David Cook Deserved to Win and Final Thoughts on the American Idol Finale

With 97.5 million votes cast, David Cook has emerged victorious in the Clash of the David's. Now the lights are dark at the Nokia Theater and the Top 10 have turned their sights toward the tour. The American Idol tour promises to be a monster hit with many venues already sold out. The producers have already had to add additional days and stops to meet the demand.

Though I'd picked David Cook to win early on, I thought based on the judges overwhelming smooching of David Archuleta's hind parts that David Cook was a goner. I was saddened by the prospect of this, not because I don't like David Archuleta. On the contrary, I think he is spectacular; I just like David Cook's style a little more. I get the idea that Cook knows who he is. I believe that David Cook deserved to win. I won't belabor the point about the confluence of events that conspired to put him in the top two. That's been rehashed in article after article. I believe he deserved the win because of his musical promise and prowess. He's ready to make records. He's got a style and a sound and an approach. I've thoroughly enjoyed most of his covers so I'm eager to hear what original music he comes up with.

Archies there is no need to lament David Archuleta's fate. If previous years are any indication, he will receive just as much of the star treatment as the actual Idol. I suspect he'll have a record deal before Associated Content has a chance to publish this article. Based on rumors and innuendo, the only thing David has to be worried about is his Dad's increasing Svengali ways. I don't now anything about Jeff Archuleta. I suppose, if I had a child as talented as David A, I'd be clamoring to make sure he got everything he needed to be successful. I know David A's target audience are teens and tweens but, I think he has the type of voice that will mature and ripen as he gets older and he'll be able to transition into quite a successful adult performer. Because of his age he's been compared to Jordin Sparks, but I think they are quite different. From day one Jordin never teetered on the brink of sounding like an adult. He vocal delivery was full bodied and mature from the word go. To hear Simon tell it, her voice may have been a little more mature than they would have liked. She chose songs that were much older than her years. David Archuleta walks a fine line. Some days his vocals are chipmunk cheery and other times they are mature and spot on. Having said that, I know with the right producers he'll put out an album that will do well.

Now on to this season of American Idol. Not unlike prior seasons we followed gamely along as Simon, Paula and Randy trudged through the audition process. I support anyone's right to audition and to make a fool of themselves, if they must, but that schtick is past it's sell by date. At first it was funny but now it is clear that some of these people who are coming on the show must have a folder on some mental health caseworkers desk. Looking at it in that light, it loses some of its power to amuse. As an American, I support a grown man's right to wear a barely there Princess Leia bikini. Power to the people; Vive le Difference and all that, but must the American public have to watch?

I'm not sure whose idea it was to keep insisting that this was the best batch of talent ever. While I'm not casting aspersions on this year's talent, I am just resentful of the heavy handed tactics employed by American Idol to induce me into believing it. Ryan, stick to reporting and hamming it up with Simon and we the American public will decide who's talented and who's not. You don't have to oversell it; you had us at "This is American Idol". As a fan, I won't stop watching until the lights go off and the theatre goes dark.

I thought the finale was quite good but I couldn't help thinking that if the Jonas Brothers had actually been competing to be on American Idol, they would have been cut during the first wave of tryouts. I consider myself pretty progressive and opened minded but I just don't get it. Even with the little tight shiny suits and great hair, I am at a loss. Ah to be a tween again. As for the group homage to George Michael; I enjoyed the performances but I would just like to know who was in charge of the men's suits. Ill-fitting and unbecoming was the whole lot. Compared to the women who were quite fetching in their black dresses, the men looked like they were heading off to an undertakers convention. I guess there's some reason for the group numbers but this year they just seemed a little cheesier than in the past and they were pretty cheesy before.

While I enjoyed David Cook's performance with ZZ Top, I did feel a little slighted for him when David Archuleta got to perform with the new and cutting edge One Republic on their hit "Apologize". The fact that David Cook won made it all better. George Michael sang "Praying For Time", which was originally released in 1990 on the album Listen Without Prejudice. He was in great voice, if a slight bit over dramatic in the delivery. Though, not moved to tears, like Paula, I was very touched by the heartfelt and reworked rendition. He is heading out on his first North American Tour in 17 years.

While this season of American Idol included some good solid performances, I would really like to see the producers enlist some more recent talent for the contestants to work with. I think the Beatles are classics and I'm all for never letting the youth of the world forget about the icons of music, but please oh please, next year could you try to mix it up a little. You have successfully introduced the youth of America to the likes of Neil Diamond and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Kudos to you; but could we get a little more current. So that way Simon won't accuse some one who is singing a 40 year old song, of not making it current. Its 40 years old for Pete's sake.

Those are my parting thoughts. While American Idol is still ubiquitous in some circles, it does seem to have lost some of its appeal to a segment of the reality television watching populace. Perhaps it's the backlash that afflicts just about everything or maybe it's the underlying feeling that Idol is fixed. Perhaps it's nothing. When you consider the 97.5 million votes that were cast, somebody must be watching.