American Idol Announces Season 11 Winner And It’s Not Jessica Sanchez

By Dino-Ray | Thursday, May 24, 2012 | 14 Comments

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idol finale 600x401 American Idol Announces Season 11 Winner And Its Not Jessica Sanchez

I haven’t really cared about American Idol since my homegirl Kelly Clarkson won in the show’s debut season. This season is no different. The contestants were talented, but lacking in charisma. Essentially they are singing robots ready to be programmed by the A.I. machine to represent the show that was once exciting.

Nonetheless, last night marked the finale of season 11. The two finalists were Phillip Phillips, a Dave Matthews clone in training and Jessica Sanchez, a young micro diva who has obviously trained in the timeless art of the Beyonce growl. In the end, Phillip Phillips won the whole ordeal, leaving us on stand-by for the next mediocre season of Idol.

An 8Asians reader by the name of Anne wrote to us saying, “I really think that racism may have played a role in the outcome.” I must commend Anne because 1) she is not of Asian descent and 2) she makes a very bold statement by using the “R” word.

Do I agree with Anne? Not really. Do I agree with the results of the show? I really didn’t care, but if someone held a gun to my head and forced me to choose a winner, I would choose Jessica — not because she’s is 1/2 Filipino, but because she is genuinely talented. Throughout the season, she was consistent with her performances. I mean, any girl who can tackle ANY Whitney song is good in my book. She even held her own in a duet with Jennifer Holliday as they sang “And I Am Telling You,” a song that Holliday made famous while originating the role of Effie in Dreamgirls on Broadway. The two of them had a stank face, howling diva battle which will be one for the record books — but why did she not win? There’s the obvious answer in that not enough people voted for her, but I do have a couple of other theories.

For one, she is young — too young to have magnetic charisma. She may be talented, but she needs that layer of star-quality personality to make her a bonafide idol. That comes with experience. Right now, she would do well on her own Disney show, but as a chart-topping contemporary artist on the level of Carrie Underwood? Not so much. Secondly, her brand image as a mini-diva is so common that it is a little tired. The same goes for Phillip. His image as the dreamy singer-songwriter-type has gone beyond the confines of John Mayer-ville and has become widespread. The difference is, Phillip has that extra layer of personality that Jessica has yet to develop. He cracks jokes. He is endearing. He is your buddy. Although he is fairly young, he has some life experience and it shows. He’s the whole package! And he happens to be white!

Asian Americans are making decent waves in TV and film, but music is a different story. We don’t see that many Asian pop stars or rappers and when they do come to the forefront, they fade into the background with a quickness. It’s not that they aren’t talented, they just didn’t have the cultural traction to remain in the spotlight. Charice Pempengco is an example. She was all the rage for a hot minute, now the nation has shrugged her off. Jin the MC is an even better example. He knocked down barriers as a very prolific Asian American MC, but he didn’t get noticed enough.

I honestly don’t think race has a lot to do with the winner of these shows — not intentionally. It’s not like all of America said, “I’m not going to vote for that Jessica girl because she’s brown!” I don’t think America is THAT racist. Surprisingly, a lot of America likes to stick with what’s familiar — and what is familiar is Phillip, a crooning white boy. This goes with the argument of “You can’t sell Asian.” America is at this bizarre cultural crossroads where they know that talented Asian Americans exist, but they don’t know what to do with them or how to sell them to the rest of the country — and I am not saying that in the context of prostitution.

Back to our faithful reader Anne, she also said:

The outcome of this competition seems like a slap in the face of every non-white person in America (not just the Asians and Hispanics). Apparently, many people in America (including the people at American Idol) still do not want to see an Asian/non-white Hispanic/etc. person winning over a white person.

Hmmmmm. That is kind of an extreme statement. Again, I don’t think America intentionally makes the white man win. It just happens. They just go with the familiar. It’s not that the majority of America doesn’t want an Asian/non-white Hispanic/etc. person to win Idol, it’s just that they aren’t ready for that kind of awesomeness. They aren’t racist; they are just not as progressive as people like Anne or me.

