Today In ‘Idol’: The Web Reacts To Lee DeWyze’s Win

:: Read our American Idol finale liveblog, watch the performances, and relive Season 9 in crayon-form.

:: All your burning finale questions answered, including why David Cook and Adam Lambert were no shows, and why Lee got to use a Teleprompter. [Idol Tracker]

:: Good news for Fox—the Idol finale won the ratings game Wednesday night. And some bad news—it was the least-watched finale since the show began in 2002. [Idol Chatter]

:: Sad news for Crystal—not only did she not win, she and her boyfriend broke up Tuesday morning before her Top 2 performance show. Wow. Bad timing. [People]

:: Bret Michaels gives Lee DeWyze career advice. Surprisingly, it’s not about creating a skanky dating reality show (although give Lee another decade and he might have no other options). [MTV]

:: Some Idol finale reactions:

Idol Chatter thought the finale had no arc, and “jumped back and forth between performance segments and amateurish video homages to Simon (really, haven’t you seen better homemade videos at weddings and graduations?).”

Buddy TV thinks American Idol has suffered since allowing contestants to use instruments, because “guys with guitars get all the chicks, and now that they’re given a national stage, they also get all the votes.”

Entertainment Weekly isn’t impressed by Lee, but admits that he “sounds like Pavarotti when you line him up against Travis Garland or Ke$ha or a half-dozen of the other woeful chart-toppers who graced the Idol stage this season.”

Defamer believes Lee DeWyze triumphed over Crystal because Lee found his star quality while on the show, and Crystal already had it before she ever stepped foot on the Idol stage. They call Lee “the hapless hangdog, the success story we like to give to strangers… he was easier, more sympathetic.”

Vulture literally did the math to conclude that although last night’s finale featured much more older musicians than younger, Season 7 is the crowning champ of having the finale with the oldest musical guests.

E! Online thought the lowest part of the night was Dane Cook’s sad attempt at stand-up. We much prefer Paula’s rambling three-minute set where we think she was making some jokes. She’ll be opening for Carrot Top at The Improv all week, folks!