She may not be winning our poll of favorite American Idol judge, but Simon and Randy's cohort still has something to smile about.

Indeed, Paula Abdul has been named the Nevada Ballet Theater's 2007 "Woman of the Year" for her efforts in dance and choreography.

A rep for the Ballet told TMZ.com that Paula's "warm personality and talent have touched every aspect of the arts and entertainment world. Paula exemplifies the qualities we look for in an honoree."

Abdul, a former Los Angeles Lakers dancer, will join honorees like Rita Rudner, Celine Dion, Chita Rivera and Carol Channing, when she picks up the award at the Ballet's annual Black and White Ball on January 27 at the Wynn Las Vegas.

Say, is that Greg Maddux out there in that Braves uniform, ready to deliver a baffling curveball and befuddle a batter? Actually, no. Maddux now pitches for Los Angeles.

Below is none other than our man Elliott Yamin, throwing out the first pitch for his hometown Richmond Braves, Atlanta's minor league affiliate.

We're not sure if he threw a strike, but we don't imagine he did. After all, American Idol is not a pitching competition. He is standing pretty close to the plate, however. Is that legal?

Elliott Yamin tightly hugged his willowy girlfriend, Jamie, clapped brother Scott on the back and took a swig from a bottle of diet Mountain Dew.

His band -- actually Taylor Hicks' Little Memphis Blues Orchestra -- had just cruised onstage to ear-splitting screams, easing into the seductive strains of Bill Withers' "Use Me."

Yamin peeked at the crowd of about 4,200, already on its feet awaiting his grand entrance, flashed his trademark grin and casually ambled out to his homecoming, the Richmond Times-Dispatch reports.

In his first local appearance since July's stop with fellow American Idols, the Virginia native and third-place Idol finisher quickly fell into a groove.

"It was so comfortable -- almost too comfortable," he was overheard saying backstage.

Endless ripples of excitement raced through an audience filled with families -- many with little kids who wouldn't know Elliott Yamin from T.S. Eliot -- as "Use Me" segued into Bad Company's "Ready for Love."

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Buoyed in large part by Clay Aiken and his devoted fans, Jimmy Kimmel Live drew its largest weekly ratings in two years during the week of the North Carolina singer's visit.

Clay stopped by the show on Tuesday, October 26, as part of his whirlwind promotional tour for A Thousand Different Ways.

Thanks to George Lopez and Clay Aiken, that night's show gave Kimmel his second-highest ratings ever for a single telecast. The program was up a staggering 18 percent over the previous year's ratings for that week.

The October 26 Jimmy Kimmel Live audience, which numbered more than 2.34 million TV viewers (and hordes of eager fans who showed up in-person) ranked second only to the February 6, 2003 telecast when ABC aired a Michael Jackson special in primetime.

Clay's album sales may be falling short of expectations, but with fan devotion like this, you can't think that trend will last long.

Bo Bice wears his heart on his sleeve. We're all familiar with that. It's his digestive system we're concerned about.

The American Idol runner-up underwent emergency intestinal surgery late last week in Nashville to hopefully correct a problem that has been plaguing him for a year, according to the rocker's official site.

So far, three Bo Bice concert dates have been postponed.

"After the first round of tests was completed last week, Bo’s medical team concluded on review of the results that surgery could not wait, and he was immediately admitted to the hospital," Bice's management team said.

"The surgery was not easy or routine, and after a setback the following day, Bo is now recovering well under the supervision of his doctors and hospital staff. We are confident that Bo will have a complete recovery, and hopeful that this procedure will be the final resolution to the problems that have existed for the past year."

Bice, 30, was hospitalized September 26 after experiencing a relapse of his condition, which doctors have diagnosed to be intussusception (the folding of one segment of the intestine into another), an ailment Bo may have had since birth.

The Alabama native had to cut short his stint on the post-American Idol tour last August after undergoing an emergency procedure to remove an intestinal blockage. He had just finished recuperating from a broken foot, on top of all this.

In December, Bice was hospitalized after he coughed up blood, which was called a complication from the original procedure, and which forced him to cancel a performance at the Radio Music Awards in Las Vegas.

Although his onstage time has been hampered by health problems, it didn't stop the Bice Squad from digging his first single, "Inside Your Heaven," which debuted at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and then overtook Carrie Underwood's version for the top spot. Bice's first solo album, The Real Thing, landed on the Billboard 200 at number four.

