Finale Ratings: 'Oprah' Breaks Record, 'American Idol' Soars

"The Oprah Winfrey Show" finale delivered a highest overnight rating for the program in 17 years. The last episode which aired May 25 received a 13.3 household rating, according to preliminary ratings from Nielsen. That was the biggest since a February 21, 1994 episode titled "People Shed Their Disguises" which generated a 13.4 rating. The Wednesday installment was the culminate in a three-day farewell episodes of "Oprah". The Monday and Tuesday episodes, which were star-studded, delivered a 10.2 rating and a 10.7 rating respectively. In the meantime, "American Idol" ended the tenth season with a huge rating.

The final result show which crowned Scotty McCreery as the champion averaged 28.2 million viewers with a 8.9 rating in 18-49 demographic. It was up 9% in the demo and 17% in total viewers from 2010. "Idol" finale also beat "Dancing with the Stars" season ender (20.9 million, 4.5), which aired on Tuesday, by 32% in total viewers. However, "DWTS" finale knocked down "Idol" penultimate episode which aired on the same day.

Hines Ward Wins 'Dancing With The Stars'

The dancing was top-notch and the competition was intense, but there could be only one winner as the latest season of "Dancing With the Stars" came to a close Tuesday night (May 24). After the rest of the season's contestants and a string of musical guests, it was Hines Ward who received the series' coveted mirror-ball trophy alongside partner Kym Johnson.

"You know, starting this competition, I never thought I'd be in the finals," the NFL champion told host Tom Bergeron. "But I owe it all to Kim. She's an amazing teacher, and I want to thank the judges for giving us the constructive criticism to help me get better each week. Also, I want to thank all the fans."

Before Hines was announced as the champ, the last couples duked it out in the competition's final dance round, where all three celebrity contestants wowed the judges. Kane performed the waltz (30/30), Alley grooved to the cha-cha (30/30) and Hines danced the samba (30/30 score).

Ward's victory wasn't the only highlight during the finale. Mike "Psycho Mike" Catherwood, the season's first castoff, taped a skit of himself trying out for different dance troupes before showing off his new and improved moves on the dance floor. Petra Nemcova offered fans a flashback when she danced the waltz to a live rendition of "You Raise Me Up" from special guest Josh Groban. Kendra Wilkinson played up her Playmate persona by dancing in a shimmery yellow ensemble with a foursome of dance partners. Unfortunately, her attempt to dazzle the audience nearly fell flat when the reality starlet almost slid the judge's table, only to have her partner act fast and catch her.

Some celebs in the audience included "Dancing With the Stars" alumni Aaron Carter and Brandy. The show brought out even more star power throughout the night when the Black Eyed Peas, the Go-Go's and Sara Evans took over the stage to perform eye-catching numbers. With a glow-in-the-dark stage setup (and accompany robot gear), BEP brought the audience to their feet with new single "Don't Stop the Party." While the Go-Go's celebrated the 30th anniversary of their debut album, Beauty and the Beat, by performing 80s hit "We Got the Beat," former "Dancing With the Stars" contestant Evans was on hand to perform her song "A Little Bit Stronger."

Did Hines deserve to win? Let us know in the comments!

'DWTS' Chelsea Kane: 'This will be my first trophy!'

Just saying, fans of Kirstie Alley and Hines Ward: Chelsea Kane has never won squat, so she wouldn’t mind taking home that mirror trophy during Tuesday’s final of Dancing with the Stars. ”This would be the first thing I’ve ever won,” the actress told reporters after Monday’s show. “Kirstie and Hines have won Emmys and Super Bowls. This will be my first trophy if I take it home! I’ll dedicate it to the whole room.”

But were her two dances on Monday strong enough to warrant a first place win? SPOILER ALERT! Don’t go to jump if you haven’t watched her perform.

Kane’s freestyle looked crazy difficult, but the problems with her battery pack were just crazy. Not long after she took the stage with Ballas to perform her final dance Monday, a battery pack that was supposed to power the lights in her costume dropped down her pant leg and hung from the hem while she bounced around the floor.

