Fox/Michael Becker

Hey, I actually enjoyed Wednesday night's "American Idol" auditions in Miami. Yes, there were the usual wack jobs, but they didn't seem quite so, well, out there.

OK, so Contestant No. 1, Shannon McGough, 18, of Okeechobee, Fla., looked promising and, my gosh, I really wanted to get her out of her family's meat-grinding business. I had high hopes she could sing as good as she could, well, belch. (Indeed, Shannon could peel paint with her burping!)

Unfortunately, her Janis Joplin performance was an upchuck. And judge Simon Cowell, who apparently experienced a late night the night before, crowed, "I feel worse after that. It sounded like a Hungarian Janis Joplin. It actually sounds like you're eating when you sing."

Yikes. Poor Shannon was just devastated, whining that "I've never been told I sing bad before!"

Thankfully, the overall crooning improved after the belching. If you missed the auditions, here's my recap:

* Most likely to marry Paula: The sparks flew between judge Paula Abdul and Venezuelan (now in Miami) heartthrob Ghaleb Emachah, 27. Still, Simon didn't take the bait. "I would like you if I was drunk. Sober, I don't like you." Randy Jackson pointed out that Ghaleb's heavy accent might be a problem, but he and Paula let him through, prompting a flurry of kisses - from Ghaleb to the producer, the security staff, even host Ryan Seacrest.

* Most likely to marry Simon and/or Randy: Oh mama, were best buds Corliss Smith and Brittany Wescott (pictured), both 20 of Jacksonville, a hoot or what? They seemed more interested in scoping out men than singing, but both of them have major pipes. Corliss opted for throwback jazz for Randy; Brittany serenaded Simon with "My Guy." Major hugs were exchanged and both women bolted through the double doors with golden tickets.

* Most talented gals (the guys were a screaming mess at this point): Props to Suzanne Toon, 21, of Clearwater, Fla., Ramiele Malubay, 19, of Miramar, Fla., and Syesha Mercardo, 20, of Miami. Simon liked Suzanne's "sultry sexiness." Randy said Ramiele, who hopes to become the first Asian American "Idol," had "a big voice for a small girl." Syesha got through on her "effort."

* Most likely to get beat up outside the audition room: Easy enough. I wanted to climb through the tube and throttle Julie Dubela, now 16. Four years ago, we learned she made the Top 20 on "American Juniors." "I'm not a quitter," Julie intoned. But, duh, why would she tackle another Joplin song, "Me and Bobby McGee?" Simon jumped on the performance quickly. "Are you precocious?" he asked. "What does that mean?" Julie responded. Then things pretty much fell apart. Julie whined, the judges said she was over dramatic. She complained she gave up singing at a Red Sox game to audition (this was last fall). Afterward, Julie told "America" to be sure not to watch "American Idol."

* Most ridiculous, most ludicrous: Brandon Black, 20, of Pompano Beach, Fla. Period. Biggest idiot verging on lunacy. I can't remember ever hearing Simon begging security to "Get him out, get him out."

Ultimately, only 17 tickets to Hollywood were doled out. Mercifully, there's only one more audition - Tuesday in Atlanta (Ryan's hometown) - before we finally get to La La Land.

Let's hang in there together!

Sami Swanson couldn't wait to get out to Arden Fair mall the day she found out she was one of the newly installed "faces" of Abercrombie & Fitch Kids.

But, first things first: As a school cheerleader, she had a gig at a freshman basketball game at Rio Americano.

"At halftime of the game, my mom (local TV personality Beth Ruyak) brought me some ice water and showed me photos she had taken of my pictures at the store," Sami recalls. "After the game, we went straight to the mall so I could see for myelf."

The picture above, taken by her mother, shows Sami posing with the entryway photo of herself and a male model. (The image also pops up online; click here to see it and more photos.)

I spoke with Sami and Beth recently about the whirlwind experience. The Q&A appears on today's Scene cover. But there's always more to talk about when it comes to fashion and having fun, right?

Sami is definitely the right choice for an A&F Kids campaign. As her mom says: "She just exudes joy in the pictures."

Sami was discovered in August 2006 in a Starbucks in Santa Barbara by someone in the biz who said (natch), "Have you ever thought about modeling?" One Polaroid led to another, and soon Sami had an agent in L.A. and bookings with Abercrombie. She's traveled to the Florida Keys, the company's home base in Columbus, Ohio, and the Hamptons in New York.

But for the time being, Sami is firmly grounded in Sacramento. She's about to turn 15 and has quite the busy teen schedule. In addition to cheerleading, she performs with the River City Theatre Company; they're in rehearsals for the spring production of "Swing."

She also swims on the Gold River Stingrays swim team, holds a 3.7 GPA, and maintains quite a connection with not only her friends in town but "model" friends she's met on her shoots.

"I recently heard from the guy who is in the picture with me," Sami says. "He messaged me to say he couldn't believe we were in the stores."

(An interesting note: Beth's parents, who live outside of Milwaukee, visited an A&F Kids store out there to see their granddaughter's pics. The store clerk informed them that the male model's grandparents were on their way in to see them, too. How's that for a coincidence?)

Anyway, Sami refuses to rest on her good looks. Eventually, she says, she wants to go to medical school and perhaps become a plastic surgeon - not so much for cosmetic clients, but to help veterans with scarring.

For now, though, there's nothing wrong with having a little reminder of your big accomplishment. In fact, Sami has two small shopping bags from A&F Kids, and one big bag, with, of course, her image on them.

"We call them 'Sami Bags,' " Beth says.

Fox

Omaha was the setting, and corn was the crop of the day during Tuesday night's "American Idol" auditions. The show has never been to Nebraska (that I can remember), and 10,000 hopefuls showed up.

But, guess who was a no-show? Judge Paula Abdul, whose plane was delayed, leaving Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson to "flirt" with each other.

Actually, the flirting was more entertaining than the "singers," who were a mix of part-time farmers and, well, the worst of the Heartland - both vocally and fashion-wise. Where are these people shopping?

Anyway, only 19 golden tickets to Hollywood were passed out, the least of any audition city so far.

If you missed the show, here's my quick recap:

* Most wasted time spent on a human being: Chris Bernheisel, 25, of Fremont, Neb., was waaaay too excited to be there. Dude wore me out opining about how "happiness is going flying everywhere. This is the greatest moment of my life!" He wooed Simon and Randy with gifts, including stuffed animals, some sort of shirt and copius pics of himself with Kelly Clarkson. But his version of her "Since You've Been Gone," featuring a handstand of all things, was horrifying.

Chris bombed but was still rewarded by Simon, who promised him he could work the red carpet at the season finale for the local Fox affiliate. Apparently, bribes do have payoffs.

* Most likely to be an alien: Former pro wrestler Sarah Whitaker, 25, from Iowa, who did the whole Goth thing and almost beat the you-know-what out of Ryan Seacrest before "singing" for the judges. Again, awful. Simon called her warbling the perfect "soundtrack for this town."

