This morning I chatted with Chris Sligh about all things AMERICAN IDOL. More on that in a second though because first I have to tell you about my earlier encounter with him at The TONIGHT SHOW. The top top ten finalists will be visiting the show every week to do a quick bit during Jay Leno's monologue. They will each get paired up with a music legend for a quick skit. This week Chris was paired up with the always entertaining, Little Richard. As you can imagine he's quite a character and it's always fun to hang out with a legend. The guy is a hoot. My experience with him lasted longer than one might wish though. Just as we were about to roll on the interview in his dressing room, Little Richard sprayed not one but two separate colognes! I'm already allergic to perfume to begin with so you can imagine my horror as the door is closed on this small space that cant be more than a 7' x 7' room. Love you Little Richard but I smelled like a Little Dick for the rest of the day. Bah dum bump. Thanks to my friend Bryant for that joke. Seriously, I did have lingering cologne on my shirt for the rest of the night.

If Chris Sligh had his way, he would have been out of the AMERICAN IDOL competition already. Seems the curly haired one was ready to go long before last night. Speaking to reporters this morning, Chris revealed he attempted to drop out of the competition during Top 12 week, "When I was universally trashed for my arrangement of 'Endless Love,' I kind of thought this isn’t the competition for me." Chris went to 19 Entertainment to ask, if he left could he still take part in the Idol tour. The answer was a resounding no. He would need to be voted out.

What I like about Chris is that he clearly takes issue with some of the practices of Idol. He says he has three wishes for changes he would like to see. Number one is that they would let the Idols who are songwriters sing their songs on the show, "I worked really hard to do one of my originals during the semi-finals, it didn't work out." According to him, the Executive Producers, Nigel Lythgoe and Ken Warwick believed that America just wasn't ready for it.

by Dan Gomez, assistant research director

It was billed as the clash of TV titans - FOX's "American Idol" going head-to-head with ABC's "Dancing with the Stars."

The most important seven minutes ever in the history of television! Who would emerge victorious? The suspense was unbearable. Well, it seems this "Thrilla in Vanilla" was more of a bust than a blowout. Seems the DWTS recap show ran an extra seven minutes, just like "Idol," thereby averting a showdown.

Yes, it was a let down but in the end that seven minutes really wouldn't have mattered anyway. "American Idol" beat the tar out of "Dancing with the Stars" in the Tuesday night primetime ratings. 28.2 million people tuned in to witness Sanjaya's po'faux-hawk while 17.9 million showed up to say goodbye to model Paulina Porizkova.

Now, the real winner in this whole ratings fracas isn't Simon, Paula or Randy - it's Gregory. Dr. Gregory House, that is!

If it weren't for Sanjaya what would we all have to talk about every week. On Wednesdays its "what was up with his hair?" On Thursdays its "why is he still here?" At least I can answer the hair question for you. As I mentioned in a blog last week, the Idol Hair Guru, Dean Banowetz is in charge of everyone's hairdos but when it comes to Sanjaya he calls the shots, "He requests these. Everything Sanjaya wants, Sanjaya gets - in my mind."

Yes, it was all Sanjaya's idea for the Mohawk too. He actually wanted it for British Invasion Week and Dean had been working on a mock up. He keeps mannequin heads of all the contestants, in his home hair studio, so he can practice hairstyles on them with wigs. When I saw the mannequin head, the hair was being held up by one of those banana clips that were popular in the late '80s. I guess that idea didn't work so they went for the pony hawk instead. My guess is since word got out Sanjaya was planning a mohawk last week they scrapped the idea. Good thinking since the element of surprise is always better.

by Heather Feldbaum, Access field producer

Question… I wonder if the producers of squeaky-clean “American Idol” actually listened to Akon’s lyrics before agreeing to let him appear as a backup singer with Gwen Stefani on Wednesday night’s show.

Although Akon will no doubt sanitize his act for the show, when the kids in the audience ask mommy and daddy to buy his album, they are in for a reckoning.

TMZ.com is calling into question whether or not Eddie Griffin’s widely-reported crash of Daniel Sadek's Ferrari Enzo last night (at a promotional event for Sadek's new film, "Redline") could’ve been a hoax.

And “Redline's” film publicist, Wendy Zocks, came to Access Hollywood to display her dismay with TMZ’s suggestion.

“This was an accident ….. We couldn’t even talk to Daniel or Eddie for 30 minutes afterwards because they were so shaken up,” Zocks tells GossipCop.

Sometimes, comedians find humor in things... We’re just sayin’!

Plus, what actor would put themselves at this kind of risk for injury?

