Did Chick-Fil-A Franchise Block Adam Lambert From Winning American Idol?

An interesting conspiracy theory has been floated on Yahoo.

While every measurable indicator favored an Adam Lambert victory around the nation, back in Conway, Arkansas Chick-fil-A mounted a campaign to change that outcome. Week after week people gathered to vote at Chick-fil-A sponsored events. It was not just ordinary voting, but power texting with multiple phones and after hour voting with West coast go-phones. Voters were encouraged to vote thousands of times each with free food and prizes. It was an appealing incentive in this sleepy collage town. Keep in mind that they could rack up an impressive number of votes. 10,000 votes from 2,000 people = 20 million votes, 3,000 people = 30 million votes.

There were about 3,000 people at the Vote Party on the night of the final. Allen Kiser attended with his Chick-fil-A cows baring name tags that identified themselves as Vote Party "Staff". For weeks Kiser stuffed his take out sandwich bags with "Vote Party" fliers at his local restaurant, he fed the late night voters free sandwiches, he gave out hundreds of food coupons and Chick-fil-A toy stuffed cows. Kaiser made up gift baskets as prizes for the highest voters and a grand prize of free food for a year. The result was that a very ordinary singer won the contest.

Lambert, of course, got the last laugh, scoring the first #1 Billboard album by an openly gay artist. (Tipped by JMG reader Random Medley)