• “Joe Schmo” was a fabulously funny send-up of reality dating television, done as an improv show in which everyone’s in on the joke, except the contestants. Finally, the second season is being made available on DVD. This is Must Viewing TV.

• I had more to say on “American Idol” during the Round of 3 week, but Alan Sepinwall beat me to every single point I’d make. Go read his stuff, instead.

• You have to love a site which invites you to bet on the programmer’s blood sugar levels. THIS is why the internet was created.

• Wired Magazine has great pictures from the wreckage of the Hudson River plane. Great stuff, including commentary from the photographer.

• Shatner Sings! 

I’m sure lots of people will be analyzing Kris’ victory.  Whether it’s a Red State/Blue State thing, or a matter of timing (in that Kris peaked at the perfect time), or a commentary on the state of pop music or on “Idol” itself. . .

I just think it was a ton of fun.  You have to like Kris.  He’s a lot of what “Idol” has always been about.  He doesn’t have a huge professional music background like so many modern contestants do.  He’s a small town boy.  He’s from the South, and they’ve always done well on the show.  Seriously — name the “Idol” winners who weren’t from the south.  Jordin Sparks came out of Phoenix, right?  That’s IT in eight seasons.

I think the most amazed person on that stage tonight was Kris Allen, and that was just fun to watch.  I don’t just mean in the final ten minutes, either.  Here was a guy who was in awe of the fact that he was singing with friggin’ Queen.  He looked giddy.  (So did Gokey, singing with Lionel Richie.)

In a three way finale, I would have gone with Allison, honestly.  In this finale, I would have been happy either way, but I like that Kris won.  I like having someone closer to the “boy next door” and truly an “undiscovered” talent winning the whole thing.

It’s just a shame that Nick Mitchell/Norman Gentle upstaged them all.  ::duck grin run::

Those group numbers have to go.  They’re getting painful.

And the show finished on time!  Go figure.  I think that’s a first for the live shows this season.

Bikini Girl took full advantage of her 15 minutes of fame by — boosting her bra size, it would seem. Also hilarious: Ruben Studdard not realizing that the show Tatiana thing was a put-on.

I also like that Wikipedia had the winner updated within minutes of the end of the show.  Gotta love the internet.

Adam Lambert was a much-needed shot of diversity and raw talent to the show this season.  He’ll go on to do big things on Broadway with the Tony-nominated Constantine Maroulis any day now. . .

Yes, Virginia, the assumed fact is true.  “Idol” contestants who get pimped in early episodes go much longer than those who do not. Editorials and Articles Archive – WhatNotToSing.com – The American Idol Internet Database

Promotional Piece contestants are, on average, 20.2% more likely to advance each and every week than those in the Late/No Exposure group, given comparable performances. Similarly, Audition-only contestants are 14.0% more likely to advance each week than those who did not have their audition aired.

And, seriously, they have the charts to prove it — both bar and line!

• Want to see Adam Lambert performing musical theater?  It starts slow, but does build to a classic deafening Lambert crescendo!
• Nintendo is refusing to allow an Intellivision system game on the DSi.  Now THAT’S a shame.
• Amazing picture of Rockefeller Center in 1933.  The architecture, the lighting, EVERYTHING is so very cool in this pic.
• Todd Klein expertly dissects why Comic Sans sucks. (I normally don’t do comics-related blogging here, but this is a much bigger issue than mere comics.  This is proper fontography!)
• “The Wrath of Khan” performed by the Amazon Kindle and an iPod.
• Drafting a pro golfer to test the usability of “The Happy Gilmore Tee Shot.”  I love the internet.
• Soon, Jeopardy! might have its first Computer Contestant.

I think everyone’s expecting Kris to go home this week, which would be a travesty.

I think everyone’s expecting Adam to breeze into the finals, which is why Simon had a panic attack at the end and told America to please vote for Adam or else.

I think Paula telling Adam he was going into the finals was pretty funny, because there are at least 8 people she’s told that to, including all three on stage tonight.  And there’s only room for 2 in the finals.

Based strictly on tonight’s performances, I’d send Adam home.  Honestly.  I think U2 is the most overrated band in musical history, and that performance tonight helped point that out.  That was a hideous rendition of a song that usually has a tune in it somewhere.  And the Aerosmith number was screechy and self-indulgent and too much of too much. When everything is sung at the same high screaming point, it all sounds alike.  Previously, Adam had used that to be a little showcase, breaking into it when needed, but coming back out.  He never came out tonight.  (Insert your own jokes here.)

Danny had an enjoyable first number, though I thought it was little manic and little screechy, but I loved his second number.  I kicked myself, though, because I predicted he would sing that song about five minutes before watching the show, but failed to say it out loud so my wife would hear it and realize what a genius I am.

Kris made it through his first song all right and then killed it on his second.

In other words: Danny and Kris had one good song, at least.  Adam didn’t have even one.

But looking at this in the long run, I think the best future pop star this show has right now is Kris.  He’s radio-friendly, as if radio matters anymore.  He’s not over-the-top like Adam.  He’s not a Taylor Hicks Redux like Danny, doomed to play bars for the rest of his life after losing his record deal.

But Danny has never ever been in danger.  He must have an enormous fan base then, right?

It’s going to be a tight race to the finish, I think.  And I bet we see upwards of 75 million votes tonight.

From AugieShoots.com, this is a sample of what the people are looking for in their photography today:

The set is in shambles.  Slash is on set.  And the Guitar Hero hits are played!  What more could you ask for?

Actually, I wasn’t all that impressed this week. The only thing that really got me excited in this show was the final duet between Adam and Allison.  Unlike the first duet, these two actually sang to (or “at”) each other.  Danny and Kris looked like two singers who happened to be on the same stage.  Their harmonies were good, but there was always a separation in their performance that sucked the life out of it. Also, Danny looked horribly uncomfortable with it.

I’m still in shock that the easiest Guitar Hero song, “Slow Ride,” could work so well for the two power singers, who shared a hair dresser this week.

I wonder if telling America that Adam has his own “hair girl” will turn off some voters. That seems too professional, don’tcha think?

I think we’ll see Kris and Allison in the bottom two, with Kris going home this week.  (Daughtry says Kris is his favorite and he wants to record with him. Kris will land on his feet.) I don’t quite understand why Gokey hasn’t been in the bottom three yet, but I imagine it’s due to some early-formed fanbase that’s quite active.

And I still am going with my theory that Allison will win it all. I need to write a separate blog piece about that before it’s a moot point.

And IDOL timing continues to astound, as the show ran over just by enough to cut off Simon’s final critique of the best musical number of the night.  UGH.

It’s Benjamin Button.

Recently missed:

“Water go down the hole! I want to Flush. It. Again!” Time to go scrounge up my Amazon points. . .

Here’s what’s been going on for the last 30 days on AugieShoots.com: