American Idol Winners: The biggest DUD

this is a no-brainer; I don't even like Kris Allen, Scotty McCreery or Phillip Phillips but one of the most satisfying lols of my life is that Lee DeWyze won American Idol

I didn't watch the seasons that Carrie Underwood, Taylor Hicks and Phillip Phillips won, so I don't really know them as contestants...just a people associated with the show who are now on my pop culture radar. But I did see Lee DeWyze as a contestant and he was THE FUCKING WORST. Every. Single. Week.

no Clay Aiken?

He came in 2nd in season two.

Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood have released terrific singles in the last nine months.

Kelly and Carrie are the best (winners) the show's had to offer, obviously. Though Fantasia Barrino and Jordin Sparks have had moments of glory as well. I also really like that "Light On" song by David Cook.

Clay Aiken and Adam Lambert and Jennifer Hudson, none of whom won, are bigger than several of the winners.

Carrie Underwood is the croaking harbinger of early death who I think has sounded good maybe twice in her life, but people really love her for whatever reason

I like Michael McDonald so I have no issue with Taylor Hicks, he just tried to become famous in the wrong decade

Not having watched the season she won, I heard all these amazing things about her performance of "Alone" that basically sealed the deal for her win. When I went to watch it, I was unmoved.

now I'm going to persuade Carrie Underwood to record "Domino Dancing" for dan.

The thing that sealed the deal for Carrie's win was that the two or three people who could actually sing and were interesting either had monumental screwups that knocked them out of the competition (Constantine), got outed by vindictive enemies and lost the middle America vote (Anwar), or did not fit anyone's media narrative and couldn't build a voting block (Nadia). Then there was Vonzell, who was good but was also very clearly a pageantbot that no one could actually warm up to; it was pretty much guaranteed from the get-go that she was going to end up in third place.

also that was the same year that Fran Drescher Mk II aka Mikalah Gordon made it to the finals so it really was not a strong talent pool to pick from

there were several amazingly terrible people Fantasia's year as well, but you also had the three divas and George Huff, and Diana DeGarmo has shown that her issues weren't talent-related, but maturity-related since she can now reliably sing her face off

Clay Aiken and Adam Lambert and Jennifer Hudson, none of whom won, are bigger than several of the winners.

And Daughtry. Anybody watching this season at all? I've only caught snippets, but a couple of the female singers are better than anyone they've had in the past 3-4 seasons imo.

A poll of best #2s would probably be fun as well, though I'd jump out a window if David Archuleta won.

I wonder if Lee DeWyze ever looks at that David Archuleta single and starts sobbing

Anybody watching this season at all?

I'm not. I didn't follow along last year, either. I think a switch got flipped and I just didn't really care about competition shows of any kind anymore (The Voice, Project Runway, SYTYCD, whatever the show).

they had some fantastic people last year too from the shows I caught... and then Phillip Phillips won

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

there were several amazingly terrible people Fantasia's year as well, but you also had the three divas and George Huff

I will be forever pressed that George, Jennifer Hudson or LaToya London did not win instead of Fantasia.

For me, Taylor Hicks winning was the beginning of the end as far as the audience going for the middle of the road white dude no matter how good the competition was.

Yeah, Lee DeWyze was the worst. I still can't understand how that happened.

WHO SINGS THE OPENING LINE OF 'A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS' OUT OF TUNE
LEE THAT'S WHO

the producers tried to throw it for a lady winner this year (it would be the first one since *2007*) but this might wind up backfiring on them

Tuned out long before this Lee DeWyze person won.

Taylor Hicks was an obscenity.

Never forget: http://fourfour.typepad.com/fourfour/2006/02/torture_soul.html

there were a ton of good people during Hicks' year (Paris, Kellie, Elliot, sometimes Mandisa, Daughtry) mixed in with obvious cannon fodder but once it became obvious that America was trying to make Katherine McPhee into a thing even though she was terrible I jumped pretty quickly on the "anyone but McPhee" bandwagon

also, Michael McDonald rules so I'm not gonna be too mad at a Michael McDonald clone

That year, I'd have preferred Rhonetta over Taylor Hicks. And thanks for reminding me that Paris was in the mix at one point.

who was Rhonetta?

This foolishness:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6qHvwnbmMJw

oh I remember this now, lol

"You chose to choose the bitch that probably can sing but the bitch can't move so take this number back and dream about it."

Who says reality TV is disposable?

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

omg who voted for kelly, you are so dead

maura otm

*grabs torch*

I voted for Taylor, don't blame me!

That fourfour post about Taylor is fantastic, Rich explains why Taylor is so awful much more eloquently than I could.

Lee DeWyze was on Idol Thursday to perform his new single, which shamelessly rips off the whole Mumford/Lumineers thing to such completely dud effect that it was almost comical.

This is some funny shit: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_American_Idol_alumni_album_sales