Rocker David Cook named new 'American Idol'

When David Cook was announced as the winner of "American Idol" Wednesday night at the Nokia theater, the most dramatic upset in the show's history was just another twist in a season that has tested the still-vibrant franchise.

The 25-year-old became the first performer in the rock music mold to win, amassing 56% of 96 million votes, to 44% for 17 year old prodigy David Archuleta, who sings in the pop balladeer style that had previously dominated "Idol."

Before the verdict was announced, Judge Simon Cowell thanked both for being perhaps the "nicest" contestants the show has seen, underscoring the fact that the Fox hit has achieved its success with a G-rated strategy that reaches across cultural divides of all types - ethnic, economic, generational, even musical.

With network television and the music industry both up against a fractured audience and new forms of media, Cook and runner-up Archuleta became standard bearers for today's broad-based popular culture. "Idol" remains the only show able to consistently deliver vast numbers of viewers, even eclipsing the Oscars.

However, after a season in which the series came under fire for various offstage controversies and suffered a mid-season sag in its ratings, television's titan stands at a crossroads. It remains to be seen whether this year's ratings dip is a one year phenomenon or the first step on the inevitable downward spiral all successful TV shows must eventually face.

For the moment, Fox network brass are sufficiently concerned that they have made public statements promising major, though as yet unspecified, changes when the show returns in January. With broad-based musical hits becoming harder and harder to generate, the Idol machine's ability to fulfill its original mission of creating "the next pop star" has also been called into question. Some, such as Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson, have gone on to stardom, but several others have not mustered major careers.

The show has always been subjected to the sharp news lens normally reserved for Presidential candidates or jail-bound starlets, and season seven saw Idol seemingly struggle at times to control its own storyline. In past years, the show has been remarkably successful at framing the terms of the debate, bringing its hiccups onto the screen and showing a willingness to poke fun at itself.

This year, with the internet-driven media ever more unleashed, the show has had to grapple with several sensitive storylines. There were reports that Archuleta's father was banned from backstage for interfering with the production, and eyebrows were raised when a seemingly off-kilter judge Paula Abdul rendered a verdict on a performance that had not occurred yet.

Still, the bigger audiences returned for what was billed as the strongest finals match-up in years. Archuleta, who himself was practically weaned on the show, having watched since he was 10 years old, had often seemed invincible, with technically flawless renditions of pop favorites.

But Cook, who at one point was told by Cowell that he was without charisma, surged with a string of rock reimaginations of such hits as "Billie Jean" that drew massive ovations from audiences.

The show seems in the finale to have rebounded from its mid-season ratings dip. "American Idol" premiered to an audience of 33.5 million total viewers, according to figures from Nielsen Media Research -- putting it ahead of the Oscars telecast to become the season's number two rated program, trailing only the Superbowl. But the ratings subsequently tumbled, falling as low as 21.8 million for one show - the lowest figure in three years.

Still, even that is a number most TV shows would kill for.

Season Seven's young contestants also reflected the new, multi-ethnic face of America: Three of the four finalists - Jason Castro, Syesha Mercado and Archuleta -- had at least partly Latino origins, yet the huge differences in their styles (laidback hippie crooning for Castro, cerebral jazz for Mercado and soulful ballads for Archuleta) also revealed the great diversity within this demographic.

In a time when ever edgier reality television shows dominate the network airwaves, "American Idol" almost seems like a pristine throwback to a gentler time. While other competition shows are routinely driven by the spectacle of contestants who are at each others' throats -- often quite literally -- with hair pulling and name calling being the norm, the two "Idol" finalists took the stage this week gushing with good will for each other. Cook even declared Tuesday that "the competition is over. It's all about having fun now."

The atmosphere of camaraderie amidst the weekly deathblows is certainly an intentional part of the "Idol" universe, with a crew that seems much more like a happily family relishing their work than the typical TV production staff. It may be this spirit of fun yet gentle competition that has helped "Idol" retain its status as the one show on television that still attracts entire families, across the generational divide.

However, as producers look ahead and consider the ratings sag of this year, part of their calculation must be: How much do viewers want fights and freak-shows instead of a face-off based on pure talent?

While this year's group was considered by many commentators to be the most talented overall in the show's history, the uniformity of talent deprived the show of the train-wreck interest summoned, for example, by last year's contestant Sanjaya Malakar. Viewers enjoyed the spectacle of his weekly public belly flops.

Nonetheless, with an end of the year ratings rebound and a handful of talents -- including the two finalists -- with seemingly very strong commercial potential, Idol obituaries may soon look extremely premature.

-Richard Rushfield

--Scott Collins contributed reporting for this story

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Comments

[johnnym3714]

Get ove it you delusional DA fans. All 3 nos. to DC's voting lines were hella busy until almost midnite here in the west coast, that 12million vote differential is legit. DC was the better performer, DA has a very good voice yet he's a one trick pony. Singers need to be versatile and do songs from a variety of genres and styles, DC has proven he can do that. On the other hand, whenever DA tries to stray away from sappy ballads even by a little, he stumbles like a drunk leaving a bar at 3am. The right person with the combination of vocal talents and commanding stage presence won, and that is DC

[yhess]

I WILL NEVER WATCH AMERICAN IDOL AGAIN . I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT DAVID COOK WON.
HE CAN'T SING. THE ONLY THING IS FOR SURE, HE CAN SCREAM.
BUT IT'S OKEY, I KNOW THAT DAVID A IS GOING TO BE FAMOUS THAN DAVID COOK.

[Cook fan]

It would be more fun to go to a Cook concert than a DA concert. I think that's why he won.

