And then I started wondering if there's actually anything new with the rest of the Top 10 of the recent American Idol season.  I mean, we've seen contestants outside the final two get record deals and have pretty successful post-Idol careers.  This year is no exception: Kris Allen and Adam Lambert have snagged contracts, as well as fourth-placed Allison Iraheta.  And then we wonder about the rest.

E! Online caught up with them as they rehearsed for the it's-getting-seriously-close American Idol summer tour, and then I realized that they're all pretty much in a state of limbo.

We've probably had some sort of Michael Jackson overflow over the past few days, but I think this is one of the more interesting angles I've seen: if not for his songs, Kris Allen wouldn't have won American Idol.

Okay.  Tall order, that one.  Sure, Kris started his bid for votes with an MJ song, and kicked off his Top 13 campaign with a stripped down (and more comfortable, arguably) "Remember the Time", but it was in the middle of the competition when he finally established himself as one with "artistry" and eventually gave him the closely-contested win.  More so, consider that Kris wasn't born when the King of Pop's biggest hits crashed the airwaves and turned him into who he is, for better or worse.

That, or the other good question--do you remember who Joanna Pacitti is?

Quick history lesson then: she made some ripples on the last season of American Idol, for being an obvious favorite and a shoo-in during the auditions.  She breezed towards Hollywood, and breezed towards the Top 36--that, despite Simon Cowell vowing that they will cut anyone who forgets the lyrics, which she did.

At first glance, that is a lot of money.

While we're all still wondering about whether all four American Idol judges are returning to the show next season, an interesting detail has come out as negotiations are still underway: Simon Cowell might be offered as much as $144 million just for season 9.

An admission is in order: I don't remember Ace Young, which is pretty bad since I watched the fifth season of American Idol quite closely--in a past life, of course--and rooted for Taylor Hicks.  But anyway, the detail is, he's engaged.

Alternative titles to this post included: "So You Think You Can Dance: Books a Musical Guest Who Can Actually Sing," "So You Think You Can Dance Musical Guest: With 100% Less Lip Syncing," "So You Think You Can Dance: Keeping It In The Fox Family."

Courtesy of a Fox press release we learn that this week's musical guest will be Kelly Clarkson. Or as I like to call her, someone with actual musical talent. Sure, she was discovered by FOX's other hit reality show, American Idol, which makes it seem a bit cross-promotional but there's no denying: Kelly Clarkson can sing. Kelly will perform her new hit "I Do Not Hook Up" and hopefully, unlike the other musical guests this season, she will actually sing.

Whoops.  I did think it was an Evanescence song they were singing on the video I uploaded on the last roundup.  I only realized it wasn't when I got my copy of We Are the Fallen's first free MP3--the new name's because some band complained, whatever--and... I'm passing my quick verdict on that in today's random American Idol roundup.  That, and more details from the upcoming tour, but first...

For the first time in the network's history, Fox has announced that it will air an episode from the recently concluded season of American Idol, in tribute to Michael Jackson, who died earlier today of an alleged heart attack.  The episode will air on Monday, June 29, at 8pm.