I’m vindicated! The New York Times has an article today about how AT&T may have “fixed,” this year’s American Idol Voting by holding special events and providing free texting services for Kris Allen in Arkansas. There were rumors floating around that for such a small state Arkansas really “represented,” during the final voting. Now we know why, AT&T was behind it. Here’s the key passage from the article:
“Representatives of AT&T helped fans of Mr. Allen at the two Arkansas events by providing instructions on how to send 10 or more text messages at the press of a single button, known as power texts. 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 efforts appear to run afoul of “American Idol” voting rules in two ways. The show broadcasts an on-screen statement at the end of each episode warning that blocks of votes cast using “technical enhancements” that unfairly influence the outcome of voting can be thrown out.” This service wasn’t provided to Lambert fans.
All I can say (as an Adam fan) is: THIS IS RIDICULOUS! Give Kris the title. It's the best scenario and he is a talented artist. He will do well under 19 Entertainment and Adam will have the freedom to be who he is. Do people not understand now this makes both Kris and Adam feel? They are happy with the outcome, why can't the rest of the world be?
Why even bother to vote at all if a corporate sponsor is going to swoop in at the last second and cast 100 million votes? It's a big scam. Adam clearly should have won. Kris won because of corporate cheating. I know I won't be watching (or voting) next year.
all yaw r fucked up i love chis and i loved adam but oh well it is what it is theyre happy
Everyone knows that Adam deserved to win. How dare anyone suggest that Kris should have the title when cheating went on down in Arkansas. If anyone thinks that Adam would have let 19 Entertainment push him around, may I remind you of "Ring of Fire". Adam is a force of nature no one will stop his creativity. What about the million dollars, that is part of the prize? Adam sang to win every week, out performed everyone, had more fans and votes everywhere but Arkansas. Who will ever vote on American Idol again if this is swept under the rug!
We knew all along that some people cheated, that's way ADAM lost to KRIS!!! Well, I am sure now FOX and AT&T will have loads of explaining to do!!!!!
Adam won't want the AI winner crown back though I think. He will give it to Kris as a gift!! He's moving on to thing much greater than AI.
But for the fans, we will find our "peace" now!!!
Kris talented? He is as talented as the average guy singing in a college campus coffee house. Had their not been such a disparity in talent and fan base this cheating would probably not have been revealed. Rolling Stone was correct when they said that Adam is the first Rock Star ever found by Idol. Simon had it right when he remained seated when the winner was announced. American Idol needs to make this right. They found our Elvis, now they better not f___ with him.
Without bashing Kris, cuz it's not his fault, the problem really is that Fox says, don't do this (wink, wink) while allowing its sponsors to actually teach people how to power text. And I know that fans of other contestants know how to do it as well, Adam's or others. The show allows it in order to keep saying, oh this year we got even MORE votes than last year. Unless the show addresses or changes the system to vote I know I'm not watching next year.
Before we really get into finger pointing about power texting, bear in mind that BOTH Kris Allen's fansite and Adam Lambert's fansite had instructions for power texting prior to the finale vote. Both fansites encouraged using the method to get thousands of votes for their idol. A simple Google search would also show that other Idol fansites used power texting. Does the media no longer research before posting "breaking news"? World, this is NOT NEWS. I agree that it was in bad form for at&t to provide instructions to Allen fans in Arkansas, however, the concept already existed in the camps of the die hard idol fans. See Adam-Lambert.org: http://adam-lambert.org/power-texting-with-att/ and KrisAllenNation: http://www.krisallenation.com/2009/05/how-at-user…
We should also note that "AT&T Representatives" does not equal AT&T, the sponsor of American Idol. Said "representatives" were likely the local college kids working at that AT&T Wireless retail store, which while part of AT&T, hardly represent AT&T Corporation proper.
Congratulations, America!!! Just like Florida stole the presidency from Al Gore, Arkansas stole the title from Adam Lambert. How can Arkansas, with a population of only 2.8 million cast 38 million votes? Well, if AT&T can help 1 person in Arkansas put in 45,000 votes, then anything is possible. Not only that. AT&T also helped voters in Arkansas votes in different time zones. Means, votes placed from Arkansas could easily top more than 50 million but distributed as coming from other states. It's so sad that this smeared The AI Kris Allen who he himself admits it's Adam who deserves to be The American Idol. But never mind. Adam is The WORLD'S Idol. If only international fans could vote, there's no doubt ADAM wins by a landslide.
