Jamal Roberts and John Foster were the final two contestants on Season 23 of American Idol, with the winner announced during the live Sunday, May 18, finale. Ryan Seacrest stood center stage, flanked by the two finalists, as he revealed the results of the nationwide vote.
John was positioned directly next to Seacrest, while Jamal stood on the opposite side. As always, the longtime host took a dramatic pause before announcing the winner, but viewers noticed Seacrest opened the results envelope just moments before speaking. John appeared to glance at the card and showed a brief look of disappointment before Seacrest declared Jamal the winner, prompting speculation among fans that he may have seen the result early. Jamal Roberts was officially crowned the winner of the season, with John Foster finishing as runner-up.
Following the finale, TV Insider caught up with John, who clarified that he “barely” noticed what was written in the envelope. “I was in a total blur,” he shared. “I knew I was at peace with being runner-up. Jamal is such an incredible performer. I was at peace. I really was. It’s a true honor to be runner-up.”
Still, social media erupted with comments about the tense moment. “John Foster fully just saw the American Idol results 4 seconds before Seacrest announced it. He very clearly looked at the card,” one viewer wrote on X. Another said, “It looked like John Foster saw the envelope!” A third chimed in, “#AmericanIdol John Foster saw the results in Ryan’s hands. @RyanSeacrest. Yikes.”
Some fans even offered suggestions for how to handle future finales. One person posted, “Ryan needs to be facing the contestants rather than next to them when announcing results. John Foster saw Jamal’s name before it was announced.”
The three-hour finale included final performances from both Jamal and John, as well as Breanna Nix, who was also in the Top 3. However, Breanna was eliminated after the first round of the night due to receiving the fewest votes at that point in the show. The night was monumental, with the number of votes cast reportedly doubling compared to last year’s finale.
There were also standout performances from various guest artists, along with appearances from all three Idol judges, making it a night to remember.
Despite finishing second, John Foster received an outpouring of support online. Fans praised his journey, with many predicting a bright future ahead. “Congratulations to John Foster! We think you’re a great American and we love your music. I’m sure his career is about to take off,” one commenter wrote. Another added, “So proud of John Foster even though he didn’t win. Definitely made Addis, Louisiana, and all of West Baton Rouge proud!”
