Alert the Soul Patrol! Taylor Hicks returns to ‘American Idol’

Since his “Idol” win, Hicks has been recording, of course, but he has also given drama a whirl, playing “Teen Angel” in “Grease” on Broadway. The Soul Patrol already knows this, but Hicks has just released a new album called “The Distance.” “Seven Mile Breakdown,” which he’s performing on “Idol,” is the latest single off the album. But acting and singing are not all Hicks is getting into these days.

Hicks, like other Idols, also dipped into the writing world, with his 2007 memoir, “Titled Heart Full of Soul: An Inspirational Memoir About Finding Your Voice and Finding Your Way.” Random House was the publisher. Are you pumped to see Hicks back on the “Idol” stage?

Funny Valentine. Sioux City Journal : Abdul compares Adam Lambert to Michael Phelps

Meanwhile, Allen’s father made a face. And Cowell, ever the contrarian, took an opposite view of Allison Iraheta’s bluesy cover of “Someone To Watch Over Me.” “I have a horrible feeling you could be in trouble tonight,” he told Iraheta, noting a “mechanical” feel to her performance and a lack of confidence.

But Iraheta, who turned 17 Monday, drew rave reviews from Abdul, Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi, who called Cowell “crazy.” “If that doesn’t land you in the finals, I don’t know what will,” DioGuardi reassured Iraheta. The judges were split on Matt Giraud. Jackson rated Giraud’s “My Funny Valentine” as a “six out of 10,” and DioGuardi _ one of his biggest supporters _ didn’t feel he connected to the emotionally charged ballad. But Abdul and Cowell begged to differ.

Brigance. Watch 10 hours of NFL programming

The on-site programming is anchored by Chris Berman, joined by Kiper, and Steve Young. Elsewhere at Radio City, Trey Wingo, Herm Edwards and Chris Mortensen hold court. Erin Andrews conducts green-room interviews and makes you glad the telecast is in high definition. -Your other option for draft day is the NFL Network — Comcast customers, this could be your last weekend with the channel before the plug gets pulled May 1 — which also is running a five-hour pre-draft show Saturday.

The NFL Network will be staffed by enough on-air personalities at Radio City to fill in for the Rockettes: Rich Eisen, Mike Mayock, Charles Davis, Steve Mariucci, , Charley Casserly, , , and Jamie Dukes. The channel promises live looks from the ‘ war room during the draft. If you see the Rams staff order toasted ravioli, that means the club is picking offensive tackle. -Billick, who knows a thing or two about quarterbacks who don’t pan out, said this about the gamble of taking one in the first round (via a Fox news release): “There was no reason to believe at this point before the draft in their process that David Carr, and Joey Harrington couldn’t have become elite quarterbacks in the NFL. Imagine the conversation with your owner if you’re the after taking Matthew Stafford No. 1 overall.

Maude, Golden Girls actress Bea Arthur dies

Actress Beatrice (Bea) Arthur, who starred in the popular Maude and Golden Girls TV series, has died at age 86, according to her family. The gravelly-voiced performer won Emmys for her roles in both series, which were also critically acclaimed. Arthur died peacefully at her Los Angeles home with her family at her side, family spokesman Dan Watt said. She had cancer, Watt said, but gave no other details.

“She was a brilliant and witty woman,” said Watt, who was Arthur’s personal assistant for six years. Arthur was born Bernice Frankel to Philip and Rebecca Frankel in New York City on May 13, 1922. The family soon moved to Maryland and Arthur attended college in Blackstone, Va., becoming a medical technologist for a few years.

Carlos Perez Olivo. MLB Hits: Indians Double

Aaron Laffey gave up an RBI-single in the first inning to Mark Teahan then blanked the Royals for the next six innings, ending the third through the seventh by inducing a ground ball double play, becoming the first pitcher to force five consecutive double play ground outs in nearly 29 years. Laffey gave way to his bullpen with a 6-1 lead only to see it quickly whittled away by a four-run eighth. But, the defense would pick him up again when Miguel Olivo bounced into the double play with the bases loaded to end the threat.

Victor Martinez hit a two-run homer in the eighth to give the Tribe some necessary breathing room and Kerry Wood survived a two-run shot by David DeJesus in the ninth to earn his second save of the season. After a 1-7 start, the Indians have won four of their last six. Wednesday the two teams will face off for game two of their three-game series with Cliff Lee on the mound for Cleveland, looking to even his record in his fourth start of the season. Brian Bannister is getting the nod for the Royals, making his first start of the year after starting the season in Triple-A Omaha. The Squeeze…. American League NY Yankees 5, Oakland 3: The sun went down at the new Yankees Stadium and so did the run total as Andy Pettitte allowed just two-runs on nine hits in seven innings and Mariano Rivera worked a scoreless ninth for his fourth save.

