Scenes from Nokia Theatre: Despite loss, the Lamberts stay in harmony

 

The black color of Eber Lambert's fingernails described the mood for much of America's music critics and some of its more ardent rock fans. Although the elder Lambert meant it as a gesture of solidarity with his eyeliner-wearing son Adam -- who lost his bid to be crowned the next American Idol to mellow underdog Kris Allen -- instead it became a commentary for Lambert-lovers.

Though clearly disappointed by the results, the Lamberts showered the Allen family with congratulations and best wishes, and perhaps realized that the Adam phenomenon, now ignited, would continue to burn. The goodwill was more than returned backstage after the show when Allen gave his onetime competitor several bear hugs before a gantlet of press.

The moments were just a few of the scenes that played out inside and around the Nokia Theatre at L.A. Live during the signature event on the nation's most popular television show. Here are some more:

Cut away

In the midst of the Black Eyed Peas' performance of "Boom Boom Pow," television screens during the live broadcast suddenly switched to the Idol logo for a few seconds. It occurred at the precise moment in the song which called for an expletive. But Fox officials denied they were behind the move -- rather it was done at the request of one of the band's singers, will.i.am.

Through the smoke

As the show barreled toward its grand revelation, the atmosphere literally grew thick with tension -- and smoke, thanks to the night's pyrotechnic-laden performances. By the end of "We Are the Champions," in which the top 13 were accompanied by the surviving members of Queen, the entire room had reached a fever pitch, and with the show already running over, the crowd was straining at the bit to hear the name of the next American Idol.

Although the room for much of the night seemed heavily tilted toward Lambert partisans, when the announcement was made a combination of shock and glee erupted from many of the teenage girls, who lit up the room with an explosion of high fives, squeals and wet handkerchiefs.

A quiet moment

The one thing that hushed the crowd -- other than the moment before the victor was crowned -- was the performance of Michael Sarver, Megan Joy and Steve Martin with a banjo. Joy's cacophonous warbling sent the room into total shocked silence for the entirety of the number.

A KISS for Lambert

After the show, KISS members discussed their upcoming national tour and where they got their shoes (Payless). The self-described "all-American band" explained they are "the American dream come true" and their performance with Lambert was a good fit because "we're pretty theatrical ourselves." When asked to show his legendary long tongue, rocker Gene Simmons replied: "I can't, the floor is dirty."

Kind words

After the show, Lambert offered nothing but praise for the new American Idol, his onetime roommate.

"I think Kris won because he's a great artist," he said. "[Kris and I] are so seemingly different but we found a common bond, not just through music, but through talking. Our goal [tonight] was to bring you guys together, not separate you."

Advice from Mraz

After performing his hit song "I'm Yours" alongside the top 13 contestants, singer-songwriter Jason Mraz had one big piece of advice for tonight's winner: "Remember it's your responsibility to be inspiring to people. Even if [voters] didn't like the way that you were doing it, people want to see the best outcome possible."

Related: Best and Worst: 'American Idol' finale

--Denise Martin. Additional reporting by Kate Stanhope, Leslie Wiggins and Richard Rushfield

Photo: AP / Fox

Comments

[Dave Cruikshank]

They are both very good in their own different way. Kris is a good singer / musician who will do well. Adam is an incredible entertainer / singer who will go the way of Daughtry and be a smashing success. As the past has proven you need not be the title winner to do well, and just getting the title does not guarantee success. The have been winners who are hardly ever heard from again. Reuben may be the velvet teddy bear but he's not been a commercial success. Clay Aiken came in as number 2 and has been a commercial success ever since. He may not be on the radio everyday, but he has a strong following and sells out personal appearances. The original Idol Kelly Clarkson has been a Star since winning and Justin who? fell into the abyss. I got to see Kelly with Reba McEntire last summer. She was incredible. Clive Davis may not have liked "My December" but it became a Gold Album for her. The "Somewhere over the Rainbow Girl" , Kathryn McPhee, got over there and has not been heard from since. Then you have standouts like Ms. Jennifer Hudson and incredible breakout stars like Carrie Underwood. And who knew Kellie Pickler would have a career. Not winning will probably be the best thing ever to happen to Adam, just like it was for Daughtry. Even more than Daughtry, Adam got the publicity and exposure to ride it out all the way to the end. He got the car, he Will have a contract, and he wont be confined to the box that is the Idol and have to sing the dreadful song. Kara having written many hit pop songs, I expected we would finally get a decent song. With all the Millions if not Billions by now that Idol, 19 entertainment makes by now you think they could buy a hit song. Back to Adam. He may end up being THE Most Successful Idol Contestant Ever. He can sing, he has commanding stage presence, he can do Broadway, and I wouldn't be surprised if we don't see him in film. You can't say that of many other Idols. He has great Crossover potential. His songs are already The Most Downloaded on Itunes of any Idol this Season. He could release "Mad World" tomorrow and it would be a Radio Hit, and has the potential for a very cool Video. My Mother-in-law who is 68 just melts we she hears that song and sees him in his trench coat. She said she hasn't been this excited about a singer since Elvis died. So he has a pretty broad fan base. So don't cry for Adam. Now to Kris, I'm glad he got the title. He worked very very hard, and came up from behind like an underdog horse in the derby. Plus he seems like a genuine nice guy. He too will do very well. The biggest problem for him will be the strain it will put on his still new marriage. Seems just like they forgot, Adam wasn't batting for their team, all the Tweenster girls who voted Kris in overlooked he's still a newlywed. Having once been an early something newlywed, all those hours apart can be brutal. I waited 7 years to marry my high school sweetheart, and working 80 hour weeks, killed our marriage after just one year. I hope and pray that Kris and his wife have a strong relationship. He will have girls throwing themselves at him for a long time. Finally Gokey & Allison will get the recording contracts they deserve, as will a few of the others from season 8. I felt that Allison didn't have a fair chance since Tween Girls are the majority of voters running up their cell bills. She has an incredible voice for a 17 year old girl. We have not seen the last of her. And Gokey deserves success. Not because he's a widower, but because he has talent, pulled himself up from a devastating blow, and kept winning with class all the way. And yes because of his convictions and acts, he has God on his side. I have tickets to see the tour in Reading PA on Sept 8th. If summers got to end, that's a beautiful consolation prize to look forward to. Dave

