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Georgia native Phillip Phillips bests Jessica Sanchez for Season 11 crown
By Carla Patton
Hundreds of performances later, it has all come down to this. Season 11 of "American Idol" will crown a winner after two hours of complete, star-studded nonsense. I have one question before we let 'er rip, though: Will Lee DeWyze be stewing angrily in the audience?
Bing: More about 'American Idol' | Photos: See Season 11 highlights
A group number right away! This show is already delivering. We see all the eliminated contestants dressed in white performing "Runaway Baby" as though they were sent to "American Idol" purgatory after their elimination. This is a special kind of hell's waiting room, where your clothes turn white after you leave a competition and you have to listen only to Bruno Mars.
More: 'American Idol' on BuddyTV | Photos: Non-winner 'Idol' successes
After the first of many commercial breaks, Phillip Phillips performs "Have You Ever Seen the Rain" poorly with the lead singer of CCR. It's not his fault: His voice just doesn't go that high. As this weren't enough, Phillip introduces a second song, "Bad Moon Rising." We're just going to keep pushing this boy to his limit, humiliating him next to John Fogerty. Phillip sounds better on the second song. It's OK, Phillip. You don't have to pretend to care anymore. Not that you ever did!
Then, we are forced to remember terrible and embarrassing "Idol" audition moments. That was so long ago!
It was not so long ago that Joshua Ledet was eliminated. But now he's back, in a sparkly suit jacket, singing Elton John's fun "Take Me to the Pilot." He took it to church, but not before he brought out Fantasia Barrino in some weird kind of "Spider-Man 3" bodysuit and a mile-long weave. They both jumped and screamed, and I was very concerned for the structural integrity of that bodysuit. Fantasia and Joshua seemed done, but the song kept going. So, they kept screaming into their microphones until the producers had to cut to a commercial break. It was glorious.
Because the show is over two hours long, we have a segment entirely dedicated to how old man Jimmy Iovine could not remember Jennifer Lopez's name. He kept calling her Jessica. He did it so many times -- and I love Jimmy so much -- that I ended up laughing out loud. It was a wacky little thing.
And now, the ladies of the top 12, wearing sparkly "Real Housewives" dresses and singing a Chaka Khan medley! How is it that Jessica Sanchez just popped into the medley so late? Did she think she was exempt? Chaka Khan showed up, but just barely (and I do mean bare-ly! Look at our second bodysuit of the night!). I love Chaka Khan, but she seems maybe drunk. Either way, she's phoning it in. Love you, Chaka!
For the final Ford music video, they found a way to work around Phillip. They simply showed all of the least flattering shots of each of the top 12 from previous FMVs! And Ford has an unceremonious gift for the top 2's mentors: gifts to the "American Idol" finale! They got to see Chaka Khan live! And another surprise for the mentors (Phillip's brother-in-law and some other guy whose position I didn't catch): keys to their new Ford Escapes! Oh. And Phillip and Jessica, you get cars, too! Everyone gets a Ford Escape! Except Jennifer Lopez. She gets a Fiat.
Rihanna performs next, without any members of the top 12. She is a solo act and won't be brought down by the likes of, say, Shannon Magrane. She came in her own space triangle just for the event. Will someone please just tell me whether or not this performance was inspired by "Battlefield Earth"?
Skylar Laine is back to sing "Turn on the Radio." And if she's singing with Reba, I will lose it (in a good way). She is!! I'm freaking out. I am dead. Skylar totally kept up, too. She's got a career ahead of her, and I would love it all the more if that career were playing Reba's country-singing daughter in a new sitcom.
Nothing can follow that. So, we might as well see this jokey video clip about Steven Tyler's dressing room. Haha, the sloth!! They have the same hair. Also, the sloth looks like he is in ecstasy (or on it). 
I need a commercial break to collect myself! But no, Jessica Sanchez is singing "I Will Always Love You." And Whitney Houston will obviously not come on stage, but maybe Jennifer Hudson will? No, it's not that kind of moment. Ahhh, it's just as good as I remember it! You go, girl.
