Our long national nightmare is over. The world's longest karaoke contest came to an appropriate end as two lounge singers duked it out for instant fame as Taylor Hicks and his "soul patrol" outgunned - the American Idol finalist most likely to be invited to the Playboy Mansion - Katherine McPhee.

Unfortunately, like most karaoke singers, they weren't boozing it up so there really is no excuse for how bad these two are. I do admit it is interesting to see little kids dying their hair gray to look like this "old guy" and McPhee is obviously easy on the eyes. But, the music, oh the music, was just awful.

There was at least one memorable musical highlight last night when Prince popped up with a pair of lovely sidekicks to show the kids how it's done. The Purple One's appearance was basically a commercial for his tunes, but it worked as he always puts on a great performance. Of course, I still remember the old days when Prince "hate[d] the show and has never even watched it." But, that was way back in April and, hey, people change their mind, right?

The new low of "talent" for these finalists must have been the reason Fox pulled out all that celebrity firepower like Live, Mary J. Blige and others to prop up the performances. Ok, Chris Daughtry can sing and "rock out," but so far it seems only in a Nickelback sort of way and, well, we know they don't really rock either.

Also, providing some entertainment was when the show's producers seemed as if they might have been playing a little matchmaker when they presented Clay Aiken clone Michael Standecki with a "Golden Idol" and let the kid belt out a tune with a William Hung like performance. The kid looked like he was about to pee his pants when Clay himself joined him onstage for "Don't Let the Sun Go Down On Me" - which could be some sort of code song warning parents about certain rumored predilections.

The show also further promoted the "gay agenda" (its sarcasm & satire people!) by having some cowpoke contestants who had been eliminated early in the season do a spoof short called "BrokeNote Mountain." The singing rough riders even got to perform a live song bringing us back full circle to the show's true karaoke nature.

The great thing is that music fans can now focus in on the summer concert season with some great bands working hard and paying actual dues out on the road like Snow Patrol, Drive By Truckers, American Minor, Wolfmother and many more who are actually worthy of our attention.

Enjoy the summer because next thing you know it'll be winter and commercials for the next American Idol installment will start popping up. And, of course, like this year I'll indulge in at least a little taste of this sugar pop porn.