Idol finale

HELLO/GOODBYE: Lee DeWyze’s victory over Crystal Bowersox in last night’s American Idol finale essentially served as the undercard to Simon Cowell’s sendoff, highlighted by the reappearance of Paula Abdul and lowlighted by a roundly panned roast of the departing judge by comic Dane Cook. Reviewers judged the night’s strongest performances to be Alanis Morissette’s duet with Crystal on a cleaned-up “You Oughta Know”; also appearing were Janet Jackson, Joe Cocker and, inevitably, Bret Michaels. Paula offered a prediction to Simon during her goodbye speech: American Idol isn’t going to be the same without you, but as only I can tell you, it will go on.” (5/27a)