[Celtic Mairin]

Adam is the GRRRREATEST!!! What a star and so gracious as the runner-up to Kris for winning the Idol.

Kris may be the Idol but ADAM IS "THE CHAMPION"! Adam, you rock. Please, come to Edmonton, Canada when you're on tour.

Adam's reaction should be an example to us all - with a big smile on his face: "It felt so good. I got to sing with Queen and with Kiss. I mean, first or second it doesn't matter to me I got to sing with two great heroic rock bands." I bet Queen makes him an offer as they need a singer. What a fabulous human being. I love him even more.

[Giovani]

This was a singing competition, Adam is obviously way better than Kris, Adam should have one. Thing was that Adam is gay and American Idol is a family show, so to keep the viewers at ease they let Kris won.

[Lynn Hoover]

Adam would have won had he not been GAY .... Many are turned off by that including myself...

[Mike]

I am ok with Kris winning because he does have a good voice with amazing rearrangement on his song selections. However, America did not really pick Kris if you think about it. Almost 100 million votes came through last night. The votes were likely split between Adam and Kris with Kris winning only by a few million votes at the most, so Kris got like around 50-53 million votes. Over 38 million votes for Kris came from Arkansas, his state. You do the math. Aside from Arkansas, every other states likely pick Adam to win. How ironic that everyone thinks Kris actually won. It reminds me of Season 2 Finale between Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken where Ruben won by the same margin with most of the Southern states pulling for Ruben. I personally don't like Clay Aiken, but he became the second most successful male AI contestant after Chris Daughtry and Ruben almost disappears entirely only to come out this season with a few lousy songs.

[Daryl]

This is the first season I have watched American Idol. Not too impresed with the show, HOWEVER, I witnessed some amazing talent throughout the season. Adam had my vote from the time he sang Ring Of Fire and I wish he would have won. Kris is very talented and will go far - Congrats! Adam - I wish you the best of luck.

[michelle]

adam should have won he is an amazing singer !!!! kris won because of his wholesome look get over it people who cares if adam is gay hes got the best talent and is one sexy gay man!!!

[shelagh]

Adam should have deservedly won- The American conservatives from Arkansas rewarded
average tonight. If true that 38% of winning vote totals came from Arkansas-AI is not about finding a true star, but rather who can power text vote instead.

You rock Adam, nobody was better or tried harder than you.

[Celia]

Thank you Dave, you pretty much summarized what I thought.
I never watched AI before until I was visiting my sister in Florida. She watches AI fiathfully. That was the night Adam sang "Mad World." I remember being transfixed and was just speechless, and the only thing that I could think of was "wow!" I had been transfixed ever since, driving my boyfriend mad because I would demand to see AI while he wants to watch hockey semi-finals. Most people who don't like Adam dislike his "screeching." But that could easily be toned down. Adam is stellar, his voice is so far superior to Kris'. But Kris is also very talented, in a different way from Adam, so he will do very well indeed and so will the rest of the top 4. I definitely will download Adam's, Gokey's and Allison's music, and Kris too if it comes out good.

[RJ]

Lynn Hoover, your attitude turns me off. Don't know about you, but I go to concerts and buy CDs to listen to the music. I don't particularly care what the artists do in their own bedrooms. Btw, you'd better throw away all your Queen, Elton John, k.d. lang, Fergie, Green Day, David Bowie, Lady Gaga, Janis Joplin, Madonna and George Michael CDs. Never go to any stage musical on Broadway or elsewhere. You might as well not watch anything coming out of Hollywood. Also, don't bother with any major fashion labels or going to hair stylists, because, you know, these people obviously turn you off.

