By Todd Leopold, CNN

(CNN) - "Glee" really has something to cheer about now.

The Fox series about a misfit-filled glee club earned 19 nominations Thursday morning as the picks for the 62nd Primetime Emmy Awards were announced.

Among the nods: best comedy series, best actor in a comedy series for Matthew Morrison and best actress in a comedy series for Lea Michele.

"What an amazing year it's been! I never could have wished for more! Thank you all so much!" said "Glee" cast member Chris Colfer, who was nominated for best supporting actor, in a Twitter message.

"The Pacific," the HBO miniseries about Marines in World War II's Pacific theater, topped all entrants with 24 nominations.

The nominations, often criticized for picking the same names every year, welcomed several new entries along with "Glee."

"The Good Wife," the CBS show starring Julianna Margulies as a lawyer whose husband is derailed by scandal, earned nominations for best drama and best actress in a drama. "Modern Family," the breakout ABC comedy, earned a bid for best comedy series. And two members of the "Friday Night Lights" cast - Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton - earned acting nods for their work on the much-praised but low-rated series.

The nominations, often criticized for picking the same names every year, welcomed several new entries along with "Glee."

"The Good Wife," the CBS show starring Julianna Margulies as a lawyer whose husband is derailed by scandal, earned nominations for best drama and best actress in a drama. "Modern Family," the breakout ABC comedy, earned a bid for best comedy series. And two members of the "Friday Night Lights" cast - Kyle Chandler and Connie Britton - earned acting nods for their work on the much-praised but low-rated series.

"Congrats to our entire cast and crew. Ed O'Neill deserves a BIG award," said "Modern Family" producer Steven Levitan on Twitter. "Modern Family" earned 14 nominations.

Old standbys also were recognized, including "Saturday Night Live," which earned 12 nominations and has now surpassed "ER" as the most nominated show in Emmy history. The late-night show, which recently concluded its 35th season, has received 126 nominations in its history.

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Hicks won the fifth season of "Idol" and hasn’t slowed down since.  For the past two years, he has played the role of Teen Angel in the Broadway musical “Grease” both in New York and with the traveling show.  In between performances, he’s been playing clubs and making music.  More information about Taylor, his live DVD, “Whomp at the Warfield” and his latest album, “The Distance” is available at his website, TaylorHicks.com. 

Taylor chatted with us about his advice for this week’s "American Idol" winner, what he’s been up to, and why "Idol" will survive after Simon.

LKL Blog:  So you’ve been on the road with “Grease” –

Taylor Hicks:  Grease is the word!

LKL blog:  How long have you been doing it?  

Hicks:  All in all with the record and the Broadway show, its been two years.

LKL blog:  And what’s that been like for you?

Hicks:  It’s been a major success actually.  With the success of the role of Teen Angel on Broadway, we decided to integrate [Hicks’ latest record], “The Distance,” within the encore of every “Grease” show and decided to take it on the road for 18 months.

LKL blog:  This was your Broadway debut right?

Hicks:  This was. Yes.

LKL blog:  In terms of performing a musical on Broadway versus what you would do on a regular stage show – I’m wondering what the differences are.

Hicks:  Well obviously you’re playing off of personalities of the actors as opposed to playing off of instruments with musicians.  And I think one of the really cool things about this particular run and this role is I’ve never had any musical training or acting training and so I’ve learned first hand which has been such a blessing to be able to learn to do a brand new craft with a role like Teen Angel.

LKL blog:  Was it hard, intimidating having never done it before?

Hicks:  I was more nervous my opening night on Broadway than I ever was on "American idol."  A brand new path career path acting on Broadway in New York City.  I was more nervous about the debut on Broadway than the idol show for sure.

LKL blog:  I know you said you integrated “The Distance” in the show, have you been able to work on other things?

Hicks:  I’ve done shows.  I’ve basically had two tours going at one time.  I was doing the Broadway show and I was going to intimate clubs all over the country and different cities and playing club shows.

LKL blog:  So you’ve been pretty busy since you won "American Idol?"

Hicks:  I’ve been on the road touring now for about four and half years.  I still don’t really have a place to call home.  I’m from Birmingham but a lot of my stuff is still at my parent’s basement.  I’ve still been touring nonstop for four and half years.

LKL blog:  Do you like living that way?

Hicks:  I do.  I do enjoy it.  I’ve been touring all my life so it’s in my blood, so to speak.

LKL blog:  Are you going to the "American Idol" finale?

Hicks: Yes the finale and parties and stuff. I haven’t been able to do that in a while so I’m excited to go back.

LKL blog:  Do you keep in touch with past contestants or anyone on the show?

Hicks:  I do.  I do keep in touch with past contestants and judges.  

LKL blog: You’ve been through this, what’s your advice for whoever wins "American Idol" this week?  What do they have to look forward to?

Hicks:  Being able to have the best opportunity in show business, to be able to have a longstanding career.  It’s just the most amazing experience that 99.9% of the population doesn't get to experience.  It’s a very exclusive club.  It’s all in what you make it.  You have to stay out there and be appreciative and be blessed that you have the fans that you do.

LKL blog:  There will be a big change with Simon leaving.  Do you think it will be a different show without him?

