By Scott Collins
Los Angeles Times
LOS ANGELES – This was supposed to be the year that “American Idol” crashed and burned. How could it not? Everyone knew ex-judge Simon Cowell was the star. Once he packed up and left with his tight T-shirts and brutal one-liners, “Idol” was like a young singer who forgets the lyrics: Living on borrowed time.
But turns out the pessimists will have to hang on to those eulogies a little longer.
Although “Idol” has continued to decline in the ratings – as it has done every season since 2006 – the loss has been far less than many observers were expecting. The Wednesday shows are averaging 24.4 million viewers, down 7 percent compared with last season, according to the Nielsen Co. Some of the same critics who jeered when Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez were first mentioned as prospective judges have warmed up to the pair on the show. So have viewers: Tyler, the Aerosmith front man, received a raucous ovation when he was introduced to the studio audience on Tuesday’s show.