Carlos. NBA.com Boozer leads Jazz back into series

SALT LAKE CITY(AP) After struggling with his shot all night, Deron Williams found his touch just in time. Williams’ fadeaway jumper with 2.2 seconds left lifted Utah to an 88-86 win over the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday night, getting the Jazz back in the first-round playoff series they opened with two losses.

Williams took the shot instead of passing to Carlos Boozer on the Jazz’s staple pick-and-roll, hitting just his third field goal of the night and reviving Utah’s postseason hopes. &#34I just wanted to make up for it a little bit on that last shot,” said Williams, who finished with 13 points and nine assists. Boozer led the Jazz with 23 points and tied a franchise playoff record with 22 rebounds as Utah dominated the boards 55-40.

Stephanie Naumoska. Miss Universe Australia In “Skinny” Controversy

“They have long, lithe bodies and small bones. It is their body type, just like Asian girls tend to be small,” Miller said. But Australian Medical Association president Rosanna Capolingua, whose organization represents Australian doctors, said the contest should impose a minimum BMI cut-off of 20. “The most unhealthy part about it, though, is the image it is showing other young women who may view this as normal, when clearly it s not,” Capolingua said. While Naumoska refused to speak to media, nutritionist Susie Burrell told the Herald Sun newspaper there was no such thing as a Macedonian body type.

Eventual winner Finch will compete in the Miss Universe world finals in the Bahamas in August.

Ignoramus. The Electric New Paper, Singapore

HONG Kong action star Jackie Chan has never minced his words on social and political issues. The star of movies like Shinjuku Incident and Rush Hour had previously angered Taiwanese by calling the 2004 Taiwanese presidential election ‘the biggest joke in the world’. But he may have bitten off more than he can chew this time. Apple Daily reported that the 55-year-old actor is now facing an online backlash over his comments at the annual Boao Forum in Hainan on Saturday.

Jackie was asked to discuss censorship and restrictions on filmmakers in China, but had expanded his comments to include society in general. He said: ‘I’m gradually beginning to feel that we Chinese need to be controlled. If we’re not being controlled, we’ll just do what we want. ‘I’m not sure if it’s good to have freedom or not… If you’re too free, you’re like the way Hong Kong is now. It’s very chaotic. Taiwan is also chaotic.’ His words had prompted outrage from lawmakers in Taiwan and Hong Kong, who accused him of insulting his own race.

Chuck Daly. Pistons entering unfamiliar territory

AUBURN HILLS – The Pistons are keenly aware that no one outside of The Palace gives them any chance to upset Cleveland in the playoffs. A Cavs sweep in the best-of-seven, opening-round series in the Eastern Conference is a more plausible outcome. Within the Pistons’ little cocoon, expectations have not been lowered as far as head coach Michael Curry is concerned.

Curry feels the pressure of coaching a team that has reached the Eastern Conference finals six consecutive seasons. The eighth-seeded Pistons head into the series in the unfamiliar position of huge underdogs after finishing four games below.500. Game 1 will be played Saturday afternoon at Cleveland’s Quicken Loans Arena.

Wilfred Roberts. Premier League team news

Aston Villa’s joint top-scorer, Gabriel Agbonlahor, is a major doubt with a hamstring injury suffered in the 3-3 draw with at Villa Park last weekend. The striker Emile Heskey could return from a hamstring injury sustained on duty for England against Slovakia three weeks ago. The midfielder Steve Sidwell and left-back Wilfred Bouma (both ankle) and central defender Carlos Cuellar (back) remain doubtful. Provisional squad: Friedel, Guzan, L Young, Davies, Knight, Cuellar, Shorey, Milner, Petrov, Barry, A Young, Reo-Coker, Sidwell, Gardner, Agbonlahor, Heskey, Carew, Delfouneso, Salifou. The West Ham manager, Gianfranco Zola, is hopeful that the midfielder Radoslav Kovac will have recovered from a thigh injury.

But Scott Parker is suffering from a groin injury. He was due to have a fitness test today. The strikers Carlton Cole (groin) and Dean Ashton (ankle), midfielders Valon Behrami, Jack Collison (both knee) and defenders Danny Gabbidon (back/stomach) and Jonathan Spector (concussion) are all unavailable.