American Idol

Sligh and his band kicked off his "Fro Patro Homecoming Tour" in his hometown of Greenville, South Carolina, hitting local nightclubs and even singing at church.

A TMZ source in the audience tells us that many of his fans sported Chris look-alike curly wigs to welcome the portly songbird home. Sligh gave the crowd a true "Idol" send-off, singing his encore song on the way out!

According to recent reports, Sanjaya wasn't greeted as warmly on his return to Federal Way, Wash.

Sanjaya Malakar's mom -- who's already served jail time for some serious pot production -- could be in more hot legal bongwater after this photo of her was snapped at a Hollywood party in March.

In the shot, obtained by the National Enquirer, the Momjaya appears to be holding what is euphemistically called a hookah pipe and a lighter. According to a source cited by the Enquirer, the 41-year-old Blyth could be in more trouble if this picture suggests that "she's continuing to break the law," especially because, says the paper, she was sentenced under 12 months of "community supervision" as part of her felony conviction on drug charges in 2005 that required her to be drug-free.

On the other hand, says the Enquirer, her legal case was officially closed last year, and as a result, everything might be totally mellow for Blyth.

Following a jump off a 3' high wall, Ellen tore a ligament when she bent over to pick up her dog, and has been "on pills," and propped up in a hospital bed for tapings this week. Ryan was interviewed in bed, despite no ear injuries from Sanjaya.

Ryan talked about how nice the current "Idol" contestants are, and Ellen pressed him to find out who the not-so-nice ones were.

Nurse!

Glocksen has been posting bulletins non-stop on her MySpace page, asking her punky peeps to prop up top-six finalist Chris Richardson -- she even added his music page as a friend.

Chris' music page, created by his fans, allows you to relive that solemn moment when

Richardson attempted to do justice to No Doubt's "Don't Speak." Don't sing? Last week, the kids got a free ride as no Idol was eliminated, but the kids better step up their game tonight -- two wannasings will be sent packing on Wednesday!

As Chris hammed it up for the cameras, answering questions and flashing his megawatt smile like a seasoned party scene vet, a shy Blake stayed mum, trailing his competition during the long walk to Parc nightclub.

While Chris didn't have any comment on his new party pal, he did have a few words about his rumored relationship with MTV star Lauren Conrad, telling our cameras, "That girl is just my friend, man." As you may remember, TMZ cameras caught the two acting quite flirty the last time Richardson hit the club scene.

Cowell admits that instead of listening to the wannabe singers, most of the time he's trying to find ways to screw with Paula Abdul's head! Simon tells Ellen DeGeneres, "I'm taunting Paula throughout the performance ... I make things up about the song, hoping she'll say them, like, 'That was the theme song from "Star Wars," you should mention that.'" After watching Abdul's wacky appearance on QVC, it's easy to see how she might fall for something like that.

Simon's not totally making up his critiques during the show -- he pays attention during the dress run, when there's no audience screaming during the vocals.

Last night's "A.I." charity benefit concert, "Idol Gives Back," included performances by Kelly Clarkson, Josh Groban -- even a pre-taped-from-the-crypt Celine Dion/Elvis Presley duet -- which TMZ exclusively revealed on Monday. But Gwen and P!nk -- who had been previously announced as participants -- failed to get any screen time! Oh no they dit'nt!

Both Gwen and P!nk had pre-taped their performances, so their appearances just needed to be edited into the "live" telecast. Sources tell TMZ that the lovely ladies were "cut for time," and their segments should air on upcoming episodes of "Idol."

Maybe that's why Sanjaya's always got that goofy grin on his face! Turns out that Sanjy's mom, Jillian Blith, used to be a pot-growing potentate -- and that his sister Shyamali was no stranger to the art of toking herself.

The Momjaya was pinched by the Pierce County Sheriff's Department in February 2005 in Pierce County, Wash. after they found 310 marijuana plants -- and the Sis-jaya keeping watch with a bag of weed and "smoking devices" -- in the Malakar family garage, as the National Enquirer first smoked out today.