Idol has given us non-white winners like Fantasia and Ruben Studdard. They have even cranked out Adam Lambert. Even though he didn’t win his season of Idol, he became the first openly gay man to top Billboard charts. That said, I am sure Jessica will find some sort of success in the industry.

Ultimately, it is quite an accomplishment that Jessica made it to the top two. If you remember, she was voted off earlier in the season, but the judges decided to use their one save on her. That should be testimony in how much of an impact she is making. And let’s not forget Heejun Han, another Asian who made it to the top 13. Sure, Jessica may have not won, but she has blazed a trail that will make Asian Americans easier to “sell” to America. Also, she is more tolerable than Charice.

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http://www.littleyellowdifferent.com ErnieAtLYD

Let’s also remember that – for the most part – a guitar-playing white guy has won American Idol for the past four years as well. That says more about AI’s fan base than America itself, lest we forget this YouTube video from three years ago:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pNEwyEAy0oU

On the flip side: Congrats, Jessica Sanchez! They will now name a holiday after you in the Philippines.
http://www.jozjozjoz.com jozjozjoz

I’m disappointed that Dino-Ray didn’t hate on Charice more. (We know how much fun it is to antagonize the Charice fans…)
DinoRay

AGREED. A.I.’s fan base loves their guitar-playing white boys. Also, I can’t WAIT to celebrate SANCHEZ DAY!
DinoRay

I know, I know….I think the fact that I didn’t make fun of Charice more is an insult in itself, wouldn’t ya think??
http://www.littleyellowdifferent.com ErnieAtLYD

It would involve drag queens lip synching while pointing at the air and burning an effigy of Charice. See what I did there with the callback?
Illuminarie

I think the common criticism of AI’s voter base is that teenage girls (who are the majority of the people that actually vote) will vote for a cute guy over a female. There hasn’t been a female AI winner since Jordin Sparks in 2005.
http://twitter.com/CherrieT Cherrie T

I agree that I don’t think the issue was racism in the voting ranks; along with the reasons listed here, I think the main reason was the “radio-ready” songs they each had to sing (the song that would ultimately be their first release if they are the winner). The song for Phillip was a much better song and fit to him than the one for Jessica–hers was a generic pop song that you didn’t know so couldn’t sing along with. While I thought she did a great job *singing* it, she may as well have done it in Tagalog, as I had no idea what the words were at all to follow it. The race was already close, and people vote on the most recent thing they see. But also, yes agreed that Phillip Phillips ended up just another Scotty McCreery more or less, that familiar cute ‘aw shucks’ white guy to the Idol fan base. I actually read something funny on Twitter where someone joked that Phillip was just a “blurry photocopy of Scotty” lol.
AnneR001

I’m sorry for the late reply. I haven’t had the time to sit down and write a reply until now. Anyway, I would like to thank you for doing a blog post on this issue. I’m a bit surprised and disappointed by what you had to say about the matter, but I respect your opinion. Please indulge me as I argue my point. This is a bit long, but I appreciate you taking the time to read it.

I haven’t followed AI since the first few seasons. (I agree that Kelly Clarkson was the best AI winner so far.) However, as a singer, I check in on the show every now and then just to see what’s going on. Most of the singing has been as deplorable as the ineptness of the judges who are in their positions.

I have watched time and time again as Asians in contests ranging from singing to cooking get treated like third-rate citizens. This usual plan is as follows: Out of all the mega-talented Asians that apply to be on these shows, they love to choose those that have some type of overtly bizarre quality or those they can ultimately portray as buffoons. Remember William Hung and Sanjaya – two contestants American Idol considers the poster boys of failure? They were treated and are still remembered as the show’s major losers of all time (and Sanjaya wasn’t even a bad singer at all). AI has had their white losers, but do people remember them? No, because they are no longer talked about. Their loser qualities weren’t showcased for as long a period or as humiliating as what was done to Hung and Sanjaya. By the way, they (judges and Seacrest) treated HeeJun Han in the same degrading manner. He was the official Season 11 Asian buffoon. They do this so that can degrade them, critique them to death and ultimately boot them out of the show. It is a true rarity that they choose someone that they know could really win. Why? Because an Asian should NEVER outshine a white person or even a black person. Moreover, the miniscule handful of Asians that have actually won any contest have disappeared into the sunset, never to be heard of again in public.

