The numbers are in and it’s official: No one cares about Idol.
Last night’s Season 9 finale drew its lowest audience since the talent show’s first season finale in the summer of 2002; only 22.8 million viewers tuned in that year. An estimated 24.2 million viewers tuned in to watch dark horse paint salesman Lee DeWyze beat projected winner Crystal Bowersox to victory, according to preliminary ratings figures issued Thursday. Despite a grand finale that served as Simon Cowell’s swan song as the bitter voice of reason on the judge’s panel, the Idol audience shrank from 28.8 million last year and 31.6 million in 2008.