationally and internationally.One word sums it up for me—– Unconvinced.
Great post!
Simon did say that to him — I never forgot that — AND he said it before he even sang Mad World! He said it the week of Play That Funky Music, which was the week after he sang Tracks of my Tears. So early on in the competition to say such a thing to a contestant! And Paula practically declared him the winner during earlier auditions when he sang Satisfaction, and then during Week 1 when he sang Black or White! Every week Simon almost fell out of his chair at the revelation of their “find!*
Definitely something was up with the voting. If it were correct, the responses at the shows would be correct. I could see each Idol getting a larger response in their hometown – but everywhere they go its the same Idol?? I’ve never gone to a concert where the opening act received louder applause than the headlining talent. There definitely was something up and I think it may come in the form of the way voting is allowed. Perhaps it should just be one vote per number. How many times someone can dial from a number doesnt really tell you which contestant is wanted most — it just tells you who dials fastest, who has the youngest fans with enormous amounts of time on their hands, etc.
Yea — I think Adam has handled the loss well. BUT, I think, like you, that the win would have meant a lot to him in so many different ways. And he got ripped off. But now – its payback time. And he never even had to utter a bad word. A class act. And people dare to rag on him as a diva — pphhhffff!
Just a last word from me on this subject. A F.B. friend of mine that lives in Arkansas sent this to me this morning: “The Big Buzz around here is all Kris. So mayby I get Adam to myself. They play Kris’s no boundaries every 30 min on the radio, his parents have been on all the news shows”. As far as I’m concerned, ALL of Arkansas cheated and they are proud of it. My friend that is a huge Adam fan nearly has to keep it to herself. She and her husband plan to go to the concert, stand and proudly cheer for our man! Yos, Adam would have graciously accepted the title that he so richly deserved but he was denied it for all the wrong reasons. The Universe is SOOOOO providing for him now (which he deeply believes in) Bromance aside, the world is standing in support and cheering for him now. As for those that cheated him they can sit at home and listen to No Boundaries, over and over and over by Kris (who I like as a person)… I think that is a fitting punishment. So let’s drop it, it’s over, nothing is going to change that outcome and instead of wasting our emotional, mental attitude on something negitive (like the hackers and the religious nut cases picketing), it wasn’t Kris’s fault so why boo him! he was the by-product, the excuse to try and bring Adam down… It’s not working :0) I am proud of the man, I will stand up and cheer for him at every opportunity, I will send him my love and good cheer, because after all that’s all he ever really wanted was for us to get to know him, except him and most of all love him. You’ve got me Babe!
Oh it certainly wasnt Kris’ fault I agree! Knowing that all of Arkansas is one-sided isnt really a good thing. Is the state that hard up for one of their own to *make it out* ??? I would – I thought rationally – think that all people in all states would like who they like because thats their personal taste in music …. not like who they like because they come from the same state. How stupid. The radio stations in Arkansas should have been – should be – like the radio stations here in NY and play all of the Idols because they must appeal to a large group of individuals. So sad that Arkansas operates as a single group effort with no room for free-thinking individuality.
No – its not Kris’ fault. But its sad that group mentality still exists in STATE form!
Have dropped AT&T as my local phone service. And dropped Unitel for my long distance. (Signed up with Unitel to protest AT&T’s cave-in to Bush Administration wire tappers.) Have found that the local cable supplier offers local and long distance service that is much cheaper. Voice quality, if anything, has improved. My new Cableone service also offers caller I.D., three-way calling, call waiting, and similar services.
Last week I got a cell phone call from my neighbor who was checking if my phone was still up–mine was up while her AT&T land line was down. But another time, my cable phone was down when my neighbor’s was up. Win some, lose some.
Lol ….. its always something. I have to say I use AT&T and love my service. I always have bars whereas my husband, who uses Sprint, never has service. My friend – same thing.