Hicks:  You know I think obviously the show, we’ll all miss Simon.  I think he’s a big part of the show.  But I think watching someone live the American dream in front of your eyes is the reason why everybody watches the show and I don’t think that will change.

LKL blog:  So what’s next for you?

Hicks:  I’m taking a breather.  I’m planning and writing for the next record.  I’m going to pursue some TV and film and Broadway opportunities that I’ve been able to look at after my post Broadway debut.  You know, enjoy relaxing for a while and writing and doing some musical performances also.

Only two more weeks before this year’s Idol is announced.  Can you believe we’ve come this far?

So we had to say goodbye to Big Mike this week.  The judges used their only save to keep him around a few more weeks, but it was not meant to be.  Don’t feel sorry for him though – he’s got talent, heart, spirit and ambition as big as his frame.

Mike spoke to LKL Blog about this season, the birth of his daughter and what his plans are now that he’s off Idol…

LKL Blog:  So you made it to the top four, how do you feel?

Michael Lynche: I feel good. I feel good.  I mean the last couple days you know there’s up and down moments in your mood and thinking of what could be and what is and what’s going to be now in your future.

I think if your heart’s not a little hurt, you didn’t put enough of your heart into it.

So definitely disappointment because I think a winner wants to win.  I’m happy where I’m at. I think you’ve got to accept where you’re at because that’s where you’re supposed to be.

LKL Blog: You said you go through up and down moments…I think I know what the ups are, but what are the down moments when you’re a contestant?

Michael Lynche:  I just mean these last few days. Just taking it all in of now I’m kind of on the elimination press tour and you never picture this part of doing it.  I think I’ve always pictured being there in the end.  

LKL Blog:  Every night that there was an elimination and the nights when you were in t bottom two – did you prepare yourself or did you try to remain positive and say you’re going to make it?

Michael Lynche: I remained positive. I think America can be a fickle creature (laughs) – that’s kind of my only explanation for it.  And there’s always the chance that you can go home.  There’s always that chance because it’s not necessarily based on who’s the best singer or who the does the best for the night and whatnot and there’s a lot of things that play into it and it’s a big deal.

It’s a big factor of who’s voting, the voting demographic of the show.  But I think that you just go out and just try to be your best. And for me, I thought I always did well.  I thought I had a chance to stay.  So if you give me a chance, I feel like I can take that chance and do well.  I never thought I was going home on any night just because if you do well and put your work in you should be able to succeed.

LKL Blog: The judges used their season save on you.  Talk a little bit about that.  Were you surprised?  Were you happy with the second chance?

Michael Lynche: (laughs) Oh, of course!  Who wouldn’t be happy with a second chance?  

I think that it was interesting the night before because I did well that night.  And to be at that point and just looking at it right now, I guess I would have been at the number nine spot.  I never really saw myself going home at all.  

But I thought going into the competition, that month before we even got to Hollywood week, I felt that I really liked that concept of sing for you life.  And really every week is sing for your life.  You have that opportunity every week to sing for your life just to stay in the competition to stay alive. It’s kind of a ‘do or die’ sudden death situation where you need to hit the game winning shot and really score and sing for your life.  I felt like I could rise up to that point.  And given that opportunity, I just felt prepared mentally prepared for that moment.

LKL Blog: Your wife gave birth to your daughter during Hollywood week. How is she doing?

Michael Lynche:  Great!  Great!  My wife, she’s just very passionate about me no matter what it is what I’m doing. I could be working at Home Depot and she would be rooting for me to get a promotion or whatever. She just loves me. It’s kind of a simple equation for us.

LKL Blog: Did they come to LA to be with you for this?

Michael Lynche: Oh yeah, they’ve been since like the second week I was here.

LKL Blog: So what’s that been like? You’ve got this crazy pressure of rehearsals and trying to perform in front of 24 million people each week.  Can you talk about balancing all that work there and then getting to go home to your new daughter?

Michael Lynche:  I really just focused on whatever task at hand is. It’s whatever I’ve got in front of me on my plate.   I want to be the best and just do it to the complete degree it should be done.  I stay very focused.  Those things can save your mind and save your heart when you’re doing something so crazy like this and being away from your family.

And although they got to live with me, I was away a lot of the day. The only way I found to keep my sanity was to focus on whatever it was that I was doing.  When I got to be home and spend time, I wanted to really be home and spending time and not thinking about anything else outside of that.  I think my wife really did a great job knowing that I was trying to focus on my music and making the songs great each week and giving that time to focus. She did a really great job with that.

LKL Blog: When your daughter is older and able to understand all this—I’m curious to know what you’ll tell her about your American Idol experience.

Michael Lynche:  Well, you know it’s interesting because really, I get to just show her more than anything I could tell her.  It’s all documented and so it’s just going to be just stories, it’s going to be real.   And she could see how little she was then and how young and handsome dad was!  So it’s going to be cool.

LKL Blog:  Did you have a favorite moment from this season?

