The view from the 'Idol' audience

[May 20, 2009]  LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Here's what one writer was seeing from his vantage point inside the Nokia Theatre at the "American Idol" final performance (Row H, seat 401 -- way back in the loge).

The lobby is energized as the audience slowly tromps in through security. Some folks immediately line up to purchase merchandise. The Adam Lambert T-shirts -- no metal studs, just black and blue lettering -- seem to be selling at a slightly brisker pace than Kris Allen's garb.

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Stars: They're just like "Idol" fans! Debra Messing and two young boys (one looks to be 5-year-old son Roman) frantically shuffle into the concession line for a snack before heading inside to their seats.

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Sixth season runner-up Blake Lewis is mobbed by fans in the lobby. He stays to sign autographs and pose for photos even as the lobby lights flash, beckoning for the crowd to take their seats.

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The show starts and this crowd seems split down the middle. The Adam howls are as deafening as the Kris wails. While many fans hold up homemade signs -- "Adam on the Eve of Becoming 'American Idol'" reads one -- there's several printed yellow Kris signs sprinkled throughout.

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As the smoke begins to clear and the judges critique Lambert's first song, several audience members yelp their love for Lambert. First it's a couple of high pitched girls -- then a deep-voiced man grunts "I love you, Adam!"

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Allen doesn't get as much standing-ovation attention from the audience after his performance of "Ain't No Sunshine," but everyone erupts when Cowell announces him as the winner of Round One.

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Simon Cowell isn't a total meanie -- during a commercial break he stops to hug stage manager Debbie Williams, who tumbled off the "Idol" set's stairs a few weeks back, before he heads backstage.

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Lambert's bluesy rendition of "A Change is Gonna Come" once again makes the audience come to their feet, but some of the older crowd members sit this one out.

Uh oh. This may officially be a Lambert crowd. Kris' second song, Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On," barely gets a reception. And the audience warmup guy has trouble giving away Allen merchandise to 5-year-old girl.

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In case you hadn't noticed yet, the "Idol" stage at the Nokia Theatre has been outfitted with a shorter, wider staircase, huge monitors and an itty-bitty pit of audience members in front of the judge's desk.

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Other than the pit, there are exactly two people standing throughout Allen's "No Boundaries" performance: booted contestants Jorge Nunez and Scott MacIntyre.

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Cell phones aren't allowed in the Nokia Theatre, so this crowd won't be voting until they get back to their cars. Maybe that's why several decided to skip out on Carrie Underwood crooning "Home Sweet Home"?

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After the show is over, Allen and Lambert come back onstage to film one of those ominously lit elimination shots for Wednesday's episode. All the lights in the Nokia Theatre are shut off except for nine spotlights beaming down on the two singers as they stare at the camera. For a moment, everything is calm, and then people start chanting: "Adam, Adam, Adam ... ."

[Associated Press; By DERRIK J. LANG]

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