Simon Says Sorry

Did Simon Cowell know David Cook would win? Or was he, for once, just being nice?
Right before host Ryan Seacrest announced Cook as the American Idol winner, Cowell issued an uncharacteristic apology to the sincere 25-year-old rocker for skewering him during Tuesday's final performance show. Cowell went so far as to say that the remarks he made the night before to the future Idol Wineer were "verging on disrectful".

He said to the final two: "When I went back home and watched it, it wasn't quite so clear cut as we called it."
Cowell congratulated and praised both Cook and runner-up David Archuleta, the smiley 17-year-old crooner from Murray, Utah. Cowell even revealed that "for the first time ever, I don't really care who wins". Such comments came as a surprise to many after Cowell heaped huge amounts of praise on Archuleta and said he won the competition by a "knockout".

The 48-year-old acerbic judge was very wrong: Cook overcame Archuleta with 12 million more votes.

While Idol ratings were down all season, the final contest turned that tide, with viewership for Tuesday's show up 3 per cent over last year's performance finale.

That provoked a frenzy with a record 97.5 million audience votes cast by phone and text. Last year's total vote count was 74 million.

Source: TodayOnline

Why Cook Won! American Idol Season 7!

David Cook is the most original and savvy male finanlist in American Idol history, with his victory a triumph of poise over promise

Wheter you embrace or scorn American Idol, the most efficient star-making phenomenon in entertainment history, can depend on the day. 25 year David Cook's lopsided victory over David Archuleta, 17, was an unexpected triumph of poise and maturity over ingeneousness and promise.

It reversed last season's trend, when Jordin Sparks, an unformed talent with bubbly personality and a big voice, won, and the older, less glamorous but far more talented Melinda Doolittle came in third.

Come to think of it, Cook's triumph might not have been so unexpected. Maybe we were set up during the final performances the night before, when Idol judge Simon Cowell uncharacteristically congratulated Archuleta for scoring a knockout punch with his weepy repeat performance of Imagine.

Several days earlier, the Briton had predicted Cook as the winner. His flip-flopping might have been a cunning, ratings-grabbing manoeuvre to generate suspense in a season when American Idol has been suffering some audiense slippage (though the results show's broadcast on Fox drew 31.7 million viewers, about a million more than last year's finale).

Cook was chastised for choosing for choosing the wrong song, The World I Know by Collective Soul as his final selection. It was considered a misfire presumably because it was quiter and subtler than the usual belt-it-to-the-rafters war horses that win talent shows. I love it.

Throughout the season, Archuleta, whose honeyed voice conveys a boyish sincerity, was encouraged to be shameless. He won my affection early with his joyous Shop Around, but lost it by applying to Neil Diamond's grandiose tub-thumper American the same sugar-coated sob he brought to Imagine.

Because Cook refused to follow the unspoken guidelines for the competition, he emerged as the most original and savvy male finalist in the show's history. The cornerstone of his victory was his inconoclastic rock version earlier in the season of Billie Jean, the magic song that catapulted Michael Jackson to new heights of popularity 25 years ago.

Cook has a strong, flexible voice; when he sings rock, its scuffed edges echo Sam Cooke filtred through Steve Perry. Stylistically he occupies the same broad pop-to-rock territory as Bryan Adams, the results show's guests included Donna Summer and ZZ Top - is an inspired concept that contributes to the comforting fantasy that there exists what the host Ryan Seacrest has called "the American Idol family".

If the two finalists, looking embrassed and mistified, appeared in prizefighting robes with boxing gloves and half-heartedly struck pugnacious stances.

The term "heavyweight title" floated in the air.
Cowell advised them with a straight face: "You've got to hate your opponent".
Rivalries with threads of violence may be commonplace among rappers. But to potray mild-mannered performers like Cook and Archuleta, even humorously, as enemies plays into the prevailing ethos of pop music as a gladiatorial sporting event. The overall quality of music is much the worse for having been turned into spectator sport.

Except for the two Davids, this season's contestants were an uninspiring group of singers whom comedian Jimmy Kimmel, during his brief, pungent roast of the show and it's judges, accurately described as "19 weeks of karaoke".

