It’s 6:15 a.m. I am going to post multiple times this morning. Here’s my first look:

It’s big. They already have more than 9,000 people registered, far exceeding Boston’s 7,000. And since everyone is allowed to bring someone along, I’d say there are probably 14,000 people in line and it’s still two hours until the Georgia Dome guards let them inside.

Alexis Grace, who finished 11th and is NOT on tour (a darn shame), is doing work for the TV Guide Channel just like Brandon Rogers did two years ago. I couldn’t grab her for an interview because she had to do work herself but I’ll try to catch her later.

The line snaked halfway around the Dome and they even kept folks in “pens” on a field by the Georgia World Congress Center. “Idol” told folks to get here at 5 a.m., not because they had to but because they want those long lines for the cameras.

If you registered early Tuesday, you’ll probably get your first audition done earlier.

In fact, getting here early garners you zero …

Continue reading 6/18: Early look at American Idol auditions in Atlanta »

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Radaronline.com has an exclusive saying all four judges are coming back.

Both Kara DioGuardi and Paula Abdul were negotiating for new contracts. Given the problems the show had staying on schedule last year and mixed reviews about Kara, some folks wondered if the show would get rid of one or the other.

So assuming this is true, we are back to four judges again next year.

- I just realized I forgot to go back and look at my original top 13 predictions. I have never gotten the winner right at that stage since I started blogging season four and well, I kept that record clean. It’s just as well I didn’t post this sooner. Here was my embarrassing top 13:

13- Kris Allen. Yes. I predicted he’d be gone first. Before Jorge Nunez. Before Michael Sarver. Before Megan Joy Corkrey. Before, well, …

Continue reading 6/17: Radar online says all four judges will come back, reviewing my (horrid) original top 13 »

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Sorry things were so slow Monday. It’s the post-”Idol” doldrums. But things will pick up Thursday with the auditions here in Atlanta — at least for one day.

And here’s a print story I wrote for Tuesdayabout the “Idol” auditions in Atlanta.

Onto other news: That Danny Gokey glasses site I linked to a few days ago actually has nothing to do with Danny Gokey.

MTV talked to the guy who put the site together.

DannyGokeyGear.com — and the accompanying DannyGokeyBlog.com — are actually the property of Colorado Web Builders, a company run by a Denver Web designer named Joe Monaghan, and are in no way affiliated with Gokey himself, or his charity, though you …

Continue reading 6/16: Oops. Danny Gokey not affiliated with glasses gear site »

Former Atlantan Bo Bice, season four runner up, has been having as many babies as albums: he has two young children and two albums. In both cases, he’s working on No. 3. His wife Caroline is due for the third child in January, he told People.

“American Idol has a new winner each year – seems things are the same in our house,” Bice, 33, tells PEOPLE exclusively. “Can’t wait to introduce our new little ‘Idol’ to the world January 31st!”

And Matt Rogers, who finished 11th season three, has gotten a new hosting gig for an upcoming reality show on CBS called “Block Party” that is being shot in Kennesaw starting today. I wrote about it in my radio/tv blog.

-The AP said about 7,000 people showed up for the Boston auditions over the weekend. MJ said that seems low but New England has given us virtually nothing in terms of vocal talent in the past. Why, I cannot tell you.

Pre-registration for “Idol” auditions start tomorrow and continue through Wednesday at the Georgia Dome. I’ll be …

Continue reading 6/15: Bo Bice expecting baby #3, Atlanta audition pre-registration starts tomorrow »

First off, Danny Gokey had semi-seriously talked about starting his own line of glasses. Well, framesdirect.com has partnered with him and 10% of the proceeds will go to support Sophia’s Heart Foundation.

Season six finalist Chris Sligh last week celebrated the No. 1 single he co-wrote “Here Comes Goodbye,” sung by Rascal Flatts.

“I’m writing more than ever,” he told me yesterday by phone. “We have a couple of major artists who have put a couple of songs on hold.” That means those artists could potentially record and place Sligh-penned songs on their CDs and better yet, release them as singles. The results: major payday and credibility. Already, the Rascal Flatts song has made it easier for him to get more opportunities like that.

And as songwriters know, a hit song is the reward that keeps on giving in terms of royalties for years to come.

Sligh is the only “Idol” I know who has ever admitted to reading this blog and I’ve always liked him as a person. He’s an honest, nice …

Continue reading 6/12: Catching up with Chris Sligh… and Danny Gokey’s got his line of glasses »

Chart update: Kelly Clarkson’s “I Do Not Hook Up” is now at No. 9, down from No. 8 a week ago, leapfrogged by Pitbull. But it’s still climbing. her first single from the latest album “My Life Would Suck Without You” is taking its jolly slow time dropping. It’s still at No. 16.

