>>The biggest target has been Carly Smithson, the Irish belter with the sob story about her visa problems. Under her maiden name, Hennessy, she released an album in 2001 called “Ultimate High.”
So what, “Idol” executive producer Nigel Lythgoe said in a conference call last week. It is not against “American Idol” rules for anyone to have ever had a record deal. Or to have released a record. Or to have won another TV talent contest. Or to have gotten $50 to sing “You Light Up My Life” at their sister’s wedding.
“Nobody said this is an amateur competition. [That] is something people are making up for themselves,” he said. “The rules of the competition say you can’t be in contract now.”
He said Kelly Clarkson had a professional contract before Season 1. And Bo Bice had a deal before Season 4.
“We’re doing everything about who they are and what they are now,” Lythgoe said.
In its seventh season, “American Idol” is sitting atop the ratings in all demographics, according to Nielsen Media Research. Last week’s Tuesday episode was watched by 27.9 million viewers while 26.2 million people watched Wednesday’s showing.
At 7 p.m. Tuesday, the 12 men hit the stage, followed by the 12 women at 7 p.m. Wednesday. The bottom two vote-getters from each group will be eliminated during Thursday’s 7 p.m. results show.
Theme nights will start with the final 24 instead of the final 12, as in the past. Next week, everyone has to sing a song from the 1960s.
The 24 are choosing from 50 songs from the ’60s that “Idol” got permission to use. The contestants can play instruments in the next rounds.
No celebrity mentors have been chosen, Lythgoe said, but the season will have only four, adhering to his promise to have fewer.
David Archuleta
Age: 17
Home: Murray, Utah
Experience: Won the reality show “Star Search” at age 12
Most likely to … be plagued by a puberty-induced voice crack
Celeb look-alike: Gilbert Gottfried
Colton Berry
Age: 18
Home: Staunton, Va.
Experience: He began singing in church when he was 5.
Most likely to … engage in a season-long argument with judge Simon Cowell, who didn’t agree with him being a finalist
Celeb look-alike: Anne Heche
Robbie Carrico
Age: 26
Home: Melbourne, Fla.
Experience: He has been a member of two groups, Boyz N Girlz United and Missing Picket.
Most likely to … butcher a Matchbox Twenty song
Celeb look-alike: Bucky Covington
Jason Castro
Age: 20
Home: Rockwall, Texas
Experience: Played in a band called Keeping Lions
Most likely to … be the “Idol” voters’ favorite and make it farther than anyone expected
Celeb look-alike: Sonny, lead singer of P.O.D.
David Cook
Age: 25
Home: Tulsa, Okla.
Experience: The guitar player and singer was a member of two bands, Axium and MWK.
Most likely to … be mistaken for a member of My Chemical Romance
Celeb look-alike: Chris Gaines
Chikezie Eze
Age: 22
Home: Inglewood, Calif.
Experience: Eze studied singing at Santa Monica College.
Most likely to … have a facial-hair accident
Celeb look-alike: Mekhi Phifer
Michael Johns
Age: 29
Home: L.A.
Experience: The Australian-born Johns was a member of a band called The Rising.
Most likely to … be in the Final 2
Celeb look-alike: Zach Braff
Luke Menard
Age: 29
Home: Crawfordsville, Ind.
Experience: After leaving a job with a finance company in Chicago, Menard began touring with an a cappella group.
Most likely to … be nicknamed “McDreamy” by judge Paula Abdul
Celeb look-alike: Luke Perry
Garrett Haley
Age: 17
Home: Elida, Ohio
Experience: He began singing in elementary school and has performed in high school musicals.
Most likely to … pull a hair stunt a la Sanjaya Malakar
Celeb look-alike: Billy Boyd
Danny Noriega
Age: 18
Home: Azusa, Calif.
Experience: Noriega has been singing his entire life and likes to dance and make people laugh.
Most likely to … have an affair with Paula
Celeb look-alike: Pete Wentz
David Hernandez
Age: 24
Home: Glendale, Ariz.
Experience: He has been a member of the bands Tribet and Straight Up.
Most likely to … be the vanilla, hard-to-hate-or-like contestant
Celeb look-alike: Ray Romano
Jason Yeager
Age: 28
Home: Branson, Mo.
