For a second year in a row, AMERICAN IDOL plays it ultrasafe.

Awhile back, I guessed that AMERICAN IDOL would give the prize to someone that Simon Fuller and his management team could easily control--relegating the more individualistic talent to runner-up.

And, for the second year in a row, it has happened.

Obviously, rootsy-bland Lee DeWyze is destined for AlternaLite radio formats in the U.S. (while 3rd-place Casey James--who did a not-bad duet of "Every Rose Has Its' Thorn" with miracle man Bret Michaels--will probably go the Chris Daughtry route).

As for Crystal Bowersox, what she should do (even if there's dumb gossip-column backlash) is order Fuller to leave her alone while the album is being recorded. And Crystal should pick her own producer; my top two suggestions would be Rick Rubin and T-Bone Burnett.