CARRYING THE TITLE UNDERWOOD TAKES 'IDOL'S' TOP SPOT.Byline: David Kronke Television Critic Carrie Underwood Carrie Marie Underwood (born March 10, 1983) is an American pop country music singer who won the fourth season of American Idol. She has since become a multi-platinum selling recording artist. assumed the title of the fourth ``American Idol'' by performing what will be her first single, ``Inside Your Heaven.'' But her voice was so cracked with emotion she simply paused and called out, ``Thank you, America!'' Country tunes were the key to victory for the 21-year-old college student from Checotah, an Oklahoma town so small ``American Idol'' producers had to set up a gathering of her fans in nearby Muskogee. Underwood beat out 29-year-old Southern rocker Bo Bice in the Fox network's reality hit's season finale Wednesday evening at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood and Highland The Hollywood & Highland Center is an entertainment, retail and hotel complex at Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue in the Hollywood district in Los Angeles. The 387,000 square foot (0 m) . Underwood, in an interview with New York's Fox affiliate, admitted her victory hadn't yet sunk in. ``In my mind, we still have a show next Tuesday,'' she said. ``Now the real work begins and the real fun begins.'' Since both performers will receive recording contracts, the announcement at the end of the two-hour finale was merely ceremonial and largely anticlimactic an·ti·cli·max n. 1. A decline viewed in disappointing contrast with a previous rise: the anticlimax of a brilliant career. 2. . ``I knew we'd both be OK - we both have long careers ahead of us,'' Underwood said. Over the course of the season, viewers phoned in 500 million votes, or roughly four times the number of votes in the 2004 presidential election. Though Bice had been expected by many to win, Underwood's performances Tuesday night of ``Angels Brought Me Here'' and ``Independence Day'' put her over the top. Most accounts concurred that Tuesday's final competition was a serious disappointment. Backstage rumors suggested Bice was suffering from food poisoning food poisoning, acute illness following the eating of foods contaminated by bacteria, bacterial toxins, natural poisons, or harmful chemical substances. It was once customary to classify all such illnesses as "ptomaine poisoning," but it was later discovered that and Underwood from an ear infection on the biggest night of their lives. Whatever accounted for the subpar sub·par adj. 1. Not measuring up to traditional standards of performance, value, or production. 2. Below par in a hole, round, or game of golf. performances, Lisa de Moraes Lisa de Moraes is a noted television columnist. Her writings, titled "The TV Column," appear regularly (but not on any particular schedule) in the Style section of The Washington Post. of the Washington Post was not sympathetic. ``Between them, they couldn't hit a note to save their lives,'' she wrote. ``Bo sounded like a truck in first gear and Carrie sounded like a bad set of brakes.'' Before Underwood was announced as the winner, judge Randy Jackson said after reviewing the previous night's episode, he believed she deserved to win. Simon Cowell, who has stumped for Underwood all season, reiterated his support. Of course, it wouldn't be ``American Idol'' without controversy, and this season had plenty. One week's voting was scrapped due to a graphics snafu that gave voting viewers the wrong numbers to call. And, of course, judge Paula Abdul became the subject of intense scrutiny. Her on-screen on·screen or on-screen adj. & adv. 1. As shown on a movie, television, or display screen. 2. Within public view; in public. behavior was erratic, and a former contestant, Corey Clark, told ABC's ``Primetime Live'' that he had an affair with her while competing on the show, with her advising him on how to advance in the competition. Fox announced it would investigate the allegations, but fans were skeptical of Clark and ABC ABC in full American Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. television network. It began when the expanding national radio network NBC split into the separate Red and Blue networks in 1928. , finding the report more self-serving than serious journalism. ``It's only getting worse,'' host Ryan Seacrest announced during Wednesday's season finale, by way of introducing a parody of the scandal. ``Crime Time Expose'' - its motto, ``We never let the truth get in the way of our ratings'' - featured a faux reporter in a black leather jacket modeled on the one sported by ABC's John Quiones during his report. The spoof ``revealed'' Cowell's love affair with himself. That was just some of the 115 minutes of padding in Wednesday night's finale. The program also included a bizarrely cruel moment that brought out an early rejected contestant to croon croon v. crooned, croon·ing, croons v.intr. 1. To hum or sing softly. 2. To sing popular songs in a soft, sentimental manner. 3. Scots To roar or bellow. a virtually tuneless ``Star-Spangled Banner'' and, in another ostensible Apparent; visible; exhibited. Ostensible authority is power that a principal, either by design or through the absence of ordinary care, permits others to believe his or her agent possesses. comedy bit, repeated shots of an open-mouth kiss between bickering bick·er intr.v. bick·ered, bick·er·ing, bick·ers 1. To engage in a petty, bad-tempered quarrel; squabble. See Synonyms at argue. 2. judges Abdul and Cowell. David Kronke, (818) 713-3638 david.kronke(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- color) Carrie Underwood, 21, reacts after winning the ``American Idol'' competition on Wednesday at the Kodak Theatre; finalist Anthony Fedorov looks on. (2) Bo Bice, left, and Carrie Underwood sing ``Up Where We Belong'' during the finale on Wednesday. Kevork Djansezian/Associated Press |
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