No break for us. We power on through to a performance from the top 12 guys singing a medley. Neil Diamond is always good for an appearance. He probably paid Nigel Lythgoe $25 to appear in the finale. Aww, that's mean to Neil Diamond. Why would I say that? One thing is clear in this medley: Heejun Han does not care.
And another thing: Joshua Ledet is still scream-singing from that last song with Fantasia. No one has the power to resist "Sweet Caroline," though!
I'm glad they had a little clip about Randy always saying the same things, and I really enjoyed the literal singing of the phone book bit, in spite of myself. It even made fun of Joshua taking it to church!
Now Jennifer Lopez gets two song performances as part of her contract -- and two outfits made from the same cheap sequin fabric.
Speaking of cheap sequins, Lauren Alaina is in the house! So are Taylor Hicks, and Ace Young and Diana DeGarmo, our "American Idol" couple! Diana DeGarmo is adorable. I saw her in "9 to 5" on Broadway, and she was amazing. Ace said he thought this would be the right time to ask a "simple question." Diana looked excited, then skeptical. But this is no Ryan Seacrest fake out! There was a little product placement in the proposal, but I don't mind that! I love televised proposals, and I love that they had Kieran dim the lights for it! Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young are engaged now! Did Ace just congratulate himself?
After that, Hollie Cavanagh performs "You'll Never Walk Alone" with Jordin Sparks. If I had to declare a winner of this duet, I think I'd pick Hollie, though she's a bit greener.
Did you like that, Phillip? Are you enjoying your finale? I hope he's feeling OK.
In a tribute to Robin Gibb, the top 12 guys (again, minus Jermaine and Phillip) sing a Bee Gees medley. I think this will be best for DeAndre. Against expectation, it's a relatively good moment for Colton, and everyone else sounds dreadful on it. They sound particularly terrible when they're all singing together.
Another superstar duet, one that I have dreamed of since the top 24: Jessica Sanchez and Jennifer Holliday singing "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going." Why is Jessica always late to the stage? Are long drape-y dresses that hard to change in and out of? Oh, and Jennifer Holliday? Girl's still got it. Unlike a lot of the other celebrity guests on this night, she is putting in some major effort. I hope Jessica Sanchez knows what an awesome moment this is. She can always look back on the time Jennifer Holliday wiped the floor with her.
At long last, Aerosmith agrees to perform on "American Idol." Maybe just to fill the slot that Phillip Phillips couldn't due to illness. Liv, your old man's still got it. And Steven wore one of his nicest chiffon robes.
Phillip finally emerged back on stage, wearing a cute cool-guy tux -- no tux shirt, just a T-shirt and a vest. Kind of funky, but whatever. And Jessica looks great in burgundy. They sing "Up Where We Belong," which is actually a perfect duet for them if there ever was one. Phillip is just barely singing, and I hope his kidneys (kidneys? mysterious illness center) don't explode when he wins. They just need to turn his microphone up -- or down. I don't know. There's just a great disparity in vocal range here, but not in heart!
The results are starting now! How exciting! Even though I've never been less unsure of who will win, I'm still happy we've gotten here. Phillip looks good in a V-neck. Jessica's hair is majestic. The finalists have never looked better!
Dim the lights.
The winner of "American Idol" Season 11 is ...
Phillip Phillips!
Phillip Phillips Sr. hugs his wife. Everyone hugs Phillip, led by Heejun. And Scotty McCreery hands Phillip the god-awful, meaningless microphone trophy. Phillips sings his song and seems relatively unfazed. Maybe he's just in shock ...
He sings "Home" under a cascade of pyrotechnics. I hope to hear it on the radio, because I like the song. I hope to hear a lot of this season's contestants on the radio soon. Phillip is overwhelmed and actually shows some emotion! It's completely endearing! If you feel nothing you are dead inside. Phillip breaks into tears, takes off his guitar, tries not to swallow the confetti and goes to hug his family. I can't help but love it!
Goodbye for now, everyone! I hope you had a good Season 11. I thought it was OK.
What do you think of Wednesday night's results? Did America get it right?
