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· The American Idol finale numbers are in and predictably huge, as 36 million people tuned in to watch Taylor Hicks embark on a career of overwrought, Idol-supplied ballads and Joe Cocker covers. As the Reporter notes, that total is "nine times the population of Hicks' native state of Alabama," where Hicks will be named emperor-for-life in a ceremony later today. [THR]
· People suddenly start caring about the NBA Playoffs this season, spurring a ratings surge helping justify ABC, TNT, and ESPN's massive investment in televising pro basketball games. [Variety]
· Hustle & Flow director will stay with Paramount to make Maggie Lynn, the country music-centered third installment of his "music that people in Tennessee seem to like" trilogy. [Variety]
· Studios and networks are suing Cablevision for offering its "RS-DVR" on-demand service, which allows customers too forgetful to set their own DVRs to watch programming the cable provider has pre-recorded for them, on the grounds that the nets and studios need more time to launch their own services aimed at further bleeding the lazy. [THR]
· Sofia Coppola's dad rides on the coattails of his famous filmmaker daughter, decides to give the directing thing a whirl. [Variety]