Michael Lynche: Yeah when my daughter was born – that was my favorite moment.  It really put a lot of things into perspective for me.  And it changed my mindset on the competition.  I was always going to come in with this game plan and I wanted to be prepared but it took my attention level just through the roof when I heard her cry tat very first time on the phone.  It no longer was the situation of ‘I hope I do well’ or ‘I want to do well in the competition, hope people like me.’   It became a point that I really needed to succeed.  It was no longer an option.  It was no longer a choice.  I had to do well.  And I think I did pretty well.

LKL Blog: You did very well.  I know you guys are going into rehearsals for the finale and the tour.  What’s next for you after that?

Michael Lynche:  Plan is to start music.  I want to put out a great album next year that really touches your soul and comes from my soul.  You know it’s just something that I do and always worked for.  If you’re in the mood where you need a pick me up, I want you to be able to listen to my music.  If you’re in the mood to love on your wife, I want you to put on my music.  And after that I want it all: Broadway, TV, movies.  I want it all.  I think I’m at the point where I can work heard enough to get there.

Five become four after the season’s youngest finalist, 17-year-old Aaron Kelly, sang his swan song during Sinatra week. 

His elimination surprised many in the blogosphere, considering the rather scathing critiques of Casey James’ performance.  Yet, it was Aaron and Big Mike who found themselves on the chopping block. 

But fear not for Aaron - he tells us that he’s ready to tour, write some songs and record an album. 

What do you think of Aaron’s elimination?   Read our interview with him and then sound off below!

LKL Blog:  You made it to the top 5 – tell me how the American Idol experience turned out for you.

Aaron Kelly:  The American Idol experience for me was – I’ve learned so much throughout it.  Even the farther I got, you can see a change in me.  I grew in confidence and I was going out and having a lot of fun out on that stage and getting a lot more comfortable with it. 

LKL Blog:  You say you’ve grown, I know in the beginning, some of the judges’ comments to you were that your choices, you arrangements, you presence was a little old.  That they were hoping you’d be a little younger.  Do you feel like you grew up a little bit on that show?

Aaron:  A little bit.  The thing is, when I went into the show, I didn’t really change who I was.  The people who are voting for you are voting for the person they saw in the beginning.  So I figured if I changed all of that, they probably wouldn’t like me as much.  So I wanted to stay the same person I was from the beginning.  But I definitely got a year older, in that sense of growing up [Aaron celebrated his 17th birthday on the show].  I didn’t change so much as I grew confident and got way more comfortable up there. 

LKL Blog:  It’s got to be hard when you’re listening to the judges, you’re listening to the producers, you’re taking advice – but you’re a performer and trying to stay true to yourself.  How do you balance what people are telling you versus what you think you should be doing?

Aaron:  Well, you know you just have to listen to yourself and take what they’re saying and kind of take bits and pieces.  You don’t want to take everything they are saying.  But you want to take bits and pieces and add it into what you’re doing without changing who you are.  That’s what I did.  I know that I had a lot of people wanting me to change it up a lot.  But if I changed it up a lot, it would mean changing me.  It would be changing everything pretty much about me. 

When I was picking songs, I listened to them all and found the ones that I thought could fit me best.  Also songs that I could make sound a little country for me.  Because I think of myself as a country artist.  And I wanted to find songs that would sound good with a country spin on it. 

LKL Blog:  As the weeks go on and fewer contestants remain, it must be tough to say good-bye.  You probably get closer as week goes on?

Aaron:  It’s very, very tough.  We all get close to each other.  And especially the further into the competition you go, everybody is so close.  And we’ve been together so long.  I think it’s been what, ten weeks?  That’s a long time to be together.  And it’s everyday.  The contestants are your best friends.  And they are also here to help you.  The judges and the mentors, they are also here to help you.  But if we had a question, the contestants would tell you honestly.  So it was great to have them there.

LKL Blog:  Big Mike and you – you sort of hugged it out onstage after Ryan announced your elimination.  What did he whisper in your ear?

Aaron:  Big Mike was just saying, “You’re all right, man.  Top five, that’s a good place to go.  You’re going to do good things after the show,” he said. 

LKL Blog:  What are your plans after the show?

Aaron:  Well, we have tour plans.  Also hopefully I’ll get to do an album.  I’ll have some songs on there that I wrote, which I’m excited about.  A lot of people didn’t know that I write songs.  So that will be cool, a new thing that America didn’t know about me, that they’ll get to hear.

LKL Blog:  You’re still in school – were you doing school work while you were on Idol?

Aaron:  Yes, we had a teacher and she was great.  She was a lot of fun.  So I had someone there to help me if I had questions, she would help me out with them.

LKL Blog:  Was it hard to balance homework while preparing a performance in front of 24 million eyeballs?

Aaron:  Not at all.  The thing is, having school there kind of took my mind off things.  I wasn’t worrying about what the judges were going to say.  Or how I was going to do that night.  I wasn’t over thinking anything.  I was worried about my school work and getting everything done.  So it took my mind off things.

LKL Blog:  One last question, what was your favorite Idol moment?

Aaron:  My favorite Idol moment was I got to meet Rascal Flatts.  I completely idolize them.  I’m a huge, huge fan.  They pretty much inspired me to start with music.  I’ve been a fan of them ever since their very first single.  So getting to meet them and take a picture with them was a highlight for me.