* Most times forgetting the lyrics: Was there something in the Midwest waters? Soooo many contestants crashed and burned trying to remember their words. The show even played one of its silly games, "You Forgot the Lyrics," to illustrate the point. Jason Rich, 21, of Stout, Iowa (population 500), was given four chances to croon his country song. He made it through, but Simon berated him, saying, "I'll never give you another shot like that. If this were live, we'd be off the air."

* Most likely to get caught in the middle: Poor, delicate Samantha Sidley (pictured), 22, came all the way from L.A. to get trapped in a judging juggle when Ryan and Paula (who finally arrived) swapped jobs, with Ryan quipping, "How do I pretend to be overpaid for doing no work?" Hah! Actually, Samantha's rendition of Norah Jones' "Don't Know Why" was very good. She twirled a bit much, and her performance was overshadowed by the judges' antics - planned out, I'm sure.

* Most likely to get on the wrong show: One contestant, whose name I can't recall 'cos I was probably numb by then, descended the escalator after making it through, only to proclaim that "I'll prove to Simon I'm 'America's Next Top Model.' " Uh, that's with Tyra Banks, honey.

* Most schmaltz. Period: Of course, what would the auditions be without a heartfelt audition coupled with a family squabble. That would be Angelica Puente, 17, from Kenosha, Wis., who doesn't live with her parents because she has "issues" with them (read: her father is too strict). She went after Celine Dion, got chastised for listening to too many "records," but made it through because it wouldn't be "Idol' without a phone call to the father to tell him his daughter, who doesn't live with him, is going to Hollywood.

* Most worthy of the gold: There were several rocker contestants who wanted to follow in the footsteps of Chris Daughtry, probably one of the show's most successful non-winners. The best? Definitely David Cox, 24, of Tulsa, who watched and re-watched Chris' audition from Season 5. His "Livin' on a Prayer" earned an odd remark from Simon - "It was a little bit worthy" - but this guy actually has major potential.

The last auditioner, Leo Marlowe, 23, of Charlotte, Iowa (only 200 people live there), scored major kudos, including a "touchdown" from Paula. I can see him and David definitely making it to the Top 24.

* Least worthy of gold: Yikes, that would be Johnny Escamilla, 18, of Scottsbluff, Neb., whose gold lame jacket was a fashion disaster. Couple that with a ridiculous rendition of "Shout," and you've got "one of the weirdest guys you could ever meet," according to Simon. One thing in Johnny's favor? He cured Paula's bout of hiccups.

Tonight's show (at 8 on Channel 40) comes to us from Miami. Let's hope there are no contestants wearing bathrobes and using a feather duster as a microphone. (Yes, it happened in Omaha.)

As a kid, I always had a pet dog and now, as an adult, I'm pretty much a certified Crazy Cat Lady. (Ask around, it's true). That said, here's a show I can really give a paw stamp of approval to.

This Friday at the (aptly named) Fox & Goose, proceeds from the Music for Mutts show will benefit the Happy Tails Pet Sanctuary.

Happy Tails is a local no-kill facility dedicated to protecting and caring for homeless and abused animals. You can learn more about them here.

Not only will the show give a boost to your karma points balance, but the lineup's a good one: Richard March (pictured), Danny Secretion, Pushtonawanda, the Inversions and 2Me.

The 21-and-over show starts at 8:30 p.m. and costs $5 at the door. The Fox & Goose is at 1001 R St. For more information, visit the pub's Web site.

Fox

Paul Marturano (a.k.a. "Pauley Nipple," pictured), the "American Idol" contestant who serenaded judge Paula Abdul with his creepy "Stalker" song at the Philadelphia auditions, continues to command his 15 seconds of fame.

According to the "Idol" insiders at Popculturepr.com, Pauley has exceeded 150 radio interviews (including one recently at Sac's own The End, 107.9).

He's appeared on "Access Hollywood" (wow!), and has his own Web site.

Alas, Pauley's attempt at an appearance at this Sunday's Super Bowl in Glendale, Ariz., has been scotched. WIRN radio says it had planned to have Pauley provide on-field coverage but were denied a press pass because the NFL "considered the musical comedian a liability and did not want any antics during Paula Abdul's performance."

Note to me: Am I missing something or has Fox neglected to promote that Paula is set to appear at halftime? All I've heard about is Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers.

Anyway, Popculturepr.com says Pauley was not too happy about the NFL's decision, saying, "Why not give them (WIRN) their passes on the condition that I stay home? Take me out of the equation and don't punish WIRN for having a creative idea that you (NFL) didn't like. Oh well, maybe Tom Brady can lend me one of his girlfriends."

Yeah, right. Like that's gonna happen.

So, Pauley aside (and on a couch somewhere, I'm sure), the "Idol" auditions continue at 8 tonight (on Channel 40) with a stop in Omaha, Neb. Does it feel like this part of the show has been going on forever?

Sacramento Theatre Company quietly revealed its 2008-09 season by slipping the titles into the program for “Topdog/Underdog” and sending out postcards to current subscribers only. Though my posting undermines the integrity of that stealth campaign, here’s what’s coming:

The Main Stage season opens with “Treasure Island” (Oct. 8-Nov. 2), an adaptation by playwright Ken Ludwig (“Lend Me a Tenor”), based on the well-known adventure novel by Robert Louis Stevenson.

The English panto-based “Cinderella” returns for the holidays (Dec. 3-Jan. 4, 2009), with book and lyrics by Kate Hawley and music by Gregg Coffin (his “rightnextto me” is playing now at the B Street Theatre).

The company then follows with the opening installment of its pledge to present the complete 20th Century Cycle by August Wilson with “Gem of the Ocean.” It will be the first professional Sacramento production of a Wilson play in nearly 20 years.

Another playwright who doesn’t get as much exposure as he used to, Aristophanes, gets some play with his 411 B.C. comedy “Lysistrata” (March 11-April 5, 2009), as the women of Greece try forcing an end to war with a sex strike.

The Main Stage closes with what may be a perfect play, Michael Frayn’s devastatingly funny “Noises Off” (April 22-May 17, 2009).

Managing director Mark Standriff says subscriptions will go on sale some time in March. For more information, call (916) 443-6722 or go to www.sactheatre.org.

Meanwhile, there are also plans for a Stage 2 season and a naming announcement for that smaller theater, which the company will doubtlessly reveal in its own inscrutable way.

Really. I'm serious.

It's on Capital Public Radio's Web site during this pledge time.

Staffer Nick Brunner plugs the Peets Coffee thank-you gift.

Good stuff (the video - and the coffee).

Associated Press

The Hollywood that we all know and love - i.e., the red carpet fashions - were back in full regalia Sunday night at the Screen Actors Guild awards show.

From TV stars to movie stars, most (emphasis on most) of the actors didn't misstep when it came to what they wore. This, after not having to pick anything for last month's Golden Globes televised "announcement." In fact, most of the stars said what they wore to the SAGs wasn't a leftover from the abbreviated Globes.