The bottom line is that AI is a singing competition. Period. It is ridiculous how the judges’ standards for singing, presentation, style, etc. changes with each contestant. How interesting that Jimmy Lovine brought up the issue about Jessica’s growl (essentially saying that it was getting old), yet NEVER said a word about Joshua Ledet’s screaming towards the middle/end of virtually every song. How interesting that despite raving about her singing, none of the judges actually mentioned Jessica as being the possible American Idol. None of them. Yet, Jennifer unabashedly said to Phillips, “I want you to be here on the last day because I want you to win!” Boy, wouldn’t you feel encouraged as a contestant hearing that from a judge!

You say that Jessica’s too young and essentially not mature enough. So what was the excuse for Jackie Evancho, Christina Aguilera, Michael Jackson, and every other celebrity that was thrown into the limelight at a young age whether they were ready or not? Since when in America have we said that we needed to wait for those on the verge of stardom to mature as people before they are deemed worthy of the spotlight? The fact is, some people never mature. At 16 years old, maturity shouldn’t be a reason you don’t win a singing contest if you possess the talent – and Jessica clearly did. If you are old enough to audition for the contest, you are old enough to win.

You also mentioned that they don’t know what to do with talented Asians or how to sell them to the rest of the country. This is the lamest and most overused excuse of all. You market Asians like you market everybody else. If you really want to do something, you will. If you don’t, you won’t – simple as that. Look at how quickly they were able to market Susan Boyle! Now, if she were Asian, would they be willing to do whatever it took to market her? No, they would think up some type of a lame excuse and the majority of Asians would just accept it.

This is why, despite my lack of interest with Idol, Jessica’s loss means a lot to me. Jessica was often made to feel like she was really good, but just not good enough. Yet, the favorites could do no wrong. Were they perfect? Absolutely not! But they were the right race. Phil Phillips often went flat during many of his performances, but he was NEVER criticized for that….not even by Randy “That Was Really Pitchy” Jackson.

You also say that America doesn’t intentionally make the white man win. They just go for the familiar. But what is familiar is our society? Whites. And WHY are they familiar? Because you see their faces everywhere, all the time. Blacks have fared better only because they are a powerful force in the racial-equality movement. And here’s another thing: Isn’t going with an ethnicity that’s more “familiar” a subtle form of racism? Think about WHY Asians and other ethnicities have been mostly shut out of the entertainment industry. It’s because the executives know that the majority of American consumers (aka white Americans) rarely want to see people who are different from themselves. That’s why so many people of color are told they’re “too ethnic” or are only cast in roles that are race-specific and/or stereotypical. This seems to have gotten worse in recent years, making it even more difficult for people of color to have success in the entertainment industry.

So, do we resign ourselves and say, “Well, that’s the way it’s always been and that’s the way it will always be. Whites will always be on top and, we Asians will just remain virtually invisible in American society.”? Or do we take steps to tear down each and every sign that still says, “No Asians Allowed”? I don’t know about you, but I want to tear down every one of those signs. If the blacks were able to do it after years of slavery and mistreatment, there’s absolutely no reason why Asians can’t. It will take work, determination and organization, but I believe it will be worth it in the long run. Isn’t fighting for change part of the reason for forming the 8Asians website?

P.S. Please don’t think that I’m anti-white. That would be stupid, epecially since I am part white myself. I am just a proponent for equal representation for ALL.
sternhead

She just fell short on personality. Kind of quiet except when opening up to sing. Almost a speak-only-when-spoken-to thing about her coming across as being a diva grind. That might work in some goth, emo or similarly brooding genre, but not for soul. The idol part of it isn’t just simply about vocal chops, but something approaching well rounded.
I’d have to say Mr. Phillips won with overall appeal, but really I didn’t care for his Dave Matthews spin on most everything he did.
m_wei

Harlem Lee is nowhere to be seen…
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002219173794 Rhino Rttifuita

