What have we learned so far from season 8 of American Idol? Well, we've learned that four judges is not better than three. We've learned that Paula Abdul continues to have fleeting moments of lucidity interrupted by large spells of nonsensical crazy talk. And we've learned that you can win the entire thing even if you enjoy painting your face with ridiculous amounts of guyliner. That last one, of course, is in reference to contestant Adam Lambert, who appears to be close to a shoe-in to win the competition.

I resisted Lambert for a long time, turned off not by his fashion but by some of the theatrical elements of his performance. His vibe is often more Broadway or Norweigen Cruise Lines than rock star. But the dude can sing, and he always appears humble when handling the judges' glowing compliments. Although I'm often not a fan of his on stage mannerisms, it's hard to argue against the guy being the most deserving.

Of course, beyond the flamboyant disco goth, the other big change this year has been the addition of fourth judge Kara. Now, make no mistake, Kara is not nearly as worthless as Randy Jackson who these days only seems able to mutter either "I gotta agree with Simon" and "I don't know, dog. I don't know." But she doesn't really add much either. She's not as entertainingly nutty as Paula or as entertainingly brutal as Simon. Instead, she offers a moderate, bland critique that you pretty much forget 30 seconds after she's given it. Speaking of Paula and Simon, their interplay remains the best thing about Idol. I've long believed Paula was the show's greatest asset, simply because she's so wacky that she makes live television an adventure each and every week. Apparently, Simon feels so as well. Watch him anytime Paula talks to a contestant. He's beside himself in humor and confusion. Watching her inane ramblings and his reaction and commentary to those ramblings is precious. If Idol ever goes off the air, he's hoping Simon and Paula get their own sitcom. Who knows, maybe Adam Lambert can play their wacky goth neighbor.