They say journalism is dying, but you couldn't tell it by the amazing investigative piece in Wednesday's New York Times. The Times has uncovered a voting scandal that threatens the underpinnings of American democracy -- and the victim isn't Al Gore, but Adam Lambert. Yes, the Times is shocked -- shocked! -- to discover there was cheating in the American Idol voting. The raping, pillaging, devouring corporate Leviathan AT&T manipulated the voting by providing free texting to at two viewing parties held by supporters of the Mayor Daley of American Idol, Kris Allen. That enabled Allen's fans to vote for him 10 times a shot, the Times sternly noted. Now the Hollywood Reporter is employing quantum physics theory to prove the stolen votes didn't swing the outcome.
Oddly, no one seems to have noticed that the whole point of American Idol is, and has always been, to vote early and vote often. That's one of the ways the show makes money, a commission off every vote cast by phone call or text message, and that's why AT&T is one of the show's top sponsors. You don't need mastery of quadratic equations to figure out that when Nielsen says 32 million people watched the finale and 100 million votes were cast, American Idol is not exactly guided by the principle of one man, one vote.
The only thing funnier than the New York Times' gravid tone of accusation is Fox's wounded protestation of innocence. "Fox and the producers of American Idol are absolutely certain that the results of this competition are fair, accurate and verified," the network said primly. As sure it was, no doubt, of the falsity of the 2005 accusations by a contestant that Paula Abdul romanced him, coached him and bought him clothes, medicine and a cellphone -- no matter that he had a mountain of witnesses, tape recordings and other evidence to support his claims.
This is just like the Dreyfus case...Were the losers shipped to Devil's Island? Call Emile Zola...
Posted by: patrick | May 27, 2009 at 06:52 PM
BRAVO THE TIMES!
I observed even from the very beginning that the judges were a bit perplexed why Kris always knock competitions like Anoop, Lil, Danny, Allison and more so Adam. They try to make justifications over their own perplexity by saying that Kris had soul, was original, but come on… In all Idol seasons Kris is definitely outshone by many others who were also soulful, original and with more charisma…look at Jason Castro, Daughtry, and many more but they did not even win…now with this new development that AT&T might have caused irregularities, I hope they do an extensive investigation over the matter so that we will finally have real answers and stop all this hoopla. Its the only way we can get back the honor of America, Arkansas, Kris Allen, Adam Lambert, both their fans and American Idol…and Simon. The most courageous judge.
SIMON, I don’t want a fraud such as this to be the cause that you will leave American Idol. We have loved your brutal honesty from the beginning and there is no way you should quit because of the dishonesty that others are doing. Live up to your LION spirit and be the one to lead this investigation on this year’s American Idol voting process please. I still want to watch AI next year and I still want to see all the four judges especially you but I just want Adam Lambert, his fans, and all the voters of America and observers around the world to see the light and be vindicated from this mess.
To anyone who knows how to get this message to Simon and the rest of the AI gang, pls help. Thank you.
Let justice prevail, America.
Posted by: Ms. D | May 28, 2009 at 05:27 AM
you might scoff, but some day some those Times reporters will get rich off a movie about the AI rigging scandal (they'll need the dough when the entire newspaper industry goes belly up) . . what was the name of that movie about the TV quiz show and the Yale prof who was fed the answers?
Posted by: Sue M | May 28, 2009 at 12:17 PM
One program on Australia's ABC (called the New Inventors) encourages SMS voting. However, votes from numbers with hidden numbers are not accepted so that each mobile can only vote once. It seems very fair and logical - and democratic - until you think about how the telecom networks would never back/sponsor a programme which DOESN'T encourage people to spend as much money as is humanly possible on sending text messages!
Posted by: Martin L | May 29, 2009 at 02:44 AM
What is sad is that this guy is making fun of solid investigative journalism on a subject of interested to millions of readers. He's making fun of the New York Times for fact-finding. Pretty funny huh? A newspaper who tries to get a the truth? I guess this guy likes to sleep in
Posted by: Mskimberlyclark | June 07, 2009 at 03:27 PM