Is American Idol Rigged?

If you, along with the rest of America, were surprised to hear Kris Allen's name called as the winner of American Idol, the latest American Idol controversy will give you plenty to talk about around the water cooler or twitter about for the next few days.

Here's a perspective on the controversy from someone who always watches - but almost never votes for any contestant - on American Idol.

AT&T Provides the Latest Scandal to American Idol Fans in Arkansas

Unless you've been living under a rock for the past week, you know that Adam Lambert fans are screaming over the American Idol voting scandal in Arkansas.

According to the New York Times, fans of Kris Allen who attended at least two of the fan parties held in Arkansas, were given the opportunity to record votes for Kris Allen on phones provided by representatives of AT&T. No similar phones were provided to supporters of Adam Lambert in California.

The details of this latest American Idol voting controversy were first reported by the Arkansas newspaper, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette in its coverage of the American Idol finale last week.

American Idol fans for Adam Lambert have been declaring the American Idol voting rigged for days and their rants reached a crescendo on Wednesday morning as several newspapers and television shows covered the story and the response from AT&T.

As reported by the New York Times, AT&T said in a statement released on Tuesday, May 26, that "...in Arkansas, we were invited to attend the local watch parties organized by the community. A few local employees brought a small number of demo phones with them and provided texting tutorials to those who were interested."

As all American Idol voters know and are regularly reminded during the telecast each week of American Idol, only AT&T subscribers can vote by text for American Idol contestants. When invited to two separate American Idol fan events in Arkansas - the home state of Kris Allen - AT&T does admit that AT&T representatives supplied extra phones and instruction to Kris Allen fans.

What it doesn't say is that the lessons appear to have been on how to power text or send 10 or more texts at the same time. And since AT&T supplied the phones, those fans using them to vote may or may not have been AT&T subscribers.

Would Adam Lambert Have Won Without the Supposed Extra Arkansas Votes for Kris Allen?

What everyone debating this latest American Idol voting scandal wants to know is whether or not Adam Lambert is the true winner.

Probably not.

I am not a regular voter for American Idol, but, because I was bored after the American Idol finale and because I felt sorry for Kris Allen - the perceived underdog - I decided to throw a few votes his way. Funny thing is, I had a very hard time getting through to vote for him and ended up casting only two votes in at least a 100 attempts (by the way, I am a not an AT&T subscriber).

So, say what you will about rigged votes, I was unable to add very many votes of any type for Kris Allen. I couldn't get through. A lot of people were keeping his phone lines busy.

Also, don't discount the "Gokey Effect." Danny Gokey had quite a few fans, too. And I'd guess that 98% of them switched their vote to Kris, not Adam.

American Idol Gains Nothing With Another Southern Winner

American Idol gains nothing by Kris Allen winning American Idol. Except controversy. The South, and certainly Arkansas, is not a large media market. It would be more beneficial for American Idol if the winner would come from the larger markets of California or the Northeast.

No matter how many contestants in the final stages of American Idol are from the South (was it my imagination or were there fewer than usual this year?) more American Idol winners continue to come from the South than any other area.

Either we're so bored down here in the South that we have nothing else to do but vote. And apparently, we're good at it.

Or, we can sing our faces off down here. And apparently, we're good at it.

Adam Lambert Gains Nothing By Winning American Idol

Face it, the best thing that ever happened to Adam Lambert was losing American Idol. Adam is destined to have a fantastic career that will meet or surpass other American Idol wannabes like Chris Daughtry. No one ever heard of him again after his early exit from American Idol, right?

Losing to Kris Allen in the American Idol finale is like winning the lottery for Adam Lambert. He should be thanking his lucky stars.

The Real American Idol Scandal and Controversy

The real American Idol scandal is the way the judges, particularly Simon Cowell, try to influence the voting each week, especially as American Idol nears the season finale. Seriously, does anyone think there is not a huge "Simon backlash effect," every time he anoints his favorite near the end of the season? I know that Simon's gushing over Adam Lambert in the final weeks certainly spurred me to vote for Kris Allen in the final week. Maybe others who don't regularly vote felt the same way.

American Idol needs to keep Simon Cowell, because no matter what he says, he adds a fun element to the show that couldn't be duplicated by anyone else.

However, both Simon Cowell and American Idol need to understand that they significantly influence voting every time Simon announces that it would be travesty if so-and-so doesn't win the contest.

Actually, I think they do understand that.

Correcting American Idol Voting Scandals

While I don't believe American Idol voting is rigged, per se, there are many ways American Idol could reduce the controversy and improve the voting results of the show.

Number One: Restrict the number of times that a person (or phone) can vote. Who cares that seventy-eleventy billion votes were cast. It's like they are trying to keep up with the eleventy-billion McDonald's hamburgers served or something. Please limit the number of votes cast by each phone number/person to 10.

Number Two: Realize that comments made by judges both influence voting for - and against - certain contestants. Either eliminate the "you will be the next American Idol" comments that begin occurring mid-way through the season or accept that you are influencing - rigging - the outcome of the show.

Number Three: Strongly suggest that anything your advertisers offer to the fans of one contestant they offer to the fans of every other contestant. Good grief! Did anyone really have to spell this out? Showing up at Kris Allen fan events with AT&T phones to hand out - and not at Adam Lambert events - is not acceptable! As a prime advertiser on American Idol, AT&T has a responsibility to provide equal amenities to each finalist.

And don't forget, it's just a TV show. That's all. There will always be people - like me - who think Adam Lambert is great - but voted for Kris Allen, anyway. The sun still came up the next day. Barring any unforeseen voting scandal, the sun will come up again tomorrow, too.

And on American Idol, underdogs rule.

Sources:
Edward Wyatt, AT&T May Have Swayed 'Idol' Results, nytimes.com