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Did AT&T Rig 'Idol' Voting?
Complaining about voting irregularities in real elections is so last year. The new craze is tracking misconduct in voting for 'American Idol.' Message boards are abuzz with accusations that AT&T may have unfairly influenced voting results by providing phones, free text messaging, and lessons in casting multiple votes at once for parties in support of Kris Allen (pictured), the Arkansas singer who won the singing competition.
According to the New York Times, both AT&T and attendees of the parties confirmed that the company hosted two such voting parties in Allen's home state of Arkansas. The provider, however, did not provide similar support for Adam Lambert, the runner-up to Mr. Allen in the show's finale.
AT&T reps instructed party-goers in how to send so-called "power texts" -- blocks of 10 or more messages sent to the same number.
If the charges are true, AT&T would have broken two rules governing voting in the 'Idol' competition. At the end of every show an on-screen statement is displayed warning that blocks of votes cast using "technical enhancements" which would unfairly influence the outcome can be thrown out. The show also states that voting via text message is open only to AT&T subscribers, and that standard texting rates apply.
While AT&T admits to attending the parties and providing demo phone units, it has not copped to any wrongdoing. Fox has so far declined to comment on the situation. [From: NY Times]
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Comments
5
Subscribe to commentsGuyMay 27th 2009 2:47PM
sorry but thats how it works. you vote for who you want to win. its not rigged and its not at&t's fault. people voted for who they wanted to win, and thats who won.
ShadowguitarMay 27th 2009 11:39PM
Ravensfan, anyone as bigoted as you deserves to be arrested. By the way, the Skins are going to walk all over the ravens this year.
GirlMay 27th 2009 6:33PM
No Guy - American did not vote for the winner, AT&T did by hosting phone parties for one contestant. Adam is now doing the talk show route and has bodyguards because people are in a frenzy over him. Kris is a nice guy, but clearly not even in Adam's league. No one who has ever been on Idol can sing, perform and entertain like Adam. Get over the gay stuff. Non-gays don't go down the street shouting "I'm heterosexual" and Adam doesn't need to declare his private bedroom business either. He's delightful, well mannered, well spoken, innovative and everything Idol tells their contestants to be. Adam is too much of a gentleman to even address this. He'll be the winner in the long run and Kris will fade into oblivion because there are already too many mediocre's just like him. 38 million votes just from AR? The only way that happened is by cheating.
ravensfan55May 27th 2009 6:53PM
It's not cheating It's a promotional event.
And any man that dresses like a woman and is a flaming homo deserves to lose.
Sam WhitmanMay 28th 2009 7:43AM
Why is it so hard for some people to believe that Kris won fairly??? It's true, he is not the same type of "entertainer" that Adam is, BUT...he is a very gifted and talented musician AND singer!!! Adam is a very talented, showy, even seeming to have an expectant/
entitled star-type personality, and Kris Allen is a very humble and mellow "regular guy" type of person.
Whether some people want to believe it or not, the majority of us "regular" people may
like to watch all that flashy stuff sometimes, but when it comes down to who we'd like to see in the spotlight for our children to "idolize" and follow as examples, humble, talented and wholesome musicality still wins over black nail polish, screaming, tongue hanging
out and pictures of a man kissing another man!!!!