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Friday, May 23, 2008

American Idol finale Pt. 2

Let's hear it for the rocker, David Cook!

It's about time a non-R&B, non-female, non-pop singer won. I figured Archuleta's legion of teen and tween admirers had made him a shoo-in. Wasn't even close. What a surprise.

I have to admit this year's "Idol" finale was far better than 2007, as well as "Idol Gives Back" a month ago. I actually liked most of the special guests, from Seal, OneRepublic and Jonas Brothers to Bryan Adams, ZZ Top, Donna Summer and George Michael.

Now if only they could have cut the extended promo for Mike Myers' new movie and the doctored Gladys Knight & the Pips TV clip from the '70s (a more subtle movie tie-in for the summer flick starring Jack Black, Robert Downey Jr. and Ben Stiller).

At the top of the show, Ryan Seacrest announced the winner had bested his opponent by 12 million votes - surely the result of several news organizations' grousing about how "Idol" producers never make the final results public during or after an elimination.

And all that irrelevant talk about how "Idol" was down in the ratings this season (like most shows were after the writers' strike)? The finale was the third highest watched ever.

Someone wrote an article earlier in the week about how there was no drama and no interesting characters this season. I'm sorry, but I'd rather watch talented singers than a "character" like Sanjaya who gets by on his supposed dreaminess factor. Jason definitely filled that role.

Another writer groused about the older mentors like Neil Diamond and Dolly Parton and suggested all the mentors be whoever is at the top of the charts. Gwen Stefani sure didn't have much to say a season or so ago. Mariah Carey wasn't much better. Like one of the producers said, not everyone has a varied body of work that can be mined by multiple singers.

I hope Cook has a successful career a la Chris Daughtry. He definitely has that in him - that is, unless Clive Davis of J/BMG Records makes him too pop. We'll see.

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