It's better that Adam ends up as runner up than be a questionable winner all your life. it's a pity it had to happen to Kris.
ADAM SHOULD HAVE WON! I knew it had to be "rigged". That being said, if FOX and AT&T doesn't straighten this thing out before next season, they will be losing millions of viewers. On the finale night, I voted via my home phone 489 times for Adam. I redialed the entire 4 hours after the show. I won't be doing that anymore – I wasted my time!! I do however feel bad for Kris because this was not his fault. After this season, I'm really not looking forward to another one.
Bears repeating:
Before we really get into finger pointing about power texting, bear in mind that BOTH Kris Allen's fansite and Adam Lambert's fansite had instructions for power texting prior to the finale vote. Both fansites encouraged using the method to get thousands of votes for their idol. A simple Google search would also show that other Idol fansites used power texting. Does the media no longer research before posting "breaking news"? World, this is NOT NEWS. I agree that it was in bad form for at&t to provide instructions to Allen fans in Arkansas, however, the concept already existed in the camps of the die hard idol fans. See Adam-Lambert.org: http://adam-lambert.org/power-texting-with-att/ and KrisAllenNation: http://www.krisallenation.com/2009/05
We should also note that "AT&T Representatives" does not equal AT&T, the sponsor of American Idol. Said "representatives" were likely the local college kids working at that AT&T Wireless retail store, which while part of AT&T, hardly represent AT&T Corporation proper.
Im not sure if this is as bad of a situation as the news is making it seem, but it still really angers me! I am a die hard Adam fan and think he is the best thing to ever cross the Idol stage! I mean, with or without this voting fraud, peoples reasons for voting for Kris were pretty corrupt anyways. I do know people who don't like Adams voice, and I respect that, but voting for Kris because of speculation about Adams sexual orientation, the fact Adam was getting more press than Kris (which its not like thats his fault or makes him anyless talented), or even the fact that Kris comes from Arkansa and Adam doesnt are stupid reasons to not to vote! Its those reasons that lost Adam the title, but let me remind you guys, the runner up almost always does better than the "American Idol." All I know is that I refuse to watch Idol next year if people like Adam cannot win!!!!! There should be a voting limit and the judges should get more say in who goes through because THEY are the ones who know what their talking about!
Daniel, Pay attention. The AT&T reps didnt just teach folks how to power text, they gave them free texting on 70 free phones. The rest of us had to buy go phones and pay for power texting. That's just blatant cheating. AT&T and Fox will spin this but who believes them anymore?
Is it REALLY cheating? Despite FOX's insistence that there's rules in place against such a thing, they've done nothing from a technical standpoint to prevent it. Rules without enforcement mechanisms aren't really rules, they're just suggestions.
Besides, let's not sit here and pretend that American Idol voting was EVER empirical in any way. It's heavily slanted to those who have the time and the means to vote. Jean above even openly admitted to voting 498 times. It's always been that way. To change it now seems disingenuous.
when they announced idol had received 100 million votes, you would think they were suggesting that there was 100 million viewers. the only way to fix idol voting is to allow only one vote per phone number. only then will america know how many real viewers are watching and voting.
Ah, yes…we had an almost sure winner here, one who was coming from the Deep South in an America rapidly becoming more Bible-Belt Conservative, one with an electric talent yet a sexuality being called into question (never a good thing with many voters' minds), one with a more traditional appeal.
And, then, the night of the finals — in which the one thought to be frontrunner seemingly fell afoul of the phone company and the "straighter-acting" one got a big leg up to win it.
Been there, done that, people – I was describing CLAY vs. RUBEN.
Clay was way ahead in the voting, and then, mysteriously, the lines went down but when the totals started up again visibly, gee, Ruben had swamped Clay after all, but the phone company swore up and down that everything was totally on the up-and-up..
All those *ups* made you want to *throw* up.
Whether or not America is ready to embrace a gay Idol, AMERICAN IDOL, FOX, News Corp., Murdoch himself, who- or what-EVER, some part of that chain is most definitely *not* and will probably continue to be so.
Nothing whatsoever intended against Ruben or Kris, who with Clay and Adam showed pleasing, careerworthy talents in their respective favorite styles. Continued good luck and success to all four men!