IDOL FINAL RESULTS FALL TO RECORD LOW

Go figure. Final Nielsen ratings for Tuesday night’s last performance episode of the season of American Idol put the number of viewers at 14.85 million, down a whopping 28 percent from last year’s 20.57 million and the smallest number to view a final performance of Idol since its first season in 2002, when 18.69 million tuned in. (Wednesday night’s results show drew 21.91 million viewers, down from 29.29 million a year ago — and below even the first year’s results of 23.02 million.) Nevertheless, on Wednesday night, when Phillip Phillips, a 21-year-old singer from Leesburg, VA was crowned the new Idol over 16-year-old Jessica Sanchez, host Ryan Seacrest announced that 132 million votes were cast after the show (versus 122 million last year), a new record. Experts have not yet explained the apparent discrepancy between the lower audience count and the higher vote count.