"Idol" Voters Show Gokey The Door

Adam Lambert, Kris Allen Head To Next Week's Finale

(AP)  Danny Gokey is dancing off "American Idol," leaving showy Adam Lambert and twangy Kris Allen to duke it out in the finale of the popular Fox singing competition next week.

Gokey, the bespectacled 29-year-old church music director and recent widower from Milwaukee, was revealed to have received the fewest viewer votes on Wednesday.

Gokey had continually impressed the judges with his husky voice - but not his hip shaking - throughout the contest. "Idol" judge Simon Cowell called his cover of Joe Cocker's version of "You Are So Beautiful" on Tuesday a "vocal master class" but said his dancing during Terence Trent D'Arby's "Dance Little Sister" was "desperate."

Along with Lambert, Gokey had long been considered to be a front-runner of the eighth season, never appearing as one of the show's bottom vote-getters. "Idol" host Ryan Seacrest said more than 88 million votes were received with 1 million votes separating the top two singers, meaning next week's Lambert-Allen showdown may be closer than anticipated.

"Look, none of us would have predicted this, guys," Cowell said at the end of the show.

The episode kicked off with "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" stars Ben Stiller, Hank Azaria, Bill Hader and Jonah Hill starring in a plug masquerading as a skit about the "Idol" judges' desk being inducted into the Smithsonian. It wasn't a joke. The perch will be on display at the Smithsonian Institution Building in the coming weeks.

Before the results viewers saw Alicia Keys urging fans to support her charity, a 15-year-old Rwandan rapper named Noah, sixth-season champ Jordin Sparks, videos of the final three singers' trips to their hometowns and an over-the-top performance by Katy Perry.

Gokey just wanted to cut to the chase.

"I think we've had enough suspense, enough commercials, just enough playing around," he said. "Let's just get to it."

"I want to see Katy Perry!" Lambert exclaimed in response.

The feeling was apparently mutual. Perry made her love for Lambert no secret. The "I Kissed a Girl" singer crooned her latest single, "Waking Up in Vegas," with a troupe of glittery showgirls while wearing a scantily clad Elvis-inspired ensemble that was initially covered in a cape emblazoned with Lambert's name.

Either Lambert, a 27-year-old theater actor from San Diego, or Allen, a 23-year-old college student from Conway, Ark., will be crowned "Idol" next Wednesday. Cowell said Allen's totally stripped-down version of Kanye West's "Heartless" on Tuesday made him a contender for the finale.

[NewzJunkie]

Danny is going to go on to bigger and better things because he's not tied to the American Idol contracts and you will hear him in the recording studios after all the tours. From the beginning he had me hooked with his gritty voice and I will definitely buy anything he records. As for Adam, well, I like rock but I still don't know what category he falls into. All I seem to remember are his screams and he's no Steven Tyler by a long shot plus his broadway type performances. I will miss Danny who definitely belongs in the final two. This is a singing contest, not a beauty contest and I truly believe all the "tweens" and young ones who vote thousands each week are voting based on looks. To me, Adam is sort of freakish. If I voite, it will be for Kris

[biggcheese1]

I would be interested in knowing why a person would call someone who has worked very hard since childhood to be excellent at his craft a "fabricated rock star." Do you mean that a real rock star has to sing off key, play three chords and do drugs to be real? So a doctor who spends twelve years in college and internships is a "fabricated doctor?" A Classical pianist with a PHD from, say, the New England College of Music is a "fabricated pianist?" The astronauts fixing the Hubble telescope are "fabricated mechanics?" I'm just curious as to how a brain that puts "thoughts" together that way works. I would like to do a dissection and see how is fabricated. Fascinating.

[nirak2-2009]

I am glad Danny is gone! Sorry to the Danny lovers, but I found it hard to even listen to him and at times used my mute to turn him off.
I am sure he is a very nice young man, but hardly Idol material.

[redjd6]

Well, I was surprised that Danny was voted off. I don't think Kris is a strong enough singer to come close to challenging Adam.

Kris and Danny are very talented but not the spark that Adam possesses.

I have to say that this is one of the best American Idol years in a very long time. The 10 were all talented.

[erasmus111]

I love Adam!! He HAS to win!! But, you just never know what's going to happen. I thought my beloved Clay Aiken would win (and so he should have), but he didn't. This show sucks sometimes, big time. : )

[erasmus111]

Speaking of "Freak Shows" . . . who, or WHAT was that Katy Perry thing? She must be related to one of the producers - I wouldn't give her a job licking my dog's water bowl clean.
Posted by DaVicar5 at 9:02 AM : May 14, 2009

Hahahaha! She was freaky alright.

[isl6187]

Danny's rendition of You are So Beautiful--was the only Idol Moment this Season,like Fantasia;s Summer Time,Aikens Solitare.i think this is the last season I'll watch,Danny has the best voice uand is not in the final.Adam is fabricated rock star and kris wants to be John Meyer.

[DaVicar5]

Simon has to work really hard to keep his tongue in his cheek -
This contest was Adam's two months ago, but they have to play out the string, I guess - they already sold the commercial time.


Speaking of "Freak Shows" . . . who, or WHAT was that Katy Perry thing? She must be related to one of the producers - I wouldn't give her a job licking my dog's water bowl clean.

[gravyboat45]

I really liked Danny, I am so mad! Danny should be on instead of Adam the freak show! I am going to stop watching idol! what a joke! The yippie and gays kept kris and adam!
Posted by dafmyturn

"I am going to stop watching idol!"

Don't ya say that every year?

[dgal878]

I styopped watching Idol years ago because it's not bases on talent, just popularity. They get it wrong most times because of it.