They started from scratch!

E! covered the red carpet with the usual mix of silly questions, e.g. to nominee Glenn Close: "What actor best represents this generation?" Glenn looked completely dumbfounded but managed to mention a few up-and-comers. How about narrowing that a tad?

Anyway, I digress. Back to the clothes. I heard over and over what a chilly, yucky day it was in SoCal, so what do many of the women wear? But of course: strapless, metallic gowns and cocktail dresses.

Among the TV stars, I loved Debra Messing in her beaded bronze Oscar de la Renta with a jeweled halter neck, and Eva Longoria (pictured) looking radiant - as usual - in a beaded dress with a cowl front and cowl back (dipping oh-so-low) by designer Naeem Khan.

Among the movie stars, I didn't know Cate Blanchett was pregnant with her third child (due in April), but she looked elegant in a navy strapless gown from Balenciaga. And, speaking of adding to the family, there was quite the red carpet buzz as to whether Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt, who both showed up, were expecting. This because of the looseness of her coffee-colored vintage gown.

Meanwhile, "Ugly Betty" nominee Vanessa Williams, took bad advice from her oldest daughter, wearing a bright, bright yellow Escada gown with an ill-placed black waistband.

Blue was a wildly popular color choice for stars like Kyra Sedgwick and Marcia Cross, both wearing it well.

Of course, I enjoyed all of the hoopla from the confines of the couch at home, appropriately swathed in flannel and fleece.

Now, we move on the fashion insanity of the upcoming Grammy Awards on Feb. 10, followed (and cross your fingers) by the Oscars on Feb. 24. Stylists, get ready!

The most talented member - IMHO - of Channel 31's "Good Day Sacramento" lineup is leaving, alas.

Check out Taryn Winter Brill's farewell message here.

Please give me a moment to compose myself before I resume working.

Lefty talk show host Christine Craft (late of KSAC in Sacramento and currently on San Francisco's KGO 810-AM) nabbed a choice interview on Sunday - Hector, the pit bull terrier rescued from NFL quarterback Michael Vick's "Bad Newz Kennels."

Hector (pictured with Craft in KGO's studio), now living happily in Oakland, didn't say too much about his nightmare as a dog-fighting participant, but the scars on his chest told Craft all she needed to know. Craft, however, did have a nice interview with Leslie Nuccio, Hector's new owner.

The dog, Craft tells us, is a sweetheart.

Read more about Hector's journey here.

That certainly appears to be the case, based on announcements going out over 105.5 FM (the FM simulcast for conservative talk AM station KTKZ 1380).

No official announcement from Salem Broadcasting yet, but word on the radio street is that the station will switch to a Spanish Christian format called "Radio Luz," with the branding, "Iluminando mente y corazon." (That means, "illuminating mind and heart," if my college Spanish can be trusted.)

Stay tuned.

Every movie critic has a soft spot for a certain type of film, no matter what he or she might say to the contrary. I, for instance, am a sucker for films where men dress in drag.

Especially bad drag. A flowered dress and stubble equal hilarity for me, for reasons I probably don't want to investigate too thoroughly.

But I also appreciate good drag, and there's been none better than Tim Curry 's Dr. Frank-N-Furter in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show."

One of my fondest memories from adolescence is of watching "Rocky Horror" for the first time at a midnight screening. Seeing Curry's sweet transvestite command the screen made the experience worthwhile despite the plumes of clove cigarette smoke and candy missiles that came dangerously close to my head.

"Rocky Horror" plays at 10 tonight as part of the Movies on a Big Screen series at 600 4th St. in West Sacramento. Admission is $6, and costumes are encouraged.

The evening of films starts at 7 p.m. with "Miss Gulag," a decidedly non-camp documentary about women prisoners in Siberia. Tickets are $5 for the earlier show.

For more information, click here.

Alert the Peabody Awards committee.

Channel 3 traffic diva Adrienne Bankert recently made her first reporting foray to Blue Canyon.

It was unintentionally hilarious.

Here are some soundbites:

* "It's actually very fun. Snowflakes are actually coming down."

* "I can't believe (it), this is so exciting. This is cool."

* "When you come up here, you want to be prepared. I forgot my gloves, so 'Hi, I put my socks on my hands.'" (Giggles and waves to camera).

And, finally, her classic toss to Walt and Deirdre back in the studio:

* "Coming up in the next half hour, I'll show you what my mom packed for me to make sure I was well prepared."

Michael A. Jones/Sacramento Bee file, September 2007

The Bee's very own columnist, Lisa Heyamoto (pictured), shows up in the Up Front section of the February issue of Sacramento magazine. Lisa, a founding resident of 21Q, left the blog last fall to pursue a higher calling - to write a three-times-a-week, three-dot column for the metro section. (She also physically moved from the third floor of the newsroom to the second floor. But, I digress.)

Anyway, what fame now! The mag focuses (as well it should) on Lisa's personal style. I've known Lisa since she arrived in Sactown from Seattle two and a half years ago. And the mustard-yellow Stuart Weitzman shoes she wears for her Sac mag photo shoot are just the best. And you've got to appreciate a young woman for discovering the unique qualities of the mani-pedi and a good night's rest.

Now, about her desire to own a Marc Jacobs handbag...Are we working in the same industry? Just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing something.

This photo, shot during the infamous roast, has surfaced on the InterWebs and it explains a lot about why ex-News10 sportscaster (now with ESPN) Dana Jacobson went off on a profane tirade against Notre Dame and Catholics.

Hey, who's that new weather guesser on Fox40's morning show?

It's the show's brand new meteorologist, Rosemary Orozco, who joined the station last week after a seven-year stint at KEYT in Santa Barbara.

According to a Fox40 press release, Orozco (pictured) is a Citrus Heights native who graduated with a broadcast journalism degree from San Francisco State. While at the Santa Barbara station, she pretty much did it all - morning news anchor, meteorologist, reporter and guest host of the business report. (What, she didn't do sports, too?)

Great segment on My58TV's morning show. Every Thursday, meteorologist Dirk Verdoorn answers a viewer weather question. Today's query: "What is rain?"

What captivated me most was the teacher-pupil vibe going on between Dirk and anchors Chris Riva and Adrienne Bankert. They all played their parts to perfection: Dirk the wise, somewhat condescending, professor; Bankert the smarty-pants A student who knows all the answers and tries to impress teacher; and Riva the deer-in-the-headlights slacker who came to class unprepared.

Excerpt:

Dirk: "The water cycle. Are you familiar with that?"

Bankert: "I remember that."

(Riva: blank stare)

After Dirk explains it all, Bankert enthuses: "Looks just like what we saw in third grade."

Still later, Bankert gushed: "How do you know all this stuff?"

Riva, deadpanning: "He's a meteorologist."

Fox

I've been so fixated on the cast of zany characters during auditions for Season 7 of "American Idol" that I haven't paid that much attention to the panel of judges.

