LOS ANGELES - In a dazzling night of bombast, glitz and musical icons, it was only one superstar who mattered Wednesday - the winner of this year’s “American Idol.”
When Ryan Seacrest announced that David Cook was the new “Idol,” Utah’s David Archuleta felt only one emotion: relief. “Now we just get to do what we love to do without it being a competition,” he said to reporters after the finale of the seventh season of “American Idol.”
David Archuleta got another taste of what the future may hold for him Wednesday, walking the red carpet outside the NOKIA Theatre at L.A. LIVE before the “American Idol” finale.
He was there only briefly. Long enough to have his picture taken with the top two executives at the Fox network — and that will be a LOT more of that kind of thing if he sticks it out in show business. Long enough to essentially jog past all the writers and photographers gathered to talk to him and take his picture.
Running down the line, he had time for nothing more than “Hey!” and “Can you believe this?” And, of course, “Gosh!”
Well, he did add, “Tell everybody back in Utah I love them!” but that was just because he (and he alone) probably recognized the placard indicating Deseret News on the fence between the actually red carpet and the pen where they kept the media.
Why Didn’t David Archuleta Win ‘American Idol’? Five Things That Went Wrong For Early Front-Runner
If you are a fan of David Archuleta, you probably went to bed Tuesday night feeling pretty confident that he’d be crowned the next “American Idol” champ. After all, he’d just delivered a trio of knock-out performances on the show’s penultimate night, drawing raves from the “Idol” judges, winning over the studio audience and getting his fellow finalist — former bartender David Cook — to admit defeat.
Things were looking pretty good. Arch showed up, blew ‘em away and closed big time. All that was left to do on Wednesday night was fit him for his crown and send him off into the stratosphere. Only, things didn’t exactly play out that way.
‘American Idol’ Runner-Up David Archuleta Marvels At Second-Place Finish: ‘I Didn’t Think I’d Make It Past The First Round!’
David Archuleta has rarely been seen without a giant smile on his face throughout season seven of “American Idol,” but his biggest grin was reserved for after he came in second. Huh?
Backstage at the Nokia Theatre after the “Idol” finale Wednesday night (May 21), the 17-year-old from Murray, Utah, looked as if the weight of the world had been lifted off his shoulders as he excitedly laughed through questions about his “big brother” David Cook and sharing a stage with Bryan Adams.
Coming in second place on ‘Idol’ could work in Archuleta’s favor
It’s been one amazing season, with many surprises and twists.
To say I was shocked that David Archuleta didn’t take the “American Idol” 2008 crown is an understatement. I nearly fell off the couch.
However, David Cook is certainly talented and unique enough to be a very deserving winner. Rumor has it that they’ve both been offered deals — no surprise there! Really, the only thing Archuleta is missing out on is the title itself (and a few extra songs on tour). Like Clay Aiken, runner-up for Season 2, Archuleta is every bit as popular as the winner and has nothing to be bummed about. In fact, this could actually work toward his advantage
Don’t weep for David Archuleta - on ‘Idol,’ loss may be more
David Archuleta needn’t weep into his Wheaties today. Winning isn’t everything - especially on “American Idol.”
Ask Chris Daughtry.
Two seasons ago, the bald-headed rocker got kicked to the curb four turns before the end of the series. But he went on to outsell the singer who won (Taylor Hicks) by a margin of eight to one
OK, so as we all know, David Cook beat out David Archuleta last night on “American Idol.” But what was a surprise upset for some was kind of a given for many of the hundreds of readers who wrote in during the broadcast.
While there were plenty of Archuleta-heads, many Newsroom readers who gave the kid props for vocal skills simply didn’t see him as having the stage presence and personality necessary to be named Idol…
Another Mormon bites the dust. After a brief and heady run at fame, “American Idol” candidate David Archuleta got his walking papers from the voting public.
