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The ‘American Idol’ season twelve finale was viewed last night by 34 percent fewer fans than the previous record low in 2012. OUCH!

According to early reports from the Nielsen Company, 14.2 million viewers tuned in to watch Candice Glover win this season’s competition. The previous record-low finale television audience was last year, when 22 million watched Phillip Phillips beat Jessica Sanchez for the title.

A 34 percent drop is significant, but even more troubling for advertisers is the steep 42 percent decline among the coveted young adult demographic, who have jumped ship to support NBC’s ‘The Voice’ in droves since it began airing during the 2010-11 season.

Randy Jackson, who was rocking a hideous pastel pink and blue jacket last night, has already declared his intention to quit. This leaves Ryan Seacrest as the only remaining original member of the show that was created by Simon Fuller in 2002.

The Fox network had high hopes that country crooner Keith Urban and his diva sidekicks Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj would breath new life into the tired old format. That gamble turned out to be an exercise in futility.

Maybe the show host is the bad apple that should be plucked from the tree?

Photo: Twitter-Ryan Seacrest