AT&T caught in 'Idol' texting controversy

I tried voting for 4 hours for Adam and was only able to get through about a dozen times. I think that A T & T providing free power texting phones to Chris's watch parties is just plain wrong. If they had provided the same phones to Adam watch parties in San Diego it would be ok but they didn't. We all know who the winner should have been... Even Chris knows who the winner should have been and he said it right after he was erroneously announced as the winner. Adam's album and videos are outselling the other guys and that is really all that matters in the end. The rule appears to be unless you are from Pig Chase, Arkansas or some other city in the South you need not apply to win American Idol. The best you can hope for is runner up and victory later on the charts.

Congratulations Arkansas idol Kris!! It is so unfair, compare to us in east coast with hour's phone lines busy not to able to deal in. The result is that the best singer ever could not win a singing competition.

Congratulations, America!!! Just like Florida stole the presidency from Al Gore, Arkansas stole the title from Adam Lambert. AT&T not only helped voters in Arkansas power text but distributed phones already set up for free. One poster from arkansas absolutely confirmed that there’s no way Adam could win with what was going on in Arkansas that Tuesday night. Krisallenation site confirmed this as well where they were congratulating themselves for outsmarting the system.
How can Arkansas, with a population of only 2.8 million cast 38 million votes? Well, if AT&T can help 1 person in Arkansas put in 45,000 votes, then anything is possible. Not only that. AT&T also helped voters in Arkansas votes in different time zones. Means, votes placed from Arkansas could easily top more than 50 million but distributed as coming from other states. It’s so sad that this smeared The AI Kris Allen who he himself admits it’s Adam who deserves to be The American Idol. But never mind. Adam is The WORLD’S Idol. If only international fans could vote, there’s no doubt ADAM wins by a landslide.
It’s better that Adam ends up as runner up than be a questionable winner all your life. it’s a pity it had to happen to Kris.

Ridiculous!

This should absolutely be investigated as fraud, foul play, or whatever the legalize is, and voting should be held over again with one vote per person allowed only. Or, as they did in the Olympics when foul play was discovered by the judges in couples figure skating, Adam should be declared co-winner and given the same prizes as Kris Allen and have the first AI tie ever.

I never understood the voting system and this reflects that the voting system used by AI is unfair and in this case was clearly RIGGED for Kris Allen to win. He's not a bad performer, but Adam clearly blew him away in overall singing capability.

Vote rigging is illegal in the US, and Idol should not be able to get away with this clear conspiracy to defraud the viewers.

i come from outside America and i grow up listening to great singers with highly appreciating vocal powers and approaches (style, creativity, etc). sorry to say this, but if international fans can vote -- i'll cast my vote still for Kris Allen. If AT&T does a conspiracy, then the company has to face investigation as a consequence. However, it ain't gonna change thing with how i believe on Kris Allen's talent. Peace to you guys!:)

I wish I could get out of my ATT contract. they are homophobic. I don't do business with companies that discriminate based on sexual orientation, race, gender or religion. ATT should be made to answer for their participatin in fraud. Let Kris keep his crown, Adam will be fine but ATT should answer for their part in this mess. Adam is a great talent and will be fine, Kris will do however well his talent allows also. Time will tell.

Kris Allen is incredibly a whole lot package of a brilliant singing idol – I shouldn’t have argued on this. I appreciate more of his voice quality and approach than Adam does. But the bottom line here is whether or not a fraud or conspiracy really took place. Accusation against AT&T is a huge matter that needs to be proven to satisfy the so called ‘burden of proof’. So, here comes the challenge… can this be proven out?

This is a reality game show. The majority of it is contrived BS anyway. Do you really think this is the first time the wrong person advanced...

The issue of conspiracy are heard everywhere in any reality talent shows (not in a game show, never heard to that). However, heard of those issues being discussed properly and proven true? Perhaps i can count once or twice, or never did it happen? I believe the real point here is, if America is really serious of chasing for truth behind this issue, i believe there is a place to debate and rebut and then conclude. I should say, a winning person can never be 'wrong' from advancing because he/she is not your bet. Much more, a person can never be 'wrong' by the context of hearsays.

From lee: “I believe the real point here is, if America is really serious of chasing for truth behind this issue, i believe there is a place to debate and rebut and then conclude.”

I agree to you, lee. That exactly is where the ‘burden of proof’ comes out. The accusers have to supplement some proofs to provide some weights to their heavy accusation against AT&T, simple as that.

From lee: “I should say, a winning person can never be 'wrong' from advancing because he/she is not your bet. Much more, a person can never be 'wrong' by the context of hearsays.”

Agree to you again, lee. No need to elaborate why I’m agreeing – it’s pretty logical.

There’s nothing wrong with Kris Allen. Remember what Kara said? That Kris has his way of creating an intimate bonding with his audience – what does it imply? It simply means that he is a soulful artist in his own way, and that makes him draw an identity of being a Kris Allen. There’s nothing wrong to a singer who sings a kind of music that majority of today’s generation loves to hear. But listening to a singer who sings a flashback generation of 70s or 80s…? If I’d borrow the business side of this issue, is Adam’s music a perfect business?

An idol cannot be purely judged by how high he can reach notes – it’s a matter of voice quality, soulfulness, creativity, style, approach, etc. So much of those criteria, then you can have the physical at last seat.

If I will to judge a singer with ‘vocal range’ as only criteria, dude I tell you…Adam is not on top list. It’s David Cook who will register on my mind – he reaches high notes; and his song is delivered very clean and he sounds so great!

But again, the above article is about the issue of conspiracy not Kris Allen’s…

AT&T and AI are trying to diminish what impact fraudulent texting may have had on the final vote to protect themselves against criminal charges. It does not matter what impact was made, or what the margin of votes was, AT&T and AI (as AT&T's contract partner) engaged in criminal behavior and should be prosecuted. File an on-line complaint of this crime with the Arkansas Attorney General at: ag.arkansas.gov