Only five contestants remain after Siobhan Magnus was voted off the American Idol stage Wednesday night...

There was a lot of buzz over her hair and outfits (butterflies?) but did people focus too much on her style...and not enough on her substance?  Well, we asked her.  Find out what she said below!

And let us know what you think.  We're getting close to the end!

LKL Blog:  Looking back at your time on Idol, give me a sense of what you’re thinking about?

Siobhan Magnus:  I’m just proud of making it this far.  What an amazing experience it’s been.  I’ve learned so much in such a short amount of time that it’s completely invaluable.  Probably one of the best experiences I’ll have.  It’s unfortunate to leave at this point; I would have loved to gone further.  But you can’t look at it that way; you have to appreciate it for what it is.  

The people I’ve met and the friendships I’ve made and the things I’ve learned are some of the hugest, most valuable things to me that I think might ever happen.  I’m just extremely blessed to have gone through this; especially at the time in my life that I did, at this age.  It’s been incredible.

LKL Blog:  You mentioned the friendships – you’re all almost part of an exclusive club.  As the weeks go on, and fewer contestants remain, is it more difficult to say good-bye?  What was that like?

Siobhan:  It gets harder every week.  That’s one more week that you’ve been together every single day.  We’ve become so close, sometimes we’re the only people we see throughout the week, besides the people who work on the show.  And we’re the only people in the whole world, at this time, who know what we’re going through.  So as much as you can talk to your friends and family about it, this group of people are the only ones who understand.  You’ll say something about what happened that day and they’ll know because they did it too.  You develop these bonds, just being able to talk to each other about what’s on your mind regarding the show and the process.  Every morning, we’d be getting ready to go over to the studio and Big Mike [Lynche] would say, “Good morning, family!”  It’s just that – we’re our own little Idol family.

LKL Blog:  Your style, it came up a lot during the show, especially with the comments from the judges.  Did people think or react or focus too much on the style over the substance with you?  Do you think any of that overshadowed who you were as a performer?

Siobhan:  I think at times it may have.  Just because some nights I would get more comments from the judges about my outfit than about my singing.  And I would become frustrated that I didn’t have enough to work with from them.  I didn’t know what I needed to improve vocally because Simon would go off about my outfit being weird.  And that was kind of a bummer that it was standing out more than my vocals.  But I always looked at my performances as a package deal – I needed to express myself visually as well as with my singing. 

I don’t regret any of it.  I had a blast putting together my outfits. 

LKL Blog:  Who is your inspiration?  Or what inspires you?

Siobhan:  I’ve been fortunate enough to have many different inspirations in my life.  I think the biggest one is my brothers and sisters because they are all so unique and amazing and intelligent and they are my best friends in the whole world.

Starting with my oldest brother, Rory, he’s always been the person that I’ve aspired to be like because he never quits.  When he thinks of something that he wants to do, even if it’s a big thing, he just does it.  And he doesn’t give any excuses.  He’s never defeated.  He just goes and does what he needs to do and it’s always amazed me.  I’ve always admired and copied him.  I was kind of a tomboy because I wanted to be like my brother.  And I still kind of am. 

I could go down the list and tell you why each of my siblings is an inspiration to me, but it’s a similar reason in that they are all so bright.  They’re the best people I know.

LKL Blog:  Is it tough to be separated from your family and friends and put on this platform for the number of weeks you’ve been doing it?

Siobhan:  Yeah, it is tough.  This is the longest I’ve ever been apart from my little sisters.  At home I help take care of them a lot.  So it’s been strange being separated from them and not getting to talk to them as much as I’d like.  I can’t wait to see them.

LKL Blog:  Looking back, did you have a favorite performance that you did?   And also, next week, if you had been planning a Siobhan take on a Frank Sinatra classic?

Siobhan:  I loved every performance for its own reasons.  For what it was and what it meant to me.  One of my favorites was definitely when I sang “Paint it Black” because that week was just so much fun.  It was the first week on the big stage, it was my birthday that week and how it all came together – I just had so much fun with the arrangement and when I got to put together my outfit – it was so me, everything about it.  I was so excited to be able to show that to people and to have so much fun with it.  It was very dramatic.   And when they told me it was theatrical, it wasn’t a bad thing – even though later on, me being theatrical was a bad thing in the eyes of the judges.  I just loved everything about that one.

As for next week, I was really excited because I love big band music.  I love Frank Sinatra.  I was playing with the idea of singing “My Way” because of all the hullabaloo that was caused about me being different and dressing crazy, things like that.  I think the message of that song, besides the part about it being the end and everything – just to be able to say I did this my way. 

And it’s my grandfather’s favorite song.   And I would have loved to been able to sing it for him.  He was supposed to come out this week but he’s been very sick, so he couldn’t make it.  But I’ll have to sing it to him when I get home.

True Crime with Aphrodite Jones: Michael Jackson airs Thursday, April 29th on Investigation Discovery.  Jones spoke to the LKL Blog about her thoughts on the Jackson case.  The interview has been edited for clarity and content.

LKL Blog: You’ve spent years looking at Michael Jackson, his legal troubles and the man that he was.  In terms of connecting the dots for your program, tell me a little about what you learned.

