“I bought this camera for the sole purpose of documenting what I’m expecting to be the coolest summer of my life,” Cook announces, before having the house lights turned up and turning his lens on the audience and giving a shout-out to newly married Ruben Studdard. Then what bedeviled Brooke befalls Cookie: “I lost an ear (monitor) but I’ll keep it out.”

He grows grateful — “We are just 10 people who got crazy lucky” –- and sings about how he’s having the Time of My Life –- for more poignant reasons than music superstardom, it turns out. “I got great news today,” he says. “My brother’s tumor has stopped growing!” Wild cheers. “Thank you, guys, from the bottom of my heart.” He dedicates the Foo Fighters’ My Hero to his brother. “How loud can you guys get?” Very loud, it turns out.

After he jogs around the stage, a very dark and very pregnant pause ensues. Then, like Michael Jackson at the Grammys oh-so-many years ago, there’s a theatrical entrance: Cookie solo at the stage’s edge, standing in front of a literal smokescreen (psychedelic smoke images are billowing on the wall behind him) — just him, his guitar, a mike and Billie Jean.

Finally, the group finale, Rihanna’s Don’t Stop the Music, for which the Idols have tweaked or overhauled their outfits. Carly’s in sparkly tight satin, Syesha’s in Rhianna-ready booty shorts and Brooke is in some Stevie Nicks-esque, cape-like floral robe. Michael’s draped in one of his scarves (purple velvet), while Jason seems to be winking -– or is that smirking? — through the whole act.

After the Idols leave, after the lights go up, Cookie briefly returns to the stage and hands a T-shirt to a fan. Girls cram the edge of a metal balcony above. A piece of paper flutters down to where their No. 1 Idol is striding through. He catches it, borrows a pen and signs it as the chorus of “We love yous!” grows.