American Idol

Chelsea Sorrell won't be the next "American Idol," but she might have found a new calling in a whole other field ... hair modeling.

Turns out the cosmetologist from Stokesdale, NC -- who was booted this week -- has translated into big business for the beauty school she graduated from. Leon's Beauty School in Greensboro has been offering a Chelsea-related special cut & color (with a 10% discount) ever since she made it on the show ... and it's been a big seller.

The school says they have done 26 Chelsea styles so far and despite her ousting from the show, they plan to keep the offer going until the end of the summer.

Former "American Idol" contestant and out-of-work substitute teacher Scott Dangerfield was booted from the show last week with ZERO job prospects -- but TMZ has learned, the school where he used to work wants him back!!!

Scott tells TMZ, he's been on the hunt for a new teaching gig ever since he got the chop ... but given the time of year, and the struggling job market, it's an uphill battle.

Scott's been getting several job applications together since leaving the show -- but HE CAN STOP NOW ... because the principal at Riverside University High School in Milwaukee (where Dangerfield worked before "Idol") wants to rehire him.

The principal tells TMZ, Riverside would welcome Dangerfield to substitute teach ANY TIME -- and if a permanent position opens up ... he definitely wants Scott to apply.

No surprise Riverside wants him back -- Scott was so dedicated to the school when he worked there last year, he turned down an invitation to Hollywood on "Idol" because he didn't want to desert his students.

It's never a good sign when a singer has had more tax liens than platinum albums -- but that's the situation former "American Idol" champ Ruben Studdard has found himself in ... TMZ has learned.

According to docs filed in Alabama, Studdard and his estranged wife Zuri owe $180,216.73 in federal taxes for the year 2009.

Studdard is no stranger to tax problems in Alabama -- he had a property lien filed against him back in 2008 to the tune of nearly $200,000.

Ruben filed for divorce from Zuri back in November.

Jumping on the Angelina leg Internet meme trend, Jennifer Lopez did a little Jolieing and flashed her gorgeous right leg backstage at an "American Idol" party in L.A. on Thursday.

Former "American Idol" contestant and police officer Alisha Bernhardt tells TMZ, she is NOT a cold-hearted bitch -- which is why she's upset at "Idol" producers over how they portrayed her on last week's show.

In case you missed it -- Alisha was the girl who couldn't find a group to perform "Joy to the World" with ... and unleashed a torrent of bitchiness in frustration.

But Alisha -- who was eliminated Wednesday night -- tells us, producers edited the show to make her look more like a loudmouthed fight-picking ice queen than she really is.

"American Idol" castoff Travis Orlando -- who dropped out of high school last year to focus on singing -- is going back to school ... and TMZ has learned, it's all thanks to an "Idol" camera operator.

Travis was voted off the show last week -- and sources tell TMZ, after he gave his goodbye interview, the camerawoman inspired him to go back to school and get his GED.

In case you missed Travis' audition -- the 18-year-old detailed his turbulent home life in the Bronx, claiming his mother walked out on him and his cancer-stricken father. They have since been evicted from their apartment and now live in a shelter.

But sources tell us, the camerawoman who helped conduct Travis' final interview told him not to give up on his education -- saying, "You have lost so much. You don’t want to lose even more by not finishing school."

We're told Travis took her words to heart -- and has since enrolled in the Adult Learning Center at Lehman College in the Bronx. His classes -- which will eventually earn him his GED -- start next month.

Who says "American Idol" rejects are a bunch of hopeless losers -- we found one who actually managed to turn his flash of fame into a lucrative profession ... begging for money on the side of the road.

His name's Magic Cyclops -- and you may remember him as the air guitar-playing bandana-wearing weirdo who fired confetti out of his pants during his audition in Aspen last month.

The judges unanimously rejected him -- no surprise -- but now he's found success outside the music biz, panhandlng on the side of a freeway in Fort Collins, CO.

Magic tells us, since his massively public "Idol" rejection, no one has wanted to hire his one-man band -- because "now people know I don’t have the talent I thought I had.”

But after reading an article about homeless people making up to $30k a year just from begging, Magic was inspired -- and decided to hit the road with a cardboard sign ... earning an impressive $0.35 his first day.

Jennifer Lopez showed off her 42-year-old mother of two taut flat stomach while in Malibu the other day.

The "American Idol" judge was looking belly good, as her 24-year-old boy toy lover Casper Smart frolicked on the sand with her daughter Emme.

Jim Carrey's "American Idol" wannabe daughter is getting support from an unusual place ... her father's ex-girlfriend.