Plus, Randy, Paula and Simon (and host Ryan) are such show stalwarts, I don't really take note beyond what they say to the winners and losers. But local "Idol" viewer Debbie e-mailed me to register a fashion complaint:

"So, do you have any idea what's up with Simon's shirts? (pictured). He seems to own only two - plain white and charcoal gray. He seems to interchange the two frequently during the day. The (producers) may need to work on their editing. Simon is not consistent in his wardrobe, and it really bugs me. Randy and Paula each have one outfit for each (audition) day. Have you noticed?"

Well, Debbie, I fear I've become somewhat jaded to Mr. Cowell's simplistic wardrobe. I don't recall him wearing anything but jeans and T-shirts for past auditions and then slipping in one or two long-sleeved crew shirts once the show moves on to Hollywood and goes live. (I guess that's his formalwear.) He has gotten gussied up for the "Idol" finales.

You're right, though. Randy and Paula must have vastly larger wardrobes than Simon. I know Paula is a shoe-aholic!

Bottom fashion line: Simon marches - and dresses - to his own beat. But hey, my biggest issue with him is I want him to take that stupid pen out of his mouth!

What is it about former Sacramento TV reporters making grossly inappropriate comments on national programs?

Wednesday, we told you about ESPN's Dana Jacobson (formerly of News10) being suspended for a profane rant against Notre Dame and, by extension, Catholics.

Now, it's Fox News' John Gibson (formerly at our own Channel 3), pushing poor taste to its limits with some awful comments about the death of actor Heath Ledger.

Gibson (pictured) jokes with colleague Tom Sullivan (another ex-Sac media type) that Ledger must have killed himself because of the stock-market tumble. Later, Gibson jokes that Ledger ended his life because he watched the Obama-Clinton debate.

An excerpt, courtesy of the blog "Think Progress", which streams some audio of Gibson's rant:

GIBSON: "Maybe he had a serious position in the market."

TOM SULLIVAN: "And possibly today, he looked at the window and said…"

GIBSON: “Oh my God.”

SULLIVAN: "His name’s not Keith Bledger, right?"

GIBSON: "He was depressed about yesterday’s downturn in the world stock markets."

Niiiiccceee.

UPDATE AT 10:23 A.M.: An alert reader points out two other ex-Sac media types who have made inappropraite on-air remarks: Rush Limbaugh and his "Monday Night Football" "black quarterback" comments, and Don Imus and his comments about the Rutgers' women's basketball team.

Fox

One of the best things about Wednesday night's "American Idol" auditions in Charleston, S.C., was imagining myself on a warm beach instead of the damp, dank surroundings in Sac.

But the show proved something else: Gather together more than 10,000 people, and most of them can't sing a lick.

The scenery was pretty, but the crooning was anything but. The first three "acts" were, as judge Simon Cowell might say, "torturous." And there seemed to be a particular need to butcher Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood's songs. "Before He Cheats" took a vocal beating.

In all, only 23 yellow tickets to Hollywood were handed out. So, if you didn't set your DVR or you want to relive the evening, here's my recap:

* Most creative coif: Raysharde Henderson, 27, of Atlanta arrived with a perfect Afro, dubbing himself the next "black Clay Aiken." His version of "I Can't Make You Love Me" was, er, quite theatrical. Simon even quipped, "I wouldn't have been surprised if you had thrown a magic trick in the middle of that." Raysharde might have elicited the seaon's first "cruise ship cabaret" reference.

* Duo dos and dont's: Charleston saw its share of duets, including brother/sister Jefferey and Michelle Lampkin. He definitely had the "ow" factor, sporting a tie around his head. They sang "I'm Your Angel," and there was some discrepancy among the judges as to whether to let both through. (Michelle's voice was not as strong as her brother's.) But, Simon insisted they couldn't split the pair. On the flip side, Randy Stark, 27, of Abilene, Texas, and Crystal Ortiz, 26, of Raleigh, N.C., (boyfriend/girlfriend) only had love going for them. Their duet hurt everyone's ears, but I was impressed that Randy's expertise is in giving audition advice on an "Idol" message board.

* No means "No": Great montage of contestants getting the boot. Some seemed resigned to the rejection; others, like Aretha Codner, 22, of Buffalo, N.Y. (pictured), refused to accept their lack of talent. Aretha, named after "Aretha," sported a horrifying pale blue cocktail dress with an oversized silver belt. "I'm as good as Fantasia (Barrino) or any of the other 'Idols,' " she said, promptly murdering a Whitney Houston song. "But I have a beautiful voice," she whined. "I stop crowds." Judge Paula Abdul, never one to be too mean, told Aretha she "loved your confidence."

* A love/hate thing: I wished Air Force pilot Lindsey Goodman, 28, of Charleston could sing as well as she flies C-17s. She was genuinely nice. However, I completely agreed with Simon that Amy (Catherine) Flynn, 16, of Knoxville, Tenn., who made it through, will annoy the snot out of everyone. The captain of her high school dance team, Amy also preaches abstinence to other students. She even gave Simon a lecture on pre-marital sex! HAHHH! I personally didn't think her rendition of "Reflections" was anything to gloat about.

* Most likely to serve rather than sing: That would be DeAnna Prevatte, 26, of Albemarle, N.C., hometown of that Southern darling, Kellie Pickler from Season 5. Like Kellie (who worked at a Sonics), DeAnna waits tables at a restaurant where the patrons are aggressively hungry on Sundays. "It's all you can eat, and they (customers) run us to death. It's not a buffet," DeAnna complained. "Then they just leave you a dollar." DeAnna took out her frustration on a song called "Fancy," losing her dress straps and dropping to her knees at one point. Unlike Kellie, though, it was a "No" for DeAnna.

Of course, it wouldn't be "Idol" auditions without a schmaltzy ending story. And that would be Oliver Highman, 27, of Cornelius, N.C., who missed the first day of the auditions because his very pregnant wife, Allison, went into labor and delivered their daughter, Emma Grace. Not missing a beat, the new parents showed up on Day 2, newborn in tow. Oliver, who looked more like he should be selling insurance than singing, pulled a falsetto on the judges and was dubbed "corny and old-fashioned." But the baby was really, really cute.

We're heading down the audition stretch. On Tuesday (at 8 p.m. on Channel 40), the gang hits the heartland with a stop in Omaha, Neb. I'm not sure when it happens, but host Ryan Seacrest will become Judge Ryan, replacing Paula for part of the gig.

My story on the Oscar nominations focused on the pictures and performances that made it into the best-picture and acting categories, along with those that were omitted. But some of the more interesting Oscar choices happened further down the line, in the screenwriting categories.

That's where Sarah Polley was recognized with a best adapted screenplay nomination for "Away From Her," and three women (Tamara Jenkins for "The Savages," Diablo Cody for "Juno," and Nancy Oliver for "Lars and the Real Girl") made the cut in the original-screenplay field.

