Milwaukee was on a big national stage Friday as "American Idol" took over and showcased our city to its massive Fox audience. There was a buzz in town that echoed through the weekend and resulted in a ton of national coverage including a lengthy recap of Danny Gokey's hometown visit from People.com.

What's even more impressive is the way Milwaukee turned out. Estimates of more than 25,000 on the Summerfest grounds smoked the numbers of the two other finalists Kris Allen (3,000 for a concert in Little Rock) and Adam Lambert (7,000 for a concert at his high school in San Diego).

Many people like to poke fun at "Idol," but you can't deny its popularity. I've said before that I don't watch the show, but I'm watching this week to see my city and its people party and show off our ability to look great and have fun. Great work, Milwaukee.