Trust GossipCop, Daniel Sadek's not laughing over the loss of a rare $1.5 million car.

Don't think I have forgotten about all of you. I've been out of town filming behind-the-scenes of "High School Musical 2" up in St. George, Utah. Hence, no dish for the last few days. There was a bit of confusion and I was hoping to give HSM2 fans a little teaser but since Disney wants to keep the storyline under wraps as long as possible this means HSM2 fans will have to wait until May to find out about my experience on the set. Sorry! However, I am back on the AMERICAN IDOL and DANCING WITH THE STARS beat now and armed with all sorts of good scoop.

Tonight, the two reality shows will go head-to-head... for a whole seven minutes that is. Tonight is the first time that AI drops down to an hour from two-hours and the show's running time will be 1 hour and 7 minutes which cuts into DWTS.

It seems a little fishy to me that the biggest show on TV would all of a sudden decide they needed more time. However, this morning, I took a trip inside the Idol inner sanctum.. the production offices where a sign warns that no contestants are allowed. AI executive producer, Ken Warwick, swore it was not a calculated move on their part to mess with DWTS, “Yeah, I think they were a bit upset. I think they thought we did it on purpose. I can actually honestly say we didn’t. This is the first week we are only an hour. We have got ten kids. We’ve got Gwen Stefani as our mentor, which is huge and fabulous for us. So, we asked weeks ago could we make this a two-hour show or a ninety-minute show and the fact of the matter is, we just can't because of the scheduling. They (FOX) came back and said the most we can give you is seven minutes. That doesn’t cause too much trouble with the affiliates."

Apparently, all the FOX affiliates all had to agree to start their local newscasts seven minutes late.

"This is the best day of my life!" Little Jose was absolutely thrilled and he kept reminding me over and over again. "I'm having the best time!" "This is great!" he yelled.

This was one of those very special assignments for me - one that I will remember for a long time.

I am honored to be the spokesperson for the Los Angeles County, "Share Your Heart, Share Your Home" program. Our goal is to encourage people to become adoptive parents - to give children who have spent so much time in foster care a permanent home. This assignment could not have been a better fit for me. Together, with the help of Access Hollywood producers, Susan Moore, Mark Noble and Shelly Aguilar, we arranged for 7 children from LA County's foster care system to become Hollywood stars and walk the red carpet at the premiere of Disney's new animated 3-D movie, "Meet The Robinsons". (Hence the last name.)

There was charming little 10-year-old Jose who says the girls love to rub the hair on his crew cut. Adorable siblings, Sophia, Sierra, and Gabriel who just began living together after being in separate foster homes. Little Gregory who is very active and loves to draw. 12-year-old Wesley who can teach anyone a thing or two about cards. And, 15-year-old Clay who is a beautiful sophisticated young lady.

How many times have you judged someone without ever meeting them?

Without taking the time to get to know their true spirit and character? When have you made up your mind after gathering bits and pieces of information from various sources and "created" a person who was made up of one's imagination?

All of us have been guilty of such actions and there is a good chance that, at one time or another, Heather Mills, was on the receiving end.

We were all introduced to Heather when she married Paul McCartney.

Since the couple's very public divorce, Heather has seen firsthand how people can judge someone without ever getting to know them.

In divorce, rarely is there a good guy and bad guy. Usually there is enough blame to go around when a marriage crumbles.

I have no idea what type of person Heather Mills is to, be married to however, I do know she gained the respect of millions by putting herself in the spotlight, once again, and dancing on the popular show, "Dancing With The Stars".

I interviewed her this evening about the challenges of performing with an artificial leg - the result of a horrific accident. Heather is very nonchalant about the day that changed her life. She was walking across the street when a police motorcycle came around the corner, hit her and chopped off her leg. No whining. No anger. No looking back on her days of modeling. In a society obsessed with perfection, she is the picture of self-confidence.

by Dan Gomez, assistant research director

Monday night, the hit ABC series "Dancing with the Stars" returned for a fourth season bringing in 21.8 million viewers, its best premiere to date.

Now, as most people know, Disney decided to debut the trailer for their summer blockbuster "Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End" during the show. Could Captain Jack Sparrow have helped the series discover a treasure chest of ratings gold? I'm sure the Mouse House, who owns ABC, is hoping that's the case. Now, as one who holds an annual pass to Disneyland, I can honestly say that the classic attraction that the successful franchise is based on is one of my favorites. Nothing says wholesome family fun more than watching pirates pillage and burn a seaside village. Yo ho indeed!

But in this age of TIVO, I'm willing to bet hardcore "Pirates" fans and film geeks recorded the show to watch the trailer or just waited until it hit the web. I know I didn't watch.