Remarkably, Kane muddled through — and got a perfect 30 because of it (that’s after her samba earned a 29 earlier in the night). ”That dance almost killed me so to come out with that score was really awesome.” she told reporters after the show. “My battery pack fell off after the very first kick. I wasn’t thinking about the lights as much as that thing flying out and knocking Mark. The dress rehearsal of this dance was pretty much a disaster. We can laugh about it now, but I fell out of almost all of the lifts. Are we doing that thing where you choke in the finals? I thought that was it. Nine weeks of rehearsals and we blow it at the end.”

Did she think Ballas’ freestyle was over the top? “There is no such thing as crazy anymore. Any idea now, you go `yeah, yeah, that sounds like a great idea! You want me to flip upside down and fly around with the Bionic Woman cords all around my legs?’ The farther and farther you get in the competition, the phrase less is more doesn’t exist anywhere here. I’ve forgotten how to do the simplest thing. Everything is so amplified now.”

As for life after DWTS, Kane says she’s had “a couple of offers” — including a film – but said she wants to make sure her next project is appropriate for her fans. “I need to find the right project so they can come with me,” she said. For now, though, her focus remains on snagging that first-ever trophy.

Another celeb banished from 'Dancing' ballroom

Romeo is saying goodbye to the "Dancing With the Stars" ballroom.

The actor and rapper (once known as Lil' Romeo) was dismissed Tuesday from the ABC dance contest.

Romeo's exit was somewhat of a surprise for those who expected rival Ralph Macchio to get the hook after a leg injury hurt his performances on Monday's edition.

After learning his fate, Romeo said the show had changed his life. He explained that before he entered the competition, "I was terrified of dancing. I didn't even dance at my own prom."

On Monday, Romeo had won praise from judge Len Goodman, who reminded him that a week earlier, "I said to you, 'Up your game,' and that's just what you have done."

Judges' scores are combined with viewer votes to determine which celebrity is ousted each week. Romeo joins previously dismissed dancers Chris Jericho, Sugar Ray Leonard, Wendy Williams, Mike Catherwood, Petra Nemcova and Kendra Wilkinson.

The remaining contestants - Macchio, along with Kirstie Alley, Chelsea Kane and Hines Ward - will battle it out in next week's semifinals.

Ralph Macchio Dances Through an Injury on 'Dancing with the Stars'

The top five couples took to the stage on 'Dancing with the Stars' this week, but one of the celebrities didn't get the practice time he was used to.

"At this point in a normal week, Ralph and I would have at least put in 40 hours of rehearsal already," said Ralph Macchio's partner Karina Smirnoff. "We've only done nine because of Ralph's leg injury."

Macchio had a cyst rupture behind his knee, but he wasn't going to let that stop him on the dance floor. He limped to and from the judges, but there was little evidence of his injury during either of his dances, though he did struggle a bit in the judges' remarks

He also wound up with the overall lowest marks of the night, with a combined total of 46 points for his two dances combined.

Did Macchio do enough to stave off elimination? Will his fans rally to his aid?

'Dancing With the Stars' recap: Some Were Born to Sing the Blues(Foto Gallery)

In a rare crossover between hit shows on different networks, controversial American Idol evictee Pia Toscano appeared as the headline act on ABC's Dancing with the Stars tonight.

Fox obviously know they've been forced to let a star slip through their fingers as they asked Toscano, 22, to open Thursday night's Idol show with others who had been eliminated.

But Dancing with the Stars gave the New Yorker top billing tonight, ahead of popular classic acts Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block, who appeared together.

Toscano was also allowed to have rumoured boyfriend Mark Ballas, 26 , dance beside her as she belted out a tune by Chrissie Hynde's Pretenders.

Indeed, the supposed couple seemed to want to address the rumours definitively by making their first appearance together before an advertising break.

