To the defense of Kris Allen

Since the boy next door won over the one with the guyliner, I've been spending a great amount of time debating with a lot of hardcore Idol followers. Is Kris Allen he rightful winner? The answer is a resounding YES.

I was one of those who almost peed in their tighty-whities when Kris was declared champ over erstwhile judges-annointed producers-pimped Adam Lambert. Indeed, it was one of those "WTF" moment in boob-tube that will surely resonate well in the years to come. However, afterward I felt an immense satisfaction with Allen's victory.

Kris Allen is not you're cookie-cutter Idol. When we speak in Idol-esque language, we always see a diva pop-star who hits those glorious notes like there's no tomorrow (Sparks, Jordin; Clarkson, Kelly; Underwood, Carrie), or a suave crooner who can sing any theme infused with the words "mountain," "rainbows," or "journey" (Studdard, Reuben; Hicks, Taylor). Kris doesn't need to screech or scream to hit those notes; he knows his strength and plays his cards (and guitar, and piano...) pretty well. He just your ultimate crowd-pleaser, who hits the stage as if he's just there to have fun, and not to compete with anybody. His effortless and unassuming demeanor is not typically an Idol quality, but Kris managed to make it work.

Moreover, he smashed the Idol machinery into pieces by breaking into the Danny Gokey-Adam Lambert-Lil Rounds troika. From the beginning, the show has been pimping these three contestants, ignoring those underdogs who do not have heartbreaking backstories that translate into ratings. Kris was one of those (along with Allison Iraheta and Matt Giraud) who failed to get significant screen time despite their obvious talents. Every year, we see how the Idol machine catapult the favorites to the end of the finish line, at the expense of more talented singers (c'mon, Blake Lewis over Melinda Doolittle? or Syesha Mercado over Carly Smithson? Seriously?). And while Kris can't belt out those high notes ala Glambert, the kid surely knows his music, making his own arrangements, picking great songs, infusing a lot of personality and charm with every performance. He does not need those sob stories to gain sympathy votes (cough, Gokey, cough).

Kris and Adam are both great singers though I would've been happier if it was Glambert swimming in a pool of confetti while singing that horrid Kara DioGuardi penned ditty during that fateful night at the Kodak Theater. But that is not to say that Kris Allen is not a worthy of the title.