Slap Punching

I'm guessing we all agree that Fox waaaaaay overdid the boxing match metaphor last night as the two Davids faced off for the penultimate episode of American Idol.

But it was nice to have Jim Lampley there to add his, um, bromides. Lampley is the sporting world's answer to Ryan Seabottom: a glib know-nothing.

But he fit right in in last night's cliche buffet: "May the best man win"..."You have to leave it all on the floor tonight" ...."Keep your eyes open at all times"...."You could sing the phone book".

I can't believe they brought back the gnomish Andrew Lloyd Webber to serve as a supernumerary coach to the two finalists. That was excruciating. Does Webber have compromising video of Nigel Lythgoe? How in the world was he invited back?

It was an interesting night musically. David Cook, who all season long has shown a canny ability to pick material, blew it when it counted most. And David Archuleta had three excellent outings (although I could have done without the melisma overload on "Imagine").

So if you think this is a talent contest, then Archuleta clearly and deservedly takes the crown tonight.  If you believe in tradition, you get the same result. The singer who goes first on finals night (Cook) has lost every season.

Personally, I don't believe in either of those things, and am convinced Cook still has a puncher's chance to win this thing.

Wait, was that a boxing analogy? I feel so ashamed. Of course that could be the residual effect of watching a full season of Idol.

For more of my thoughts on last night's Idol, go to:

www.daveondemand.com/dodblog