Dark horse Lee DeWyze was crowned “American Idol” on Wednesday, beating front-runner Crystal Bowersox in an upset result on America’s most-watched television show.
DeWyze, 24, won the coveted title and a recording contract after millions of Americans cast their votes for the bluesy guitarist despite what “Idol” judges had deemed a better showing by Bowersox in Tuesday’s performance finale.
“I have never been happier in my life,” said an emotional DeWyze, who worked in a Chicago paint shop before auditioning for the Fox TV singing contest a year ago.
Initially shy and ill at ease, he blossomed in the later rounds and emerged as a serious threat to rocker and single mom Bowersox after he delivered an emotional version of the Leonard Cohen classic “Hallelujah” in the semi-final last week.
On Tuesday, “Idol” judges all but anointed Bowersox the winner. Outgoing judge Simon Cowell described her final song, “Up to the Mountain” as “outstanding.”
But Americans felt differently and after the counting of votes cast by text and telephone, DeWyze was pronounced the winner at the end of a two-hour finale that featured performances by Christina Aguilera, Janet Jackson and Joe Cocker.
Past “Idols” — as well as former judge Paula Abdul — returned to give Cowell an emotional send-off on his last appearance on the show. The British music executive is leaving to launch a U.S. version of his “The X-Factor” talent show on Fox in the fall of 2011.
DeWyze’s cover version of U2′s hit “Beautiful Day” will be released as his first single. His debut album, on a Sony Music Entertainment record label, will likely follow in the fall.
Now in its 9th season, “American Idol” is still America’s most popular TV show, but has seen audiences slip by about 9 percent this year to an average 23.9 million viewers per episode.
(Reporting by Jill Serjeant and Alex Dobuzinskis)
US model Shanna Moakler stands up for gay marriage
Washington, Apr 30 (ANI): American model Shanna Moakler has decided to make it very clear that she was “hurt and upset” by first runner up in Miss USA 2009 pageant Carrie Prejean’s comment about gay and lesbian marriage.
Moakler, 34, was upset by Prejean saying that a “marriage should be between a man and a woman”, and she has decided to make a stand for what she believed in – the right for gay and lesbian couples to marry.
The model was in North Hollywood on April 28 with co-executive state pageant director Keith Lewis as they prepared Miss USA 2006 first runner-up Tamiko Nash and last year’s Miss California Raquel Beezley to shoot a NO H8 Campaign.
The campaign hopes to raise awareness and eventually have Proposition 8 over-turned in California.
“It’s important for us right now to participate in this, especially given the conversation surrounding Miss California. We’re here showing we’re a family, we agree to disagree and support our beliefs,” Fox News quoted Lewis as saying, as Moakler nodded in agreement.
“It’s been a difficult time but we want to show that there are a lot of different families, I was raised by a single mom, and I am dad to two children that are being raised by two moms. Can’t we all just love each other and get along and celebrate the fact that people are able to find true love?
“We are working through it; we’re a family in resolution. We really want to give Carrie an opportunity to express her beliefs, the Miss California system is about empowering women to be strong and independent and stand up for whatever they believe in.
“So as soon as Carrie is done explaining her beliefs we really look forward to her coming back to our platform. I’m proud that she was able to stand there and utter whatever it was that came out of her mouth. I’m a 45-year-old man and I don’t think I could explain myself to millions of people,” he added. (ANI)