‘Idol’ contestants from the ‘Best of the Rest’ episode; what we know

      It didn’t take long for “American Idol” fans to unearth pictures of Amy Davis in her underwear.  Just one day after her audition, Amy’s revealing photos are already making the rounds in the AI blogosphere. Here’s what we know about Amy so far, besides the fact that she looks great in a bikini: She was a contestant on “Nashville Star”, she’s 25, and she lives in Lowell, Ind. 

      According to Cardin Lee McKinney’s MySpace page, Cardin sounds like “a hot chick with cool pipes,” and I have to agree with her there. The music on her page is as catchy as it is professional. At her audition, however, Simon thought Cardin sounded “very theatrical,” and not contemporary enough. Cardin hails from Nashville, where she is a server at a fondue restaurant.

      Not only is 25-year-old JoAnne Borgella a plus-size model and a singer, but she’s also a reality star!  Borgella was crowned Miss F.A.T. on the 2005 reality show “Mo'Nique's Fat Chance.”  When asked about her experience on the show, JoAnne told Plus Model magazine, “It changed me! I have always been confident in myself, but like everyone else I did have some insecurity. … It took being around other women that felt the same way for me to be at ease and be happy with myself.” The judges were impressed to learn that JoAnne sang the national anthem at Madison Square Garden, but her audition failed to strike a cord with Simon; still, JoAnne made it through to Hollywood.

      Chikezie Eze didn’t make the cut last year, but that didn’t dampen his spirits. The 22-year-old Inglewood resident came back for more this season -– and made it through. Here are some facts about Chikezie from his blog: “I'm a shameless flirt. … If you bore me enough ... I just might disappear. … I believe a day without a hug is a wasted day.” And, according to his MySpace page, the self-professed “shameless flirt” is single.

    “Idol” sure knows how to save the best for last. Sweet, young Danny Noriega of Azusa was given the honor of wrapping up the audition round. He tried out for “Idol” once before, but his journey was a short one. Now he’s back, and he’s in it to win. Danny’s gentle speaking voice is misleading, because his singing voice is massive. “You’ve got a very good voice, Danny,” observed Simon, in a rare moment of utter wonder and sincerity. Danny’s MySpace profile is set to private, but we can see his mood (“weird”) and his personal quote (“you wanna piece of me?”). He’s already being called the next Sanjaya in AI chat rooms. Like Sanjaya before him, Danny’s sexuality is inspiring plenty of curiosity.  According to votefortheworst.com, Danny’s MySpace page reads, “Orientation: What do you think?”

-- Stephanie Lysaght