Ballas protectively clamped the beauty to him, clutching her nude skintight dress - notably not reaching out in the same way to dancer Karina Sminoff, who also performed with them, and was standing to his left as he held Pia on the right.

He and Smirnoff danced while Toscano belted out The Pretenders classic, I'll Stand By You, appropriate considering the cosy set-up, though I'll twirl by you would've been more precise.

Presenter Tom Bergeron congratulated Toscano after the ballad and said that from their side of 'the corridor,' they couldn't understand why she'd been voted off Idol.

He then said he'd been asking to find out if she was dating Ballas but that he wouldn't go there, so instead enquired as to whether or not the pro-dancer is a good kisser, Toscano replied with a beaming smile: 'He is a wonderful person.'

Also grinning despite being eliminated from the show was wrestler Chris Jericho, who left only one night after landing in last place on the smash hit show.

'It's actually good timing that I got eliminated because I have to fly over to England for the royal wedding,' Jericho joked after learning his fate tonight.

He and his professional dance partner, Cheryl Burke, collected 22 points out of 30 on Monday for a tango that one judge described as 'cold, uneventful and a bit lumpy.'

Judges' scores are combined with viewer votes to determine which celebrity is eliminated each week.

'Let's be honest: It wasn't my best dance, and at this point in the competition, you have to be your best every week or this is what happens,' Jericho said.

He added: 'I'm proud of all the dances we did and I'm proud to show that a WWE guy and a rock 'n' roll singer can go this far and do this.'

Burke told her partner he exceeded her expectations every week

'You've turned into an amazing dancer and an amazing friend,' she said.

Jericho joins previously eliminated contestants Sugar Ray Leonard, Wendy Williams, Mike Catherwood and Petra Nemcova.

Tonight's episode also featured that performance by New Kids on the Block and Backstreet Boys, and was opened by Hanson.

The boy turned man bands sang new tune together, Don't Turn Out the Lights, and their individual hits Step By Step and I Want It That Way.

Returning to perform two dances next week will be remaining contestants Hines Ward, Kirstie Alley - who was praised for confidence in her sexuality - Chelsea Kane, Kendra Wilkinson, Ralph Macchio and Romeo.

'DWTS': Ralph Macchio and Karina Smirnoff on that fall, and those 'Karate Kid' moves!

Beware of The Coat! No, a mysterious, cloaked villain didn’t hit the dance floor of Dancing with the Stars on Monday, but Ralph Macchio’s cumbrous attire was responsible for a surprise “attack” on Karina Smirnoff during their Paso Doble. Performing, appropriately enough, to C&C Music Factory’s “Gonna Make You Sweat,” the couple fumbled early when Macchio’s coat got in Smirnoff’s way and she tumbled to the ground.

“I let out a few tears back there from embarrassment. But I’m okay,” Smirnoff told reporters afterwards. “I think that good things come from accidents.”

They did, actually: The couple earned 24 out of 30 points and high praise from the judges, who commended Smirnoff for recovering so quickly. “It was only maybe five seconds all together, but at that point the only thing going through my mind was that oh, gosh, I fell down and I need to get back up,” said Smirnoff. “I’m not supposed to mess up, I’m supposed to be there for Ralph 100 percent. I didn’t even think about the judges. When the judges gave us a great score and said that he was there the whole time and he picked me up, he was the perfect partner. That says a lot about [Ralph] as a man and as a dancer.”

“It’s a love fest,” Macchio continued. “We care about each other.”

As for Macchio’s decision to perform his iconic wax on/wax off from The Karate Kid, the 49-year-old actor said he gave it a lot of thought before bringing Mr. Miyagi’s moves to the dance floor. “I’m so protective of the Karate Kid stuff. I’ve been asked do the [movie ending] crane kick since day one!” said Macchio. “For me, that’s a move for the climax. This is a move for the training process. I’m at week six. I wanted to frame it in a dance that made sense. If I put this in a waltz…how about the rumba? It doesn’t work. This was the dance for it.”