+ Adam Lambert took the high road (sort of) in response to Clay Aiken’s bitter blog rant about his performance on this season of American Idol. (PopCrunch)

+ On the “Lamchop” tip, looks like this year’s American Idol runner-up could be the next frontman for Queen. (Prefix)

+ Mmm… if you’re hurting for a smooth cover of No Doubt’s “Don’t Speak,” Chrisette Michele has the perfect remedy for you. A beautiful rendition, indeed. (Neon Limelight)

+ Outspoken fashion queen/rapper Kanye West doesn’t like books (or reading for that matter) — which is why he wrote his own book and wants you to buy it now. (Reuters)

+ Is this for real??? Ciara is giving away her Fantasy Ride CD for free when you buy a large chicken sandwich from KFC?? Is this real life? (Fierocia)

+ Friday LOLZ: In case you didn’t see that hysterical vid of Katharine McPhee getting attacked by paparazzi and then promptly saved by an outspoken homeless woman, FunnyOrDie has released a spoof of said video. You MUST watch. (Seriously? OMG! WTF?)

+ The unlikely pairing of Lil Wayne and Fall Out Boy on his latest album “Rebirth” (Oof.  All I hearz is Patrick Stump yodeling) makes me wonder if L Dub will “Phone Home” some BBerry pix of his netherbits.   (Rap-Up)

+ She’s like the wind: Some cute pics of Lady GaGa bein’ an easy breezy girl doin’ easy breezy things with her friends (no “disco stick riding” here).  Amaaaazing what a blonde Janice-from-the-Muppets wig, a French-cut unitard, and a celebrity blogger will do for your career. (PerezHilton)

+ OOF! Estelle! Girl better WERQUE that football jersey. (Go Fug Yourself)

+ Buxom “Barbed Wire” babe Pam Anderson came a two-steppin’ down the runway to close out Richie Rich’s Wednesday night fashion show (flanked by Roller Rich himself). Kind of annoys me that his muse (and my personal thinspiration) Amanda LePore got the shaft quicker than you can say hep-A. (E! Online)

+ Ok. How great is it that Felicia “Fe” Culotta and Britney Spears have been reunited again, seen here tooling around town in a Mini (when did Brit get that??).  Oh, how i have MISSED Fe’s lil Southryn lisp and high school bangs.  Welcome back, lady.  P.S. JoBros gots to be PISSED, yo. No??  Who will keep Big Rob company??? (Pink is the New Blog)

+ Our favorite little strawberry muffintop Clay Aiken apparently got the boot from his record label, RCA.  Personally I don’t mind his voice (however Contempo-Christian it may sound), but he’ll get no sympathy from me until I see next steps from sexpot Katharine McPhee. Yes.  I still have McPheever. DEALWITHIT. (Jaded Insider)

We’re still totally exhausted from watching the American Idol season premiere … did it really need to be four hours spread over two nights? We like laughing at the crazy and crappy singers just as much as the next guy, but sometimes, as Chris Daughtry rightfully pointed out, it’s a bit much. What we really get into is watching the top 12 duke it out and placing our bets on who will be crowned the next Idol. But does winning really mean anything anymore?

In recent weeks, past winners Taylor Hicks and Ruben Studdard and season 5 runner-up Katharine McPhee were all kicked to the curb by their record labels. For every Daughtry or Jennifer Hudson, there’s a Justin Guarini or Constantine Maroulis or Diana DeGarmo or … well, you get the point. And, in last week’s Entertainment Weekly, the show’s executive producer clearly dissed all of the season 6 contestants, saying, “We had nobody outstanding.” Um … we’re guessing that this is news to Jordin Sparks and Blake Lewis, who better hope their albums pick up some serious sales momentum fast or they could be axed next.  

As season 7 gets underway, we’re wondering if there’s another Kelly Clarkson or Carrie Underwood waiting to be discovered. What do you think … is American Idol still the place to find gems or is it just a joke?

Mos Def apparently got into it with some paparazzi in Hollywood last night, and TMZ has video of it.

Perez Hilton has posted some of Britney Spears‘ half-naked shots from the September issue of Allure, and, of course, logged his thoughts about them.

One of the Violent Femmes is suing another of the Violent Femmes over royalties and the fact that the latter allowed “Blister in the Sun” to be used in a Wendy’s ad.

Interestingly and apropos of nothing, MTV News has uncovered the now 27 year-old-girl who appeared on the cover of Violent Femmes, the album that featured the song. “It’s just a cool aspect of who I am,” Billie Jo Campbell says, “and I think it makes me more dynamic.” MTV News also tracked down the Nirvana baby and other children featured on iconic album covers.

Check out some snaps of a pregnant Katharine McPhee over at OMG! But don’t get bent out of shape, she’s playing a knocked-up sorority sister in a new Adam Sandler comedy.