Red White And Blue 2 is the perfect choice for the fractal of today's post. The reason should be self-evident from the title.-
This has been a landmark season on American Idol. For (possibly) the first time in series history almost all this season's contestants were truly talented and had real career potential. There weren't any talentless beauties like Antonella Barbarella or inexplicable phenoms like Sanjaya that made for "good" TV in years past--even as they shot the relatively talentless to stardom. True, we had the televised train wreck that was Tatiana Del Toro but she didn't even make the top twelve. Yes there was Scott McIntyre (I actually liked him BTW) who was probably included more for "pathos" than his talents and Lil Rounds who was the biggest disappointment in a long time. Also there was my favorite Matt "Mole Man" Giraud--who could sing (sometimes). Sadly, I just couldn't get past that growth on his head: I kept expecting it to grow eyes and a mouth and start ordering the audience to kill Ryan Seacrest. Still, this is the first season where the top four (Alison Ireheta, Danny Gokey, Kris Allen and Adam Laqmbert) who will have (at least mid-level) careers. But like any competition "Idol" can only have one winner and it has come down to the final showdown.
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Kris Allen and Adam Lambert are like "Granny Smiths'" and "i-Macs". (They're both "apples" but the similarities ends there.) Yes, I could have used the "apples and oranges" analogy but they are even more different than that.) Kris is a down-home Southern boy with a small voice and a jazzy sensibility. He's not without a certain charm and there's no denying the boy is truly talented. I could see him being a new version of Jason Mraz or someone of that ilk.
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Adam Lambert is somewhat harder to quantify: calling this boy "theatrical" is one of the week's great understatements. He's not afraid to take risks and seems to revel in being "out there". He proudly wears nail polish and "guyliner" and doesn't shy away from sexual ambiguity. (Is he gay? Definitely maybe. Should it matter? Definitely not!) He has a big voice and can fill a stage (unlike Kris who has an altogether smaller stage presence.) Still, you can't easily quantify his niche. (Some people have compared Adam to a latter-day Freddy Mercury or Marilyn Manson but he's possibly the only "Idol" contestant in the whole series who is a true original.) '
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Who's going to win? Honestly I don't know. Personally I think Adam Lambert has more talent and stage presence (betcha didn't see that coming--NOT!) even if I haven't liked some of his performances. Kris Allen is the clean-cut boy-next-door who is sure to appeal to older folks and country fans. Fans of Danny Gokey are more likely (IMHO) to vote for him--which might well be enough to give him the championship. Adam out sang Kris in last night's finale (although they both struggled with that atrocious new "winner's first single" No Boundaries.)
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The New York Times said it would come down to a "red" state versus a "blue" state contest. (Some Reporter and/or Editor over there has too much time on their hands!) Lambert certainly has qualities that most people tend to identify with "blue" states while Allen embodies all the "red" state values in one cute little package. "Blue" staters are more likely to text but "red" staters are notoriously loyal so their fans (and will vote accordingly) so I think it will be a wash. In the end I hope it comes down to who is the most talented. Still, I'm sure of one thing: doesn't matter WHO wins tonight. Both of these guys are going to have fine careers once the championship is decided.
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'nuff said.
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UPDATE
Kris Allen took the title from Adam Lambert in an upset that surprised many. This is a huge launching pad for Allen but will he have a huge career or will this be another Reuben Studdard/Clay Aiken situation? (Studdard took the title but Aiken has the bigger career.) Honestly I don't know--only time will tell. I think Lambert will have the bigger career but I have been wrong before...
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