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Here are some articles from Singapore!

This is from Straits Times:

Cook turns the tables

Rocker David Cook unexpectedly bounces back from a 'knockout' to grab the American Idol crown from rival David Archuleta



LOS ANGELES - Rocker David Cook won the title of American Idol on Wednesday, dealing an unexpected defeat to a silken-voiced teenager, also named David, on the most popular United States television show.

Cook, 25, who was bartending and playing in a band before he auditioned for the singing competition, stood back to applaud rival David Archuleta and then bent over crying after host Ryan Seacrest announced the results.

'This is amazing,' said the Blue Springs, Missouri native who, in addition to being crowned this year's Idol, will also receive a recording contract.

'This is all your fault,' he added, addressing the brother whom he had accompanied to the Idol audition that started it all.

In its seventh season, American Idol has grown from a cheesy summer talent show into a pop culture phenomenon that draws millions of viewers to News Corp's Fox network at least twice a week. It has produced mega-stars from both its winners and losers, including Kelly Clarkson and Chris Daughtry.

This season, average audiences on the show have slipped from just over 30 million viewers last year to roughly 28 million.

Nevertheless, it remains the most-watched American TV show, and the duelling Davids garnered a record 97.5 million votes between them, smashing the previous record by 23 million.

The contest was decided by a telephone and text-messaging vote in which Cook received 56 per cent to Archuleta's 44 per cent.

Throughout this year's competition, Cook wowed both the show's viewers and judges with updated, rock versions of pop classics such as Lionel Richie's Hello and Michael Jackson's Billie Jean.



On Tuesday night's show, however, the judges said the babyfaced Archuleta had out-performed Cook with his pitch-perfect renditions of John Lennon's Imagine and Elton John's Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me.

Judge Simon Cowell criticised Cook for choosing a song he had never performed before during his last chance to woo voters, and called the evening 'a knockout' by Archuleta.

Cook sang Collective Soul's The World I Know instead of reprising one of his best-loved performances of the season, as his opponent did with Imagine.

Backstage, the rocker said: 'If I had to choose between playing a song that not a whole lot of people know that I could get behind, or the opposite, I'll choose the lesser-known every time.'

But just before Seacrest announced the results on Wednesday, Cowell - in an unusual move for him - apologised for his comments from the previous evening.

'I went back home to watch it, it wasn't quite so clear cut as we called it,' he said to the final two.

He added to Cook: 'I will take this opportunity to apologise because I think I was verging on disrespectful with you. I don't think you deserved that.'

About 100,000 people auditioned for this year's American Idol.

Wednesday night's star-studded show at the Nokia Theatre in downtown Los Angeles included performances by George Michael, Donna Summer, Seal, Carrie Underwood and Bryan Adams.

Reuters, AP



This is from Malaysia's The New Straits Times: http://www.nst.com.my/Current_News/NST/Fri.../indexpull_html

American Idol 2008: King David rules!
By : Philip Lim

After 97.5 million votes were counted, David Cook won by a comfortable margin of 12 million. It may have shocked David Archuleta’s fans but the voters have spoken. PHILIP LIM looks back on the night of the grand finale.



BY the time, David Archuleta finished his third song, Imagine, everybody at the packed Nokia theatre in Los Angeles, including the judges, thought the title was his to lose. However when the numbers were crunched, a tsunami of votes swept into David Cook’s corner.

For Archuleta’s fans, it was a big disappointment but there’s no denying the numbers. Cook cried on receiving the good news. It was too much of a pleasant surprise.

The road to the title was long and arduous but the two Davids were almost household names on finale night with millions in America and millions more around the world watching them.

David Cook took to the stage first with I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For. He was eminently good with this song. His showmanship was faultless when he sang amid the audience and when he danced on the crescent-shaped table behind the judges.
Everybody loved it. It was reminiscent of what Season 5 Idol Taylor Hicks did on his road to victory. From the applause that reverberated across the hall, the verdict was clear, Cook had nailed this one down.

Randy Jackson quickly said: “It was a great way to start the duel.” Paula Abdul looking resplendent on the big night added: “We have found David Cook. Amen.”

Simon Cowell’s comment was the icing on the cake. “It was phenomenal.” So it was unanimous. Great song and marvellous performance.

Second number was Dream Big. Cook didn’t exactly falter on this one but if all of us were waiting for the oomph, we had a long wait. Even when the song ended, we were still waiting.

This 25-year-old from Blue Springs, Missouri, who had at the beginning of the competition declared “I am going to be who I am” didn’t fire up his engines on this one. Like some of us at home, the three judges knew it too.

Simon cut to the chase when he bluntly said: “The good news is there’s a third song.” All of us knew what he meant.

So apart from the “just OK” comments, Dream Big woke up to face some harsh realities. The second number was supposed to be something new, and Cook in black leather gear and strumming his guitar looked the part.

Millions believed in Cook and they voted accordingly. His third song, The World I know, was clearly better than his second.

His voice was better as usual. Expectations were high. After all, this was the big showdown. Cook was teary-eyed when the music ended. He had done his best and left the rest to America.

No one doubted the sincerity of his performances. The man dubbed Mr Original has clearly left an indelible impression on all those who have religiously watched him week after week.

Nobody really knew what David Archuleta was capable of right up till the final night. But his first song was the harbinger of an extraordinary evening.

Don’t Let The Sun Go Down On Me was one of the most stirring numbers ever performed by high school student Archuleta. He peaked on the most crucial of all Idol nights. Half way through the song, everybody in the hall, bar none, knew the sun will never again set on Archuleta.

HIs stellar performance sent a wave of warmth that embraced the hearts of all listeners. Clive Davis, head honcho of BMG America, gave Archuleta a standing ovation, along with 7,000 others in the theatre. Randy said that was one of his best performances.

“My heart is still pounding,” said Paula. Simon didn’t mince his words: “Round One to Archuleta.” No argument from anybody.

Archie (Archuleta), as host Ryan Seacrest called him, powered down the musical superhighway with In This Moment as his second song. The girls went wild. The louder the cheers, the better was Archuleta’s voice.

The song was right, the vibes were great and Archuleta was undeniably magnificent. It was a heartfelt moment that made many young people wish they had a brother like little David. I agreed with Simon, round two to Archuleta again.

Nobody in his right mind could dislike Archuleta. He has an innocence that’s refreshing and a smile that melts any trace of cynicism that dares to show up.

His third number was again a winner. John Lennon’s 1971 hit Imagine was a moment frozen in Idol time. The girls at the front of the stage went berserk.

The climax of the evening was timed perfectly with Archuleta’s last song. It left Paula speechless and she admitted it. Randy enthusiastically proclaimed: “Dude, you are exactly what the competition is all about.”

All it left was for Simon to add the seal of approval and he said: ”David, you came out tonight to win. From what we have witnessed, it is a knock-out!”

However, just before the results were announced yesterday morning, Simon changed his mind and said both Davids were equally good and he didn’t care who won.

Not me, I was aghast and could only exclaim: “What?” Personally, I think Archuleta should have been crowned the winner.

This season, the Idol contest has triggered a groundswell of response that broke all records. It has been a fun season. There have been a few unpleasant surprises but these are very much part of reality TV. What would TV entertainment be if there were no sudden twists and turns. Till the next season then, cheers.

Thanks for sharing the articles! Looks like I missed seeing that report in TODAY paper, although I had that copy.