'American Idol' Most-Watched Show of 2007

You're a citizen before you're a couch potato, Roston writes

(NEWSER) - There is perhaps no “greater sign of our civilization’s decline” than the uproar about President Obama’s State of the Union address possibly preempting the season premiere of Lost or an episode of American Idol, Michael Roston writes. “Before we are couch potatoes, we are citizens,” he rants. "The annual address helps remind us of our elected leaders’ solemn obligation to communicate their intentions to a public they so often fail while in office." More»

What will we still be talking about next decade? Britney, for one

(NEWSER) - The ‘00s were full of important contributions to culture, but which ones will we still be talking about in another decade? Here are some of New York ’s picks:

• TV: The Sopranos for inventing quality cable, American Idol for changing the music industry, and of course all things Oprah Winfrey.
• Books: The Da Vinci Code for singlehandedly sustaining the book industry, and The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay for blazing the trail of combining geek lit with high lit.

Hosts, finalists Tweet their sadness over resignation

(NEWSER) - Paula Abdul’s surprise announcement that she won’t return to American Idol has disappointed fellow host Ryan Seacrest and several Idol alumni, E! Online reports.

• "I was shocked," Seacrest said on his radio show this morning. "I'm just bummed because we've worked together for so many years." The announcement is “not a publicity stunt," he added.

(NEWSER) - As the American Idol dust clears and you resign yourself to never understanding Lost, TV's fallow season looms, just begging you to catch up on some excellent viewing you might have missed. NPR blogger Linda Holmes has some suggestions:

• Mad Men: "Works very well when you can grab it on DVD and watch it in long, meditative stretches." Season two drops July 14.

(NEWSER) - Tonight’s American Idol showdown between glitzy Adam Lambert and down-home Kris Allen is too close to call, Rolling Stone reports. With both contenders performing ably at last night’s performance show—and a “Glamb-Slide” thus averted—it’s up to the viewers, whose wishes will be televised tonight. Ahead of the result, some ideas about who will—or should—win: More»