[Maxine Mickelsen]

I cant believe that David Cook won! WORST CHOICE EVER!!! DC Did NOT deserve it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ..................................... Pathetic

[Cassy]

As usual, AI finale was just another popularity contest/fangirl battle (as I put it). It's always like that when it gets to the semi-finals. Sort of disappointing to find out that DA didn't win since I was rootin' for him. But congrats to DC for winning. They're both good, but each of them have different qualities which makes them special. (Yes cheesy I know, but it's true.) DA is very talented and you can definitely tell especially for his age. He has a lot of potential to make it big sometime in his future. DC has better stage presence though. He also tends to make bigger risks by making a lot of songs into his own style, which are basically the qualities AI wants. Oh well...but congrats again to DC! Both of the Davids did very well in this season.

[Sam]

This is ridiculous, only immature people can say they will never see the show again.
Cook Win the competition and thats it. Archuleta was Amazing but you see he doesn't have the confidence that Cook have on the stage. Most of the stupid hate comments to Cook comes from females and their only stupid excuse is that he was cute or sweet, what is this a baby face competition or a Star searching competition (American Idol is not about singing, is about having the necessary things to become a star, and singing alone is not enough)?
So stick with the results, yes Archuleta is really good and he is going to succeed in his life, just like Cook, only that Cook wins American Idol thats the only different so if you are going comment stupid hate things about cook then keep them for yourself, cause those comments are not going to make things different. DAVID COOK WINS little fans of Archi, accept it.

[Pinkeee]

David A is a one-trick pony. You always know what the song is going to sound like when he sings, regardless of the song. David Cook always left me hanging on the edge of my seat waiting to see how the song he chose or was given was going to sound. I was more often than not quite delighted. Hello, Billy Jean, and so many other songs just were great! David A is adorable and sweet, but he can't keep his eyes open and that bugs the crap out of me. It's about time that a real musician and real singer won A.I. Hurray for David Cook!

[Christine]

I love that David Cook won. I think he had the most overall potential to be a star. Archuleta interviews were the most painful things I have had to watch. He is talented, but he needs a little more time to have something else to offer.

[Susan R.]

I've not been a big AI fan, but when Cook sang his rendition of "Billie Jean," I finally got excited about a contestant and every week looked forward to what he would do next. Some say Archeletta had a better voice, BUT he seldom connected with his audience or even the songs he sang. He repeatedly had to be told what the words meant while Cook was busy re-arranging his next cover and having some fun along the way. I could not be happier for anyone than I am for David Cook right now. I simply want MORE!

[Adele]

VOTED OVER 1000 TIMES FOR COOK!! AND IT PAID OFF! SO HAPPY!

[Lis]

David Cook: He had me at "Hello."

[shannon clark]

i'm so glad that david cook won ,because if david A had won then the producers would have lost even more viewers because they would have 3 non-sucssesfull american idols 1) tayler hicks, 2) jordan sparks and 3) david A so everybody who voted for david cook made the right choice luv ya dave C fans !!!!!!!!

[Amazed]

Oh Richard Rushfield -- if only you could have written like this all year. No hyperbole, just straightforward great writing.

And both Davids were great. It was the best final since season 2 (Ruben vs. Clay). Can't believe everyone is taking it so seriously.

[DavidCookFansite.com]

David Archuleta have a better singing voice but David Cook has a wider range of styles. He isn't afraid to take risks and opted not to sing Billie Jean -- A true American Idol....

[Sheila]

This sucks. David A should've one. This is fixed, i will never watch this again. The producers manipulated the show, and its obvious. I feel bad for Achuleta. He's so humble and sweet. I wish the best for him.

[bella]

Tonights showed proved that Michael Johns and Carly Smithson clearly have the best voices out of all the idols, their duet was the best of the night and Michael in particular should have been in the final as he has such range in his voice, is a natural on stage, not to mention very very hot with loads of charisma.

[Jojo]

hey,will you guys stop arguing about these two people, it's not worth it..ok? they're both really amazing and good singers..besides, the judges already said that two of them is already the winners....but, they really need only one....so please stop saying that.the judges have no favoritism,ok? don't say that, paula and simon likes david cook like that like that...please, david cook deserves it..ok,david archuleta is way talented too,but he's still young,he has long way to go,right? and he can join more singing competition, but david cook.... he really needs it, he's older brother, adam cook, has a brain cancer, that's the reason why he'd joined american idol,to help his older brother! did ya ever know that? huh? oh shame on you guys telling cook really sucks......he's just helping his family and his brother..ok?

[Janice]

I am so amazed with the immature and irrational comments in previous posts. All I can say is that I've never watched American Idol before. Then David Cook came along...found out about him through a fan's blog and he had me hooked. My husband who most of the time can't bear to listen to music was even intrigued by David Cook's stage presence and humbleness. I voted for David Cook because I felt he had the talent. I'd buy his album. There's nothing wrong with David Archuleta. He'll definitely go far, but he just doesn't do it for me. He's got an outstanding voice, but he didn't make me melt like Cook did with his performances.

[Profoundly moved]

David Cook poured into my heart. I could feel how deeply he expressed his lyrics, whether romantic or about his relationship with life. Mesmerizing.

[John]

How is this possible? David Cook had by far the most cliched and uninspired voice of any of the contestants. His songs bored me and his performances were like watching a child trying desperately to be cool. His style was a fad about 10 years ago and it's just as annoying today as it was then. Too bad. His first record is going to tank harder than Kelly Clarkson's second; I honestly don't see anyone except those who mourned Creed's breakup buying it. Archuleta, on the other hand, could be the male Amy Winhouse (sans drugs) if he gets a management team that does not include his dad.