Hi AnneR001,
I agree with your opinion absolutely! And it is a pity that you received such
unimaginative comments after your sincere post. What you got on the most part
were the standard responses given by politically correct whites and asians in
denial or asians that are naive. The scenario this year was very similar to
that between Adam Lambert and Kris Allen. Bill O’Reilly for one used his
authority as spokesperson for the silent majority (and not the teen girls who
like cute guys) to warn again the ramifications of a Gay person being called
The American ‘Idol’. Since then the bias in AI has become institutionalised -
now the producers control the judges, the marketing of certain contestants,
song choices, perhaps even the tally of votes. All this in turn influences how
the viewers vote. AI is now a business that welcomes racist/biased votes as
seen in the vilification of Adam Lambert, the overwhelming support given to
Casey Abrams after being saved mid-way through his final judgement performance as
opposed to the similar but unpopular handling of Jessica’s save (witness the
complete turnaround by the judges etc. in subsequent weeks). Even nice guy
Phillip made a swipe at Jessica for making it all the more difficult for the
remaining contestants to survive on top of being pitted against an ‘alien’
sponsored by the government to sing better and better each succeeding week. All
of this sounds like a carefully choreographed production by American Idol to
assuage the collective drooping psyche of a flagging America, while reaping the
monetary benefits of a surge in minority votes. The final song ‘Home’ sung by
Phillip Phillips could not have been a more fitting climax for the largely
partisan live audience. He might as well have been singing the Star Bangle
Banner.

As to your determination not to accept the status quo, I
commend you but it is a most complicated thing. There are political, social,
and economic factors that need to be addressed. Perhaps a start towards breaking
the glass ceiling is within ourselves, in educating our youth and making them
proud of their Asian heritage. I am happy to discuss this point with you further.

Cheers, and thanks for your great post!
AnneR001

Interesting point. You have to wonder how a person like Carrie Underwood, who doesn’t have a lot of personality, became the American Idol. A couple of the previous guitar-playing AI winners didn’t have a lot of personality, either. In fact, personality is a factor that is rarely brought up when it comes to AI contestants. Usually, people focus on their vocal ability (or lack thereof). It seems like this “personality” excuse is used whenever it’s convenient.
xolang

I remember that was the reason why Jordin Sparks won. The final song clearly fit her better than the male finalist.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002219173794 Rhino Rttifuita

Hi Anne,

I still believe that Jessica lost due to her race; however, it
is entirely possible that she did so despite having received the majority of the votes! So why did she REALLY lose and why do cute wgwg’s keep on winning Idol? The answer lies in the close relationship between the Fox network, which hosts idol, and the Republican Party.

The target audience of Idol (as shown in a study of Idol-related
twitter activity) happens to be conservative ‘red’ states that love cute all-American boy-next-door wgwg types – the very same states that vote Republican. Bill O’Reilly railed against a Gay ‘idol’ in 2008 – well that was an election year and a wgwg beat a Gay; in this year’s Season 11 a wgwg beat a minority Fil-Mex American. Both election years a ‘safe’ guy won against someone ‘alien’ to conservative American values. Note that even in non-election years a safe, cute wgwg appeals to ‘red’ and power teen viewers/voters, as well as teen girls during the Idol tour, meaning a large and dependable stream of revenue for AI.

Thus, I believe Jessica was purposely used this election year so that Phillip could triumph over an overseas ‘yellow peril’ and that this was done for political mileage (keeping Fox News as the propaganda machine for The Republican Party) and for obvious economic reasons.

Concomitant with a progressively declining television audience AI is showing that it is nothing more than a reality show masquerading as a popularity show about young talented singers that deliberately makes fun of circus acts. Jess may even have been given an appearance fee to give credence to the talent (note the increasing no. of singers that have previously been signed prior to entering Idol). With a declining audience and an ever evaporating pool of talent, I see AI becoming more and more exploitative of 15-16 year olds to whom $30,000 would seem a big deal and if a true wunderkind happens along it would be easier for the likes of music heavyweight Tommy Mottola to say “step aside Lovine”.

8 Asians