Crystal Bowersox

Mr. Snide showed a bit of his warm and fuzzy side during his final turn as an "Idol" maker last night.

As Simon Cowell ascended the stage of the Nokia Theater in Los Angeles for the season finale last night, he said, "I didn't know I was going to be this emotional" - though he fell short of shedding actual tears.

Much of the show turned out to be a rather lighthearted ego-stroke to Cowell, with no fewer than six video salutes to the man, profiling him as everything from a master of zingers to a minter of pan-global pop stars.

Almost coincidentally, the show also crowned a new "Idol."

Shy paint salesman Lee DeWyze came from behind to beat raspy-voiced Crystal Bowersox for this year's "Idol" title.

DeWyze actually showed more extravagant emotion than Simon, welling up when he won, thus hobbling his post-victory performance of U2's "Beautiful Day."

Surprise may have had something to do with his dramatic reaction.

The voters' choice contradicted every performance - and all of the judge's comments - from this year's final singoff the night before.

Bowersox had drawn lavish praise from the panel for all three of her performances, while a nervous-seeming DeWyze earned kudos mainly for past achievements - and for his sweet character - rather than for anything he sang.

The distance between Bowersox and DeWyze wasn't always so great.

While the 24-year-old single mother held the lead for much of the competition, she lost crucial steam in the last month.

During that stretch, DeWyze kept getting better and better reactions. Last week, Cowell all but crowned him the next winner.

Despite the back and forth between the two frontrunners, "Idol" failed to ignite its usual buzz this year.

For the first time since its early days, it fell from the No. 1 perch during several weeks, vanquished by "Dancing With the Stars."

The season also suffered the loss of loopy, but lovable, Paula Abdul, who came back last night to pay queenly tribute to King Simon.

Last night's finale also tried to earn back the core crowd's goodwill by gorging on guest stars.

They ranged from a regal looking Janet Jackson to Bret Michaels, making his first musical appearance since his near death experience, singing his old Poison hit "Every Rose Has Its Thorn." The latter performance gave the show another emotional moment.

Cowell's final words made sure to offer uplift as well. "The show will go on," he assured, because the real judge, he emphasized, "is you - the voters."