This great showing by female screenwriters seems all the more exceptional in a broader Oscar field dominated by the male-centric "There Will Be Blood" and "No Country for Old Men."

Jenkins and Polley also directed their films, but women have famously been shut out of the directing category. In 80 years, there have been just three nominees (Sofia Coppola , Jane Campion and Lina Wertmuller) and 0 winners.

Jose Luis Villegas/Sacramento Bee file/Dec. 6, 2005

So I made a rather broad-brush generalization in a posting the other day about how all local TV reports about Stockton are crime-related.

I didn't mean it literally. (Though, during a sweeps period in November, 2006, I did count up the stories and 22 of the 29 about Stockton were about crime.)

Anyway, Tim Daly (pictured), News10's Stockton reporter, called me on my assertion and kindly sent me 15 recent non-crime stories that News10 has done from that lovely Central Valley metropolis. Here's Tim's list:

* Today, Stockton Arena (pictured, above), and Thunder hosting all-star game

* PG&E tree trimmers (as the big storm approached)

* Well-known Stockton doctor claiming successful Parkinson's Disease treatment

* Amtrak busier as gas prices increase

* Christmas donations to police for the needy

* Governor visits Stockton for foreclosure town hall

* Hot tub business adjusts to foreclosure climate - (fewer employees, fewer customers)

* New Sheraton Hotel opens downtown

* Toyota sued by local family in fatal traffic accident

* Effort to save downtown residential hotels

* Salvation Army giveaway

* Two kids offer free hugs, and put their efforts on YouTube

* Franklin High School recruiting scandal

* Franklin High School national essay award winner

* Point Break, a workshop for troubled teens

Dana in her Sacramento days...

...And Dana now at ESPN

The blogosphere is buzzing (OK, maybe it's a faint hum) with news about ESPN sportscaster Dana Jacobson's profane and sacrilegious tirade at a recent roast for colleagues "Mike & Mike" in Atlantic City.

Read the sordid details here.

You may recall, with the proper swell of civic, uh, pride, that Jacobson went to ESPN in October, 2002, after a stint as a sports anchor at our very own News10. She hosted a show called "The Red Zone." Now, she's just red-faced - and suspended from ESPN.

But at least Jacobson took responsibility for her remarks in her apology. Which is more than you can say about Channel 3 reporter Adrienne Bankert's "if I offended anybody..." apology after remarks about Jewish people.

Note to broadcasters: When it comes to religion, it's best to keep your thoughts to yourself.

A lot of things/people have been turning the big 5-0 recently. And at 21Q, we don't like discussing ages.

Nevertheless, I admit I've been hearing a lot lately from AARP, in particular its magazine, which also marks a golden anniversary this year. In honor of the momentous occasion, the publication devotes its January/February issue to famous faces who also are marking a 50th birthday, including Caroline Kennedy, who graces the cover.

So, do we really believe 50 is the new 50?

There also are six celebs who will turn 50 this year and who were quite willing to open up to AARP about what it feels like - or will soon feel like.

For example, Ellen DeGeneres will celebrate on Saturday as well as on her show, with some new dance moves. Actress Sharon Stone (March 10) is my kind of 50-something, adhering to a vigorous lifestyle of no exercise and lots of dark chocolate. And Michelle Pfeiffer (April 29) has given up smoking and taken on sunscreen.

Prince (June 7) is contributing to the fragrance world with 3121, and Viggo Mortensen, who on Tuesday received a Best Actor Oscar nomination, may be celebrating from Feb. 24 (when the Academy Awards are set to be handed out) all the way to his big day, Oct. 20.

And it does my heart good to know how great a woman can look at 50 when she has plenty of "people" to keep her going. Of course, that would be Madonna, who will mark the day on Aug. 16. AARP says the Material Girl is even contemplating a "Madonna at 50" tour.

Maybe I'll go and find out what all this yoga yakking is about.

The 50th anniversary issue of AARP is on newsstands now. No discounts for being old!

Fox

The "American Idol" auditions Tuesday night in San Diego produced the most yellow tickets to Hollywood - 30 - but the show itself hit one too many sour notes as far as this fan is concerned.

It was only an hourlong show, but it left me thinking about shows to come, including the season finale of "The Real Housewives of Orange County." What does that tell you?

About 12,000 contestants showed up, and viewers were "treated" to a smattering of bad singers from Northern California, including one Christopher Mitchell, 19, of Citrus Heights, who was absolutely horrible!

Anyway, just in case you switched over to "The Biggest Loser," or just want to relive the moments, here's my recap of the show.

* Most endearing contestant: This one's easy, and it really wasn't the contestant, but his son. Perry Cataldo of Phoenix is a single father who brought his adorable kid with him. Mom died in 2005, so Perry has been going it alone. His little boy was allowed in the audition room after dad made it through to Hollywood.

* Worst Mariah moment: The honor goes to Valerie Reyes, 20, of Riverside, who was told by judge Simon Cowell that her Mariah CD "had been left out in the sun for a year." When will these folks learn the rules regarding Mariah, Whitney, et al.?

* Most 'that-creeped-me-out' moment: Contestant Samantha Musa, 20, of Baldwin Park, Ca., dragged her Simon-obsessed sister into her audition. While Samantha belted out a pretty decent Aretha Franklin song, the sister was perched on Simon's lap! She even got to vote (natch), making it four "yeses" to send Samantha on to Hollywood. Yuck!

* Most memorable moments: I liked the Aussie Michael Johns, 28, who now croons in L.A. Simon likened him to a "white soul singer." And then there was young David Archuleta, 16, from Utah, who had suffered some form of vocal paralysis, but pulled off a great audition, with Randy Jackson singing with him.

* Most embarrassing moment: Christopher Baker (pictured), 22, of San Diego couldn't get over the fact that the judges just didn't like him. Changing songs didn't help. At one point, Simon put it bluntly: "You and I are listening to two different things."

* Most worthy show stopper: "Idol" always saves either a freak or a swan song for the final audition. In San Diego, it was Carly Smithson, 23, who originally is from Ireland. She auditioned for Season 5 (in Las Vegas with eventual winner Taylor Hicks) and earned a ticket to Hollywood. Alas, Carly's visa didn't come through in time and she was disqualified. This audition, in which she sang "I'm Every Woman," took about five seconds before she got another ticket - and another chance.

Tonight (at 8 on Channel 40), the auditions move back to the East Coast and lovely Charleston, S.C. Prepare for some "drawling" and, if we're lucky, some decent singing.

Northern California's two erudite radio talk show hosts, KXJZ's Jeffrey Callison (left) and KQED's Michael Krasny, will put their heads together (will there be room enough in the studio?) Thursday as cohosts of a public radio political forum, "Primary Concerns: California Speaks Up," from 9 to 11 a.m. on both stations.

The forum, a joint effort by Sacramento and San Francisco's NPR affiliates, along with KPCC and KPBS in SoCal, will include a panel of experts and listener call-ins. Callison and Krasny's topic will be the economy, specifically health care.

