Its the moment, stretched out over two hours, that weve all been waiting for!
Im coming to you live from the Kodak Theatre the Entertainment Weekly Information Center.
(Unlike some editors here, I dont have a TV in my office.
Perhaps because I dont have an office.)
Also worth noting, 30 percent of you consider this seasons This is My Now the all-time worstIdolanthem.
(Taylor Hicks Do I Make You Proud, however, leads with 37 percent of your ire.)
One minute to go!
We blog after the break…
8:01 pmJeff Foxworthy!
8:02 pmPaula feels excellent!
And thats all Ryan lets her say.
8:03 pmJordin and Blake singing I Saw Her Standing There.
Luckily Blake changed from the powder blue ensemble he wore in the pre-show.
How high are Jordins heels?
8:04 pmJordin and Blake should not sing together.
Jordin should not dance.
8:05 pmGwen Stefani singing 4 in the Morning.
How can I have nothing to say about that outfit other than I like it?
Could it be the Corona?
8:08 pmWhen we return our Top 12 are back with more than a few surprises.
8:12 pmKelly Clarkson singing her new single, Never Again.
Did she get rid of the nose ring?
8:14 pmOh, its not over.
Never again should she wear thigh-high boots.
Jordin, this is how you do anger.
8:16 pmClive Davis liked it!
So did Jerry Springer!
Jennifer Hudson, too.
8:19 pmThe Golden Idol for Best Presentation goes to… Margaret Fowler.
And she just kissed Ryan Seacrest.
Why am I jealous of her?
Could it be the Corona?
I thought theBachelorfinale was Monday?
8:21 pmOur Top Six guys singing some Smokey Robinson.
Ooh, Baby Baby, Phil.
8:23 pmSmokey singing with them.
God, Im uninspired.
Oh wait, were dancing.
8:30 pmPlugging theIdolband spin-off.
(She repeats it three-three times.)
And missed that one note.
8:36 pmMost Original Vocal goes to… oh, who am I kidding.
I do not care.
Hes singing Silent Night.
8:38 pmPlugging the summer American Idol tour.
Top 6 girls singing I Heard it Through the Grapevine.
Haleys dress is longer than expected.
8:39 pmGladys Knight looks better than Smokey great.
Were leaving on a midnight train to Georgia, yall.
Melinda and Kiki are getting their props.
8:42 pmThe Hoff did not cry.
8:47 pmTony Bennett singing For Once in My Life.
I would so love it if Paula would just walk up on stage and slow dance with him.
You know she wants to.
8:49 pmThisis the performance of the season.
Nothing is a tribute to the mans class and talent like cutting to Springer and Foxworthy.
8:51 pmIf Ryan and Simon win Best Buddies, yo LET SIMON KISS HIM LIKE CHICKEN LADY DID.
Im now jealous of Kenneth and Jonathan, whove gone to more events than I have.
8:54 pmMelinda singing Hold Up the Light with BeBe and CeCe Winans.
Incidentally, Will Bottnick, one of the EW librarians, is also singing it.
8:59 pmUsing commercial break to Google the bush baby Simon in Milwaukee?
9:02 pmJordin and Blake get brand new Mustangs.
Shouldnt Melinda get one for being a contortionist?
Did I see that right in the video?
9:04 pmCarrie Underwood is hurting my ears singing Ill Stand By You.
9:06 pmBrittany Murphy and Teri Hatcher liked it.
(She did finish strong-ish.)
Clive Davis is making Taylor Hicks feel this big talking about Chris Daughtrys sales.
9:10 pmSorry, I was confused.
We were praising Carrie Underwood, who has sold 6 million albums in the U.S. alone.
Springer and Foxworthy again!
9:11 pmLets get back to the show and the winner!
Carrie and I just made up.
9:15 pmThe African Childrens Choir.
If we cut to Springer and Foxworthy after this…
9:17 pmOkay, we didnt.
Worse, we cut to Sanjaya singing You Really Got Me.
WITH JOE PERRY ON GUITAR!?
Confession: I gasped, thinking Ryan had saidStevePerry.
9:20 pmThe wind machine.
The crying girl sitting one row infront of Chicken Lady.
Im wishing this moment of rock history could have included a close-up of Joe Perry and his chest.
Is that too much to ask?
9:23 pmGreen Day doing John Lennons Working Class Hero.
Do you think theyll have mentors on the bandIdol?
That could be cool.
Anyone else hoping Duran Duran calls Blake tomorrow morning?
(10:36 pm editFelt the need to clarify, this isnt sarcasm.
Id love to hear the sound theyd come up with.)
9:27 pmAnyone else forget what show were watching?
Thirty-three more minutes, folks.
9:30 pmYou know, Ive never watchedSo You Think it’s possible for you to Dance.
Love that they go straight to Taylor Hicks from that ad.
And hes workin the room.
And yet, I have no desire to buy his album.
9:32 pmWill thought that was Calista Flockhart infront of Ace.
We had to rewind.
Shes too A-list for this finale.
9:34 pmRunning and playing the harmonica at the same time must be incredibly hard.
9:35 pmRuben really can sing.
Although, I was hoping Jordin would do MMMBop with Hanson.
They have a new album coming out, you know.
(11:16 pm editAgain, not sarcasm.)
9:36 pmThat was Jordins best dance performance of the season.
The commercials are coming quicker now, right?
The ad rate must increase for the last half hour.
9:42 pmBette Midler singing Wind Beneath My Wings.
In a leather miniskirt.
Oh wait, she just twisted to flair her skirt.
9:44 pmPaula, I said dance with Tony Bennett not Randy.
9:45 pmJerry Springer, ladies and gentleman!
Tears in the eyes.
His, not mine.
9:46 pmSpider-pig, Spider-pig.
Does whatever Spider-pig can.
Ive never seen an episode ofThe Simpsons.
(Yeah, I know.)
But Im seeing the movie because of that ad.
Money well spent, 20th Century Fox.
9:50 pmKelly and Joe Perry doing Sgt.
Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band.
Might be time to get new backup singers,American Idol.
9:52 pmTaylor is back.
Will liked him when he was mellow.
I was digging him until the end turn.
9:54 pmCarrie Underwood singing Shes Leaving Home.
Can we just cut to Paul McCartney already?
This is a good look for Carrie.
Simple, sexy black dress that she probably had to wrestle from Haley.
9:56 pmRuben doing Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds.
Top 12 singing With a Little Help From My Friends.
In Kikis case, her girls!
They are in fine form tonight.
10:03 pmIt is time America.
First, final thoughts from the judges.
After a world record vote of 74 million votes, the winner is… Jordin Sparks.
Interesting, no tears.
Im crying, too… because I have to hear This is My Now again.
10:07 pmSeriously, you guys, whydidntJennifer Hudson sing?
She was lookin (and soundin) fine in the pre-show.
10:09 pmMost anticlimactic show ever?
Let the debate begin below.
Its been a pleasure spending the night with you.
And for the record, I havent even finished that Corona.
