American Idol

In case you forgot ... Nicki Minaj STILL HATES Mariah Carey ... and moments ago, she went after the diva AGAIN ... calling her a bitter old woman with no personality.

Minaj just unloaded on Twitter, following a series of heated exchanges on "American Idol" last night. During the show, Mariah spit a little trash talk Nicki's way ... and taunted her for never having a #1 single on the Billboard Hot 100.

Nicki took some shots back at Mariah on the show -- at one point breaking out a cotton swab and telling Mariah to clean out her ears.

But moments ago, Nicki continued the war on Twitter ... telling critics to ask themselves "Why a woman SO successful at her age, is still so INSECURE, and bitter."

Minaj also made a reference to reports that "Idol" producers were recently looking to replace Mariah with former judge Jennifer Lopez:

"All dem #1s but JLo phone ringin? Lol. I guess having a personality, being a secure woman, and giving genuine critique still trumps that." So far, no response from Mariah.

Of course, Nicki and Mariah have been at each other's throats since before the season even began ... 'memba this video from last year?

Right before Jason Aldean filed for divorce ... the country star called the "American Idol" hottie he kissed behind his wife's back and warned her about the media firestorm to come ... TMZ has learned.

Sources connected to Brittany Kerr tell us ... Aldean placed the courtesy phone call himself last week ... and politely warned the singer that he was pulling the trigger on his marriage to his high school sweetheart Jessica Ussery.

Translation -- the media's gonna be all over your ass again ... so, govern yourself accordingly.

We're told Kerr appreciated the heads-up ... considering she was Aldean's kissing partner on the night he cheated on his wife back in Sept.

Since the warning, Brittany's been laying low -- shutting down her social media pages and staying out of the public eye.

It's not clear whether Aldean and Kerr have communicated since … or whether their relationship has a future.

Country superstar Jason Aldean is pulling the trigger on his marriage ... filing for divorce from the woman he cheated on at a Hollywood bar just a few months ago.

Aldean filed papers in Tennessee on April 26 -- moving to end his 11 year marriage to high school sweetheart Jessica Ussery ... the mother of his 2 children. In the docs, Aldean blames the split on "irreconcilable differences."

FYI -- the 36-year-old singer filed the divorce papers on the same day he announced he and his wife had separated. At the time, Aldean's rep had said the couple was "having problems," but made no mention of the divorce,

The problems began for Aldean when he was pictured kissing Season 11 "American Idol" contestant Brittany Kerr on the Sunset Strip in September while he was in L.A. for a concert.

Aldean and Ussery initially tried to patch things up -- and they even walked a red carpet side-by-side back in November ... but clearly, that didn't work out.

Jason Aldean and his wife have separated ... after the country superstar was pictured kissing another woman on the Sunset Strip back in September ... sources connected to the couple tell TMZ.

We're told Aldean and his high-school sweetheart Jessica Ussery have been struggling ever since the "Dirt Road Anthem" singer put the moves on Season 11 "A.I." contender Brittany Kerr in front of a bunch of people at a Hollywood bar.

Aldean and Ussery initially tried to move past the incident together -- and they even walked a red carpet side-by-side back in November.

But now, Aldean's rep says the couple is "having problems" ... and sources tell us they've decided to take some time apart. The split was first reported by Us Weekly.

Aldean and Ussery have been married since 2001 and have 2 kids together.

Jennifer Lopez has been approached by Fox execs to return to "American Idol" for the balance of the season ... to replace Mariah Carey ... sources connected with the network confirm to TMZ.

We've learned Lopez will appear on the now ratings-challenged show on May 16 to debut her new single, but Fox has bigger ideas -- they want to stop the hemorrhaging quickly and bring the former judge back on the show. The Hollywood Reporter first posted the story that JLo could be returning.

And the show is in trouble. Last week's ratings were the worst since the show debuted in 2002.

Sources tell us Fox is scrambling to find a solution, and ironically they think Lopez could be the answer. We say ironically because network execs would not ante up the cash JLo wanted to stay on the show this season.

We're told as of now ... no deal has been made.

Clay Aiken's alleged stalker really wanted to get a good look inside the singer's house ... because according to the 911 call, the woman was armed with binoculars when she hopped his fence.

TMZ broke the story ... 57-year-old Barbara Saylor was arrested outside Clay's North Carolina house April 3rd after allegedly hopping his fence and then peering inside his front window. Clay was home.

It wasn't apparent just how bizarre the incident was ... until now. Check out the 911 tape.

Frightening moment for Clay Aiken ... when an obsessed fan broke on to his property and made it all the way to his front door ... this according to police docs obtained by TMZ.

According to the docs, it all went down on April 3 ... when the fan -- 57-year-old Barbara Saylor -- snuck into Clay's gated community in North Carolina and hopped a fence surrounding the singer's home. Sources connected to the incident tell us the woman was seen trying to peer into a window at the front of the house.