Host offers insight into why NBC series is beating 'Idol,' 'X Factor' in ratings
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"Voice" host Carson Daly has credited the show's blind auditions as the reason for the its success. Unlike rival shows, the coaches on the show can't see the auditioners: Their evaluations are based solely on singing quality. Daly believes the format is the prime reason it has trounced "American Idol" and "The X Factor" in TV ratings.
Daly tells Zap2it.com, "We just liked the pureness of it, hearkening back ... Is there a place for pure? In this day where you have to be beautiful and popular ... Yeah, they can sing, but what do they look like?" Daly also pinpoints another interesting dynamic only present on "The Voice": the judges being rejected. He explains: "It's the power shift. A 24-year-old sandwich maker, and he gets three chairs to turn around. Now they are in it for the right reason, and he, all of a sudden, he gets to interview them. And where else do you get that shift in power? Multimillionaires interviewed by a kid who makes sandwiches for a living."
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'X Factor' judge says she and ex enjoy a 'great friendship'
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"X Factor" judge Demi Lovato has developed a "great friendship" with Joe Jonas, three years after their breakup. In an interview with ABC's "Nightline," the singer admits to having been "really mad at him" following their decision to call it quits in 2010. But time has healed old wounds, and the two are good friends once again.
Lovato says, "I can fortunately say that him and his brother Nick have always been there for me and are literally family and like brothers ... We have a great friendship. And we may not be as close as we used to be, but that's OK." Jonas, 23, proved the former couple had buried the hatched by tweeting his support for her new album Demi on May 14. He wrote, "Congrats (Demi Lovato) on the new record! So happy for you!"
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Wanted star says he 'felt like a king,' eager for fans to see how group really lives
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Wanted star Max George hopes the group's new reality TV show is a big hit because he became quite accustomed to life in Hollywood while filming it. "The Wanted Life" debuts June 2, and George, for one, loved the idea of having his own mansion with his band mates for the show. He says, "It was a little bit different than being in Manchester, England. I could definitely get used to it. First of all, it was nice to wake up every morning and see the whole of the city ... That was just insane. But it was the little things to me that meant the most, like having your own bar, your own swimming pool and the run of Los Angeles. I felt like a king."
George will definitely be watching the show because there were a few unexplained mysteries that might be solved on the program -- like which band mate left their underwear hanging from the chandeliers and who trashed the Jacuzzi. He tells Ryan Seacrest, "I think we'll have to watch. I think we'll find out a lot of mysteries when we see it ... I think I'm probably going to learn a few things about myself I didn't know." As for what fans will learn about him from watching the show, he adds, "Definitely the bond I have with my brother ... and the bond I have with my mom ... I'm very, very close with them two. As a group, I think people will realize when we say we get on like brothers actually do. I think a lot of the time bands have to say that or if they didn’t people will think, 'Surely it doesn't work.' But we genuinely do really get on, and we don't just work together. We actually do everything else away from work most of the time with each other, as well. (And) we actually do party as much as we say we do."
Plus: 'Dancing With the Stars' finale preview | 'Felicity': Where are they now? | 'The Bachelorette' Season 9
'Orange County' newcomer wasn't prepared for 'intense' castmates
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"Real Housewives of Orange County" newcomer Lydia McLaughlin got a real shock when she began filming the reality TV show earlier this year because she didn't expect her castmates to be as "intense" as they are. The 32-year-old, who owns her own high-end magazine that chronicles the lavish lifestyles of Southern Californians, admits she was really naive when she first signed up to join the longest-running "Real Housewives" franchise in February. She thought appearing on the show would be a breeze. However, she quickly learned it wasn't going to be an easy ride with outspoken veterans Vicki Gunvalson, Tamra Barney, Gretchen Rossi, Heather Dubrow and Alexis Bellino as her castmates.
Bing: More about Lydia McLaughlin
She tells People.com, "It is more difficult than I thought it would be! I was just like, 'Yeah, what do I have to lose?! What would people not like about me?! I'm just going to be myself, and I'm going to be positive, and have a different type of voice!' When everyone is screaming and yelling, you really can't win in this type of show. It's intense, and those women are intense and they have an opinion, and that's why they've been on the air for so long." McLaughlin insists the drama fans see on-screen is only a small portion of the crazy antics that really take place on set: "I think that the ladies are genuinely who they are on the show, and that there isn't a lot of acting."