Aphrodite Jones: I think what I learned is that we really forgot, while Michael Jackson was alive, that he was a human being.  We made him into a caricature.  The interesting for me is that nobody after the acquittal of Michael Jackson turned around and said, “gee, wait a minute, we reported only what we could to dig up dirt and never considered that this man has no place to turn now.”  Frankly, the media ran after him harder after the acquittal.  

It all got turned around on Jackson, in a big way.  I think people don’t realize – when Mihcael Jackson did anything, like the baby-dangling incident, it was blown out of such proportion because everybody made him out to be a freak.

LKL Blog: There’s no denying his talent but he was such a polarizing person.  People just wanted to know every detail – why do you think people had that kind of reaction to him?

Jones: First of all, Michael Jackson broke the color barrier.  And he did it in such a way, with his music, with his friendships and later with his vitiligo.  Here’s someone whose life was dedicated to not looking at races, being of only one color.  His music united the world.  He went to every country in the world with his music.  If his music landed there, he usually went.  And he embraced people of every culture.  Not many entertainers when you think about that really have that kind of stronghold or embrace of people in China, people in Singapore, people in Thailand.  My book [Michael Jackson Conspiracy] has been translated around the world.  In Japan, China, Taiwan, France, Italy, all over Europe.

LKL Blog: The theory that you’re operating on in the show – that Jackson never recovered from the allegations, from the trial, from the documentary…

Jones: Imagine this – imagine you are one of the most famous people in the world.  And not only are you famous, but you’re an entertainer and people want to imitate you – that was Jackson.  You can’t walk anywhere without being bombarded as yourself.  If you walk into a supermarket or a mall, he was immediately surrounded.  Everybody wanted a signature, everybody wanted a photograph, “oh, it’s Michael Jackson.”  He described some of those situations.  He would try to go to the Beverly Center to get a shirt like a normal person and he couldn’t do it.  And then people wondered why he was in disguise or what’s wrong with him?  He had no ability to walk around the planet as himself.  And that’s a weird thing, if you think about it.  Because it happened to him since childhood.  It’s not like he became an adult and decided to pick this life for himself.  He was chosen by his father for that life.  Or by a higher source, based on his voice and talent.  So from his childhood, all he knew was people following him around, adoring him, wanting to be like him.  But at some point, it gets tiring and you want to have a private life, you want to be able to move around.

LKL Blog: With all of this stuff that happened, the stress of having to move around, the trial, everyone picking him apart – was his death avoidable?  Or was is just bound to happen based on everything that had happened to him up until that point?

Jones: I’m one of those people who believe when it’s your time, it’s your time.  Michael Jackson gave to us from the time he was six.  That’s a lot of giving.  He died trying to make a comeback, to prove to his fans that yes, he was still the talent that he was.  And to his kids who hadn’t seen him in any other shoes other than the freak that they made him out to be in the media.

I think had Michael Jackson been given the opportunity to first of all, not have to fight for his own name, his own legacy to the extent that he did, I don’t think he would have agreed to the 50 concerts.  And by having agreed to the 50 concerts, he then worked himself into such a frenzy.  He really was in good shape.

This guy’s voice was there, his dancing was there, his moves were there.

But he lost the ability to perform and do what he loved to do because of all these allegations and insanity that swirled around him for years.  And the Bashir [documentary about Jackson] and the trial and the charges made it even worse.  He couldn’t trust anyone in the media and he didn’t even want to perform in the United States – that’s why he was doing it in England.

I think he overestimated what his potential could be – or got pushed into it or coaxed into it.  And then he realized he had to work really hard to get in shape to have the stamina to do this.

Michael was trying so desperately to resuscitate his legacy that he died trying.  He couldn’t get to sleep because he was riddled with the idea of being betrayed, being belittled, being picked on – how much can one person take?

We’re almost halfway there, Idol fans.  Were you surprised by Wednesday’s vote? 

“Teflon” Tim Urban, the guy with a guitar and a smile, was eliminated from Idol Wednesday night.  Despite often harsh criticisms from the judges and ending up in the bottom three so many times, Tim surprised many (including himself) and kept plugging along on the show. 

After he was voted off, Tim talked to us at the Larry King Live blog about his Idol experience and what’s next for him…

LKL Blog:  So how are you feeling?

Tim Urban:  I’m actually feeling really good.  I’m not really that sad about it.  It’s not really one of those things.  It’s been a crazy, awesome journey.  And it’s really just beginning.  So I actually feel really good.  

LKL Blog:  Were you surprised at all by the vote Wednesday night?

Tim:  Not really that surprised because you don’t really know who’s going to go home.  It could always be you.  So it wasn’t really that surprising.  I was ready for it mentally just because I’ve been in the bottom three so many times before, so I was ready for it.  So it wasn’t a huge shock. 

LKL Blog:  You said it was a great journey anyway – you weren’t supposed to be in the top 24, let alone the top 12 [Tim was added to the top 24 contestants after Idol producers disqualified another contestant].  Was this all gravy for you?

Tim:  Pretty much.  I mean after you get called back to be on the top 24, I’m like this is amazing.  So even if I got sent home the first week of the top 24, which a lot of people thought I was going to be, it still would have been an amazing journey.  To get this far, it’s just unbelievable to me.

