Idol all done, the people cheered

In a surprising turn of events, last night's American Idol finale didn't suck was worth the price of admission.

The two hour show – with a whole three minutes reserved for the actual results – was replete with shockers - notwithstanding Kris Allen, who proved the judges wrong. Earlier in the season, the judges, led by Simon Cowell, crowned Adam Lambert and cheekily pronouncing him king (or, if you're Kara DioGuardi, God).

But the 22 year old Allen had something to say about it, and so apparently did America. Allen being the newest teen heartthrob, it's appropriate that all those young girls had twitchy phone fingers. Parents everywhere are going to cringe when they get their cell phone bills from AT&T.

For anyone who didn't catch it, there were nearly 100 million votes cast in the finale, a world record according to the accounting guy who appeared at the end of the show carrying an envelope. As if that would bring credibility to the whole thing. No one, including Ryan Seacrest, acknowledged the oddity of a show which averages 22 million viewers per episode getting nearly 100 million votes; but as if Idol's roots are in Cook county, no one ever said you can't vote multiple times.

Update: Nielsen reports that last night's finale was amongst the least-watched of the 8 American Idol finales, at 28.84 million viewers).

Good for Kris. There's absolutely nothing to dislike about the guy, and I don't think anyone doubts that Lambert will land on his feet. Which brings us to the biggest shocker of the night.

KISS. That's right, Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley and…that other guy. With Peter Criss and Ace Frehley long gone (as if anyone cares), the band still rocks it out and still looks great in the makeup. A perfect choice to pair with the nonhuman voice that brews in Lambert's chest, we were in shock and awe as it all played out. KISS. There, I said it again. I'm still flabbergasted that the producers managed to get the iconic band on stage for the performance, but it didn't stop there.

Queen. Rod Stewart. The Black Eyed Peas. Lionel Richie. Keith Urban. The list went on as mega artists past and present performed on stage with the show's finalists. It was a finale worthy of the most watched show in America, and perhaps appropriate, as I believe this was the swan song for the show's 8 year run. Yes, Ryan assured us that Idol will be back in January to net a whole 'nother billion dollars for Rupert Murdoch's NewsCorp, but I for one won't be watching, and if recent reports are any indication, the show's peaked and will soon find its place amongst the honored dead.

I'm going to predict that next season will be Idol's last, that Simon Cowell will be gone when his contract expires in 2010, and that Paula Abdul won't claw her way back onto the Billboard charts. At least one of those predictions is guaranteed to come true; care to guess which one?

Oh yeah: I finally found something redeeming about Kara DioGuardi, and it wasn't her singing voice.