Lambert’s sexuality was also a wild card - with a singing and fashion style reminsicent of gay icons from Queen singer Freddie Mercury to k.d. lang.
Over the past few months, pictures have surfaced of Lambert kissing other men, while Allen has often talked about his wife and his church attendance.
And simple geography may have been on Allen’s side.
Five past Idol winners have been from southern states, and he hails from Conway, Ark., about as deep in the South as you can get.
Allen didn’t challenge the top-rated show’s core values. On stage, he exuded all the edginess of a modest Bible student who just happened to look like a teen idol.
By contrast, Lambert positioned himself as a revolutionary with his eyeliner, nail polish and jet-black dye job - and aligned himself with two left-of-mainstream genres, glam-rock and goth.
His over-the-top style, complete with a patented shriek, impressed some but turned off others.
Transcending all of your excellent reasons why Kris may have won: Americans apparently, as nice as he may be, don’t want an overt flaming gay as their American Idol.