LKL Blog:  The judges were pretty harsh over the course of the past few weeks, the name “Teflon Tim” and what Simon had been saying – but a lot of people commented on how happy you seemed.  That you kept smiling through it all.  Did any of that get to you?  Did it bother you?

Tim:  Not really.  That’s kind of who I am, that’s my personality.  I don’t let things get me too down.  It just took it as a joke.  I wasn’t going to think about it too much.

LKL Blog:  It must have been nice, after all of this, to hear Simon say last week that you went from “zero to hero.”

Tim:  That was really cool to get that encouragement from him, that response.  To hear him say that I was working really hard, to hear the from all the judges, that was encouraging. 

LKL Blog:  Did you learn a lot from this experience?

Tim:  I did.  I learned so much about myself, about the industry, about what I want to do.  It’s been definitely a learning process for me.

LKL Blog:  What do you want to do?

Tim:  I want to be in the entertainment industry.  Be it music, acting, any number of things.  I just know that I love being in front of people.  And I love performing. 

LKL Blog:  Tell me about the past couple of weeks.  As a singer, you were able to meet, work with and be mentored by people like Alicia Keyes, Miley Cyrus and Adam Lambert.  What was that like?  Who helped you the most?

Tim:  You know, they all kind of helped me in their own way.  I think Alicia Keyes was really special to me.  I have huge respect for her, she’s an amazing artist, but also because of the work that she’s done.  I thought that was really cool.  We got to talk about that a little bit before the session started.  So I had this new found respect for her.  And she was just really cool.  And she was really encouraging as a mentor.  So she was really great.  But the rest of the mentors have been really classy people, really nice, with some good encouragement.  So overall, I’ve loved the mentors.

LKL Blog:  What’s it like for you as a contestant?  I assume you all get really close to each other.  Do you talk about what’s going on?  Do you help each other through it?

Tim:  We actually have turned into a big family.  And we do encourage each other after the shows.  And we do have that support for everybody, it’s really cool.  After you get done, after the judges have torn you up or loved you, you know you’re going to go back there and the family is there to support you.

LKL Blog:  Between now and when you all go on tour, what do you do? 

Tim:  I’ll have some time at home to rest and recover, keep working, keep trying to improve and get ready for the tour.  Hopefully get some time to myself and try to process everything.

Do you agree with Wednesday night’s eliminations?  Were you surprised?  Angry?  Happy?  Indifferent?  Let us know!

For those of you who went to bed early (and managed to stay away from your television, computer, radio and friends today), here’s what you need to know:

Katie Stevens, the 17-year-old who caused Kara and Simon to argue over whether she was a country singer or a pop/R&B singer (Katie sets the record straight for us here at LKL Blog) and Andrew Garcia, who wowed America and the judges with his take on former Idol judge Paula Abdul’s hit “Straight Up” during Hollywood week (but didn’t seem to live up to the high standard he’d set for himself), left the stage for the last time last night… 

BOTH Idol contestants took some time for an exit interview with us this afternoon to talk about what the experience meant to them and what their future plans will be.

As always, let us know what you think about Katie, Andrew or anything Idol…and don’t forget to tune in Monday when Larry talks to SIMON, KARA, RANDY AND ELLEN for the hour about “Idol Gives Back”…live from our studio.

LKL Blog:  After last night, what’s gone through your mind?  Have you re-hashed the past few weeks?

Andrew Garcia:  What’s going through my mind is needing a break from all the craziness that’s been going on.  I made it that far.  And just to be able to say I was in the top 9 out of America’s top singers, it’s an accomplishment that I’m just so happy for and grateful.  It’s crazy to think about it.

LKL Blog:  Were you surprised that you made it that far?

Andrew:  I was.  Because I went in with the intentions of an acoustic singer, doing what he does and just going in there.  But I got to work with a full band.  It was just out of this world.

LKL Blog:  What did you learn as a songwriter, a singer, a performer – what has your experience on Idol taught you?

Andrew:  It’s taught me to connect on different level than just musically.  You’ve got to connect with your heart, your mind, everything.  Literally put yourself in that music and connect with the audience.  That’s where it counts.

LKL Blog:  Everyone still talks about your performance of Paula Abdul’s “Straight Up.”  How did that come about?

Andrew:  I love people talking about that – it’s a work of mine, I put my own twist on it.  They loved it, so it’s cool.  But the judges let it blind them and not seeing what I’m doing now.  And that’s where it kind of got frustrating.  But I have got to get over it and just keep doing my thing.

LKL Blog:  It’s funny you say that because some of the judges were talking about how that performance was just so amazing, it was hard for you to live up to it.  That you set the bar so high for yourself.  Do you think about that?

Andrew:  It was natural to me.  I only took 30 minutes making that rendition three days before Hollywood week.  And I just did it.  It was me being purely unintentional about anything.  Just making the song because I love to do it.

LKL Blog:  Is it harder for someone who is a performer to be coached and judged and given suggestions by all the people on the show?  Does it make it more difficult for a contestant like you?

