Does it matter if American Idol was rigged?
Image by Getty Images via Daylife
So, AT&T admitted today that they helped Kris Allen fans vote at Arkansas American Idol parties. The company’s employees taught Allen’s local supporters how to cast multiple votes in a procedure called “power-texting” on special demo phones provided by AT&T. The same support was not given to Adam Lambert fans in his native California.
FOX released a statement claiming that the thousands of extra votes generated by the training sessions did not skew the show’s final results, but have not released any “third party” analysis to back up their claim.
Nate Silver also doubts whether the votes made any ultimate difference. But all of this begs the question, does it matter? Do we really care whether the voting tally for American Idol is rigged?
Adam Lambert, the gay guy, will have a huge career. Kris Allen, the evangelical, may even release more than one or two best-selling albums. Their sequence on the victory podium doesn’t much change that. Yes, there’s publicity today to be had in the differentiation between first and second place, but six months from now, who’ll really care?
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Six minutes, much less 6 months from now will anyone care?
Do you mean rigged more than usual?
The only chance Adam had was for the vote to be rigged. Kris fits into the demographic that almost always wins: Southern. That’s who votes. Just about every winner has come from the South (or Southwest, in the case of Jordin Sparks). David Cook, from Missouri, is the only exception.
That Kris got a few thousand extra votes is meaningless. He had it in the bag when Danny Gokey was eliminated. Danny’s votes clearly went to Kris. Adam was never going to win.
Viv,
Solid analysis, as usual. But does it matter if it was rigged?
David,
For anybody who cares about the integrity of the process — in politics or in a singing contest — it does matter. If it was rigged, there would be no point in voting.
Again, it would have had to be rigged for Adam to win. And I doubt he would want that. With George W. Bush or Taylor Hicks, voters get what they ask for.
In response to another comment. See in context »David,
This is one of those little things in life that I am perversely proud of, I have never seen one single episode of “American Idol”. I wish I could say the same about “Dancing With The Stars”, but Belinda Carlisle was on this season and she was the first one kicked off.
I’ve learned my lesson…I hope. I like well-written, well-acted adult dramas. “Castle” is my current favorite followed by “Private Practice”.
Sandy
Viv,
Add Kris Allen to that distinguished list.
I meant to say with George W. Bush or Taylor Hicks, voters get what they ask for and maybe what they deserve.
In that regard, I wouldn’t add Kris to that list. Taylor Hicks was laughably bad and Chris Daughtry was clearly the best choice that year. Kris is very talented and deserved to be in the top two (although I personally liked Allison as well).
In response to another comment. See in context »