Jordin Sparks’ “Battlefield” is at No. 30 and showing strong upward momentum. Daughtry’s “No Surprise” is right behind her at No. 32 but it isn’t moving up as quickly.

David Cook’s ‘Come Back to Me” isn’t getting much traction on top 40 but he’s at No. 11 on the Hot AC chart while Daughtry is at No. 13. (Kelly’s first single is at No. 8 and second one is at No. 16.)

Over on the country charts, Kellie Pickler’s “Best Days of Your Life” remains at No. 17 and has been on the chart for more than six months. I doubt it has a shot at top 10 the way things are going but it’s been a persistent little devil. (It now surpasses 442,000 in digital sales.) Bucky Covington’s “I Want My Life Back” is at No. 37 with …

Continue reading 6/11: Kelly Clarkson’s “I Do Not Hook Up” becomes her 10th top 10 hit »

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Joining winner Kris Allen, fourth place finisher Allison Iraheta has also officially signed with Jive Records. This has been an open secret for weeks but 19 Recordings clearly had to announce the deals with Kris and Adam (now on RCA) first.

In the press release:

“I think I’m still in shock that this is happening — getting to record my first album and this whole awesome experience is a dream come true!”

Now the question: will the “Idol” folks sign Danny Gokey? “Idol” has signed four people only once before –season five with Kellie, Daughtry, Kat and Taylor.

The full Rolling Stone interview with Adam Lambert is here.

“Idol” gave …

Continue reading 6/10: Allison Iraheta signs deal with Jive Records and why is “Idol” so vague about voting totals? »

Gay! Yes, Adam Lambert is gay. Here’s the shocking revelation in Rolling Stone magazine:

“I don’t think it should be a surprise for anyone to hear that I’m gay…I’m proud of my sexuality. I embrace it. It’s just another part of me.”

He later added:

“Right after the finale, I almost started talking about it to the reporters, but I thought, ‘I’m going to wait for Rolling Stone, that will be cooler,’ ” he tells us. “I didn’t want the Clay Aiken thing and the celebrity-magazine bull****. I need to be able to explain myself in context.

More importantly, Lambert gets a deal with RCA.

“I’m thrilled that we’ve come to a creative and collaborative partnership and look forward to developing a really exciting album,” Lambert said in a statement. “We are 100% on the same page and are all anxiously awaiting the start of the recordings.”

“It’s going to be ridiculous!” adds Lambert. “Get Ready!!!”

Continue reading 6/9: Adam Lambert signs with RCA and yep, he’s… »

Since one of the RCA-affiliated record labels is obligated to take the winner of “American Idol,” this is not shocking per se but Jive Records has officially signed “Idol” winner Kris Allen.

David Archuleta and Jordin Sparks are also on Jive Records, which mostly focuses on pop records by the likes of Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake. On the surface, this doesn’t sound like perfect fit for Kris given that he’s not exactly R&B/dance/pop. But he did have a huge teen following and this indicates he likely make top 40-friendly pop-rock along the lines of Jason Mraz or John Mayer.

Expect his album to come out this fall.

I’ve heard rumors, too, that Allison Iraheta has been signed to Jive as well but they may be holding off on that official announcement only because it would be rude to reveal a deal with the fourth-place finisher before the winner.

Odds are good that one of Idol’s affiliated labels will sign Adam Lambert (no duh!) and Danny Gokey. I doubt they’ll sign any …

Continue reading 6/8: Kris Allen signs with Jive Records »

Geez. Isn’t this supposed to be the “off season”? I was working on other things Friday and didn’t realize we’d end up with Archie fans outraged over the last entry. Sure, Demi Lovato is the headliner but as noted by Deirdre, we care about David Archuleta. If he had been paired with, say, the Jonas Brothers or Miley Cyrus, he’d have a sell out for sure, eh?

Archuleta, if he had chosen to headline, could certainly sell out Center Stage, maybe the Tabernacle.

My standard for a sell out, by the way, is if I couldn’t buy two tickets next to each other. And I couldn’t do that last Thursday with Idols Live. And the marketing manager confirmed that this is a sell out to her, too.

Anyway, onto a New York Times story about why the Emmys always award best reality show to “Amazing Race” over “Idol.”

Every year around the Emmys, I’ve written about how “Idol” gets shut out, save for a couple of minor categories and that special award for “Idol Gives Back.” The biggest issue is the way …

Continue reading 6/8: Pondering Idol and the Emmys, Paula Abdul’s future »