But -- buzzkill -- Shyamali, who was arrested for possession, directed the cops to another green-growing facility nearby, where they arrested Blith and her husband, Charles Quist (Sanjaya's stepdad). Quist's mugshot, obtained by TMZ, bears a striking resemblance to Gary Sinise, a very blitzed Gary Sinise. (We're told there's a mugshot of Shyamali, but it can't be made public because she was only 17 at the time of the bust.)

Blith could've gone to jail for up to five years after pleading guilty to one felony count of unlawful manufacturing of a controlled substance, but got off with a relatively mellow 30-day sentence.

Playing Miss Celie in "The Color Purple" is causing Fantasia Barrino to bare more than just her soul!

The Season Three "American Idol" winner arrived to the musical's after-party on Sunday dressed in a trash-tastic, skin-tight, green, leopard print dress. Maybe she was headed to a "Flavor of Love" casting?

"American Idol" will raise the dead on Wednesday and feature a performance with Celine Dion and ... Elvis Presley?!

While "A.I." teased their "Idol Gives Back" charity benefit by revealing that "two of the biggest stars in musical history come together," sources at last week's taping tell TMZ that Celine sang Elvis Presley's hit, "If I Can Dream" -- with an Elvis impersonator! Ugh! But we're told the impersonator was just used as a stand-in, and what you will actually see when the show airs is Celine singing with a virtual Elvis -- in the vein of Natalie Cole and Nat King Cole's "Unforgettable." Unbelievable!

At the taping, the remaining "Idol" wannabes also sang with Celine and Elvis, but as backup in the choir. Hallelujah! Elvis died nearly thirty years ago, while Celine has been singing at Caesars Palace in Vegas for the last four.

"Idol Gives Back" will help raise money to fight extreme poverty in the U.S. and Africa, and feature artists like Gwen Stefani, P!nk and Josh Groban.

A rep for "American Idol" could not be reached.

The original "American Idol" champ picked up tons of DVDs, as well as a copy of the electric guitar simulation video game, Guitar Hero 2.

Now that Sanjaya Malakar has been given the boot -- pasty Phil Stacey now has a web site's dubious honor as the "worst" on "American Idol."

VotefortheWorst.com, a web site which asks for visitors to intentionally vote for a bad "Idol" contestant, has named the bald soprano its new poster boy. The site has been credited for keeping vocal weakling Sanjaya on the show long enough to make the top seven, but Sanjy says that "creative haters" had nothing to do with his semi-success.

The web site's special message to Phil: "We love you even if you can't be exposed to direct light."

Malakar, the Ponyhawked Wonder who was given the ax this week, was a constant joke for the shock jock, who urged his listeners to vote for Sanjaya to screw with the "Idol" system -- by intentionally voting for "the worst."

Malakar tells Ellen DeGeneres he doesn't believe that Stern's fans and other "haters" voted enough "to make a dent in the system." While confident, and perhaps delusional, Sanjy feels it was his own large fan base that kept the straining singer around for so long.

Sanjy also reveals, in an interview airing Monday on Ellen's talk show, that if he were to shave his hair, he'd donate it to the Britney-esque Phil Stacey -- though it's doubtful Phil would consider it a good luck charm!

TMZ has obtained some classic video of a 9-year-old Malakar performing in a local production of "Bugsy Malone" -- a musical with children playing mobsters -- where the rejected "Idol" performs an amusing tap dance with a broom.

The Hawaii Children's Theatre performance was recorded in 1999, but there are already signs of some of his infamous traits -- the cheesy Mariah hand waves, his studied pre-teen chicken-necking, and signature note reaching. A star was born!

There's also a taste of Malakar as a random but adorable orphan in "Oliver," and sister Shyamali in "A Christmas Carol" as the Ghost of Christmas Past. Now Sanjy joins the ranks of wannabeens past ... but this kid is money.

TMZ caught the loopy "Idol" judge outside Mr. Chow last night, where she went to chow down after the results show, in which the Sanjaya the Ponyhawked Wonder got the ax. When asked her feelings on his exile, Abdul wasn't exactly sympathetic, brushing off the question with a "Oh he'll be fine," and proceeded to sign photos for waiting autograph hounds.

With Sanjaya's media attention and lightweight vocals gone, Paula added, "The competition's gonna start getting heavy."