TVSquad

"I'll trade you my extra Brian Dunkelman cards for your EJay Day. I'm so close to completing my Season One run and I've got like a hundred of these damned Dunkelmans." -- me, April 22, 2009

The American Idol empire hasn't quite expanded its reach enough so it's going to go into the once vast but now slightly less impressive trading card market. That's right, American Idol trading cards are coming your way starting April 21, 2009. The set promises "chase cards" like autographed cards by past Idols as well as face time for rejected favorites like William Hung and even this season's Nick (Norman Gentle) Mitchell.

In the show's eight seasons, we've had six Top 12s, one Top 10 and this year's Top 13, meaning it'll take 95 cards just to spotlight each finalist at least once. Give one to each of the four judges and Ryan and you're down to 38 cards up for grabs in the 138-card set. I wonder if we'll get any of the quirky side shows like Crying-Girl, Super-Clay-Aiken-Fan or David-Hasselhof-Fanatic? Maybe a bonus set of Simon's weird faces and inadvertently rude gestures.

Hey, kiddies, ever dream that Constantine Maroulis or Kellie Pickler were your summer camp counselors? Those dreams may be closer to reality than you think, now that the ever-popular American Idol is taking its brand to summer camp. No, this isn't a Reality TV show (although I think that might work), or a movie (that's been done). It's an actual performing arts summer camp geared towards 12-to15-year-olds who dream of becoming the next Fantasia, Kelly Clarkson, or Taylor Hicks.

A total of 700 teens will be accepted into this year's inaugural "Idol Camp" which will take place in Massachusetts over four 10-day sessions.