A List Of Things Thrown Five Minutes Ago

YES, BUT WHERE'S SABRINA SLOAN? From the Oklahoma City production of "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" to many iterations of "I'm working on an album," Richard Rushfield checks in with a bevy of Idol alums in LA for the finale. Yes, he checks in with " the greatest Idol of them all, the stupendous ..." and I'm now wholly convinced that it's shtick -- a not-as-effective George Wayne. Meanwhile, Ann Powers puts it all in musical/cultural context, and Brian Dunkleman may have some regrets.

edited.to.provoke: Okay, how do we feel about contestants being able to spend money beyond the clothing budget, as USA Today mentions in an extremely revealing behind-the-scenes:

Inside the hip-with-cash store Traffic, Lambert and [show stylist Miles] Siggins fall in love with a faded denim shirt by Dolce & Gabbana. At $695, it comes close to his two-song budget of $800. Not that that would stop Lambert.

"He's broken Taylor Hicks' record for spending the most out of your own pocket," Siggins says, laughing. "And I'm not telling you by how much."

Lambert says the white suit he wore to sing the Rat Pack-era tune Feeling Good cost $1,700. "But in this competition, the visual is as important as the voice," he says. "I'll spend what I have to."

In other news from the gossip pages, Lambert & date spotted at Burbank's Outback Steakhouse, and their dining companions Anoop Desai & Megan Joy may also be an item. I am more surprised that Lambert would choose to eat at an Outback (and could do so without much hubbub) than I am by the other half of the sentence.