What's right about American Idol is the way it holds up a mirrir to American mass culture. Not since the heyday of Ed Sullican has a variety show cast such a wide net.

The show reveals the same deep-seated longing for agreement and consensus that can be felt in electoral politics nowadays, underneath that cynical talking-head level.

Because each show ends with a national election in which the audience can override the judges' opinions, it gives power to the people. It may all be bread and circuses, but it is still democracy in action.

Source: The Straits Times 24 May 2008 (By Stephen Holden)

Archuleta Or Cook, Who Is The Winner And Who Is Being Favored By Judges?

Which David Will Win Tonight?

Probably worried about the various poll results these days, which all revealed that David Cook was favored by the majority, the judges on American Idol were aggressively pointing to David Archuleta as the winner of the singing competition.

It was booooring hearing Simon saying the same praises for little Archie time and again.

And I do not understand what this fuss is about, as it certainly doesn’t matter who wins at this point. The two boys both are so much appreciated and worshipped by their fan clubs, that winning the title is not important anymore. Or should not be.

But I doubt that David Archuleta doesn’t care about getting the prize. His fearful look in front of the judges clearly showed he was desperate to win all this time. We still do not know who wants it more: Archie junior or Archie senior?

The two remaining finalists performed three songs last night, but it is not their performances which will change their fates, as nothing spectacular happened Tuesday night.

Archuleta went mainstream, as expected, choosing to sing John Lennon’s “Imagine,” while Cook tried to impress by picking a not-so-well known song, Collective Soul's "The World I Know." Now let’s guess! What impresses more? Mainstream or originality? Hmmmm…

The second song was chosen for each of the contestants by Sony BMG executive Clive Davis, who picked U2's "I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For" for Cook, and the Elton John ballad "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" for Archuleta. Davis probably thought U2’s song perfectly suited Cook, but unfortunately, the rocker-wannabe did not manage to render the emotion of the beautiful tune too well.

Of course, Elton John’s ballad was perfect for little David, giving him the opportunity to be as corny as possible and helping him reap another wave of praises from Simon, who just couldn’t be stopped.

"You came out here tonight to win," Simon told Archie after his three performances. "And what we have witnessed is a knockout."

Then… “Round 1 goes to David Archuleta," Simon added, to make sure everybody could notice his utmost admiration for the tween. Thanks for clearing that up, buddy! We had no idea.

Simon was backed by Randy, who said "the best singer of season 7 is right there," after Archie’s performance of “Imagine.” As if that wasn’t enough, Randy added Archuleta was exactly what “this show is about.”

Simon also didn’t forget to “congratulate” David Cook for picking "completely and utterly the wrong song choice for you."

Anyway, whatever the result will be, the two finalists both had a positive attitude and complimented each other. David Cook told Usmagazine.com he did not resent Simon’s opinion on Archuleta.

"You know, everybody's got an opinion, and tonight was Archuleta's night," Cook said, according to Usmagazine.com. "I have to concede it: The kid came out all three songs and nailed it. But I walk away from this with my head held high."

Little David didn’t lose the occasion to be cheesy, and responded that “even though Simon wasn't so favoring Cook, he did so well, and I think America will realize that.” He added he felt so good to be next to “someone you look up to,” referring to his rival.

So now the polls’ results have slightly changed: the majority thinks Archuleta will win the competition, but they still think it’s Cook who deserves the prize.

Source:efluxmedia

May The Best David American Idol Win...Today!

Archuleta or Cook favored by Judges?

After a rip-roaring performance yesterday, the two Davids - Archuleta and Cook - and the world will find out today which one of them will be crowned the new American Idol.

But despite rocker Cook's surge in recent weeks, the judges were unusually united in proclaiming that teenager Archuleta has out performed his rival.

Cook, 25, and Archuleta, 17, peformed before 7,000 people at Los Angeles's Nokia Theatre.

"You came out here tonight to win, and what we have witnessed is a knock out," said Idols's prickly judge Simon Cowell.

Randy Jackson concurred, proclaiming, "the best singer of Season 7 is right there" after Archuleta's rendition of John Lennon's Imagine.

But, of course, only the American public can determine the winner, who will be revealed today in the grand finale show, which "will blow people away", show producer Nigel Lythgoe promosed.

Source:TodayOnline