TVSquad

As part of February sweeps, last year's American Idol runner-up Katharine McPhee is going to guest-star on Ugly Betty. McPhee will be playing herself, a celebrity guest at Mode's Fashion Week runway show, in an episode entitled "I'm Coming Out". No word yet on whether or not this hour will be Justin-centric... Oh, c'mon, don't tell me I was the only one that read the title and immediately thought of him.

McPhee's appearance will air February 1 (8:00 PM EST). Hmm... Sounds like ABC wants a little bit of FOX's American Idol glow. Also, McPhee is probably doing this to promote her self-titled debut album, which drops later this month.

How's this for a wacky trend - singers performing at live televised events without lip-syncing? American Idol competitor Katharine McPhee is pulling a reverse Ashlee Simpson at the Rose Parade this coming New Year's Day. She'll be singing from a float live - without a guiding vocal track or, heck, anything but what God gave her coming out over the airwaves.

McPhee will be riding the "Clean Water" float. Standing in a lush garden setting between a "giant leaping frog" and a working faucet dumping 400 gallons of water per minute, she'll spread McPheever through the streets of Pasadena. You know, I'm actually not all that bothered to find out when people are lip-syncing. The demands of television production sometimes require it. Would you blame Katharine for not wanting to sing live from atop of moving vehicle with a giant frog straddling her head? I should hope not.

Paris' wardrobe choices? Silly. Paula's jewelry? Weird. Taylor's dance moves? Silly weird. Another great night to be an American Idol fanatic! And when I say "great," I mean "freaking bizarre!" As far as musical talent goes, this was no musical standards/Rod Stewart needs a plug night.

But tonight was completely entertaining.

You know what they didn't have a lot of back in the old days? Lyrics. Yeah, I know that the lyrics of most modern songs kind of suck. But never before did I realize how many times the chorus is repeated in older songs. It had to be you. It had to be you. It had to be you. But they are beautiful songs. But the outfits were ugly.

Not Rod, of course. He always looks sexy in his skinny, high-water suits. But Chris...