Plus: 'Dancing With the Stars' finale preview | 'Felicity': Where are they now? | 'The Bachelorette' Season 9
Season 12 starting to experience the downside of becoming a winner
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"American Idol" winner Candice Glover has spent the days since her TV victory last week blocking haters on Twitter. The singer, who won the TV contest at her third attempt, was a favorite throughout much of the competition. But not everyone watching was a fan. And now she's really experiencing the downside of becoming an "Idol" champ. She tells "Access Hollywood," "I can't even count how many people I've blocked in the past couple of days ... I'd get more negative tweets the further I made it in the competition. They'd talk about how you look, how you sing: 'You suck!' 'You can't sing!' I think it's natural instinct to go past the good tweets. But when you see that bad one, that's the one that sticks with you, and it doesn't feel good to feel that. But I think I've grown a lot over the show ... and I know that, no matter what anybody says on the Internet, that way I can't see them face to face, I know that I'm beautiful."
Bing: More about Candice Glover
Glover has opened up about the feud between "Idol" judges Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj, insisting she had to stay focused on her goal of winning the competition to avoid the distraction in front of her on performance nights. She adds, "Backstage, we were so focused on our performances and not going home the following day ... That really didn't even bother us. We were so determined to do a good job."
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'Project Runway' host resorts to cash to keep her brood disciplined
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"Project Runway" host Heidi Klum has confessed she bribes her children to start off their days with a healthy breakfast. The German beauty has four kids -- three of them by her ex-husband Seal -- and admits she runs a disciplined household to keep her brood in check. Klum has developed a "points" system to reward the youngsters for good behavior. But when it comes to getting them to drink a healthy smoothie for breakfast each day, she resorts to paying them a dollar a time.
She explains to the Times, "At least I know they've eaten something healthy." And she can only hope the kids keep eating healthy through the day. She says, "Their lunchboxes (containing more healthy food) come back empty, so I don't really know what they've eaten."
Plus: 'Dancing With the Stars' finale preview | 'Felicity': Where are they now? | 'The Bachelorette' Season 9
Newly crowned 'American Idol' champ heaps praise on the judge who backed her
WENN
"American Idol" Season 12 champ Candice Glover is hoping to collaborate with judge Nicki Minaj in the near future. Following her big win, Glover heaped praise on the judge who backed her throughout the competition and revealed that Minaj offered up some top tips on how to survive in show business. Speaking with reporters after the finale, Glover said, "She (Minaj) reminded me to not be a diva. She always tells me to have fun and be myself ... I love Nicki and hope I can collaborate with her."
Bing: More about Candice Glover
Glover's duet dream comes after Minaj told Zap2it.com, "I predicted that she would win, so someone owes me money ... Her voice has always surpassed everyone, every night. And I'm so happy that America got it right and did this based on true talent."
Plus: 'Dancing With the Stars' finale preview | 'Felicity': Where are they now? | 'The Bachelorette' Season 9
Hygiene concerns over stained, unwashed two-piece motivated decision by eBay
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The bikini "Teen Mom" star Farrah Abraham wore for the photo on the cover of her sex tape has been pulled from auction on eBay -- because it was unwashed. On Saturday, bosses at the auction website yanked the listing by porn studio Vivid Entertainment after deciding the pink crystal-encrusted two-piece did not meet the site's hygiene standards. The item had stains from her fake tan among other clear signs of wear and was listed as "used." It had not been washed since the MTV star wore it for a private photo shoot.
Bing: More about Farrah Abraham
TMZ.com obtained a letter sent to Vivid by eBay chiefs that explained why the listing had been removed. It reads: "Due to health and hygiene concerns, our policy does not allow used clothing to be listed on the site unless the item has been washed first." Reportedly, the bikini will be washed and re-posted on the site. The original listing that started at $500 on Wednesday ignited a bidding war that caused the price to reach $14,700 just before it was pulled from auction.
Plus: 'Dancing With the Stars' finale preview | 'Felicity': Where are they now? | 'The Bachelorette' Season 9
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