The president offered his thanks, Brian Dunkleman forgave Ryan Seacrest, JLo reminded everyone how it’s done, and Simon Cowell and his chest hair were once again reunited with Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul.
Oh, and in a big upset, Trent Harmon won the thing.
But even in the 15th and final finale of “American Idol,” it was tough to beat Kelly Clarkson.
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The competition’s first winner was one of the few famous Idols who did not appear live at the Dolby Theater for the blow-out farewell; as Seacrest explained, she is closing in on the due date for her second child. She did, however, manage to tape a mini-concert of her biggest hits when she visited the show in February. Which, for reasons of their own, the producers chose to run early in the finale even though it could easily have been one of the climactic numbers.
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From left, Caleb Johnson, Constantine Maroulis, Chris Daughtry and James Durbin perform during the “American Idol” finale at the Dolby Theatre on April 7.
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“American Idol” winner Trent Harmon, center right, performs during the show’s finale.
(Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 3/39
Trent Harmon, winner of “American Idol,” celebrates with fellow contestants.
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“American Idol” winner Trent Harmon celebrates as judges Jennifer Lopez and Keith Urban look on.
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Original “American Idol” judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell appear onstage at the show’s finale.
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Ryan Seacrest looks on as William Hung performs during the “American Idol” finale.
(Matt Sayles / Invision / Associated Press) 7/39
Ruben Studdard and Amber Holcomb perform during the “American Idol” finale.
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Marley Fletcher and Harry Connick Jr. perform during the “American Idol” finale.
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Jessica Sanchez performs during the “American Idol” finale.
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Joshua Ledet performs during the “American Idol” finale.
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Katharine McPhee
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Host Ryan Seacrest speaks in the audience during FOX’s “American Idol” Finale For The Farewell Season at Dolby Theatre.
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Lauren Alaina, from left, Kree Harrison, Skylar Laine, Kellie Pickler and Diana DeGarmo
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A screen shows a pre-taped performance by Jennifer Lopez during the “American Idol” farewell season finale.
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Carly Smithson
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Ruben Studdard, left, and Amber Holcomb
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Singers Marley Fletcher, left, and Harry Connick, Jr.
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Taylor Hicks
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Recording artist Jessica Sanchez
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Singer Joshua Ledet
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Jennifer Lopez takes a selfie at the “American Idol” farewell season finale.
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Recording artists Constantine Maroulis, left, and James Durbin perform onstage during “American Idol” finale.
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Recording artists Caleb Johnson, left, Constantine Maroulis, Bo Bice and James Durbin
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Diana DeGarmo
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Skylar Laine
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Larry Platt
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Keith Urban and Carrie Underwood
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Recording artists Caleb Johnson, Constantine Maroulis, Chris Daughtry and James Durbin
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Recording artists Jordin Sparks, left, Allison Iraheta, Tamyra Gray and Justin Guarini perform onstage during Fox’s “American Idol” finale at Dolby Theatre.
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Pia Toscano
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Singers Trent Harmon and La’Porsha Renae
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Singers Trent Harmon, left, La’Porsha Renae and Dalton Rapattoni perform onstage during Fox’s “American Idol” finale
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“American Idol” past winners and finalists perform together.
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From the audience: “American Idol” past winners and finalists perform together onstage.
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Host Ryan Seacrest, left, and Brian Dunkleman
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Actress-singer Jennifer Lopez and singer Harry Connick Jr. onstage during Fox’s “American Idol” finale.
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Fans at the “American Idol” finale.
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The “American Idol” stage is set for the finale.
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President Obama addresses the audience during the “American Idol” finale.
(Kevork Djansezian / Getty Images) Many have said, with a regularity that borders on mania, that no other winner embodies the inner grit, eternal enthusiasm and musical passion of the “American Idol” ethos better than Clarkson, and Thursday night’s medley offered final and fabulous proof.
Never mind the litany of hit songs with which Clarkson proved that winning a talent competition really could launch a legitimate and long-lasting career. Never mind her still stunningly powerful voice or the moving rendition of her Season One signature, “A Moment Like This.”
What was truly amazing was that she did it all pregnant. Not just a little pregnant, a lot pregnant.
Do you know how hard it is to breathe when you’re that pregnant? How hot you get anyway, even without the form-fitting black dress and relentless stage lights?
But there Clarkson stood, in high heels, belting out song after song, a musical mother goddess with enough self-deprecating sass to tweet, during the performance: “Who’s that sweaty, pregnant girl singing? Oh snap, that’s me hahaha.”
Which is pretty much “American Idol” in a nutshell: Sing big, own your brand and leverage social media.
Even for those of who stopped watching “Idol” years ago, the finale was worth watching for Clarkson alone.
But there were plenty of other amazing moments too. Opening with President Obama’s masterful pivot from the importance of “Idol” to the importance of voting in November, the finale was essentially “American Idol’s Greatest Hits,” two hours filled with strong and varied performances from stellar fan favorites, from Pia Toscano and Jordin Sparks to the goofy “pants on the ground guy” and William Hung.
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FOR THE RECORD
April 8, 2:16 p.m.: An earlier version of this article misspelled William Hung’s last name as Huang.
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Keith Urban teamed up with Carrie Underwood, Katharine McPhee showed up blond, the Three Divas —Jennifer Hudson, Fantasia and LaToya London — amazed (and Fantasia continued her personal style revolution) and a group of male “Idol Rockers,” including Caleb Johnson, James Durbin and Chris Daughtry brought down the house.
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Melinda Doolittle, left, Jordin Sparks and Taylor Hicks were among those walking the final red carpet for Fox’s “American Idol” at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles.
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Carrie Underwood arrives at the “American Idol” farewell season finale at the Dolby Theatre.
(John Salangsang / Invision / Associated Press) 3/12
Allison Iraheta, left, Jennifer Lopez, Fantasia Barrino
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Finalist Trent Harmon
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Chris Daughtry arrives at the “American Idol” farewell season finale at the Dolby Theatre.
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Keith Urban
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Joshua Ledet, left, James Durbin and Heidi Lowe, Kimberley Locke
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Constantine Maroulis
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Lauren Alaina
(John Salangsang / Invision / Associated Press) 10/12
Maddie Ziegler
(John Salangsang / Invision / Associated Press) 11/12
La’Porsha Renae and Trent Harmon arrive at the “American Idol” farewell season finale.
(John Salangsang / Invision / Associated Press) 12/12
Maddie Ziegler, left, Katharine McPhee and Diana DeGarmo
(John Salangsang / Invision / Associated Press) For once “Idol” seemed all about the music (as opposed to all the sappy back-story, back-stage stuff), but the show’s other in-house celebrities had their moments as well. As Seacrest attempted to open the show, he was interrupted by his original co-host, Dunkleman, finally forgiving him for elbowing him off the show.
But the big reunion came late in the game. Original judges Jackson and Abdul came out on stage grumbling about Cowell, who then appeared, amid thunderous applause, to make a lame joke about how Paula had been the mean one. Thus proving, once and for all, that it was the actual unscripted moments that made that particular trinity work for so long.
Even for those of us unable to name every performer and his or her season, it was a splendid end to a significant show. More important, with tweets flying like they did in the good old days, #Idolfinale beat #Scandal three to one.
As Clarkson proved, though the due date is near, the original can still bring it.
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