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AT&T: We Helped Kris Allen a Little... So What?

Posted May 27th 2009 3:22PM by TMZ Staff

Major controversy has erupted over the results of this year's "American Idol." AT&T has just admitted to giving Kris Allen fans in Arkansas -- his home state -- an unfair voting advantage ... but the company doesn't think it mattered enough to affect the final outcome.

American Idol

Here's the statement released by AT&T: "In Arkansas a few local AT&T employees were invited to attend two local watch parties organized by the community ... they brought a small number of demo phones with them and provided texting tutorials to those who were interested. That said, it's quite a leap to suggest that a few individuals could have impacted the final results."

The brass at "American Idol" don't think it's a big deal either, by saying "Kris Allen is, without a doubt, the American Idol... In no way did any individuals unfairly influence the outcome of the competition."

Tell that to Adam Lambert.

Tags: american idol, AmericanIdol, att, controversy, kris allen, KrisAllen, votes, voting

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1. who gives a f*ck! that shows sucks.

Posted at 3:57PM on May 27th 2009 by Hugh Gentry

2. I think it was an unfair advantage and it wasn't on the up and up. I know Adam will do very well, no matter how it comes out. Since it was so close something should be done, even if it is co-winners.

Posted at 4:00PM on May 27th 2009 by Linda Mott

3. doesnt even matter!!! their both gonna get records deals from some record label!

Posted at 4:02PM on May 27th 2009 by buttahball

4. If AT&T wishes to confirm that, they can perform auditing on the session logs for the IDs on those particular phones. It ain't a pretty process, but it can be done - they'll know which datacenter the texts came through and can filter for them out of the millions of texts.

To be honest, I suspect that they couldn't have generated the number of texts required to swing a margin. First off, the window of opportunity wasn't large enough to manually generate the required number. Second, the datacenter would have probably choked trying to accept all of the new incoming sessions, and three, that number of texts incoming would have raised red flags with certain teams within AT&T, prompting independent internal analysis.

Seriously, if x number of MILLION texts started coming from say, 50 handsets, it would have been really obvious and those handsets would have been spotted. It's just not possible. Really. (I am NOT an AT&T employee, I am just a geek who knows a little about how this works.)

Posted at 4:02PM on May 27th 2009 by PhoneGeek

5. It's very simple, just announce what the votes were. I have never understood why they don't have an accounting firm keep track of the votes and why they have never announced the numbers. 100,000,000 votes, but what were they for? 70,000,000 for Chris and the rest for Adam? Just give us the numbers, what's the big secret? The secret is they can do what they want, and they did. Chris is good but the best was Adam.

Daniel ................ Toronto

Posted at 4:03PM on May 27th 2009 by Daniel BEE

6. The only people complaining are the gays and preteens. Who cares!!!
Kris is better! get over it!

Posted at 4:46PM on May 27th 2009 by Passionofthetaint

7. For the love of God please LET IT GO, this is pathetic...Would it even have mattered that much if he wasn't gay???

Posted at 4:05PM on May 27th 2009 by Cry Me A River

8. 1. who gives a f*ck! that shows sucks.

Posted at 3:57PM on May 27th 2009 by Hugh Gentry

MY THOUGHTS EXACTLY....

Posted at 4:06PM on May 27th 2009 by Wc from Sc

9. And? ATT in AR was honest, it's not like it didnt happen in other states... they just aren't talking. Who knows who all those votes were for? Just because Kris was from AR doesn't mean everyone jumped on the bandwagon... Get over it. They were allowed to vote as many times as possible just like everyone else.

Posted at 5:43PM on May 27th 2009 by Abby

10. In 2006 there was 2.8 million people that lived in Arkansas. Kris Allen got 38 million votes. Let Kris have his Idol title. I doubt he will sale 38 million CD's.

Posted at 4:11PM on May 27th 2009 by TenAcTracy

11. So if Adam was such a shoe in to win then explain this.....

The singles war, according to Soundscan, has Kris leading Adam by over 100,000 copies sold this past week!

The exact tally:

Kris Allen- 134,458
Adam Lambert - 35,984

Posted at 4:10PM on May 27th 2009 by mary

12. The flashy gay guy lost.

Let it go already.

Posted at 4:11PM on May 27th 2009 by laughs

13. Adam should have won - he was by fat the most consistent, origianl, and daring all season. Adam should thank AT&T and the people who didnt vote for him for personal reasons, because in the end he can decide his own future, QUEEN wants him as their front lead singer --- he now has the world as his oyster and can make decisions that will benefit him not AI. The biggest prizer of all for Adam is Freedom!! He will be amazing whatever he decides!!

Posted at 4:13PM on May 27th 2009 by Sarah

14. Just the fact that 38 million votes came from Arkansas in a state with only 2.8 million people in total lets you know cheating went on. There is no way that 40 percent of the entire AI vote came from that one small state unless AT&T helped and cheating went on. It totally sullies Kris's win and AI. They can try and say it dosen't all they want but it does. I'll never vote again on AI, what would be the point, and maybe won't watch anymore.

Posted at 4:12PM on May 27th 2009 by susan

15. REVOTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted at 4:25PM on May 27th 2009 by Vanessa

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