The second hour, broadcast from down south, will deal with immigration and foreign policy.

Just got word that Friday night's Shaun Slaughter good-bye party that I told you about in today's Coming Distractions column is in search of a new home.

The festivities were supposed to take place at the Townhouse, but apparantly the Townhouse was forced to shut down late last week and now there's no word on when it may re-open.

Oh, also - not sure why the midtown venue's been shuttered. Working on that one, but if anyone has any info, please give a holler.

In the meantime, Slaughter and company are hustling to find a new spot. Stay tuned for details or visit Shaun's MySpace Page for updates.

A tip o' the (chef's) hat to Fox40 for giving us a story from Stockton that doesn't involve crime.

The aptly named Fat's Grill and Bar recently made the largest cheeseburger in California, weighing in at 220 pounds and featuring 480 cheese slices. (Check out the story here.)

Wait! This might be a crime story, after all. That cheeseburger is murder on a guy's cholesterol level.

Take this as a warning advance notice: Capital Public Radio is starting its winter pledge drive on Friday.

There are the usual array of bribes"thank you" gifts. But a new twist this year is that our NPR affiliate is jumping on the green bandwagon.

If you pledge $60, you can get a tree planted in your name as part of the Boca Fire Restoration Project in Tahoe National Forest.

If you'd rather have that Peets gift certificate or Dave Brubeck DVD, click here.

News-talk radio station KFBK (1530 AM), which for several months has been auditioning a bevy of possible replacements on the morning news for soon-departing Kelly Brothers, has made a hire.

Ed Crane (pictured), a veteran of CBS radio since 1982 and currently an anchor and reporter for WCBS-AM in New York, will join KFBK as Amy Lewis' morning news cohost on Feb. 11. (Brothers' last day is Feb. 8.)

"I'm thrilled Ed has agreed to join KFBK," said Alan Eisenson, KFBK's operations manager, in a prepared statement. "He's a talented, seasoned, experienced journalist with a big personality."

Crane has worked in both television and radio throughout his career. Among his previous jobs: a reporter for "CBS Marketwatch" and anchor on CBS' program "Up to the Minute," both on television. On radio, Crane has anchored hourly news updates for the CBS network out of New York.

Brothers, who has been at KFBK for four years, recently replaced Tom Sullivan as Channel 3's business anchor. He will continue to give business updates in the mornings and afternoons on KFBK.

As I track the Academy Award nominations early Tuesday morning, I will be rooting for a few things. First: a settlement of the writers' strike in time for the Feb. 24 Oscar ceremony to go off without a hitch.

Secondly, I hope two performers currently on the bubble will be nominated: Emile Hirsch in "Into the Wild" and Amy Adams in "Enchanted."

I'm also hoping the Academy will announce that Philip Seymour Hoffman will get a special Oscar for giving three terrific performances in one year - in "Before the Devil Knows You're Dead," "The Savages" and "Charlie Wilson's War."

The Hoffman thing is unlikely, sure, but this has been a wacky awards season. Before last Sunday night, I never dreamed I would one day hear the esteemed film scholar Billy Bush question the quality of Cate Blanchett 's performance in "I'm Not There."

It's a whole new world.

As we head into Week 2 of "American Idol," Season 7, it's occurred to me that maybe no one is more invested in the show than me.

That, despite the fact that more than 75 million other viewers tuned in for the two audition shows, which took place in Philadelphia and Dallas, respectively.

But, just when I felt sooo alone, I got an e-mail from Jason Barsky (pictured), host of the local "Wake Up Call" on 107.9 The End, which proves that I'm not the only Sacramento "Idol" geek.

Jason wrote to say that he agreed with me that "AI" contestant Renaldo Lapuz and his original "Brothers" anthem (sung at the Dallas audition) might earn him the same kind of "fame" as "She Banger" William Hung.

"Was it kind of ridiculous? Yes. That is a typical theme of our (radio) show," Jason says. "We typically spend a lot of time talking about 'American Idol.' "

In fact, just last week, Jason and crew interviewed ousted contestant Pauley Nipple, who crooned that "stalker" song to judge Paula Abdul. Keep in mind that, because the auditions actually happened last August/September, folks like Jason have had plenty of time to set up interviews with the, er, losers.

"Pauley was pretty outrageous," Jason says in his e-mail. "He seemed like a pretty good guy. His personal Web site, www.paulpiano.net, actually has some very funny content on it."

Jason warns, however, not to view the site with the kiddies around.

On Tuesday night (at 8 p.m. on Channel 40), "American Idol" broadcasts its only West Coast stop - in San Diego. Socal is a relatively quick Southwest flight from Sactown - might we see someone local make it through to Hollywood?

I'll be watching! Jason, too. Tune in to the "Wake Up Call" to see if he and the gang continue to agree with the 21Q assessment of "Idol."

It's from "Good Day Sacramento," naturally.

Click here, if you dare.

In today's Weekend Ticket, I review movies opening this week. But if you're interested in other options, here are my recommendations for previously released films:

Juno
3 stars
Pregnant at 16, Juno (Ellen Page) is fortunate enough to have understanding, if also quietly horrified, parents. Her stepmother (Allison Janney) guides the girl through her pregnancy while reminding her that she’s not as grown-up as she thinks she is.
Rated PG-13

The Orphanage
3 stars
Belén Rueda ’s (pictured) performance engenders sympathy well before the most disturbing scenes begin. Her character’s love for her son radiates from the moment Rueda and her angelic-looking co-star (Roger Princép) first share a scene.
Rated R

There Will Be Blood
3 1/2 stars
Director Paul Thomas Anderson emphasizes the rope-and-pulley mechanics and constant physical dangers (punctuated by Jonny Greenwood ’s provocatively jagged score) of oil man Daniel Plainview ’s (Daniel Day-Lewis) endeavors. It’s a rare man who can go from silver mining to wildcatting and not just survive, but thrive. But Plainview is extraordinarily resilient and determined.
Rated R

Jon Stewart (great to have him back) did a funny riff on the penchant of TV talking heads to use the cliche, "Take the gloves off," when talking about the Hillary Clinton-Barack Obama smackdown.

Note to all media types: People spend time compiling lists of overused words, and many are perpetuated by our TV news friends. For instance, Lake Superior State University is doing an ongoing "banished words" blog.

Here's one example:

EMOTIONAL – “Reporters, short on vocabulary, often describe a scene as ‘emotional.’ Well sure, but which emotion? For a radio reporter to gravely announce, ‘There was an emotional send-off to Joe Blow’ tells me nothing, other than the reporter perceived that the participants acted in an emotional way. For instance: I had an emotional day today. I started out feeling tired and a bit grumpy until I had my coffee. I was distraught over a cat killing a bird on the other side of the street. I was bemused by my reaction to the way nature works. I was intrigued this evening to add a word or two to your suggestions. I was happy to see the words that others had posted. Gosh, this has been an emotional day for me.”

