It became obvious early on in the seventh season of "American Idol" that Wednesday night's Super Bowl-like finalewould come down to two men who ostensibly share nothing in common beyond a first name.
But which of the Davids would it ultimately be? Would David Archuleta, the 17-year-old talent with the pinch-worthy cheeks, walk away victorious, as expected, or would David Cook, the token rocker with the perennial 5 o'clock shadow and a penchant for post-grunge hard rock, shake things up, capping what was arguably one of the heaviest seasons — talent-wise — with a shocking groin-kick of an upset?
It certainly was unexpected when "Idol" host Ryan Seacrest crowned the comb-over-sportin' Cook this season's champ — especially when you consider that, after Tuesday night's performancesall signs seemed to point to an Archuleta trouncing. Of course, it wasn't Archuleta's time to shine, and Cook — who went to the "Idol" auditions to support his brother, with no intention of going before the judges — pulled off an epic surprise victory, winning the title by a margin of 12 million votes.
In the weeks leading up to this week's finale, MTV News surveyed a number of established artists, celebrities and fans to find out who they'd forecast as the nation's best undiscovered talent.
Last year's champ, Jordin Sparks, told us in early April that she thought the winner would have a Y chromosome. But while she favored Jason Castro's style and approach to the competition, she eventually admitted that a Cook/ Archuleta showdown was more likely.
"I like David Cook," she said. "I think the guys are where it's at this year. I love you, girls — please don't get me wrong — and I could be totally wrong because the show is so unpredictable. [But] it's going to be either David Archuleta or David Cook. ... I guess I'll go with David Cook."
The Jonas Brothers, on the other hand, were split on which David would dominate. "We don't really know who to go for," Kevin Jonas said. "One's the rocker and one's, like, more all-American. You just don't know." But brother Joe, when pressed, did reveal his pick for "Idol": "For me, I would say David Cook."
Actress Denise Richards told MTV News this week that she's a huge fan of the show, and ultimately, a "Cougar for Cook."
"I hope David Cook wins 'American Idol,' " she said. "I'm weighing in on David Cook, though. First of all, both of them are so talented, and they'll both have huge careers, but David Cook is my style of music. I like a bit of an edge. I'm a rocker at heart, and he's very sexy, and he has a great voice."
During a recent visit to Miami, some of our MTV News producers came across quite a character: Paul Martin, [LINK Paul Martin TO http://newsroom.mtv.com/2008/05/21/79-year-old-idol-fan-weighs-in-from-miami-and-its-golden/#more-1057] a 79-year-old former corn and soybean farmer. The self-proclaimed "Idol" fanatic liked David Cook before the results came down because he felt Cook was a more rounded performer.
"He knows what's going on," Martin said. "[But] I hear [the vote is split] 50-50." He said he thought Archuleta was too young and was taking too much bad advice from his dad.
So, while Archuleta seemed like the early favorite, it looks as though Cook's triumph wasn't that unexpected after all — at least not for Sparks, Joe Jonas, Richards and Martin.
What did you think of the finale? Head to YouRHere.MTV.com to upload your video reactions to Cook's big win, and check out what other "Idol" fanatics are saying!
Plus, you can get your "Idol" fix on MTV News' "American Idol" page, where you'll find all the latest news, interviews and opinions. And relive six seasons of "Idol" hot messes and high notes in six minutes with our video timeline.
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