Archuleta vs. Cook: The battle rages on

Season 8 may be on the brink of beginning, but for many proud warriors, Season 7 has never ended.  Like  WWII Japanese soldiers marooned on islands who had not been notified that the armistice has been signed, they fight on, contesting every last inch of the ground they swore to defend with all their might.

I speak of the brave partisans of Messieurs  Cook and Archuleta.  If you travel through the comments section of this blog -- not to mention the free fire zones on the various fan site forums, you won't have to go far before you stumble into some blind alley where the war is still being viciously fought to the last man.  As with the warring tribes of the Middle East, ancient wounds remain untreated, fester, lead to lashing out and new bloodshed, new despair and the sense that new common ground exists on which to build a lasting peace.

After the jump, take in, if you dare, a few little samples of the goodwill that reigns between the two camps, taken from the comments on this Dec. 22 post:

 

The only reason people think Cook's win was an upset is because Idol manipulated the publics opinion to think Archie was ahead all those weeks. But when in fact from Always Be my Baby by Cook and until the finale Cook was the front runner. But to let the American People aware of that would have ruined the show. Also, the notion that Archies fans are all tweens is sad to say the least. He has more fans in the 17-24 age range than Cook. Cook who has failed to ignite much since idol ended. His album is being sold but the sould patrol crew is buying it. The old depressed female husbandless women. Good luck making a career on that Cook. I think Cook is the least deserving Idol to ever win. He screams and doesn't sing. Good luck with that and the old hags Cook. Have a nice career with that. Light On sucks.

Posted by: jagged | Dec. 22, 2008, at 2:46 p.m.

Regarding Archie's Imagine and it being "one of the best moments of the season". Pfft. I love John Lennon and the song Imagine and I HATE Archie's version. Too artsy, too breathy, boring, boring, boring. Nothing special at all. The boy could never leave a single note alone, always doing some over the top gimmicks. It was not special and it isn't on the list, rightfully so. Get over it archies.

Posted by: LL | Dec. 27, 2008, at 7:06 p.m.

Chill Out for you are obviously a Cook Fans and A Hater plus I could sense you cannot sing - I bet you if Cook can deliver that song IMAGINE as good as David Archuleta rendition with clarity and emotion and without SCREAMING to reach a high note - I will buy 100 unit of Cook CD put it in YouTube so we can judge it. For his single: LIGHT ON didn't even reach #1 and didn't even see the day of light. Hahahaha!!! Merry Christmas !!!! Hahahaha!!!

Posted by: PETER PAN  | Dec. 28, 2008, at 6:24 p.m.

That is just a taste of the carnage that still rages across the plains of Idol Nation.

There are those who say journalists must merely stand back and observe as horrors unfold before them.  And there are others who hold that we can use our platforms to do some good in the world. I have never been one to insert myself into the story, but in these dark times for Idol Nation, when no international Idol government exists to intervene and insert peacekeeping forces between the combatants, I feel as a citizen of the pop culture world I have no choice but to attempt to use what little influence I have to work for peace.

In the coming days, I will be reaching out to the various factions in the great schism and attempting to negotiate if not a permanent treaty, at least a cease-fire.  I'll be reporting on my progress as it goes.  And here's hoping we can achieve peace in our time, if not for us, then for the children; the children of Season 8 about to be born.

-- Richard Rushfield

 

 

 

Comments

[Annie]

Oh, Richard, I love you, haha! I am a huge David Archuleta-Fan, but I really like Cookie, too. David and David are brothers at heart, and both are great people and artists in their own unique ways and have nothing but love and respect for each other. If only the fanbases could respect and possibly support each other in the same way! The music business is hard enough for American Idol artists to break, so why not join forces, hahaha? ;)

Richard, maybe this will be interesting for you to read about (and give you hope that peace is indeed in sight) - a great example of how Cookies and Archies can treat each other with utmost respect:

In the Stand Up 2 Cancer project there is a team named "Proverbial Box Stands With David Cook", that collects money in David Cook's name and a team named "Crush Kids' Cancer - David Archuleta's Angels" that collects in David Archuleta's name for this worthy cause. Both teams have collected a lot of money for Stand Up 2 Cancer. In December, SU2C had a Holiday Dedication Team Challenge... like, who can raise the most money during the holidays and the winner team would get an announcement on TV as a reward etc.

