posted May 20, 2009 at 18:34 EST in Other Free Picks
American Idol Finale – And the Winner is…
by Mike Rose
American Idol Betting – The Last Dance…
It’s been three long months of watching and taking notes of the world’s largest singing competition, but American Idol Season 8 will come to a close this evening when either Adam Lambert or Kris Allen becomes crowned the winner. Tuesday night’s final show saw the unlikely pairing of competition favorite Adam Lambert and Kris Allen go at it after Danny Gokey was shown the door at the end of last week’s elimination show. We pegged Danny to get the boot, and once again, we hit our mark. Danny went from never being voted into the bottom three to off the show in the blink of an eye. While he entertained us throughout the show, it was clearly his time to go since he just didn’t seem to be in it to win it anymore. When asked about how he was feeling the last couple weeks, numerous times he stated I just want to know whose going; let’s get on with it…
With Gokey exiting stage left, we improved our entertainment betting record to 7-of-9 in all elimination shows to date. Our streak of five straight was snapped a couple weeks ago when Allison Iraheta was surprisingly let go, but we bounced back in style last week. Lambert opened up as a -350 entertainment betting favorite to take the Season 8 honors, while Allen boasts a healthy +200 return as the underdog.
A lot has been made about America being ready for rocker-chic Lambert, but I just don’t get it at all. Yes, Allen is the squeaky clean version that AI would have no problem promoting, but he’s not the most talented contestant remaining in this competition. Kris had to really do something special in the finale, and I believe he came up short in a big way. I think the setup of the show was more to blame though. Why they were forced to do one of their top performances all over again makes no sense to me. We’ve already heard it, done that. Why not let them bring something fresh to the table? When Lambert originally sang “Mad World”, it was haunting and dark. Last night’s rendition had me thinking of the Undertaker strolling into a WWE match. Allen’s “Ain’t No Sunshine” was on par with the first time he did it, but again, been there done that. Simon gave Round 1 to Allen, but who cares. It’s not fair to judge them on past acts in a show of this magnitude.
Then they sang songs chosen by the show’s producer…..boring!!! Seriously! These guys got this far choosing their own songs for the most part. Why on earth do we have to hear them do something someone else thinks is right for them? We did that with the judges already once, and for the most part, I didn’t like any of the song choices.
Then the sing-off. Oh joy! I slept through each contestant’s rendition. Thank you Kara for letting me hear Adam sing about mountain tops and lollipops. WTF was that? Allen’s was easier on the ears, but the song failed to allow either contestant do what they do best. If you haven’t felt my disdain for last night’s setup, here it is in plain English. The show sucked out loud! Reeked of hot garbage! Therefore, I can’t base my selection on who wins this thing based on it. Instead, I’m going to look at each contestants overall body of work.
Lambert is the rocker. Allen is the John Mayer type. Lambert can howl at the moon and is one of the best contestants ever to grace the AI stage. Allen’s act has been replicated by many out there right now. IE – Jack Johnson, the already mentioned John Mayer, Jason Mraz, etc… Lambert was the main reason people tuned into the show throughout the entirety of the season. Allen hung around early only because those before him just didn’t stack up. He became a contender in the competition in my eyes when Quentin Tarantino was a guest during “Music of the Movies Week”. He shined then, and really upped his game throughout the last month of the show. Lambert effortlessly brought it every week.
It’s not hard to decipher which of these guys is better than the other. I clearly think Lambert will sell more records than Allen and has more staying power. However, I wouldn’t at all be shocked if Allen gets anointed champion by the voting public. Lambert’s a big pill to swallow with his funky hair and outrageous outfits, while Allen appeals to the masses with his quiet confidence and school boy looks.
American Idol has had its share of season successes and big time flops. Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Jordin Sparks, and David Cook have all gone on to sell a ton of records and prove they can make it in the business. Ruben Studdard, Taylor Hicks, and Fantasia have all released albums, but you can probably pick them up for $2.99 at your local Walmart right now. David Cook has been the only male to go platinum, while Underwood, Clarkson, and Sparks still have America singing all their hits today. American Idol needs another male to carry the brand with him throughout his rise to fame. And the one best suited to do so is Adam Lambert. He’s going to be very successful throughout the remainder of his singing career, so why wouldn’t AI want to be there for the ride.
Those that got on the Lambert train at the beginning of the show, congrats!!! You’re about to get paid.
American Idol Season 8 Winner: Adam Lambert
I appreciate you all checking this article out on a weekly basis for the second year in a row. I will no doubt be back next year to give you my play-by-play on how Season 9 goes down. Until then…
