American Idle

David Cook’s American Idol victory over David Archuleta this week highlights the importance of image and perception.  While most of the music critics cited Archuleta, 17, as the better singer of the two, the public vote illustrates the power of negative media attention.  Most of the publicity on Archuleta during the final weeks of the contest positioned the poor kid (albeit very talented) as a puppet of an “overbearing and controlling” dad who has been grooming his son since birth for music stardom.  (Does anyone else think Dad is the spittin’ image of Danny Bonaduce of Partridge Family fame?)  Cook, meanwhile, at 25, was by far the more laid back of the two who seemed to be enjoying the surprising ride to fame.  This contrast clearly played into the final voting.