The scary part -- Clay was home at the time.

Someone called 911 -- and cops responded to the scene. Barbara was eventually arrested for misdemeanor stalking and misdemeanor first degree trespassing.

According to the docs, Clay told police it's not the first time the woman -- who lives in the Seattle area -- crashed Clay's N.C. pad. Aiken told cops Barbara had previously "thrown her phone over the fence and reported she had been invited by the victim when actually she had not been."

Sources close to Clay tell TMZ ... the singer was shaken up by the incident ... but he's grateful to local law enforcement for responding so quickly.

Justin Bieber's recent wave of d-bag shenanigans has not gone unnoticed in the music world ... so when we asked "American Idol" honcho Nigel Lythgoe if the Biebs was "Idol" mentor material, his response was ... mixed.

Nigel was out in Malibu and our photog questioned whether Lythgoe would consider having JB on the show to help shape the minds of "AI" hopefuls. A valid question in light of Bieber's recent run of speeding tickets, fights, drugs, monkey smuggling ... you get it.

The two biggest reality shows on the planet are about to come together -- TMZ has learned the identity of four of the contestants for this season of "Dancing With the Stars" ... including the first ever former "American Idol" wannabe.

"DWTS" has not revealed their cast for the upcoming season yet ... but sources close to the show tell TMZ that Kellie Pickler -- everyone's favorite country bumpkin from season five of "Idol" -- will be doing this season of "DWTS."

In addition to Pickler, our sources say country star Wynonna Judd, "Bachelor" star Sean Lowe and 2012 Olympic gold medal winning gymnast Aly Raisman are among this year's cast.

Not that TMZ condones gambling, but put $20 down on Raisman -- three former Olympians have won the show in the past. You're welcome.

Phillip Phillips' mother Sheryl Phillips -- who appeared on several episodes of "American Idol" during Phillip's championship run last season -- was arrested for DUI earlier today, TMZ has learned.

Law enforcement officials tell us, an undercover unit observed Sheryl swerving her van across lanes of traffic in Albany, Georgia -- and pulled her over.

We're told ... based on what officers observed after the stop ... they had reason to believe Sheryl was under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs.

According to law enforcement, officers administered a field sobriety test and Sheryl was unable to complete it.

Cops took her into custody and transferred her to a nearby hospital, where doctors decided she was well enough to go to jail. She's currently being booked in Dougherty County.

A source close to the family tells us, Phillip's parents split up last week.

Phillip has famously had a strained relationship with his family, refusing to help financially after their pawn shop went out of business.

So, there we were ... giving one of our awesome TMZ Hollywood Tours this week ... when we spotted this dirty, hippie-looking dude playing a guitar on the side of the road with a giant stuffed gorilla.

And then we realized ... the beatnik was former "American Idol" finalist Casey Abrams.

The whole encounter was kinda strange ... a shoe-less Casey scatted his way through a song ... and then laid down on the ground with his giant blue stuffed animal, while waving to the people on the bus (totally nice guy).

We're guessing Casey is pulling the stunt to promote something ... then again, maybe he really did go full Joaquin Phoenix.

Former "American Idol" contestant Jermaine Jones has a message for the "Idol" castoffs threatening to sue the show for racism -- keep his name THE HELL OUT OF IT!!

Jermaine -- who was disqualified from "A.I." back in March 2012 for outstanding arrest warrants -- tells TMZ ... he is "offended" his name was cited in the current legal battle brewing between the reality show and several former contestants.

TMZ broke the story ... nine African-American ex-contestants are threatening to sue the show, claiming "A.I." honchos are targeting black contestants for disqualification ... by using illegal background checks.

In legal docs ... the lawyer for the "Idol 9" cited Jermaine's premature elimination -- which only happened after a background check revealed his prior arrests -- as a catalyst for the planned lawsuit.

But Jermaine tells us ... "I am offended they tried to paint me as a victim of discrimination."

He continues, "I appreciate the experience from 'Idol' and embraced the good and bad from it."

Just months before ex "American Idol" contestants Terrell and Derrell Brittenum took legal action against the show -- over allegations of racism -- they publicly THANKED Nigel Lythgoe for giving them their big break.

TMZ broke the story ... the twins -- along with seven other African-American former contestants -- are planning to sue ... claiming "A.I." unfairly targets black contestants by using information obtained by illegal criminal background checks ... in order to disqualify them from the competition and boost ratings.

But get this ... TMZ obtained footage of Terrell and Derrell back in September ... which tells a very different story.

Specifically the brothers spot Nigel out in NYC -- they were all attending the same Broadway show -- and couldn't be happier with the encounter, even unleashing a massive hug session on the "A.I." head honcho.

Not only that, one brother points to Nigel and exclaims "Mr. Nigel Lythgoe, who gave me MY start!"