Andrew:  It kind of does.  You’re already set in your ways.  You’re thinking, ‘this is what I do and I like what I do and this is how I’m going to do it.’  And then you get to a bigger platform and there’s more to than just doing that.  You’ve got to work with other people, you’ve got to work with cameras, you’ve got to work with just so many more things than just me and my acoustic.

LKL Blog:  What’s it like personally for you – you’ve performed for people before – but on this level, what is it like?

Andrew:  It’s pretty insane.  You don’t think about it because you’re so focused on your performance and the judges until after – then you’re like, ‘did I just perform for 25 million people?’  It’s just nuts.  It’s a good feeling though.

LKL Blog:  Do you and the other contestants, would you after the show sit around and dissect everything?  Or do you turn it off?

Andrew:  We sometimes do and we sometimes don’t.  But we normally don’t do it any more.  We used to, but it caused more stress on us.  We toned it down a lot.

LKL Blog:  Was last night tough for you?

Andrew:  It actually wasn’t.  I went in there expecting nothing.  And you’ve got to learn to go with the flow.  Especially on television like that.  You never know what’s going to happen.  And if you go in there thinking of what you want and not getting it, it’s going to tear you up.  You’ve got to be appreciative, humble and just thank people for everything that’s been given to you so far.

LKL Blog:  What’s next?  How do you use this to move forward?

Andrew:  Oh, man.  How don’t I use it?  It’s the most amazing thing to have.  So many people know me now, that get me.  That are supportive of me.  So I’m just going to keep doing what I do.  I’m going to write an album.  I’m going to spend time with my family and get ready for the tour.

Do you agree with Wednesday night’s eliminations?  Were you surprised?  Angry?  Happy?  Indifferent?  Let us know!

For those of you who went to bed early (and managed to stay away from your television, computer, radio and friends today), here’s what you need to know:

Katie Stevens, the 17-year-old who caused Kara and Simon to argue over whether she was a country singer or a pop/R&B singer (Katie sets the record straight for us here at LKL Blog) and Andrew Garcia, who wowed America and the judges with his take on former Idol judge Paula Abdul’s hit “Straight Up” during Hollywood week (but didn’t seem to live up to the high standard he’d set for himself), left the stage for the last time last night… 

BOTH Idol contestants took some time for an exit interview with us this afternoon to talk about what the experience meant to them and what their future plans will be (how do you go back to high school after doing something like this, Katie??)

As always, let us know what you think about Katie, Andrew or anything Idol…and don’t forget to tune in Monday when Larry talks to SIMON, KARA, RANDY AND ELLEN for the hour about “Idol Gives Back”…live from our studio.

LKL Blog:  How are you feeling?  You’ve had a little time to digest what’s happened…

Katie Stevens:  I feel great.  I feel happy that I’ve made it this far.  And fortunate enough to work with all the amazing people I did.  So I’m leaving this very, very proud of myself.  It’s not the end for me.  I’m going to continue to follow my dream.  And hopefully put out an album at some point.  So we’ll see where it goes.

LKL Blog:  Were you surprised at last night’s eliminations?

Katie:  I always go into it thinking that Idol is unpredictable.  And sometimes the results are surprising.  So it could be me at any time.  And I had this feeling when I was on stage with Mike [Idol contestant Michael Lynche, who was saved by judges last week], that it was going to be me.  So I kind of prepared myself to sing my song.  And that’s what I did.  I was emotional, but I tried to do the best that I could.

LKL Blog:  It’s got to be hard.  We’ve talked about this with other contestants too – when you’ve got the judges, who give criticisms and critiques and advice, and you’ve got the producers and everyone else that you work with on the show, taking all that in but trying to remain true to yourself as a performer – how does that all come into play?

Katie:  I started off in the top 24 trying to do everything that the judges said and trying to appease all of them.  And then I realized I just needed to do what feels right to me and to be myself.  So I definitely learned a lot through everything.  I learned to take the judges’ criticism and their advice and just see what I could use and what I couldn’t for what I ultimately want to become as an artist.

LKL Blog:  What would you like to become, who would you like to become as an artist?  Because Simon and Kara were arguing for a while over your style: country vs. pop/R&B…

Katie:  I think I side more with Kara and Randy when they talk about pop with R&B leanings.  I definitely want to put out and album, kind of like a Kelly Clarkson vibe, a soulful voice with a pop rock background.  I think it’s something that I’ve always loved; and always loved to perform.  So that’s the kind of album that I’d like to put out.

LKL Blog:  Is there anything that you would have done differently looking back at it all now?

Katie:  You know what?  I wouldn’t have done anything differently because I think each choice that I made, made me stronger with the criticisms that I got.  I built a thick skin with the more harsh notes I got from the judges.  So I mean, ultimately this is going to shape who I am as a person, not only as an artist.

LKL Blog:  Does it change you?  It must be an experience, to say the least, to go from being a 17-year-old singer to being thrown out on this huge stage.

Katie:  Definitely.  It’s been the most amazing thing that’s ever happened to me.  And it’s something that I’m proud to say that I did.  It’s a big accomplishment for me.  I was in high school walking down the halls, going to pre-calculus and psychology and stuff like that.  It was a different environment for me.  It made me stronger.  And I grew up so much from it.

