'Velvet Teddy Bear' ekes out 'Idol' win
Both finalists on show receive recording contracts
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(CNN) -- In the end, the "Velvet Teddy Bear" was golden.
Ruben Studdard, the XXL 24-year-old soul crooner from Birmingham, Alabama, who has been nicknamed the "Velvet Teddy Bear," narrowly defeated Clay Aiken in the season finale of "American Idol" on Wednesday night.
Studdard won by 130,000 votes out of 24 million cast, according to The Associated Press.
Studdard was typically low-key in accepting his victory, telling the AP that he hadn't changed for the show and he wasn't going to change now.
"I've always been myself, and I think I show people my real personality," he told the AP. "And it came through."
Aiken, the wiry, spiky-haired singer from Raleigh, North Carolina, was gracious in defeat, calling Studdard one of his "best friends," according to the AP. He wasn't even all that defeated: Because of their popularity, both singers were given recording contracts for their achievements on the show.
Also emerging victorious: the show's sponsors, particularly AT&T Wireless, which earned heightened exposure for its tie-ins to "Idol," and, of course, Fox, which may win the May sweeps in the key adult 18-49 demographic on the strength of the show.
Spawning hits
"American Idol" already has established itself as an entertainment phenomenon. It has spawned hit singles, hit albums and (possibly) soon a hit movie. The show's first "Idol," Kelly Clarkson, has used her triumph to start a professional singing career in earnest, which includes her best-selling new album, "Thankful."
A movie, "From Justin to Kelly" -- starring her and co-finalist Justin Guarini -- is due out in June.
Some of last season's other finalists, including R.J. Helton and Tamyra Gray, have budding show-business careers as well. In Great Britain, where the show is called "Pop Idol," "the top five kids have had No. 1 records," Ken Warwick of Freemantle Media told the AP. Freemantle is a co-producer of the U.S. and British versions of the show.
To get there, the performers had to sing their hearts out in time-honored, big-lunged, show-stopping fashion, full of melismatic swoops, sustained high notes and fist-clenching dramatics. Bob Dylan and John Lennon wouldn't stand a chance.
On Tuesday night for their final judged performances, Studdard performed the Burt Bacharach-Hal David song "A House Is Not a Home," John Lennon's "Imagine" and Westlife's "Flying Without Wings." Aiken's tunes included the Beatles' "Here, There and Everywhere," Paul Simon's "Bridge Over Troubled Water" and an original song called "This Is the Night."
Before the vote tally was announced, both singers were modest about their chances.
"There's stars out there who would die to have this much exposure," Aiken told the AP in an interview last week.
"Everybody in this competition is a winner," Studdard told the wire service. "I don't think there's too much difference."
Kimberly Locke, who was voted off last week, also credited the show with boosting her name. "It's a great jump-start for my career," she told the AP.
Not without controversy
Given its success the first time around, the second season of "Idol" had a tough act to follow. And, as with many second acts, the new season of "Idol" wasn't without controversy.
In February, the show eliminated Frenchie Davis -- described by Entertainment Weekly as "the singer with the plus-size figure and an even larger talent" -- after she acknowledged she had posed for topless photographs four years ago.
At the time, some observers made note of the double standard that surrounds "Idol" and other reality shows, where some contestants are removed for violations of propriety and others are merely winked at on the show. An "Idol" finalist from last season, Nikki McKibbin, had admitted to stripping but paid no penalty.
Another finalist, Corey Clark, was booted off the show in March after charges of battery surfaced. And semifinalist Jaered Andrews was removed from the running early on when Fox learned of his arrest on assault charges.
There were also some changes among the show's regulars. Last season's co-host, Brian Dunkleman, was dismissed, and Ryan Seacrest has flown solo this season. The rumored addition of a New York disc jockey came and went without her ever appearing on the show. And Simon Cowell, the English judge with the cutting comments, engaged in some contract renegotiations. He has said he's not sure how much longer he'll want to remain with the show.
The other judges are Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul.
What's next? For Fox, it's "American Juniors," which debuts June 3. The show will present performers ranging from 6 to 13 years of age.
For Studdard and Aiken, if Clarkson is any indication, some kind of success awaits. For now, the two can relax, knowing they made it to the top of the "Idol" pedestal.
Copyright 2004 CNN. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press contributed to this report.
