We know. We KNOW. David COOK! We couldn't believe it either, and we're personally out $4 and a little bit of cred after making a bet we were sure we'd win. But after Cook did the chicken dance with ZZ Top and revived the Tom Cruise-Risky Business undies dance, we're PROUD to call David Cook our American Idol.
L'il Davey, you were cute television, but David Cook is excellent radio, and we look forward to hearing his first single every time we step into a deli, mall, cab or see a TV commercial for a major retailer all summer long. David Cook, you done good.
Archuleta: We hear Six Flags is hiring.
Watch Jim Cantiello's final (weep!), breathless recap from the big finale, and tell us if you think America picked the right David.
Last night's second-to-last episode of season 592 of American Idol was all about boxing and dreaming big, with undertones of religious fanaticism. But one boy not named David dared to dream even bigger, and that boy was MTV's Jim Cantiello. Our resident Idol expert packed up his good-natured wit, snark and message tees and headed out Los Angeles for the big finish.
Watch Jim's second-to-last 60-second recap and liveblogapalooza, and check back here tomorrow for Jim's last (sniff!) Idol recap of the year!
+ Bonus: see who Idol alum Kimberley Locke thinks will win it. (Hint: his first name's David.)

(Credit: AmericanIdol.com)
We ditched work in the middle of the day last week and went to the Nokia Theater, which is literally right around the corner from 1515, for a special concert by season 2 American Idol alum Kimberley Locke.
After belting out hits like "8th World Wonder" and "Fall," Kim was kind enough to take a few minutes to chat with us. And, of course, we asked her expert opinion on who will be crowned this season's Idol, David Archuleta or David Cook?
Although she's not necessarily rooting for anyone, she said, "I think David Archuleta's gonna win." Why? Because he's got that all-American, boy-next-door charm, which is "what American Idol voters love."
Of course, she admitted the David vs. David showdown "could go either way." So, get ready to dial your little fingers off -- then cross 'em that your guy wins.
+ Plus: catch up on a whole season's worth of American Idol wrap-ups, and check back next week for more on Kimberley Locke's concert and an exclusive interview with her.
Siiiiigh, Sye. On last night's penultimate American Idol, after teary homecomings (including a grandstanding, handstanding mayor), a shot-gun-blast performance by a flame-haired Fantasia shimmying and shaking like a stark-naked Charo in the middle of the Arctic Circle, and more "gosh"es than two back-to-back viewings of Napoleon Dynamite, it was sayonara for Syesha. (But you barely had to watch to know that.)
You know what you do need to watch though? Jim Cantiello's 60-second American Idol wrap-up. And then go do something constructive with yourself as you wait out the torturous 160-some hours until the battle of the Davids is consummated. May the best David win.
Sorry, Jason Castro. Your Care Bear stare, P.O.D.-lite dreads, creepy Donny Osmond smile, paper-thin voice and lido-deck steez were simply not enough to keep you in the running to be America's Next Karaoke Idol. Your leaving means David Archuleta's odds of winning just went from probable to eye-rollingly obvious. Archuleta -- and his fleet of Blythe-like dolls -- is, after all, the Obama of this year's Idol.
But, you don't have to take my word for it. Watch Jim Cantiello's 60-second take of last night's American Idol ep.
Not since our 19-year-old cat rapidly deteriorated before our eyes, ending in a one-way trip to the vet, has it been so painful to watch something so fragile take a speeding nose dive into a deep pool of disaster. And we're not just talking about Paula.
Last night the American Idol exit door swung open yet again, and this time it hit Brooke’s ass. (And that had to have hurt on so many levels.) The bleating, batty hopeful was the latest Carrie Underwood-wannabe sent packing on Idol.
Sorry, Brooke, but there always has been and only ever will be room in our hearts for just one singing nanny, and that’s Mary Poppins. And you, my dear, are no Julie Andrews.
Smell the fear and tears with Jim Cantiello's (PATENTED!) 60-second Idol recap:
+ More relevant crying-related videos after the jump:
Read more...
Give your regards to Carly Smithson, because girl's on the first proverbial plane back to Ireland after getting booted off American Idol last night. It's too bad because her husband had the all-time best tattoos in reality TV history. Second-best: Jeffrey "Necktat" Jeffrey Sebelia of Project Runway (or PJR, as we lamely refer to it) fame.
Get more of the night's exploits -- Brooke's re-up (like watching an ice skater overshoot a double axel and land on her nose) forgotten lyrics, plus: Leona Lewis! -- in a hot minute from Jim Cantiello's 60-second wrap-up.
Kristy Lee Cook may've given American Idol guest and MTV Artist of the Week Mariah Carey (apparently she has a new album out??) chills with her rendition of "Forever," but the only chills Kristy Lee's gonna be feeling is the wind in her hair as she gallops off into the setting sun on the horse she rode in on. Oh wait... Anyway, good luck with obscurity!
Check out Jim Cantiello's 60-second wrap-up.
+ Relevant videos:
Last night on A Very Special Idol, Fergie cartwheeled with Heart; Miley Cyrus grinded (ground? grund?); inexplicably Teri Hatcher spoke-sang a cover (why, God, why???) of newly single Carrie Underwood's "Before He Cheats" (loved the dress, by the way); Mariah wailed; JONAS BROTHERS THE JONAS BROTHERS THE JONAS BROTHERS; Annie Lennox made people cry; Elvis arose from the dead fully intact and performed Madonna's "Express Yourself"; prime minister Gordon Brown gave back BRITISH STYLE; sponsorship deals were satisfied; America coughed up $22 million bones; and no one went home a loser!
But, you don't have to take our word for it! Take Jim Cantiello's in this week's 60-second wrap-up!
+ Plus: Vintage Heart video!!
Tags American Idol, Carrie Underwood, Celebrity, Fergie, Heart, Jonas Brothers, Mariah Carey, Miley Cyrus, Music, News, video, Videos

Saying goodbye is never easy. Just last night we had to do it twice: once to Idol contestant Ramiele Malubay, and then again as we bid adieu to the general concept of youth in the collective form of 19 years of Real World casts who attended the Real World Awards Bash. And today, we're saying farewell to Secondhand Serenade, who's guest blogged for Buzzworthy for the past three weeks.
Fittingly, John Vesely's last Buzzworthy post is about "Goodbye," the final song off his latest album, A Twist In My Story.
Read about "Goodbye," catch up on John's other Secondhand Serenade Buzzworthy posts, and then go work on your separation issues.
"Goodbye" is the last song on the album. It had to end with a bang. I originally wrote this song for the acoustic guitar but never had an ending for it. When I started recording this album, I started working on it again. I'm a sucker for builds, so I wanted to incorporate something leading up to an explosion. I decided to use a full band for the ending because it was so powerful and it really summed up the album well.
Read more...