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American Idol Fails to Support Kris Allen

Comment on story: American Idol Kris Allen Needs Exposure and Support

While American Idol producers continue to blame the last three winners for diminishing ratings, I believe the blame is more on them for the way they have alienated viewers through the years, often by not supporting the winners the people chose.

Why I'm Done With American Idol

I've enjoyed being in the Idol bubble. It can get sticky, but all in all, floating along has been fun. I've enjoyed all that being in the bubble means in my virtual relationship with Idol fans and contestants - commenting and defending, arguing and admiring, seeing the idols on tour, following track spins and album sales, touring videos and funny tweets.

I didn't become an idol - loony until Season 8, but then I was completely sucked in. I began in awe of Adam's talent, voting consistently for him until the final 7 when I realized I was being drawn in by the quiet confidence and honey voice of Kris Allen. I switched and began voting for Kris and was ecstatic when he won, knowing that Adam would be fine as the great entertainer he is. Then the season ended and the controversy began. Okay. Fans whose favorites are not chosen have a right to be upset. Their hopes have been dashed. They're hurting. They need to express it. Fine.

Season 9 began and because of real life I was not able to follow American Idol consistently but I kept up with what was going on through the blogs. I made the effort to tune in when Kris sang "Let It Be," which was gorgeous. But there was no mention of his single, "Live Like We're Dying," or even his album or his tour. There was no further mention after that evening that people could download "Let It Be" from iTunes with proceeds going to Haiti. I tuned in again for the episode of "Idol Gives Back" and there was no mention that Kris' sales of "Let It Be" were over 100,000 - and that with no promo. Had there even been one sentence reminding people to buy, I believe the sales would have been much higher. It wasn't just Kris fans who were noticing the way AI was ignoring Kris. American Idol bloggers such as Lyndsay Parker (AOL) and Jim Cantiello (MTV) began to comment on it.

When Adam was chosen to be mentor, I was all right with that. Adam has had more experience in the entertainment industry. I loved Adam and Kris' friendship and their refusal to be pitted against each other in the press. Still, there could have been a 30-second video of Kris wishing the contestants well.

Warwick announced that they wanted to help Adam get his career back on track after his performance at the AMAs. That proved to me that the producers are well aware of the help being on American Idol can be to a former contestant's career. Warwick had chosen whom he wanted to help and it wasn't Kris.

Last season, I tuned into the finale, excited to see Kris finally be able to perform. To my dismay, there was no mention of his album or his tour, and his single, "The Truth" was shortened to the degree that it lost much of its emotional impact. Still, even with all of that, I was willing to give American Idol a chance. Kris had inspired me to be a better person. He never complained. In fact, he appreciated American Idol, saying that the show had given him an opportunity and it was up to him to run with it.

However, when Nigel Lythgoe came on board and began making snide comments about the last three winners, I began to take notice. When he talked about "hiding behind guitars" and "low sales," it was even more glaring. Then, in an interview on January 11, Ken Warwick states that it's a fact that sometimes American gets it wrong. Twitter exploded with the news that Warwick was talking about Kris in this comment. Warwick did not refute that belief. They have the right to their opinion, just like the judges. In season 8 right after Kris won, Simon criticized the outcome on Seacrest's radio show. When Kris was asked about it on an interview with EW he took the high road, saying simply, "Simon had his favorite and I wasn't it."

But Lythgoe and Warwick speak for American Idol. Let's look at this realistically. In marketing, what kind of manufacturer runs down its product in the press then expects people to have confidence in the manufacturer? Sorry. I can take a lot, but there are only so many times I can be told that I have no musical taste and am basically stupid for choosing who I chose to vote for before I react. The final straw was in the Season 10 promos highlighting the winners. These promos were obviously directed toward the conservative South to entice them to watch again, to bring back those who had been chased away by the show becoming all about the judges rather than the contestants.

I was offended by the promos because they were hypocritical. Several of my friends who had planned to watch Season 10 were angered by the introductory montage, a testament to Warwick's lack of belief in America's right to choose. They, too, have stopped watching.

That's the thing about the Idol bubble. It is an illusion. A slippery illusion. When it pops, you're left with a shiny residue but nothing of substance. I enjoyed the illusion while it lasted. In today's world, it's always fun to be able to float away and forget your troubles. For me, however, the illusion is gone. I'm not stupid. I do have musical taste. Never in my life have I been such a "fangirl" over an artist. I am addicted to Kris Allen and his music, just as Adam's fans are addicted to his, David Cook's fans are addicted to his, and Lee's fans are addicted to his. I used to think there was room enough in the bubble to encompass all of us, that we could be one happy family. Evidently, that is not true. My decision is not about Kris, certainly fans of other winners and contestants could complain about the lack of support for their favorites, and Kris will do just fine even without their support. I simply choose not to tune into a program that gives me the opportunity for input, then when I respond, criticizes me publicly for my choice.

For those of you still in the bubble, enjoy the ride. I hope you land in pleasant places.

Signed: A former fan of American Idol