[KZinCC]

Okay about Queen. As much fun as it is to speculate about an offer to Adam, it will never happen. In an interview, Brain May said that one of the reasons Paul Rodgers (Free and Bad Company) was asked to sing (besides being mates from way back) is that HE DOESN'T SING LIKE FREDDIE MERCURY. He went on to say that Queen with a Mercury impersonator would be a freak show that could never sufficiently honor Mercury's legacy. For my part, I think Adam needs to look forward and not backwards. Fronting a washed up (sorry guys) dinosaur rock band would not be his best career move.

[Maurice]

To the comment made by Lynn Hoover, no disrespect, there are many GAY artists that are in the closet in show business and that situation shouldn't even take part in a "singing" competition... Actually, I'm glad Adam didn't win so he wouldn't have the American Idol restraints on him and he can make an album with creative control....I agree Kris is talented and is deserving of the title but fits the "American Idol" image...Honestly if we went on singing ability Adam won hands down....Again, his supposedly lifestyle should not have been a factor and people in America needs to wake up because they're sooo many gay artists some out and proud and others in the closet....

[joe]

KZ inCC Whats washed up is the state of rock n Roll now kids listen to the garbage they call Hip Hop nobody knows how to play an instrument or for that matter can sing.Funny how what you call dinosaur and washed up is still popular thirty years later and you won't know who Adam Lambert is in five years.

[lioness swimmer]

Adam couldn’t win because that would’ve restricted him to mediocrity by association (and via contract). 1) The other competitors couldn't touch Adam; he is in a league of his own. 2) AI is mainstream, and therefore, appeals to conformity and mediocrity. Adam is anything but.

Adam is a standout STAR already. I eagerly anticipate his unfolding development, and wish him a fulfilling, balanced, loving life and career. Thank you, Adam, for breathing life into an increasingly cookie cutter world, by way of your centered presence and self-expression, doing what you love. You are an inspiring, enlightened/ing exemplar of self-actualization. You are, indeed, doing your job! I would love to see you in an array of films of varying genres, as well as in theatre and in concert. No need to limit yourself in any way. The definition of a maverick is “one who won’t be branded.” L’Chaim, shalom, a votre sante’!

Both Kris and Adam benefit here, b/c Kris gets a needed boost in his mainstream career, while Adam gets the public exposure to propel him into the legendary spotlight that is his fate, while freeing him of limiting commercial marketing chains.

[lioness swimmer]

Lynn Hoover: Open your closet door! Or at least, look out a window once in awhile!
"He who casts the first stone..." and all that.

Read a book. Travel. Get some exposure. Free yourself from your narrow existence.

[somesense]

When is AI going to solve this problem of nonstop dialing to vote ? Obviously all these votes could not be counted since it is generated by the same person repeatedly. It should be i1person i1vote or in the current arrangement, 1 phone number 1 vote. This AI is a farce. How can you claim any true winner with a straight face? Farce! It is simple to delete all these repeated dialing with the same phone numbers. Could it be that AI just wants to claim so many "so-call" voters have voted In truth, many are just generated by one maniac with nothing worthwhile to do but keeps dialing.

[kt]

I liked both performers throughout the competition toward the end however I got tired of Adams 'screaming' no matter how good it was and I do not like ROCK music which seemed to be the direction he was moving in as a performer....for me the vote was not based on religion/faith or sexual preference, it was based on genre.

[Tess]

Adam is amazing. I am not going to the AI tour. I am not going to give American Idol any money after what happened to Adam. I will save my money for Adam's first CD and his own tour...................

[Adamholic2]

Having seen We Will Rock You when it was in Las Vegas, Adam would be ADAMAZING in the lead. Would LOVE to see him combine his theatrical talent, love of rock music to front that show for a brief stint. Would also LOVE to see him do a tour with Queen, but not necessarily become a permanent front man for them. But most of all I'm looking forward to seeing Adam just be ADAM!! He is by FAR the best ever to have set foot on the Idol Stage and I have to say Paula exhuberance for him is mirrored by a LOT of fans out here! My hope all season was to see Adam in the finale just so we could see him perform every week and see an amazing final show. I LOVED that the judges and producers OBVIOUSLY loved Adam too..and gave him opportunity time and again to show his amazing talent. I PRAYED he would perform with Queen on the final night and was NOT disappointed. The final outcome might not have been my wish at the time, but in retrospect I think it was the best possible outcome for both Adam and Kris. Without the win, Kris is just not 'different enough' to be able to compete with the likes of John Meyer for example..there is NO ONE out there like Adam and it has been a real privelege to watch this STAR being born every week!! THANK YOU ADAM!!! BREAK A LEG!!!!