American Idol

Remember Chikezie from "American Idol?" Well, apparently a sales person at Neiman Marcus remembered him because the singer was busted last night for felony identity theft ... law enforcement sources tell TMZ.

Chikezie Eze was at Neiman Marcus in Beverly Hills when he allegedly tried to use "fraudulent means" -- possibly a phony check or credit card -- to purchase merchandise.

Chikezie was detained by store security until the Beverly Hills cops arrived. The singer was then taken to Bev Hills jail and booked on felony identity theft.

He is currently in jail, where he's being held on $50,000 bail.

UPDATE: We're told Chikezie was busted at the counter of Neiman Marcus with items he was trying to purchase.

UPDATE: Chikezie bailed out.

UPDATE: A rep for Neiman Marcus tells TMZ, "We're cooperating with local authorities."

Our insiders say Simon and Ellen aren't even trying to hide it. Ellen can't stand what she believes is Simon's cruelty toward contestants. And, we're told, Simon actually enjoys pissing Ellen off with his blistering critiques.

People working on the show last night tell TMZ ... it was apparent on and off camera ... Simon's tolerance level for the contestants was at an all-time low, and he knew it was making Ellen uncomfortable but clearly didn't care. As one insider put it, "He was intentionally pushing her buttons."

It all started badly ... as Deadline Hollywood first reported .. when Simon showed up late for Ellen's first week of "A.I." taping and made her wait around. Producers separated the two -- who began the season sitting side-by-side -- but the tension has gotten worse.

But business is business. "A.I." is beating the Olympics, and ratings for Ellen's show skyrocketed last week. In Hollywood, contempt has its upside.

"General" Larry Platt is finally cashing in on his "Pants on the Ground" phenomenon -- because "American Idol's" favorite senior citizen is now getting paid to play in Las Vegas.

Platt is scheduled to perform his semi-hit at JET nightclub at the Mirage Hotel on Friday.

Sources at the hotel tell TMZ Platt is being flown from Atlanta first class ... and will get pampered with free food, lodging, several thousand dollars and, last but not least, a steak dinner!

Chris Golightly was booted from the show because he had a record deal when he auditioned in Hollywood last year.

At a news conference today, Golightly produced a document showing he had been released from his record deal before he auditioned at "Idol."

But a few minutes ago, Lawrence D. Franklin, CEO of Dream Project Entertainment, told TMZ after Golightly got disqualified, he approached Franklin and together they phonied a document, backdating the release of his contract to June 7, 2009.

Why did Franklin come clean if he was in on the deception you ask? Franklin tells us ... he belatedly wanted to do the right thing.

Meanwhile, Chris' people say Franklin is full of it.

Chris started the whole thing off by stating his case -- that he did in fact sign this non-"Idol" recording contract on May 30, 2009 ... but claims he was released from the contract a month later and should not have been disqualified from the show.

Chris handed out

today ... which he says released him from his contract in time to appear on "Idol."

That's when Chris busted out "Man in the Mirror" by Michael Jackson ... and it was priceless. After it was all over, we interviewed him ... and got him to sing another song.

Below are the updates we posted as they happened...

UPDATE 9:28 AM PT: It's about to start, even though nobody really showed up.

The document in question -- between Chris and recording company Dream Projects Entertainment -- was signed on May 30, 2009 ... exactly one month before Golightly's audition at the Rose Bowl in L.A. Under the deal Golightly has an exclusive, two-year commitment with DPE.

But according to the Season 9 "Idol" release ... Golightly guaranteed he would have no recording or management commitments by the time he got to a semifinals. It appears Golightly didn't keep his promise.

Golightly will hold a news conference today at 9:30 AM PST ... claiming he was released from his DPE contract before the "Idol" deadline ... and begging for a second chance to compete on the show.

Mikalah showed off her talents at an "American Idol" party in L.A. on Thursday.

While she may not have the record sales nor the Grammys, the 22-year-old is even hotter than her fellow season four cast mate, Carrie Underwood.

Fantasia Barrino is under a self-imposed lockdown -- after the "American Idol" champ received a threatening letter.

It all started last night at the Pantages Theater in L.A. -- Fantasia was reading her fan mail after a performance of "The Color Purple."

Fantasia's manager tells us Barrino became alarmed over a disturbing letter loaded with racial slurs -- including the n-word -- and a line that read, "go back where you came from and die."

We're told the person who wrote the letter claims he used to work as a security guard for Fox while Fantasia was on "A.I."

Fantasia's manager tells us the singer immediately contacted theater security -- which then contacted the LAPD.

In the meantime, we're told the theater has "beefed up" security around Fantasia -- and all over the venue -- and will be screening anything sent to Barrino's dressing room before it gets to her.

In an interview with BLI In The Morning, the gay "American Idol" runner-up revealed he recently played tonsil hockey with Baby Gaga herself.

Maybe she thought he looked like Mick Jagger.

It all went down while Adam was performing a song for iheartradio in New York when Adam heard the girl talking, stopped mid-song and said, "Can you get off your phone?! You're yelling into it ... wait, sorry, we're going to start over."

Lambert then continued to go after the fan saying, "Really?! Dominoes ... we deliver!" He continued, "You're not watching TV honey ... it's a live show."

The slimmed down 33-year-old resurfaced at a NYC fashion show on Monday, looking fab.

In case you don't remember, Taylor Hicks won that season.

It all went down when Paula was on her way in to a radio interview in Phoenix, Arizona when a cameraman -- not ours -- asked what she thought of Stern possibly taking over for Simon Cowell.

Paula's reply: "I don't think that's gonna happen ... I don't know ... funnier things happen."

When the cameraman asked why Stern would be qualified for the gig, Abdul responded, "He hates the show ... I don't even know why ... He doesn't hate a hundred million though."

FYI -- Simon is only reportedly making about $50 mil a season.

The 30-year-old showed off his non-bald scalp at a concert in Miami this weekend.

It's good to see Chris going back to his roots.

Nix -- who impressed the "A.I." judges with her helium sounding, Italian accented voice -- has appeared on at least 4 other reality shows before she got to "Idol," including "Fear Factor," "Next," "Making the Band" and "Date My Mom."

When Nix appeared on "Fear Factor," not only did she go by another name (Nicci Palmeri), but she claimed to be from California and talked without the slightest hint of an Italian accent. The accent was also MIA when she appeared on "Making the Band" ... plus her voice sounded deeper back then too.

But now, Nix's "accent" has helped her through to the Hollywood round on "Idol" -- wonder what she'll sound like when she gets there.

Randy Jackson isn't used to stealing the show -- but according to a new lawsuit, that's exactly what he did with "America's Best Dance Crew."

The Dawg and MTV are being sued by a guy named Dwight McGhee -- who claims the two powerhouses ripped off his idea for a reality show about a dance crew ... called "International Breakerz League."

According to the lawsuit, filed last week in L.A. County Superior Court, McGhee claims he pitched his show idea -- which he calls "uncannily similar" to ABDC -- to MTV back in 2004.

Fast forward four years later: ABDC premieres on MTV ... and McGhee is pissed, claiming he and MTV struck an "implied" contract when he pitched his concept.

Now, McGhee wants Randy and MTV to pay more than $2,000,000 for his trouble. Good luck with that.

No immediate comment from Jackson or MTV.