Jenny McCarthy ... who dated Jim for 5 years before splitting in 2010 ... was out in L.A. this weekend, when we asked if she will back Jane on "Idol."

Without hesitation, Jenny declared ... "YES."

24-year-old Jane got a golden ticket to Hollywood this season after busting out a version of "Something to Talk About."

Ethan Jones made it to Hollywood this week on "American Idol" and told a story about how his dad was in rehab -- but Todd Jones wants to clear the air ... he was not actually in rehab when his son auditioned.

Ethan explained on the show (see below) that he was in a band back in St. Louis with his dad, but pops had to leave the band to go to rehab. Steven Tyler, no stranger to addiction, even said, "I want to meet your father when he gets out."

But Todd tells TMZ he's out of rehab for six months and couldn't be with his son at the audition because he was attending a funeral.

Jones says he'd love to take Tyler up on his offer to meet feels it would be "enlightening" to hear Tyler's experiences.

"American Idol" honcho Nigel Lythgoe has balls -- he's asking Prez Obama to come on the show to do the song that made him even more famous -- with Al Green.

So Nigel just tweeted the Prez, "We loved your vocal performance so much we'd love to invite you on to American Idol this Season for a duet with Al Green."

We'd watch. But is it a good move for the Prez?

"American Idol" wannabe Angie Zeiderman loves Lady Gaga (as she proclaimed during her audition) but she's not trying to be like her ... she's just being herself.

Zeiderman tells TMZ she's theatrical by nature, and took it as a great compliment when Jennifer Lopez said most contestants couldn't sing a show tune like she did. Angie says she performs every Thursday night at a gay bar in Delray Beach, FL (the only girl who does so) and performs as part of a burlesque troupe that performs all over Miami.

If the "Idol" thing doesn't pan out, she should have no problem getting a gig ... as a Lady Gaga impersonator.

"American Idol" cheerleader babe Brittany Kerr is more than a pretty face -- she's a pretty face with a black belt in taekwondo!

Brittany tells TMZ she started studying martial arts in Charlotte when she was 8 (above) -- and earned her black belt after 4 years of kicking girls' and boys' butts. Brit says, "I definitely made some boys cry while sparring ... I had a killer high kick!"

Kerr is now 24 and says she's laid off the taekwondo, but still does some kick boxing to stay in shape.

Instead of a golden ticket to Hollywood ... "American Idol" contestant Alanna Snare got a one-way ticket back to her life of fried bulls' balls -- and it looks like she's thrilled.

Alanna was rejected on last night's episode, but used her 'AI' platform to educate America about the delicacy known as Rocky Mountain Oysters ... aka bull testicles.

We got pics of Alanna back in action as a waitress at Bruce's in Severance, CO ... where the house specialty is testes from all sorts of animals.

Alanna tells us she was disappointed about her 'Idol' performance, but on a positive note ... she says her job is a "real ball of a time."

The midriff and booty baring girl who got booted from "American Idol" is pissed at Steven Tyler ... because she claims he approved of her skimpy outfit before her audition ... and even told her she "already won the damn thing!"

Jennifer Diley was dismissed Sunday night after attempting two songs -- "With You" by Jessica Simpson and "Hero" by Mariah Carey. Jennifer tells us she was thrown off because she hadn't rehearsed either song -- and was forced by producers to pick from a list of "flirty" songs.

Jennifer is mostly ticked at Steven though. She says he loved her barely-there tube top and booty shorts 10 minutes before she sang -- but then sat silently as she was ridiculed for it.

You weren't the only one who Googled that smoking hot NBA cheerleader from "American Idol" this week -- THOUSANDS of other people did too ... and TMZ has learned, the massive surge in traffic crashed her manager's website.

In case you missed Wednesday's episode, the smokeshow's name is Brittany Kerr -- a cheerleader for the Charlotte Bobcats. J.Lo wasn't that impressed with her audition, but Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson eagerly handed the girl a ticket to Hollywood.

But the fanfare didn't end there ... a rep for Kerr's management company -- which hosts multiple photos of her on its website -- tells TMZ, its site was forced to shut down for hours after a massive surge in traffic crippled its servers.

But Kerr's management company wasn't the only thing affected ... photographer Jim Merrill -- who recently snapped Kerr in a bikini shoot -- tells TMZ, he had to scramble to buy additional bandwidth for his website to accommodate all the voyeurs.

Merrill tells us, he typically gets about 5,000 hits a month on his website -- but just moments after Kerr's audition, his traffic ballooned to 20,000 hits.