`American Idol’ winner shocks judges

Adam Lambert, singer and actor from Los Angeles, California, finishes American Idol as the runner-up.


Head Idol judge Simon Cowell made no secret that he was rooting for Adam Lambert, also.

However, in the end the “’tween” vote of American children between the ages of  9 and 12 years-old led the demographic of voters who cast almost 100 million votes by phone, a world’s record, and voted for the heart-throb Kris Allen over the theatrical sensation Adam Lambert.

Host Ryan Seacrest announced the decision on Wednesday’s live finale which can be seen on Sophon Cable on MNET Series channel.



Kris Allen from Conway, Arkansas is the winner of the eighth season of American Idol.

When presented with the American Idol trophy, Allen said, “This should have been Adam’s.”

The 23-year-old Allen, a college student from Conway, Arkansas, bested the 27-year-old Lambert, a theater actor from San Diego.

The two-hour finale ran six minutes long due to some surprises that can only happen on live TV and included performances by the Black Eyed Peas, Cyndi Lauper, Carlos Santana and Rod Stewart. Lambert performed with Kiss and Allen dueted with Keith Urban.


America Idol judges (from left) Randy Jackson, Kara DioGuardi, Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and host Ryan Seacrest.

“Bikini Girl,” an Idol contestant who made it to the final 32, got a bit of payback from judge Kara Dioguardi who upstaged her by jumping on stage and taking over the song Bikini Girl was singing and then opening her own dress to reveal an even more incredible body that the younger contestant.


Danny Gokey is a church music director from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and the second runner-up on the eighth season of American Idol.

Two months prior during the judges comments Bikini Girl, named so because she auditioned in a skimpy bikini, said she could sing better than Kara Dioguardi. She was wrong.

Before the announcement, the two finalists sang together on “We are the Champions” with the surviving members of Queen.



Allen gets a record contract along with his “American Idol” title. But insiders say Adam Lambert will be a recording a performing superstar with a record contract assured.