It's a sunny Friday, and I've got weekend fever. This one's gonna be a good one - there are places to go, people to see, songs to hear. Here are a few things on my to-do list:

1. "Sonic Youth: Sleeping Nights Awake"
This new documentary, which airs tonight in West Sacramento as part of the Movies on a Big Screen series, shows the legendary noise-pop band (pictured) playing a 2006 show in Reno.

The flick was shot by seven high school kids who made the film as part of Project Moonshine, a nonprofit group aimed at teaching documentary filmmaking to students.

The screening takes place at 600 4th St. in West Sacramento. Show time is 7 p.m. and it costs $5 at the door.

2. Knock Knock, Them Hills, Radermacher, Death to Anders at Old Ironsides
I know I already mentioned this show in my Coming Distractions column, but I just can't stop listening to the new Knock Knock album, "Girls on the Run." The local band's second full-length is just pure pop goodness - it really reminds me of another fave, Imperial Teen. Think boy-girl harmonies and killer hooks.

The 21-and-over show is a CD release for the band, so bring your money and be prepared to throw down. Starts at 9 p.m. and admission is $7 at the door.

3. The Cassidy's: "Girlfriend in a Coma"
The local alt.country band does a really sweet, kind of trippy, take on the Smiths classic. You can listen over at the band's MySpace page.

4. Concordia / Discordia T-shirts
Local artists Graciela Guardado and Richard St.Ofle - a.k.a. Concordia / Discordia - just made up some awesome new T-shirts (pictured) and you can snap them up at Olipom (1115 21st St.).

They're $18 each - a low, low price for such stylishness. Call ahead to Olipom at (916) 442.4470 to make sure they have your size in stock or visit the Concordia / Discordia MySpace page for more information.

5. Chelsea Wolfe: Last Days of Summer Sessions CD Release Party at the True Love Coffeehouse
The beguiling singer-songwriter celebrates the release of a CD with a name that makes us long for iced teas and flip-flops. Also on hand: Jay Shaner, Bobby Jordan, Noah Nelson and all those yummy True Love coffee drinks.

Show starts at 9 p.m. and is all-ages. The True Love is located at 2315 K St. For more info, go here.

One of my biggest concerns about the impending sports-filled weekend is that sports "widows," who have no interest in basketball, football or any ball for that matter, will wander into their favorite supermarket or drugstore and start perusing the hair-care aisle, possibly for something to do while their significant others are glued to the tube and a tub of wings.

OK, I'm all for hair color - no one loves it more than me. That said - unless you're a home hair-color pro, or you have "virgin" hair, i.e., you've never had any color applied to your hair - picking up a box and locking yourself in the bathroom to avoid the gridiron is not generally a good idea.

What can happen? Well, the color on the box might not end up being the color on your head. In other words, you might have a color disaster on your hands, er, hair.

Most local salons are closed Monday (it's also a holiday), so you could be stuck with a bad dye job and no recourse until Tuesday. That's when you could end up floating a loan to pay for a color correction - some salons charge as much as $100 or more an hour!

For all that trouble, you could pick up two or three fashion magazines at the store instead and sift through them for hair-color ideas. All the spring looks are starting to appear, and this way, you won't have any hair regrets Sunday night.

Well, it's been a while since we've checked in on that revolving reportorial door at Channel 13. Since our last posts (Taryn Winter Brill and Rafer Weigel leaving), we need to look at the new faces recently on the scene.

* Laura Cole (pictured), a general assignment reporter who came from Columbus, Ohio.

* Andrea Menniti, a general assignment reporter who spent two years in Salinas.

* Andrew Luria, a sports anchor who was a morning news anchor in Santa Barbara.

Man, it must be hell to work in HR at that station, with all the comings and goings and recitations of benefits packages for the arrivals and COBRA plans for the departures.

Fox

Day 2 of the Season 7 "American Idol" auditions landed us - and the contestants - deep in the heart of Texas, specifically Dallas, Wednesday night. And it didn't take long to grow weary of the phrase, "Everything's bigger in Texas!"

Of course, there were also the incessant references (both in dialogue and song choice, particularly the annoying "Never Again") to Season 1 winner Kelly Clarkson, who hails from Burleson, Texas, but made it through from Big D.

And, unless I heard it wrong, only 13,000 showed up for this cattle call, including a former meth addict, Jessica Brown, 24, of Longview, Texas, who is now a cleaned-up mother of two. She did well enough to make it through to Hollywood, even though we might have heard our first "pitchy" critique from judge Randy Jackson.

At least Jessica's past won't come back to bite her when they do the background checks. There's nothing left to tell.

Meanwhile, from Sweetwater to Grand Prairie to Killeen, contestants tried to snag a yellow ticket, many of them warbling so badly I was losing my sense of humor. There were some high notes, particularly from (natch) the country music stylings.

Anyway, for those of you who want to re-live the auditions - or happened to miss the show - here's my recap:

* Most likely to like herself: Alaina Whitaker of Tulsa, Okla., was quick to make the comparison between herself and Season 4 winner Carrie Underwood. "I look like her, sound like her, but with a wider range," she announced. The judges let her through, but Simon Cowell was quick to quip, "I don't think you're as good as you think you are."

* Most sheltered contestant: Yikes, that would have to be Bruce Dickson, 19, who showed up with his father - both of them wearing necklaces that made reference to young Bruce's confession that he had never been kissed. (Think back to Tuesday and Brooke White, who had never seen an R-rated movie.) Bruce says he has the "key" part of the necklace, which fits into the "heart" part his dad wears. When he meets his future wife, then he'll give her the heart - and seal the deal with a kiss. OK ....

But, I digress. We'll probably never know if Bruce ever locks lips with anyone. He can't sing (and was advised by the judges to kiss some girls).

* Most enthusiastic "Ks": That would be Kayla Hatfield, 24, of Campbell, Texas, who was just happy to be there, given a bad car accident that almost killed her. And there was Kady Malloy, 18, of Houston, whose Britney Spears impersonation was dead-on. She also can sing on her own. Both got through.

* Most gross. Period: Hands down, Brandon Green, 21, from somewhere in Mississippi. He revealed to the world that he saves his peeled fingernails, even showing a Ziploc bag to host Ryan Seacrest, who reeled at the collection. Somehow, it came down to judge Paula Abdul, who thought Brandon's "Rich Girl" rendition merited a trip to Hollywood.

* Most worthy of our votes: The very Bill Gates -esque Kyle Ensley, 21, a student at Oklahoma State University, who wants to be governor and, oh, by the way, the next "American Idol." His version of "Somebody To Love" (the Queen cover) reminded Randy of a glee club or some frat boys' choir, but Simon and Paula found Kyle endearing. Me, too.

* Most likely to succeed: Nina Shaw, 24, of Burleson (Kelly's hometown) and Pia Easley, also 24, of Chicago. You might be looking at two Top 24 candidates.

