Idol Update, Part 2: The Orange & Rose Bowls and Where Are They Now?

For those of you who are not Time Warner Cable customers, the countdown is on! Just 13 days until the premiere of “American Idol.” For those of us who are TWC customers, just keep your fingers crossed…

The Orange Bowl is known for some pretty hideous halftime shows, but last night’s was not one of them. Taylor Hicks gave a solid performance of “The Runaround,” even rocking his harmonica. Then he accompanied Gladys Knight (with the harmonica) on “Heard It Through the Grapevine.” It was further proof that Taylor’s live show should be pretty good. I’d really like to know how he spun around like that without getting dizzy…

Katharine McPhee performed at the Tournament of Roses Parade, but the sound was so awful, I’m not sure why she bothered. I’m told that the song was “Better Off Alone,” from her new CD, but all I know is that it was a ballad. Her CD, which hits stores January 30th, is called “Never Saw It Comin’”…

This week’s “US Weekly” takes a look at where some “Idol” finalists are now. And because I read the magazines so you don’t have to, here’s a sampling…

Mikalah Gordon (Season 4) is in a Randy Jackson-produced girl group…

John Stevens (Season 3) and Leah Labelle (Season 3) are students at Berklee College of Music in Boston…

Camile Velasco (Season 3) is working on an urban R&B album…

Mandisa (Season 5) is working on an “Idol” book due in June. Her contemporary Christian CD is due in April…

Scott Savol (Season 4) is working on an R&B CD…

Constantine Maroulis (Season 4) is joining the Off Broadway show “Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris,” after doing “The Wedding Singer” on Broadway. By the way, in another article in the same magazine, Constantine is shown partying with embattled Miss USA Tara Conner…

Christina Christian (Season 1) has a publishing deal to write music…

Ryan Starr (Season 1) is pitching a reality show about getting a record deal…

Melissa McGhee (Season 5) is working on a southern-rock CD…

Paris Bennett (Season 5)’s soul CD, “Princess P” is scheduled for release sometime this month…

Rickey Smith (Season 2) is bartending in Oklahoma City and recording an R&B CD…

Amy Adams (Season 3) toured with “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” and is now at home in full “mommy mode”…

Ejay Day (Season 1) is performing on cruise ships…

Matt Rogers (Season 3) will host “Really Big Things” on the Discovery Channel later this month. He got his agent through Ryan Seacrest…

Lindsey Cardinale (Season 4) is working on a country album…

Jasmine Trias (Season 3) is moving to L.A. to work on an album and audition for movies…

Corey Clark (Season 2) is in Nashville working construction and is separated from his wife. Guess that Paula thing just didn’t work out…

Carmen Rasmusen (Season 2) is recording a country CD after getting vocal lessons…

Justin Guarini (Season 1) is recording a jazz/soul/funk album and shooting the independent film, “Fast Girls”…

Vonzell Solomon (Season 4) runs Melodic Records, the label she founded, and is finishing an R&B album and trying her hand at acting…

Nikki McKibbin (Season 1) is a bartender in Fort Worth, TX, and is working on a rock CD…

The article shared one other tidbit. Season 4’s Nikko Smith and Jessica Sierra dated…