UPDATE 2/18/10: Following is a very casual blogging live narrative about last night’s American Idol Top 24 reveal. I confess I was switching back and forth between the Olympics. Here’s a post with bios of each of the Top 24 contestants – including info like which contestant reportedly dated Florida Gators’ quarterback Tim Tebow and which spent time in county jail for DWI, as well as an explanation of the Chris Golightly/Tim Urban switch . And don’t forget to check out the list of contestants with ties to Christian music!

So last night Idol threw me a curve ball and added another episode right after part three of Hollywood Week. And during the Olympics!
Fortunately, I was switching back and forth and caught Lindsey Jacobellis wipe out and end her chance for a medal. Rats. And also fortunately, the show ended in time to catch Evan Lesacek and Johnny Weir skate. I also caught Stephane Lambiel, who really is a great spinner.
But last night we found out the first seven contestants who made it to the Top 24. No surprises so far (at least if you’re following the spoiler list):

GUYS – UPDATED: FINAL
1. Michael Lynch
2. Casey James
3. Lee Dewyze
4. Aaron Kelly
5. Todrick Hall
6. Alex Lambert
7. Jose Munoz
8. Tyler Grady
9.Jermaine Sellers
10.John Park
11. Tim Urban – [Chris Golightly was supposed to be in the Top 24, but he was disqualified. Golightly was under contract with a boy band until June of 2009, after which he was given a release. When the label questioned whether Golightly was till under contract and Idol needed to see the release, Golightly couldn’t find it. The label eventually found it, but it was too late.]

12.Andrew Garcia
GIRLS – UPDATED: FINAL
1. Didi Benami
2. Katelyn Epperly
3. Lacey Brown
4. Ashley Rodrieguez
5. Crystal Bowersox
6.Paige Miles
7, Siobhan Mangus
8. Lilly Scott
9. Haeley Vaughn
10. Michelle Delamor
11.Katie Stevens
12. Janell Wheeler
So tonight I have a dilemma: Idol or Olympics?
On Idol, we’ll find out the other 17 contestants in the Top 24. On the Olympics, we’ll see Apolo Ohno skate and catch the alpine and snowboarding events.
If you trust Joe’s Place, which has predicted the Top 24 correctly for the past two years, we won’t see any surprises tonight on Idol.
But on the Olympics? Oooo, it’s all high energy excitement!
So maybe I’ll be here live, and maybe I won’t. But either way, I’ll update the list tonight with the actual Top 24! And then we’ll worry about the Olympics/Idol conflict later. Because next week, the top 12 male and female contestants perform on Tuesday and Wednesday, and then on Thursday we get the results.
UPDATE: It’s almost 10 and I’ve been flipping back and forth between alpine skiing and Idol. One thing that’s intersting: Chris Golightly hasn’t been featured at all Hollywood Week, and I didn’t see him tonight. But I did see Tim Urban. Joe over at Joe’s Place had a tip earlier today when he saw Tim Urban’s contestant page. When Ryan shows the group shot of the Top 24, Chris Golightly is right there in the back. And yet when the line up is announced, it’s Tim Urban.
So there you go!
AMERICAN IDOL POSTS:
American Idol contestant Justin Williams was also a Season 8 contestant
Boston Auditions – blogging live play-by-play
Boston Auditions – recap
Atlanta audtions – Blogging live play-by-play
Auditions Recap – Vanessa Wolf, Jermaine Sellers, Holly Harden, Miriam Lemnouni, Noel Reese, and Pants on the Ground
Chicago auditions – Blogging live
American Idol Season 9 Chicago auditions recap – Angela Martin, Charity Vance, Katelyn Epperly, John Park and boob boxing
American Idol Season 9 Los Angeles auditions – Blogging live!
American Idol Season 9 Dallas auditions – Blogging live!
American Idol Season 9 Spoiler Alert: Is this the Top 24?
American Idol: so how do those auditions really work, anyway?
American Idol Season 9 “Road to Hollywood” auditions – Blogging live
American Idol Season 9 Christian artists
American Idol Season 9 Denver auditions: Blogging live (& the scoop on Nicci Nix)
American Idol contestant Angela Brown’s mother missing
Will Howard Stern take over for Simon Cowell on American Idol Season 10?
American Idol Season 9 Hollywood Week – Blogging live!
American Idol Season 9 Hollywood Week group auditions – Blogging live
American Idol season 9 more Hollywood auditions – blogging live (and missing the Olympics!)