* Most disturbing. Seriously: Douglas Davidson, 27, of Austin, demonstrated an odd warm-up ritual a la Christina Aguillera, and then proceeded to sweat profusely and wander aimlessly in circles. His "Livin' on a Prayer" left Simon wondering, "What the bloody hell was that?" Indeed.

* Most endearing contestant: He didn't make it to Hollywood, but Reynaldo Lapuz (pictured) of Reno showed up in a Sir Walter Raleigh get-up (silver lame cape, white hat and suit) and performed an original song, "We're Brothers Forever," which he sang to Simon. Eventually, the chorus, infectious as it was, took over with Randy and Ryan joining Reynaldo, and Paula "signing" the lyrics for the hearing impaired. Remember, you heard it here - maybe first. Someone, somewhere will turn this guy into the next William Hung.

All in all, 24 tickets to Hollywood were handed out Wednesday night. "Idol" returns Tuesday (at 8 p.m. on Channel 40), where the gang lands in Sea World, er, San Diego.

A new Web site, hotnewz.tv, officially launches on Monday. It's a news program especially designed for college students, and we've snagged a preview of one of the "top stories" - a disquisition on the size of dorm beds.

It seems several colleges are replacing twin beds with doubles.

Says the news reader: "The extra mattress real estate doesn't just make hooking up easier; it also meets a different need - the literal growing student population. Studies show college kids are fatter than ever before."

Oh, so that's the Web site's demographic - husky, randy undergrads.

Here's the local angle: Hotnewz.tv already is available on large LCD screens in "high traffic areas" on the campus of UC Davis.

We usually don't pity TV reporters, but our hearts went out to Fox40's Teri Cox and Channel 13's Koula Gianulias for getting Ron Pauled while doing live stand-ups Tuesday night outside the UC Davis Pavilion, where President Bill Clinton was stumping for his better half.

Then again, no one forced Cox and Gianulias to set up in front of the fervent Paul supporters. News10's Dana Howard, old pro that he is, wisely chose to do his stand-up far from the madding crowd.

Fox

Opening night of "American Idol", Season 7, had the usual bag of tricks: freaks, geeks, overly confident bad singers and, hey, even a few melodic voices thrown in for good measure.

What I couldn't believe? That more than 100,000 hopefuls showed up in Philadelphia for a shot at the crown! Now, only a smattering of those got through to the three judges over the course of two days. But still, 100,000?

Despite the turnout, viewers didn't quite turn out as anticipated. According to the Associated Press, an estimated 33.2 million tuned in to Tuesday night's debut - 4 million less than last season. Nevertheless, juggernaut that it is, "American Idol" was still the most-watched show of the TV season -
excluding sports, of course.

The show played out pretty much like it always does, opening with a success story - Joey Catalano - who lost a ton of weight but gained a yellow ticket to Hollywood with a pretty good Maroon 5 cover.

After him, things got a little hairy, literally, and a little uncomfortable. For those who missed it - or just want to re-live it - here's my recap:

* Most embarrassing: Tour guide James Lewis, whose "Go Down Moses" was laughed off by judges Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul. Simon Cowell managed to chew on a pen most of the time.

* Most sincere flop: Temptress Browne, 16, who auditioned while her sick mother waited outside the audition room with the rest of the family. Temptress couldn't handle her Jennifer Hudson song and was reduced to tears. In what seemed like a genuine act of kindness, the three judges dried her tears, gave her a group hug and walked her out to her family, telling them "what a beautiful daughter they had raised."

* Most wacky: Easy. Dubbed "Philly's scariest woman," Alexis Cohen, 23, was glittery and reeked of incense (according to host Ryan Seacrest). Other than being a lot left of center, Alexis got through her rendition of "Somebody To Love" and left with the suggestion that she join a '60s cover band. OK. But, somewhere between getting the boot and being shown the door, Alexis lost it - dropping F-bombs, flipping fingers, attempting an illegal mooning, and vowing to "go for actressing" after her failed attempt at singing.

* Most hair-raising: Hands - and hair - down, it was Ben Haar (pictured), who showed up in a fur cape with some sort of Princess Leia, sultan-like get-up underneath. Instead of just having him go home with some dignity, Paula suggested Ben leave, have his chest hair waxed and come back. So, of course, viewers had to see the hair removal (ouch!) and Ben's return, hairless, but with a body that was – shall we say? - a tad over-exposed to the American public.

* Most likely to win: There were several. I liked Kristy Lee Cook (horse trainer, martial arts guru) from Selma, Ore., and Chris Watson, 20, of Dover, Del. He sang "Follow Me" and easily could have been just as successful on that other reality show, "Make Me a Supermodel."

Out of the whole lot, only 29 contestants made it through to Hollywood, not including any of the "Star Wars" types. Next up? Tonight, "Idol" takes the audition bus to Dallas. I'm sure there will be plenty of bull to go around. Maybe even some more talent. Tune in at 8 on Channel 40.

Your thoughts? Send them to 21Q!

Deo Ferrer/Woodland Daily Democrat

What is it about Daisy (pictured) - the dog working with the Yolo County District Attorney to help victims of child sexual abuse - that makes the media use some questionable judgments?

First, we had the Woodland Daily Democrat setting up a photo (a la William Wegman) that made it appear like the dog was half-human and could take notes. A little flippant for a serious story on child abuse.

Now, we get News10 doing a fine report by Deborah Hoffman. But the anchor banter by Dale Schornack was of questionable taste.

After Dale and co-anchor Cristina Mendonsa talked about how cute and furry Daisy is, Schornack added: "Almost makes you want to get busted in Yolo County, doesn't it?"

Busted for child sexual abuse? Uh, no, Dale, it doesn't.

Then, a look of horror crossed Schornack's face as he realized what he had said. He quickly added: "Well, sort of."

Uh huh.

Bravo

I sure am! Can you believe it's been almost eight months since "American Idol" dropped the curtain on Season 6? And, I must say, I agree with most of the stuff I've been reading from various media sources: This had better be a much-improved version over last year.

I don't want to be sitting here in March or April with another Sanjaya Malakar on my hands, uh, ears. But, according to judge Simon Cowell, whom I spoke with last week on a conference call, viewers can expect a more talented cast of characters.

At least by the Top 12.

Simon, of course, didn't say that the audition shows - which start tonight with the round from Philadelphia (at 8 p.m. on Channel 40) and then continues Tuesday from the one in Dallas - wouldn't have the usual weirdos, including one Pauley Nipple (pictured, and I couldn't make up that name) from New Hope, Pa., who apparently auditions - complete with chest hair showing! - with a love song written just for judge Paula Abdul.

Now, that's always a bad idea, no matter the season.

And, even though he doesn't really appreciate crying jags, Simon says that "tears on 'American Idol' don't do contestants any harm." Hey, just like with political candidates.

I'm hoping enough fans will dive in from the get-go, so we can keep some "Idol Chatter" going here at 21Q. I'll be posting as the show progresses with my thoughts on the talent level, the silliest moments, who Ryan Seacrest hits on, etc. Join the fracas - early and often!