Thursday, May 21, 2009

On Kris Allen's Winning the 8th Season American Idol


I’m no American Idol fan but my kids are, especially the two girls who would get so excited watching the show. They were initially cheering for the early favourite Danny Gokey until he was ousted by virtue of Kris’ rendition of Kanye West’s ‘Heartless’. After Gokey’s departure from the competition, I knew they rooted for Kris Allen but were sceptical that he will come out the winner as he was earlier considered a long shot heading into the battle for the top two spots. They well knew that the more popular Adam Lambert, who was considered the frontrunner since early in the season, was going to win it... hands down.


Lambert always dazzled the audiences and the celebrity judges with his falsetto singing style, black nail polish and daring wardrobe. He had off-the-charts vocal range and dramatic flair. Adam Lambert got a great voice. He has the wit and boldness to use this talent for a maximum blow. He represents a social potential – that of politics of sex and identity and I admire him for being true to himself.


Nevertheless, the clean-cut Arkansas student and a devout Christian church worship leader Kris Allen, won over audiences with his all-American good looks and by putting his personal spin on popular tunes. He was himself shocked when he unexpectedly won the eighth season over singing rival Adam Lambert on the most popular U.S. television show.





So, contrary to ‘expectations’ but to the delight of my dearest kids – Kevin, Gabrielle and Chloe, "The underdog, the dark horse, comes back and wins the nation over!" This is how host Ryan Seacrest said in announcing the result of the viewer vote.


I always have that soft spot in my heart for the underdog, the "dark horse." The one in the pack that's not expected to rise and win. That is something which my 3 kids got from me and my wife – having that heart for the darkhorse.


For the past two seasons of the American Idol, the darkhorses David Cook and Kris Allen triumphed over the favorites David Archueleta and Adam Lambert. It happened twice and we’ve got to learn something out of this. There’s a life lesson in here – that of people’s exploring their full potential even in a judgmental setting that believed the contrary. It’s a lesson where one can grow, reach goals, prove himself, and surprise everyone in the end.


Yo kids! With all the commercial trappings that the American Idol has, let’s look at it as more of life’s lessons than just a popular US television show. It’s a lesson about character than just competition, and more about what people could become than what they could have been had the wrong choice was made.


12 comments:

  1. Ewan ko ba NJ. Twice na to. Last year, I rooted for Archuleta and this year for Lambert. Waaaaah! Talo na naman ako.

    O siguro din dahil I'm that going-against-the-tide type of person kaya I always choose the unpopular. Most of my friends love Allen and David Cook. Ako lang yata ang nagmahal kay Archuleta at Lambert.

    Honestly, sumama ang loob ko. But that's life.

    I learned my lessons din naman... Hindi na uso ang bumibirit ngayon. Hahaha.

    Thanks for your post.

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  2. For me, I was diappointed with the result coz i rooted for Adam Lambert. I like his renditions in all the songs he sang. But I knew Kris would win because of his "Idol material looks." Like Nebz, masama rin loob ko :-( it should be a singing competition and not pogi competition hehehe. Adam is pogi naman but yun nga lang he's gay but I don't care if he's gay as long as he sings very well (especially his birit." Oh well, I don't know if I will still watch next season's American Idol,kaka disappoint lang. For me, Adam is my idol hahaha.....kanya-kanyang opinyon yan.

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  3. You're not an American Idol fan, but look... Wow, napakagandang pagmumuni-muni tungkol sa paligsahang ito. Character talaga ang mahalaga. U

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  4. Its exciting Yes, but when we saw what happened with the David A and the other David before, we lost excitements. You See, that's why AI is losing followers, their data of viewers is going down, not going up. Popularity doesn't last, but real talents does.

    This year we didn't even watch a single AI, we lost the excitements.

    This is the same comment i have with nebz post.

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  5. Pare 2 straight panalo ang bet ko...last time si David cook ngayon naman si kris...but i go for danny gokey but last week tinaob sya ng 2 kaya ngayon...i go for kris! Hindi ako against kay adam, hindi ko lang gusto yung genre nya...
    Pero tol, ayon sa nasaba ko, kaya lng naman daw nanalo si kris dahil binoto sya hindi para maging AI winner kundi para lang hindi suportahan si adam...no choice kumbaga...
    FOR ME KRIS & ADAM DESERVED TO BE AI WINNER. It's been a wonderful season! at last night show,i can see there is mixed emotions. America had to choose one, but they are both winners. Queens song said it all, "We Are the Champions!"

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  6. @Nebz,
    Hahaha... ganyan talaga ang buhay... I didn't know you had a flair for drama until i read ur post on AI. Apektado ka pala talaga bro!

    @Sardonyx
    Yes, it should never be discounted that Adam Lambert was a great singer. I guess he was even the better singer and performer than Kris. But the people has spoken and Kris won...parang politika ano?

    @Doc RJ,
    Probably not a fan katulad ni pareng nebz and sardonyx... hahaha.
    with the excitement of my girls over the show, i have no choice but to get updated with what's happening.
    i really just wanted to tell my kids na kahit pa ang isang tao'y underdog/darkhorse...malaki pa rin ang pag asang manalo... that's the beauty of life di ba?

    @Kenji,
    Oi... DA din ako dati when everyone in the house was for DC. Pero hayaan mo na yng AI sa iba, sa PEBA na lang muna tayo...hehehe!

    @Mokong,
    Salamat sa dalaw dude at congratulations sa sunod sunod na panalo mo sa AI! Oi Danny Gokey ka rin pala? Had he been the finalist it could have been a different story. I think Kris won because of the protest votes for Danny. You know, of the many insipid remarks made by Paula Abdul, she said it right that Adam Lambert is gonna be an icon. Both finalists are really winners and they sang it right together with Queen's We Are the Champion! Yes! they are both winners in their own rights!

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  7. Glad that Danny Gokey was not in the finals (hehe). fan ako ng dalawa at pareho silang deserving.

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  8. @Badong,
    Danny Gokey was great too! The 3 of them deserved the top 3 spots! Thanks for dropping bye... Bisita ako sa bahay mo later today... dapat may snacks ha... hehehe

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  9. sabi nga nila,
    sa isang laro, expect the unexpected!

    sa isang banda(sa American Idol) they are all good singers...
    di ko napanood.. pero dito napanood ko naman dito kaya oks lang!

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  10. Kosa
    Tumpak ka parekoy... minsa'y weder weder lang diba?

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  11. i havent looked at it at that way. oo nga no, sometimes what's obvious and popular isn't always the right choice.

    what a refreshing thought. =)

    btw, this is the only season na hindi ko kilala ang mga finalists at hindi ko sinubaybayan.

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  12. my sentiments were the same as your daughters'. i rooted for him but I was not expecting that he would win. I was an upset this year, they say.

    ---

    thanks for sharing your sentiments, sir :) i really appreciate it. good thing you changed your comment box. i can leave comments at last! hehe!

    God bless you :)

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