Simon Cowll apologizes to David Cook

Right before host Ryan Seacrest announced Cook as the next "American Idol," Cowell issued an uncharacteristic apology to the sincere 25-year-old rocker for skewering him during Tuesday's final performance show. Cowell went so far as to say that the remarks he made the night before to the future "Idol" winner were "verging on disrespectful."

"When I went back home and watched it, it wasn't quite so clear cut as we called it," he said to the final two.

Cowell congratulated and praised both Cook and runner-up David Archuleta, the smiley 17-year-old crooner from Murray, Utah. Cowell even revealed that "for the first time ever, I don't really care who wins." Such comments came as a surprise to many after Cowell heaped huge amounts of praise on Archuleta and said he won the competition by a "knockout."

The 48-year-old acerbic judge was very wrong: Cook overcame Archuleta with 12 million more votes.