Four "American Idol" finalists from different seasons -- two of whom are black -- insist the singing competition is many things ... but racist is NOT one of them.

TMZ broke the story ... nine black ex-contestants are planning to sue "Idol" producers, claiming the contestants were publicly disqualified based on their dubious criminal backgrounds ... solely because they're African-American.

But Season 6 finalist Melinda Doolittle adamantly disagrees, telling TMZ, "It is shocking to see such allegations. In my experience on the show, the 'Idol' team strives to champion everyone, regardless of race. However, each contestant is explicitly told that the withholding of information that may compromise the show or artist, can and will result in immediate disqualification."

Season 4 finalist Vonzell Solomon adds, "I didn’t experience any of that [racial discrimination] ... all of our contracts were clear about how the background checks worked and that we could be disqualified if we lied about our past."

Two other former contestants -- Season 5 winner Taylor Hicks and Season 10 finalist Casey Abrams -- also agree.

Casey says, "I don't know why they are biting the hand that fed them. Those guys beat thousands of people who wanted to be on TV. Idol is picky, but I'm not sure about racist."

Taylor -- whose Vegas show is still going strong -- adds, "American Idol is for everyone. All walks of life go through the show. Not once did I see the show discriminate towards anyone. It’s all about the votes."

FYI -- "Idol" has had three black winners in its history ... Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino and Jordin Sparks.

The "American Idol" contestant who was seriously injured in an accident 3 DAYS before her audition is finally back on her feet ... and off the crutches ... after undergoing 3 OPERATIONS to fix her busted leg ... TMZ has learned.

In case you missed it ... Megan Miller -- aka Miss Baton Rouge -- scored a golden ticket to Hollywood ... after blowing off a doctor-recommended surgery to treat an infection.

TMZ spoke with Miller ... who tells us she went straight to the surgeon after her audition ... and had to spend a week in the hospital to recover.

Now, Miller says her leg's all healed up ... and she's focusing all of her attention on prepping for Hollywood week.

As for whether the injury will affect her ability to compete, Megan says she's not worried ... "Unless they make us do a marathon."

Nine black former "American Idol" contestants -- from various seasons -- are banding together to SUE the show ... claiming they were all FORCED off "Idol" as part of a racist (and illegal) plot to boost ratings.

TMZ has obtained a letter, submitted to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission by NY attorney James H. Freeman -- in which he asks for permission to sue Idol and FOX on behalf of his clients ... who have all appeared on the show: FYI, Freeman is required to file with the EEOC before filing suit.

Corey Clark (Season 2), Jaered Andrews (Season 2), Donnie Williams (Season 3), Terrell Brittenum (Season 5), Derrell Brittenum (Season 5), Thomas Daniels (Season 6), Akron Watson (Season 6), Ju'Not Joyner (Season 8) and Chris Golightly (Season 9).

In his letter, Freeman claims he noticed something fishy about "Idol" when Jermaine Jones was kicked off on March 15, 2012. Producers had claimed Jones failed to inform them about multiple outstanding warrants out for his arrest.

Freeman claims he conducted an investigation into the show -- and found that producers had only publicly disqualified 9 other people from the show since it first hit the air ... and they all happened to be black.

Freeman now alleges that "Idol" has been conducting a "cruel and inhumane" scheme to exploit and humiliate black contestants for ratings.

According to the letter, Freeman believes the annual "scheme" begins during the background check stage of the show -- when producers ask wannabe contestants the question -- "Have you ever been arrested?"

Freeman claims the question is a violation of CA employment law ... and since his clients were essentially applying for "employment" with Idol, the show was FORBIDDEN from asking contestants about their arrest history.

But Freeman claims ... the ill-gotten information from the question, coupled with arrest records obtained by private investigators working for Idol, were used to humiliate the black Idol contestants on national TV ... and in the process, perpetuated "destructive stereotypes" about black people.

Freeman also claims the show made his clients appear to be "violent criminals, liars and sexual deviants" ... when they weren't.

What's more ... Freeman claims the show has "NEVER once publicly disqualified a white or non-black American Idol contestant in the history of the eleven season production."

According to Freeman, NONE of the contestants who were disqualified from the show based on their criminal backgrounds were convicted of the crimes for which they were charged at the time of their disqualification.

But Freeman adds, "Yet their personal and professional lives remain permanently and severely impaired by [the show's] continuing violations of our nation's laws."

Freeman's letter is the first step towards a lawsuit -- and we're told as soon as he gets the green light from the EEOC, he plans to file the docs in court.

We spoke to "Idol" honcho Nigel Lythgoe ... who tells us he was "shocked" by the "ridiculous" allegations.

He explained, "We treat everybody the same ... no matter the race, religion or sex."

"I think we've always had a fantastic share of talent from contestants both black and white ... I don't think I've ever seen racism at the show."

A rep for FOX declined to comment.