American Idol: The Winner Is Named

After a night of big stars singing duets with rising ones, gigantic crowds screaming and cheering, and much of the traditional filler, America’s top TV show named it’s winner. And who it wasnt was almost bigger news than who it was.

Kris Allen is your new American Idol.

The deck was stacked against Allen, with heavy judge praise shining on Adam Lambert all season long. In an endearing moment, Allen seemed literally shocked speechless when he was asked to express his feelings on the win. He said “This should be Adam.” And he seemed to mean it.

Allen mainly stayed in the middle of the group this season, with folk/pop/acoustic songs and an incredibly camera-read face. On the other hand, Lambert was the embodiment of center stage - often wearing make-up and almost always incorporate a rock star scream into whatever song he did. While Allen was solid, Lambert was Ziggy Stardust, while Allen was coffee house friendly, Lambert seemed ready for arenas - or conversely, the Broadway stage.

Truthfully, many thought a finale face-off between wholesome and showman was inevitable , but Allen wasn’t the wholesome most prognosticators had in mind. That role was supposed to be played by Danny Gokey, the church music minister, blue-eyed soul purveyor who wooed voters early and stayed late. But it wasnt meant to be. Instead, Gokey, perhaps due to a botched Aerosmith song, went home leaving the talented but somewhat under-the-radar Allen as the last non-Adam standing.

And as it turns out, he was the last singer standing, too. Following a nice version of We Are The Champions with Queen and the two finalists, Ryan Seacrest and the accounting firm of I dont know who said over 100 million votes were cast - which is somewhat scary and perhaps a testimony to the exponentially increased number of texters in the world - and in the end, Kris Allen was the winner.

He response, as noted, was shocked and sincerely so- not that fake “Who me?” stuff people sometimes due. This writer had at one point wondered if Allen was a little too nice to be true, but his reaction was as sincere as any I’ve seen- subdued almost- because he was so surprised.

But despite the fact Allen wasnt the best singer in the show - and maybe not the fourth or fifth best, even - he was a good one, plus he was likable, pretty versatile, clear in the kind of music he wants to do and a talented musician who accompanied his vocals with guitar a lot. He’ll make a good Idol, and he needed it more, career-wise, than Lambert - and probably more than Gokey or 4th placer Alison who no doubt, will both go on to good careers whatever their Idol rank.

A very tight race this American Idol season. Lots of good singers - Anoop, Lil, the guy with the hat. Tough season to beat. But if the season showed us anything it’s that even in the face of the unbeatable, you never know who what might happen.