Here is what the leaders of these two amazing teams had to say to each other after the challenge's end:

From Cookie's team to Archie's team (see Source1):

"...minstrel here, team captain of the Proverbial Box Stands With David Cook team at SU2C. Just a shout out to congratulate you on what I'm pretty sure is your victory in the dedication challenge -- by my calcs you're well over $7K with this, maybe $8K (I lost track). Waiting on confirms from SU2C but our team logged $6200+ -- which means together we're in the $14,000 ballpark for the challenge. So amazing given the post-holiday cash crunch and bad economy. In addition I love your impressive overall SU2C total -- DC fans have contributed about $15000 there among 3 teams, with PB as the largest, but most of our anti-cancer charity's gone to the ACS, where there's something like $48K to $50K in contributions for 2008.
It is thrilling to me to see the fans of both Davids take a stand like this and I know it has to be so gratifying to the guys as well. Looking forward to more opportunities for friendly competition in the years to come, for such a good cause. You guys rock...."

Reply from Archie's team to Cookie's team (see Source2):

"...I see the captain of the Proverbial Box Stands With David Cook team at SU2C is as big a mensch as its honoree David Cook. Thanks so much, Minstrel, for your kind words and your outstanding work rallying your team for such an important cause. My calculations also support that our team did raise the most money in donations during the recent SU2C challenge, but the official results will be posted by SU2C sometime this week. There is a much bigger American Idol victory today in the stand against cancer than that accomplished by either of the two Davids, however. Luke Menard just announced on his blog that tomorrow will be his last day of radiation. As he says “1 more and then Lord willing I am done with treatments..."

Source1: http://www.snarkyarchies.com/2009/01/aw-really-gracious-note-from-team.html
Source2: http://www.snarkyarchies.com/2009/01/su2c-thanks-to-david-cooks-team-and.html

:))

Peace!

Annie from Germany
(www.archuletafansgermany.com)

[pam05]

WORLD PEACE :-) WHAT A HAPPY THOUGHT. I ALSO WOULD LOVE THAT. YES THE COMPETITION HAS BEEN OVER FOR A LONG TIME NOW. I AM A ARCHIE FAN AND ALWAYS HAVE BEEN. HOWEVER, I WISH COOK WELL IN HIS CAREER. THERE IS ROOM FOR ALL GENRES IN THIS WORLD. CAN'T WE JUST GET ALONG?

[amy]

Good looking out, Richard! I commend you. I am interested in this journalistic endeavor.

[Becky FOD]

THIS IS AN EPIC BLOG, Mr. Rushfeld. I write for fansofdavid.com and this afternoon when I post, I am going to challenge our readers to face their Cookie demons and try to come up with some positive things to say about Mr. Cook! I KNOW they can do it. There is enough love in the hearts of Archie's everywhere for BOTH Davids!

LOL!

[kimk]

Richard Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

[KathyH]

Another Archuleta fan here who loves the way this article and the comments section are headed. Although I still see a few hard-hitting comments around the various boards, I figure those are the people who need, for some reason, to hate. Mostly the two fan groups are finding peace just in time for a new Idol season. Just wish certain radio deejays and reviewers would realize that it is possible for both talented Davids to succeed.

[kelli]

Mr.Rushfield.....amen! A step toward world peace :) Best of luck!

[Xian]

Kudos on your efforts, Richard. In reality, both artists were uniquely remarkable at taking the material and making it their own. They both took some chances. For my taste, Archuleta was a bit too predictable, but his performances were excellent. In homage to another peace mongering pop culture icon, "Can't we all just get along."

[Brewster]

One of the many drawbacks to participating in this glorified game show is that anyone who does not "win" is considered by many to be a "loser". Are the non-winners really bad singers?

