WINNER!!! (oh yeah, don't look if you didn't watch AI)

I felt bad for Clay too - Ruben looked like he could have handled himself ok if he lost. Either way, they're both amazing, and one had to lose.

Actually, I thought all 3 finalists were awesome - they'll all have good things happening for them in the future.

I still can't get over the closeness of the votes - only 1300??!!! That's nothing! I just wonder how fair it really is - especially when you can have some kid in say Idaho with nothing better to do than call and vote repeatedly for the same person!

I'm confussed, I thought I heard last night that the vote difference was about 1300 votes, but this morning on GMA they said it was around 130,000 votes.

I think Clay has a better voice. Its more powerful and steady.

They first said 13,000 which is still close, and then Ryan said that was wrong and corrected the number to 1,300. (can it really be that close?!) Ruben got 50.24% or something and Clay got the balance - it was ridiculously close!!

I would do the math but I can't remember how many total number of votes they had.

Yeah!!!!!!

I was in tears last night!!!!

So Happy!!!!! REUBEN!!!!

I saw Ryan Seacrest on the TOday show this morning and he said that the actual difference in votes was 130,000, that the producers had given him 3 different numbers (1300, 13,000 and 130,000). If you think about it - if 24 million votes has been cast, 1300 votes would have been an infentesimal difference...it would not have accounted for a 1% difference as reported. 130,000 makes more sense.

GO RUBENNNNNN

yes, 1,300 didn't seem right - 130,000 is still close, but at least more accurate

It had to be 130K votes difference if you do the math. Not a huge margin but AI should be able to figure out the right number to give their host. The show as 2 HOURS long, they cant find a calculator?

I Love Rueben!!! He is like a big teddy bear. His dimples are so sweet.

Clay has a great voice too and I'm SURE he will get a contract somewhere.

I only watched a little bit of it (switching in between the bachelor), but right before the announcement was made...or when that guy Clive Davis was talking...they said they were going to release their albums during the same week...and both of them looked shocked...so I don't think that anyone loses in this situation...and I have a feeling that Clay will sell more records to the teenyboppers...

Clay belongs on Broadway- and that is not a dis. It is not easy to be a broadway star nor is it 'less' than being a pop star. They are just different careers.
The title means you have to do a lot of publicity. But since both have already started recorded there really isn't much difference between winning and being #2.

I tuned in at the end also, and I also thought that they looked shocked when Simon said they would both be releasing albums at the same time. Clay looked at Ruben like he had never heard that before. I love Ruben, although technically Clay has the better singing voice (IMO) Ruben is the whole package, and I like watching him sing as much as hearing him sing. Clay gets on my nerves but if I dont look at him he has a great voice. I bet he kicks as* on broadway