Adam Lambert Likes To Be On Top

Really cute moment at the 1:20 mark; check out the look on Kris Allen's face.

(Via - Durban Bud)

American Idol Voting Scandal?

The New York Times is reporting that AT&T may have "swayed" the voting during the finals of American Idol by hosting two hometown parties for fans of eventual winner Kris Allen, during which they were showed how to send ten times the allowed number of text votes at a time.

Representatives of AT&T helped fans of Mr. Allen at the two Arkansas events by providing instructions on how to send 10 or more text messages at the press of a single button, known as power texts. Power texts have an exponentially greater effect on voting than do single text messages or calls to the show’s toll-free phone lines. The efforts appear to run afoul of “American Idol” voting rules in two ways. The show broadcasts an on-screen statement at the end of each episode warning that blocks of votes cast using “technical enhancements” that unfairly influence the outcome of voting can be thrown out. And the show regularly states that text voting is open only to AT&T subscribers and is subject to normal rates.

Adam Lambert's fan forums are going apeshit, of course, but with almost 100 million votes cast in total, it seems doubtful to me that what AT&T did could have had that much of an effect on the result. For their part, Fox is refusing to comment on the situation.

(Tipped by JMG reader Will)

Idols Rock iTunes Chart

Three tracks from Kris Allen, one from Adam Lambert, one from last year's winner David Cook, as well some of the guest performers from American Idol's final all crowd the top of today's iTunes national downloads chart, although Wednesday's premiere of Glee provides the country's top downloaded tune - a cover of Journey's Don't Stop Believin'. Really. Via Billboard:

Multiple cuts, in fact, by Allen and Lambert, including the latter's version of Tears for Fears' "Mad World," look likely to bow on next week's Hot 100 and Digital Songs charts. The cast of Fox's "Glee," which premiered after "Idol" Tuesday, is also set for a lofty launch on each list with its cover of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'," currently No. 1 on iTunes. "No Boundaries" additionally appears headed for a run up the Adult Contemporary chart. The RCA Music Group digitally serviced the studio version of the song to radio at 1 a.m. ET this morning. After less than a day, the song already ranks just below the No. 30 anchor position on the format's building chart. In the meantime, three of last week's "Idol" performances spur movement on this week's Hot 100. "Waking Up in Vegas," Katy Perry's tale of hazy Sin City recollections, soars 51-13, while "Battlefield," the first single from Jordin Sparks' forthcoming second set, bows at No. 32. Foreshadowing Allen's win, his cover of Kanye West's "Heartless" enticed consumers to download the Fray's similar organic rendition, which enters at No. 79.

America Says "No Homo"

UPDATE: Well...shit. That was disappointing.

Tonight's American Idol final isn't slated to end until about 10:15pm EST, so no update here until at least 1:15am Gotham time. Even if you have no interest in the competition, you must allow that the pitting of a devout Christian folk singer against a glam, guylinered and GAY rocker is a fascinating window onto the evolution of American pop culture. We may see some history tonight.

You KNEW He Couldn't Pick The GAY Boy

Dial Idol Shows Slight Edge For Kris Allen

O'Reilly: Will Christians Vote Out Adam Lambert On Tonight's American Idol Final?

Fox's Bill O'Reilly thinks that a Christian voting block may hurt Adam Lambert's chances in tonight's American Idol final because he is gay.

Interestingly, last week when Christianist site World Net Daily published an editorial on the same issue, the author seemed to favor Adam Lambert.

Debbie Egan, from North Carolina, however, admits that faith does factor into her voting, just a little bit. "I tend to vote for someone whom I know to be a believer," only if they have skills, she insists. "I have been supporting Kris Allen over Danny Gokey because I prefer Kris' style over Danny's, even though both are believers." But faith isn't the only factor, and talent wins out in the end. And that means that a lot of Christians are voting for Lambert. His over-the-top, theatrical performances have drawn both praise and criticism from viewers and judges, but overwhelmingly everyone agrees that his vocal talent is unparalleled.

I just want Adam to win and see his BF bound up onto the stage for a big long wet kiss.

And Then There Were Two