Where is probably the one and only place in the world where you can find Midwestern ladies in prom/bridesmaid dresses, people speaking a wide variety of languages, poster board signs covered in blinking lights, dozens of cowboy hats, and a mish-mash of the oddball celebrities? The American Idol season finale, of course! I was there last night as the show went down at downtown LA’s Nokia Theater, and the only way to really describe what was going on is to call it exactly what it was: a crazy spectacle. I’m not exaggerating: Moms were really prowling around in prom/bridesmaid dresses! (True: Things such as this make me really happy.) I love that, for some, the American Idol finale is something on par with a seminal life event like a wedding. To each his own, I suppose! But I digress. On to my other observations…I couldn’t help but spend a little time outside of the theater before the show started, just so that I could soak up some of the American Idol realness that was oozing out everywhere. There were, of course, folks like Ace Young and Naima Adedapo and David Archuleta padding into the venue on a red carpet while waving to the throngs, but more interesting than all that, really, were the folks who were there to watch the festivities, the adoring fans. They’re a fascinating set, those who’ll brave the American Idol live show over just enjoying the madness from the comfort of their own living rooms. For instance, did you know that American Idol splits households? I watched one pair of ladies, who appeared to be sisters, duke it out over who should win the crown, Lauren or Scotty, while standing in line to get into the show. “We’re still friends,” said one, holding a Lauren sign up in front of the other, who was holding a Scotty sign. “We still love each other.” Really, this show could split your sisterly bond? Wow. A friend of theirs nearby, though, tried her best to dose the flames: “They’re both going to go far, no matter what.” That remains to be seen, of course.
After I amused myself with people watching for a while, I headed in to Nokia to what, honestly, ended up being one of the most entertainingly random concerts I’ve been to in quite a lot time: Lil’ John and…TLC! Tony Bennett! TOM JONES! Beyoncé — twice! In fact, the whole Scotty-or-Lauren thing seemed almost like a footnote to all the performances and other festivities that were going on. I’ll give you a run-down of what I observed from the belly of the beast — the truly few things you might not have seen on TV — but I will warn you first: The seat I was in wasn’t all that close to the stage, so the observations are pithy and short. Many times, I found myself watching the jumbo screens next to the stage that were broadcasting what was happening. As my colleague Adam B. Vary explained in his on-the-scene recap last night, EW was relegated rather far back. (The nerve!) Watching on TV might have been a better experience! But alas, here’s what it was like being at last night’s American Idol season finale:
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