Brother Archuleta joins the ranks of other LDS reality TV almost-weres, including “Dancing with the Stars’” Marie Osmond, MTV’s “That’s Amore’s” Kathleen Flager, and presidential candidate Mitt Romney.
Still, Archuleta is proof that Mormon reality screen performance is improving. Ten years ago, our claim to reality TV fame was a Mormon couple performing a human bagpipe trick on “David Letterman.”
I didn’t see this one myself, but apparently a woman from Murray put a balloon in her mouth and her husband inflated it by blowing through her nose.
You don’t get public performing talent (or even a lack of shame) like this without years of training. From an early age, Mormon kids are encouraged to be something other than just another member of the congregation
Archuleta and his family are upbeat after the loss
LOS ANGELES - Jeff Archuleta of Murray sat under a white tent with two of his five children Wednesday night, rock music blaring in the background. His son had just come in second on “American Idol,” but he still sported a grin.
“I’m content,” he told The Salt Lake Tribune. “That’s the best way I can describe how I feel right now. I’m so proud of what he’s accomplished.”
The father of 17-year-old David Archuleta was celebrating the show’s season end at an “after-party” on the rooftop of the NOKIA Theatre parking garage. He was ecstatic about what his oldest son had done - even after his David lost the title to Missouri’s David Cook on television’s biggest series.
Even after volleys of bad press accusing Jeff Archuleta of being a horrible stage dad.
Even after his son turned in his best performance of the season Tuesday and still couldn’t win.
“You know what? It doesn’t matter,” he said. “[David] still won.”
About his Dad, “I hadn’t really heard much of it until later on. I tried to stay away from the press. I didn’t like to hear anything going on in the news about me, good or bad, just because I didn’t want it to distract me or let it go to my head. I just wanted to stay myself and how I was at the beginning of the competition. … In interviews, it started coming up, and it was just kind of strange, because they’re really weird things, like that he refused to give me water. That’s the weirdest thing. I’m 17, and if I want water I’m pretty sure I would just go get it! [Laughs.] And then another thing was that he made me cry during one of the recording [sessions]. He’s a great guy. There isn’t really anything he’s done that’s bad like the things that have been spoken about him. My family has just been such a great support, and they’re the ones who’ve kept me grounded and allowed me to be who I am today. No one understands what I’m here for more than they do. They get what I love about music and how it’s changed my life.”
Playing piano on the Tour? “I might. I’ve thought about a few songs I would enjoy playing the piano with. It’s just a matter of finding time to practice an instrument. I didn’t really consider myself the greatest pianist in the world, so it was a risk I took in the show. Because when you play an instrument, it gives such a whole new sense of connection to the song. It’s like the music you’re singing is at the tip of your fingers. It’s in your hands, literally. I still do get a little distracted as I’m playing. And I don’t want the piano to distract me from connecting with the song. But it’s definitely something I want to keep working on, because it’s something I really enjoy doing.”
John Mayer // Elton John // Idols 08 // Daughtry // Jonas Brothers // Rascal Flatts
In interviews, it started coming up, and it was just kind of strange, because they’re really weird things, like that he refused to give me water. That’s the weirdest thing. I’m 17, and if I want water I’m pretty sure I would just go get it!
Originally posted by BigNLiddle: Here is Archie praising Cookie like crazy! It’s very cute! It also has him telling on his Mom for having cubic z’s instead of diamonds! LOL
He is such a nice guy. Both David's are. This couldn't have happened to 2 nicer guys, really, I'm happy for both of them and coming in 2nd at AI isn't a bad thing.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.. It's about learning to dance in the rain."
This is all great stuff, BigNLiddle. I really appreciate you finding it all.
Even though I think David A. is endearing in many interviews, after seeing him on Larry King Live, l think he ought to go on a job shadowing program with Jon to pick up some tips for how to handle these interviews. Surely they can include that in his high school curriculum!