LKL Blog:  Were you able to stay in touch with your friends from this?  Or were you sort of off the grid for a little while?

Katie:  I definitely stayed in touch with my friends.  It was important to me that I stay grounded because I didn’t want to forget where I came from and who I was before this.

LKL Blog:  So how do you come down from all of this?  For the past six or seven weeks, you’ve been in the middle of America’s stage.  What are you going to do to decompress?

Katie:  Just go home, just sleep.  Spend time with my family and friends.

Brian Ernst loved baseball.  He loved playing it, he loved talking about it and he loved to think about his future in the sport.  As a star pitcher for his school team at West Hall High School in Oakwood, Georgia, he had hoped to play in college and fantasized about playing in the majors. 

So it was no surprise that the 19-year-old asked the Make-A-Wish Foundation to meet his favorite player, Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira, as he battled the cancer that would eventually take his life in March. 

Teixeira, who has routinely taken time to meet many kids in similar situations during his years as a professional player, said it was a meeting he would never forget.

“I’ve visited hospitals before and worked with Make-A-Wish foundation.  You think you’re giving a kid something, but after I left Brian, he gave me something,” he said.  “I think he gave me much more than I gave him.”

Brian had originally wanted to come to Yankee Stadium in The Bronx and play catch with Teixeira but his failing health prevented any trips.  So instead the Yankee went to Children’s Hospital in Atlanta to visit Brian in February.

As Teixeira arrived at the hospital, he said he was met by a representative of Make-A-Wish, who told him that Brian had taken a turn for the worse and may not be able to see him in person.  But, he said, something happened in the five minutes it took to walk from the parking lot to Brian’s room.

“I walked in and Brian had sat up in bed, had put on his Yankees jersey and was ready to hang out with me,” Teixeira said.  “And his father told me that in the last couple of days, Brian had never been that responsive and wasn’t able to hold a conversation like that.  It was a true miracle.”

Despite being in and out of consciousness for days, Brian was able to have a two-hour conversation with his baseball hero.  They talked about sports – baseball, basketball and football.  They talked about playing college baseball.  But more than anything, Teixeira was struck by Brian’s hope and his desire to help other people – especially children – who were battling similar diseases.

“The most important thing we talked about was how his faith had gotten him through this experience in dealing with cancer.  More importantly, how he affects other people and brings inspiration to other people with this terrible disease,” Teixeira said.

Brian’s mother, Donna Ernst suggested fate played a part in bringing her son and his baseball hero together.

“Watching the whole thing was just incredible.  It amazed me of how of all the players he could have picked, Mark was special,” Brian’s mom, Donna Ernst said.  “And I’m convinced there’s a special reason those two came to meet that day.”

Brian was diagnosed with Ewing’s sarcoma, a rare type of cancer that is found in the bone or soft body tissue, just after his 17th birthday.  And despite making progress with treatment early on, the cancer eventually returned and spread throughout his body. 

When all medical options were exhausted, his mother said it was her responsibility to tell her son the bad news.  But she was surprised by how it went; that instead of the family comforting Brian that day, Brian comforted his family.  “What I thought was going to be the worst day of our lives, Brian gave a blessing to each one of us,” Donna remembered. 

His father, Steve Ernst, added, “Here we are, at the lowest points in our lives at this moment and he’s comforting us by explaining that he’s not afraid.  That he’s going to be okay.”

During his time at the hospital, Brian helped cheer up young children who had cancer.  He told his parents that one day he wanted to be able to spread the message of living with childhood cancer and help people understand it better.

It was that kind of optimism and maturity that stayed with Teixeira long after his visit with Brian.   “I just put myself in Brian’s shoes.  How would I react ten years ago if that was me,” Teixeira wondered. 

He was so moved and touched by Brian’s story that he is paying tribute to the young man who was not able to live his own dream by writing Brian’s baseball number in his own Yankee hat.

“Brian wore number 5 on the baseball field.  He was a great baseball player,” Teixeira said.  “I put number five in my baseball hat.  And I wrote next to it ‘faith’ and his name next to that.”

Teixeira has stayed in touch with Brian’s family since his death and brought Brian’s parents to New York over the weekend to be his special guests at the Yankee’s home opener Tuesday in The Bronx.  After the game, he plans to present his hat, the one with Brian’s number on it, to his parents.

Steve and Donna realize the importance and the symbolism of the trip to Yankee Stadium, the one that their son was not able to make himself.  “That’s going to be a very emotional experience for us.  It’s going to be very bittersweet,” Steve said.  “We’re doing it, we’re going to be there for our son.”

Teixeira said he wants to spread Brian’s message, hoping to inspire other people to make the most of their lives.  “It puts everything in perspective.  You know, I play baseball,” Teixeira said.  “I play baseball and people cheer me on.  And they’re entertained for a few hours.  But Brian changed lives.  He really did.  What Brian can do, compared to what I can do – it really doesn’t compare.  He’s an amazing person.”

“Brian didn’t lose his battle with cancer.  He won the battle. It didn’t break him down.  He showed everybody that you can live through cancer and make a difference and inspire people no matter what circumstance you have,” Teixeira said.  “And that will always stay with me.”