Experience: He was a member of a boy band called True This and plays guitar, piano and drums.
Most likely to … be completely ignored by viewers
Celeb look-alike: Young Tom Cruise
ALEXANDREA LUSHINGTON
Age: 17
Home: Douglasville, Ga.
Experience: Lushington began singing in church when she was 2 years old and sings in her high school choir.
Most likely to … be driven to tears by Simon
Celeb look-alike: Angela Bassett
AMANDA OVERMYER
Age: 23
Home: Mulberry, Ind.
Experience: She was lead singer for the band Steeleto.
Most likely to … be the first “Idol” finalist to sing a Metallica song
Celeb look-alike: Kelly Osbourne
KADY MALLOY
Age: 18
Home: Houston
Experience: She has sung in restaurants, plays the tambourine and has a knack for vocal impressions.
Most likely to … flirt with Simon
Celeb look-alike: Ashley Tisdale
CARLY SMITHSON
Age: 24
Home: San Diego, Calif.
Experience: She made her singing debut in “Les Miserables” in Dublin. She moved to L.A. at age 13 and released an album in 2001.
Most likely to … be deported
Celeb look-alike: Dolores O’Riordan
JOANNE BORGELLA
Age: 25
Home: Hoboken, N.J.
Experience: The plus-size model won the reality show “Mo’Nique’s F.A.T. Chance” in 2005.
Most likely to … be a professional reality show contestant
Celeb look-alike: Vivica A. Fox
KRISTY LEE COOK
Age: 24
Home: Selma, Ore.
Experience: The horse trainer plays piano and was a member of the band Sixshooter.
Most likely to … be a country star after “Idol”
Celeb look-alike: Hayden Panettiere
AMY DAVIS
Age: 25
Home: Cedar Lake, Ind.
Experience: The Purdue University graduate has performed with groups including Echoes of Pompeii, a Pink Floyd tribute band.
Most likely to … be swept up in an Internet porn controversy
Celeb look-alike: Teri Hatcher
ASIA’H EPPERSON
Age: 19
Home: Joplin, Mo.
Experience: Epperson has been singing since she was 3. She enjoys dancing, acting and fashion.
Most likely to … undergo an image makeover during the course of the season
Celeb look-alike: Christina Milian
RAMIELE MALUBAY
Age: 20
Home: Miramar, Fla.
Experience: The Saudi Arabian-born Malubay has been singing since she was 12 years old.
Most likely to … be subjected to many “big things come in small packages” cliches throughout the season
Celeb look-alike: Tila Tequila
SYESHA MERCADO
Age: 21
Home: Miami
Experience: Mercado competed on the short-lived reality show “The One: Making a Music Star” in 2006.
Most likely to … get a contract with L’Oreal after “Idol”
Celeb look-alike: Thandie Newton
ALAINA WHITAKER
Age: 16
Home: Tulsa, Okla.
Experience: She began singing at age 4 and has performed at festivals throughout Oklahoma.
Most likely to … be the straight-as-an-arrow contestant that Simon undermines
Celeb look-alike: Hilary Duff
BROOKE WHITE
Age: 24
Home: Van Nuys, Calif.
Experience: She has performed as a solo artist.
Most likely to … be the first woman voted off
Celeb look-alike: Lisa Kudrow
[SOURCE FOR SINGER BACKGROUNDS: FOX]THE TOP 24
Meet the “American Idol” contenders. Male singers will perform at 7 p.m. Tuesday. The women will perform at 7 p.m. Wednesday. The results show begins at 7 p.m. Thursday.
TOP 5 PREDICTIONS
It’s never easy figuring out who will end up as the Top 5 “Idol” contestants, but RedEye “Idol” blogger Brian Moore and TV writer Curt Wagner are up to the task. And despite the fact that they both picked Sanjaya Malakar as a Top 5 finisher last year, these predictions are solid. [REDEYE]
Brian’s picks
1. Syesha Mercado
2. Michael Johns
3. Danny Noriega
4. Kady Malloy
5. David Archuleta
Curt’s picks
1. Syesha Mercado
2. Michael Johns
3. Carly Smithson
4. David Archuleta
5. Alaina Whitaker
