Simon Cowell is optimistic about the Davids' future

Simon Cowell is bullish on the two Davids.

Not only is the "American Idol" judge pleased with the success both David Archuleta and David Cook have had selling their recordings so far, but he thinks neither David will be a flash in the pan.

"Yeah, I have been happy," Cowell said in a conference call with TV critics. "I mean, these aren't easy times in the record industry."

Utahn Archuleta, the runner-up last season on "American Idol," sold 183,000 copies of his debut album the week it premiered. Cook, last season's winner, sold 279,000 copies of his CD the week it debuted.

And, to Cowell's way of thinking, that's a whole lot more than either of them ever would have sold had they not been on "Idol."

"The whole point of 'American Idol' is that you're giving talented people an opportunity" to become recording stars, he said. Talented people who "probably wouldn't get a break or a recording deal" without the show.

"And when you see these guys selling records, it makes the whole process worthwhile," Cowell said. "All of these contestants, whether you're talking about Kelly (Clarkson) or Fantasia (Barrino) or Carrie Underwood, they all depend on the material they record. They record great material — fantastic. Bad material — they're in the same boat as everybody else."

And he thinks both Davids have made good choices in the material they've recorded for their debuts.

"I think they're both smart," Cowell said. "I think they both know what direction they want to go in, so I'm optimistic."

ON THE OTHER HAND: Everybody at "American Idol" seems to be implying — more than implying — that last season was, well, a bore.

And, by extension, that the two Davids were dull.

Actually, the entire crop of 12 finalists from last season has been sort of lumped together as an uninspiring lot.

"Where I think we got a little bit stuck last year — it was sort of like battle of the blonds when they all looked the same and I couldn't differentiate one from the other. This year, there seems to be more personality. They're definitely standing up for themselves more, which I like."

Cowell, it seems, really wants contestants to argue with him.

"There were just too many people, I thought, last year in particular, who just weren't saying what they were thinking. I've always prided myself on this show that it's a two-way battle. We can criticize them and they have absolutely every right to criticize me in return."

"So hopefully this year, it might be the year of the contestant fights back a little bit more because I think we need that."