The New 24

With the final 24 contestants in place, "American Idol" isn't giving the South as much love as it has in the past.

Only seven people made it from the South, if you count Texas, compared with 13 last year and 11 in 2004.

Oddly, nobody from Birmingham --- home to Taylor Hicks, Ruben Studdard and Bo Bice --- made the cut despite the fact "Idol" held auditions in that city for the first time.

Rather, it was the best year ever for the West Coast. Six finalists hail from California, and though the "Idol" judges pilloried Seattle, three singers from that area landed in the final 24. The first eliminations by public voting will be made this week, as the show airs three consecutive nights, beginning tonight. The men will perform for two hours tonight, the ladies on Wednesday, with a one-hour results show Thursday.

And while most of the 24 received some airtime during the auditions, at least seven were barely seen until last Wednesday. Based on past "Idols," those contestants face an uphill battle garnering votes. The only way to survive is to do an exceptional job the next couple of weeks as "Idol" eliminates four a week over three weeks.

Back in 2002, first season "Idol" winner Kelly Clarkson was virtually ignored by the producers, and judge Simon Cowell said during the final-30 round he couldn't really remember her. Yet fans loved her rendition of "Respect" that week, which established her as a player. She even turned Cowell around.

In 2004, Bo Bice was overshadowed in the "rocker" department in the early auditions by Constantine Maroulis. But despite minimal airtime before the final 24, Bice's growly take on "Whipping Post" during the semifinals cemented his spot in the top 12, leading to him land at No. 2 behind Carrie Underwood and ahead of Maroulis.

Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe acknowledges that time restrictions shortchange some top 24 candidates every year.

"It is amazing how people do get lost, and unless there's a major story there, it's very difficult to feature them," he told TV Week last week.

Lythgoe re-emphasized that this is as much a popularity contest as a singing competition, so singers who have a bit more personality do sometimes get ahead --- to a point.

Two years ago, sassy, marble-mouthed Mikalah Gordon made it to the top 12 but was cut the second week. And last year, goofy teen Kevin Covais (nicknamed "Chicken Little") finished in 11th place, despite relatively weak vocals.

Of the 17 who managed to get at least some airtime before last Wednesday's show, Hollywood-week shows --- and selective editing by the producers --- helped some contestants and hurt others.

Those who saw their stars rise:

Melinda Doolittle --- "Idol" showed this longtime backup singer blossom last Wednesday when she burst out with a spirited version of "This Is It." "You are good enough to stand at the front of the stage," Cowell said. "You are no longer a backup singer!"

Chris Sligh --- Sligh's sparkling personality, mess of curly hair and sense of humor, coupled with his great soulful voice, made this Greenville, S.C., resident an instant favorite after his Birmingham audition. And what viewers saw of him during the Hollywood portion only cemented that initial impression. "You guys are probably wondering why I called this meeting today," he cracked wryly, right before the judges put him through.

Rudy Cardenas --- He happened to be in the same group as Sligh and beat-boxer Blake Lewis and was kind of forgotten. But he did sing a lovely snippet of "Georgia on My Mind" in his final audition. And though he hails from North Hollywood, that can't hurt him here.

Those who saw their stars fall:

Antonella Barba --- The beach beauty had an impressive first audition, but during the shows aired last week her singing wasn't quite as impressive, and the producers even showed her stumbling over words in her final audition. Her best friend, Amanda Coluccio, who was eliminated, came across as grating, which didn't help Barba's cause.

Jason "Sundance" Head --- After a strong initial audition, Head had a rough time in Hollywood. At one point, Cowell said he looked so red, "you look boiled." "I am not an example of anybody trying out for this show," he said after his group sang. And then he joked with an eliminated contestant, offering for him to be Head's bodyguard. The humor flopped.

Gina Glocksen --- "I may sound like a snob, but I don't care about anybody else in this competition but myself," she stated during last Tuesday's episode. That's not terribly endearing even if she's being Simon-esque in her honesty.