ramblings, random musings, fascinations, rants, raves and revelations

I've made a point of waking up this afternoon defying my usual hours of sleep just to watch TV. It was already a replay but I didn't care. I just feel the need to post on the "American Idol" finale, despite the fact I've known Jordin Sparks won for the past three hours or so. And who hasn't? It was on the Internet almost immediately. SFGate ran a spoiler warning on the link to its story, as did other sites like MSNBC, but all you had to do to avoid sitting through tonight's two-hour finale was just Google "Idol" results.

Yeah, I'm glad Jordin won. She's got the talent and will get even better as she gets more performance experience. Blake won't be washing dishes for a living, I'm sure, nor will several other "Idol" finalists. Yes, Toto too... I mean, Sanjaya too. Sorry.

I still think the biggest sin of season six was Stephanie Edwards' premature departure. She's got something special, something Paula might call "vocal voice." But here's the thing, dawgs. If you did avoid the two-hour self-pleasure-fest tonight, you would have missed some really kick-ass performances. Tony Bennett, who was reportedly annoyed at "Idol" for the show's mean-ness, came out and just killed with "For Once in My Life," ending the classic with a jaw-dropping reprise that proved, for once in anyone's life, Bennett is, still and always, a giant.

Green Day did John Lennon's "Working Class Hero" and did it proud. Here's a band that has defied the odds, stayed together, cut its own path in the music business and is, if anything, even more musically adventurous and solid than they were when they first hit the scene. The arrangement was explosive, Billie Joe was heartbreaking, his voice a plaintive cry for an end to the horrors in Darfur.

The once and future "Idol" winner, Jordin Sparks, teamed up with former winner Ruben Studdard for "You're All I Need to Get By," and it was sweet.

On the other hand, Bette Midler showed up dressed like a deflated inner tube to sing "Wind Beneath My Wings," but she sounded as though she ran out of air. The Divine Miss M is going to be replacing Celine Dion in Vegas, and she has no greater fan in the world than me. But, wow, she sounded like Sylvia Brown, that froggy-voiced woman on "Montel" who tells you that your great-uncle just belched in heaven and that's why your chihuahua can't make for mommy.

Joe Perry rockin' out with Sanjaya was a kick, but, musically, Joe's partnership with prima "Idol" Kelly Clarkson on "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" sizzled.

Taylor Hicks was there, too. Nice to see ya, Soul Patrolman.

And then, after two hours, it was time for the moment of truth. I was texting with someone from the East coast at 7 p.m. Cali time. He said, Oh, Ryan is asking the judges who they think will win. I wrote back: Randy and Simon say Jordin, Paula says they both deserve it. And, of course, that's exactly what they said. I can only imagine Nate's comment on this *hehehe.

Yes, Jordin won and, in doing so, did the show a big favor. The ratings were going up and up every year but have been flat for the past two years. Truth to tell, this was a relatively lackluster group of contestants, once the final 24 emerged. But, as in past seasons, many of them grew. And many deserved to win. Jordin was the best of them.
I was so excited to deliver the news to Ate Erlynn and she replied, "Alam ko", Bakit mo alam? , "Nanood ako kanina umaga". Talking about being late *hehehe.