[ohoh(:]

hahah. i actually really like both davids, but archuleta being my most defff favorite. i have both albums and IMO you can't compare them. theyre 2 completely different singers with completely different styles... cook being a rocker, talented in the way that he can pull that rock style off amazinglyyy annd sing other genres [or it seems so from idol lol] too. david archuleta on the other hand has an amazing tone to voice, and seems to have greatt singers technique.

and another thing, to say that david archuleta's imagine was boring and pretty much a sucko performance is basically the biggest BS i've ever heard lmfaoo. ahhahah and saying that he did something to every note and that it was too 'artsy'?? uhmm first, music is art lmfao and had that person even listened to the song ! hahaha. he stretched each phrase,, and also, leaving a note alone basically means you're not treating each note fairly, or making it so the whole song is freakin amazing.
and tehn to say that light on sucks? i find that reallyy weiird. it seems like a pretty hard song to sing, and i actually really like it, more than i thought i would... OH and to say that he only screams is defff not true, some parts are screamed but it fits with the genre perfectly... obviously... its rock lol. plus he 'screams' without sounding disgusting.

..thats it LOL.

[Elma]

Cook is by far the better of the two. Anyone who thinks he has 'failed' by not reaching number one is pathetic and deluded (when was the last time you had a hit single?). Nothing against Archie - he's sweet, and has a great voice - but Cook is far, far more memorable and interesting.

[Danielle]

People are music, no matter what kind of rhytm they are sounding. In my opinion there are wrong judgements in this two great singers, first of all we know that David Cook wins with glory and with his talent he is a great singer, and better than that he is an amaizing human being, as far as I am concerned.

David Archuleta came in second, titled the runner-up, and being a fan of this young boy, I can say that he is destinated to be a superstar, he sings beautifully, with passion, with joy and loving what he is doing, and have many qualities another man would never imagine to have or to know. And for those who thinks Archuleta screams, reveal the presentations, and do not criticize someone you don't know, if you cannot be better than him.

I think the word "battle" between David's is became a little annoying these days, another season is almost starting again, and we hope they can find another two great David's.

Idol gave the chance for these boys to show their talent to the world, and being a Cook fan or an Archie fan, it doesn't matter, is just about the pleasure we have to keep listening these guys.

[Mary Lou]

When Cook's album first came out, Archuleta told his fans to be sure and buy it. How gracious was that? I never saw Cook saying the same about Archuleta's music releases. I was blown away at David A.'s generosity. The kid is too special for words, not only for his talent but for his amazing good spirit.

[weeds48]

The difference in their styles is so significant, that you just can't compare. It's all in the "ears-of-the-beholder"!!!! My ears prefer Archuleta!

[Linda]

Mary Lou, you may have not actually seen it but David Cook did say in a radio interview that he himself bought David Archuleta's CD so I think that sets a great example of the kind of relationship the two Davids have.

[YinYang]

Elma, may I suggest you to add "in my opinion" to your caparison of the 2 Davids? Which one is better or more memorable is all come to person preference and taste. Music is art not science. I bet there are tons of peeps who disagree with you.

The post of Elma just showed one reason for the never-ending fan war. It's one thing to defend your favorite but it's totally another thing to put down the other one in order to defend your favorite, which only serves as bait for fan wars. I am surprised to see such comment (from Elma) under the peach-searching title. Maybe she posted in the wrong thread?

Just want to say my observation.

[linda]

Cook fan here who is anxiously awaiting the day when people do not refer to Cook and Archuleta as The Davids, as if they are their own species of two or something. It bugs. No more lumping these two vastly different singers together. I wish Archuleta sucess, and bare him no ill will. Both he and Cook seem to be off to a grand start.

[Conch]

Had these two not appeared on the same program we would not even put them together in the same article. Do we spend hours and blogs comparing Katy Perry with Beyonce? No, two different style, both successful. We need to look beyond AI and what 19th Street entertainment has done to us and realize that these two artists are gifted in their own genre and in they own style. There is no longer comparison.