**************************** California Christmas this year.
The good news is that David Archuleta said he didn’t let gossip about his father affect his performance on “American Idol.” But that doesn’t mean we should let the “American Idol” producers off the hook for their part in a highly destructive sequence of events.
It was hard to avoid the gossip alleging that Jeff Archuleta was some sort of monstrous stage father who made his poor son miserable. Unless you were inside the “American Idol” bubble.
Poor Archie, he fell victim to a Clarkson-style assault. In Season One of American Idol, Justin Guarini was picked as the early favorite to run all the way to the finals and win the whole thing. Meanwhile, nobody even noticed the nondescript little waitress from Texas in there midst until Kelly Clarkson just kept growing and growing through the competition and ran away with the whole thing.
Sure, David Cook was good, but virtually nobody saw him as an early favorite to take the title, and the ’50s theme in week one didn’t do anything to light him up. Then Archuleta let loose with “Imagine” the following week and pretty much sealed the deal as the front-runner. He even encored with the number in the finale, knowing that it had been his season’s high point
After American Idol David Archuleta Can Still Beat David at the Grammy’s and Beyond
Sure, David Cook pulled off that jaw dropper over David Archuleta on “American Idol,” but David Archuleta can still beat David Cook by winning more showbiz awards in the future and by having a longer career.
Some people think David Cook has an edge right now because he’s more “cool” in that rocker way, but David Archuleta has a secret and maybe more powerful advantage: He’s a more romantic figure. Female fans ache for him. Even crazy ole Paula Abdul admitted getting “goosebumps” when he sang those I-gotta-have-you-or-I’m-gonna-die power ballads. In short, there’s an extraordinary, passionate connection between David Archuleta and female fans that’s obvious to see and I’m not convinced David Cook’s got the same thing going on.
Cook Won the Battle . . . Will Archuleta Win the War?
Reporter weighs in on Archuleta’s assets, but Cook’s edge still may have been his winning ticket.
While David Cook beat out loveable, 17-year-old David Archuleta by 12 million votes, crowning him this season’s American Idol, it is speculated that the loser may win bigger in the future. Los Angeles Times reporter Tom O’Neil feels the younger David has what Cook is lacking – the ability to seduce the audience. While Cook is ingenuitive, with a rocker edge, and musical talent, Archuleta may fair better in the age-old congeniality category. Sources continue to praise his romantic angle – the fact that he has what puts any male pop sensation on top of the charts . . . female adoration.
Having Survived Idol, Jim Can Now Finally Reveal the Truth: David Archuleta is Not Who You Think!
So I’m back home in NY and finally on a normal sleep cycle. Hallelujah! And even though I had a three-day weekend to detox from “Idol,” I still can’t shake one thing I witnessed at last week’s Grand Finale…
Nope, not Fantasia’s awesome hair. Nope, not the fact that Ruben Studdard was really 9 feet tall in person. Actually, it didn’t even happen on the red carpet. It occurred backstage in the press room, and I call it the David Personality Shift.
Movies: Hollywood, Archuleta learn lesson: Taking risks can pay off
Every January at the Sundance Film Festival and every June at the Sundance Institute’s Filmmakers Labs, people stress the importance of following your own muse.
Tell your own story, the folks at Sundance like to say, and tell it your way. Hollywood has formulas that it believes will lead to sure-fire success - but what those formulas produce is never as interesting as what an artist can achieve by going his or her own way.
When it happens - and it always does happen, from “Pulp Fiction” to “Juno” - Hollywood is shocked that the public likes to discover something a bit different from the tried-and-true.
This week, we learned that staying true to one’s art even pays off in one of the country’s most visible venues: the top-rated TV show “American Idol.”
David Archuleta on his lyric flub and his vision for a debut CD
Idol’s season 7 runner-up discusses his desire to make a debut album that’s a little closer to Sarah Bareilles than, say, Dan Fogelberg, and also reveals his ongoing obsession with Billboard’s international charts. Enjoy!
