TVSquad

Welcome back to "AI Aftermath," where we explore Idol's past. Each week, as one more American Idol hopeful is eliminated from the competition, we take a look back at contestants past who were eliminated in the same week. We'll examine how they did on the show and what they've been up to since their elimination. In honor of Ramiele Malubay's elimination last week we'll be looking at other ninth place finishers.

This week: 9th place finishers, featuring featuring Jim Verraros (Season One), Corey Clark* (Season Two), Camile Velasco (Season Three), Nikko Smith (Season Four), Mandisa (Season Five), Gina Glocksen (Season Six).

* - Corey Clark was not voted out by viewers but was disqualified.

Their American Idol experience may have ended early, but being booted from season six before the Top 12 apparently did not truly signify the end of the road for semifinalists Sabrina Sloan or Sundance Head. In fact, according to an Entertainment Weekly exclusive, both of them have signed a contract with Universal Motown to record a CD of duets together.

What do you do when even your (surprisingly evidence-rich) allegations of an affair with Paula Abdul fail to prolong the last 45 seconds of your career? Throw waffles at your manager, of course! Former American Idol contestant Corey Clark has been cited on a misdemeanor battery charge after an argument with an executive from his record company (Corey Clark has a record deal?) escalated into a food fight. Even better, the AP report intimates through half-hearted denial that the 24-year-old Clark may be "in a dating relationship" with Laura Kathleen Troy, the 34-year-old manager in question (what's with this guy and the older girls?) Troy was apparently "uncooperative" with police, but only Clark was charged with a misdemeanor. He's due to appear in Sacramento County Superior Court on July 22.

Aaron Barnhart over at TV Barn wonders if American Idol has worn out it's welcome. He makes some good points ("Wednesday's two-hour finale did seem like a half-hour program that had been tortured out of its mind"), and he wonders why they included that sketch that seemed to make fun of the whole Paula Abdul/Corey Clark scandal.  

• Fox says that it's taking Corey Clark's I-had-an-affair-with-Paula-Abdul claims seriously, responding to a complaint Clark had last week to a recent sketch on American Idol that seemed to poke fun at the situation.
• Mariah Carey's new single "We Belong Together" has become her 16th song to top the Billboard charts. Just behind Elvis and The Beatles. That's really depressing.
• Where's Dave Chappelle? In Ohio.
• A summary of all the winners and losers, ratings-wise, this season.
• In the print edition, an article about Lisa Kudrow and her new show HBO show Comeback (which debuts June 5), and why his Desperate Housewives death was a good thing for Steven Culp.

• Both the print edition and the web site have news about Dave Chappelle, though the web site is, of course, more up-to-date. It's old news to TV Squad readers!
• In the print edition, Sela Ward talks about joining House.
• Since I was busy watching the Survivor finale and completely forgot about Desperate Housewives, read their review of last night's episode.
• Also in the print edition, they read Corey Clark's tell-all book and tell you all the juicy parts.
• Print: behind the scenes of the new Muppet movie The Muppets Wizard Of Oz.

Well, this is interesting: just before the ABC PrimeTime Live investigation hits the airwaves (May 4), Fox has launched its own investigation into whether or not judge Paula Abdul slept with 2003 American Idol semifinalist Corey Clark. Could we have another Quiz Show like scandal like they did in the late 50s with Twenty-One and other game shows? Abdul has denied the charges. With these charges and the investigations from both ABC and now Fox, not to mention the fact that we're into the real nitty gritty of the competition (was Constantine terrible last night or what?), this is an exciting time in the world of AI.