Cute factor may lead Allen to 'Idol' victory

As much as know-it-all judge Simon Cowell wants the final "American Idol" showdown to be between Adam Lambert and Danny Gokey, it might not happen.

Look for soft-spoken, under-the-radar Kris Allen to sneak up and win this thing.

With more than 15 years of stage experience, Lambert, 27, is the best performer on "American Idol" and the judges love him. But Allen is a good singer and, more important, he's puppy dog cute. And cute goes a long way with the teenage girls who vote - and vote often.

The 23-year-old from Conway, Ark., also has been giving strong performances. In previous seasons, he would have been a favorite to win.

But this is the season of big voices. My favorite, 16-year-old Allison Iraheta, would make a great "Idol" winner, but she's a long shot in this group.

Cowell has been beating the drum for a Lambert-Gokey finale. Gokey, 29, has a voice, but the church music leader from Milwaukee lacks style.

There's so much attention on Lambert, it appears he could easily sail on to victory. But there's danger in being the front-runner. There could be a backlash from those who think he's just a little too slick.

Also, Lambert doesn't have the wholesome persona that "Idol" voters reward. His glam-rock past and questions about his sexual orientation could become distractions.

The "Is he gay?" question is being kicked around the Internet and the tabloids, as well as mainstream newspapers such as The New York Times. Even Fox News' Bill O'Reilly has commented on it. Neither "Idol" nor the contestant has commented. And it shouldn't matter. Lambert's talent is all that should be judged.

I've posted a video report featuring footage from Lambert's glam rock days in Los Angeles on my blog. It's at TBO.com, keyword: Walt TV.

Tonight the five remaining finalists take on the music of the Rat Pack (Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis Jr.). On Wednesday's results show, former "Idol" winner Taylor Hicks returns.

Hicks is coming to Tampa in August as the "Teen Angel" character (often played by Frankie Avalon) in "Grease," scheduled for the Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center Aug. 18-24).

VIDBITS: In Monday's column, the start date for the move of the "Dr. Phil" show was omitted. "Dr. Phil" will move from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays beginning May 25 on WTSP, Channel 10. A new 5 p.m. "10 Connects" newscast will debut that day with anchors Reginald Roundtree and Heather Van Nest.

• ABC is bringing back "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" for a two-week run this summer (Aug. 9-23), with Regis Philbin as host. There's renewed interest thanks to "Slumdog Millionaire."

• Now that Lifetime has won a lawsuit to keep "Project Runway," the reality series will return for a new season Aug. 20. The competition for fashion designers was a hit on Bravo, and when the producers tried to jump ship to take "Project Runway" to Lifetime, Bravo's parent company, NBC Universal, sued.

• Tampa native Carter Jenkins ("Surface," "Bad News Bears") has bounced back from the ill-fated CBS musical drama "Viva Laughlin." He's back to working in film. Coming out in August, he co-stars in the horror/comedy flick "They Came From Upstairs" (co-starring Ashley Tisdale). In the film, teen-agers unite to defend their Maine vacation home from weird little alien invaders.