CURTAIN FALLS ON ‘AMERICAN IDOL’
Curtain falls on influential reality show after 15 years
THE first American Idol finale in 2002 was a battle of the sexes, with Kelly Clarkson emerging as the victor over Justin Guarini. The last contest settled the score as Trent Harmon defeated La’ Porsha Renae for the crown.
Harmon tumbled to the stage in surprise as host Ryan Seacrest announced him as the 15th and final winner of American Idol, which ended its remarkable run on Thursday.
“I know I have a God-given ability, but I didn’t want to take it for granted. I wanted to work so, so hard and she pushed me to do it,” a tearful Harmon said of Renae, who stood poised and smiling by his side.
Harmon, 24, who described hiimself as just a “duded from Mississippi”, M waited w tables at his family’s restaurant in Amory before trying out for American Idol.
He won viewers over with his supple vocals and increasingly assured stage presence, and they voted him into history as the show’s last champion. He earned a record contract along with the honour.
Renae, 22, also from Mississippi, the town of McComb, is a single mother who inspired viewers with her triumph over domestic abuse as well as a richly powerful voice.
American Idol, once a ratings powerhouse that influenced TV and music, had suffered steady audience erosion before Fox decided it would end this season.
Series executive producer Nigel Lythgoe promised the finale would celebrate its large ranks of contestants, not big-name guests as in pres. vious years, and he stuck to that pledge. The show opened with a harmonising chorus of white-clad winners and contenders including Scotty McCreery, Taylor Hicks and Diana DeGarmo.
Other familiar faces from years past popped up in solos and group numbers, including Carrie Underwood, Jennifer Hudson, David Cook, Fantasia, Ruben
Studdard, Jordin Sparks and Kimberley Locke.
Clarkson, who is expecting her second child soon, appeared in a pre-taped performance.
There was a brief nod to nostalgia, with clips from past auditions presided over by original judges Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson. Abdul and Jackson showed up to salute Seacrest for his longevity, with Cowell strolling on stage belatedly to steal the spotlight.
President Barack Obama was the unexpected opening act. In pretaped remarks, Obama congratulated the show on its long run and noted that it motivated millions of young people to vote for contestants. Seacrest got the
final – if enigmatic – words pres. “Good night, America,” he said. s Then as the screen faded tot black, he added, “For now.”
American Iddol debuted in June 2002 during thhe summer broadcast doldrums, a siign that Fox didn’t have high hoppes for the imported singing contesst based on Fuller’s hit British series, Pop Idol.
But the showw proved a revelaate tion. Viewers up the contestants’ performancess and personalities. They relished the bickering of Cowell and Abbdul and, from Jackson, the reeassuring familiarity of the trademaark “Dawg” that prefques. aced his critiqprefques.
While the UUnited States has long embraced the idea that everyone is a potential staar, American Idol coined aan updated version of the dreaam. Its nationwide tryned outs opentryned the door to people in big cities and small toowns, and made the shhot at fame democratic idemocratic by letting fans weigh iin. — AP