A month after coming in second to Underwood, Bice tied the knot with longtime girlfriend Caroline Fisher. The couple welcomed a son, Aidan Michael Bice, last September.

With a new album about to hit stores, Ruben Studdard is ready to return to the spotlight. But will fans recoginize the American Idol winner once he's there?

As he publicizes The Return, Studdard has followers doing a double take. That's because he's lost over 100 pounds - yes, 100 pounds! - thanks to a regimen from the weight management center at Duke university.

The Velvet Teddy Bear told the Today show he was placed on a 1,200 to 1,500 calorie diet during the program and used to weigh over 400 pounds. He's now a vegetarian, as well.

As for the album - available October 17 - Ruben named it The Return because not many people bought I Need an Angel, and are under the impression he hasn't recorded in awhile.

As he prepares to release his initial album, Jon Peter Lewis is set for a whirlwhind publicity tour. First, JPL and his band will be hitting the road next week, playing in Rexburg, Idaho (at Club Strata) on October 13; and in Provo, Utah (at Club Velour) on October 14.

Moreover, the former American Idol finalist will be live on the FOX morning show, Good Day Utah with Kerri and Dan, on October 12. Look for Lewis to perform a new single or two around 7 a.m.

Speaking of new singles, those in Utah will hear the first releases of JPL's tunes. If you're in the area, tune in to Salt Lake City's B987 radio station on Friday morning, October 13. You may catch a new song or two from Jon's soon to be be released debut album, Stories From Hollywood. It's one of seven American Idol albums coming out this fall.

Following those shows, Lewis will be back in Los Angeles playing the Viper Room on October 18.

This is too bad - and may not be a great sign for the upcoming Ruben Studdard album.

Studdard's charity concert on Oct. 13 to benefit the Shriners Hospitals for Children Transportation Fund has been postponed indefinitely, officials said Friday.

Although ticket sales have been slow, Benny Eggler, recorder for the Hamasa Shriners and building manager of the Temple Theatre, said the postponement was "due to scheduling conflicts."

He hopes another date for the American Idol winner can be worked out in the future. Eggler said plans will still be in place for the concert to be a benefit for the Shriners, who attended to the needs of 123,385 patients in 22 hospitals throughout North America last year.

Eggler said the theatre will refund money for all tickets purchased at its box office.

When music legend, Tony Bennett, talks, people listen. That's why his comments on the process American Idol contestants go through have drawn attention.

Bennett talked about reality TV bug that's sweeping the world - and in particular the ever-popular FOX contest, comparing modern day winners to pop's golden days.

According to the 80-year-old crooner, he and singer Rosemary Clooney paved the way for other singers by launching their careers on TV, laying their future in the lap of the record-buying public.

"You watch American Idol and see the talent these kids have now, the potential," he says. "Rosemary Clooney and I were the first American Idols; we got started on a show. But that era was different.

"Now you've got to make money right away. If the first record makes it, the artist has to spend a lot of money on promotion, accountants, lawyers, managers, agents. Then if the second album doesn't make it, they just set the artist down and go with the next overdog. To me, that's very cruel."

We'll see if Mr. Bennett is right or not. With seven Idols, including Clay Aiken and Taylor Hicks, coming out with records this fall, it should be interesting to note how they fare.

What happens when the worlds of Clay Aiken and Martha Stewart collide, as they will today when our man appears on the mogul's TV show? American Idol Worship's correspondent offers her take, along with the recipe Clay will reportedly be baking with his Granny Aiken.

Ladies and gentlemen, that thunderous sound you're hearing is not an approaching hurricane, tsunami, or herd of buffalo rumbling across the plains... it is the sound of thousands of Claymates stampeding over to the local Win Dixie, Safeway, Stop & Shop or Piggly Wiggly to buy the ingredients for hot pineapple salad.

What in the heck is hot pineapple salad, anyway?

Is it a southern specialty handed down for generations in the Aiken family? And why would anybody want to try it? It sounds disgusting!

Suffice it to say, when Clay Aiken does his cooking episode on the Martha Stewart Living show, you can bet that every Claymate worth their oh-fish-you-all fan club membership card is going to be cooking right along with him on TV.

A promotional clip aired yesterday on Martha Stewart Living, and if that wasn't enough to send the Clay Aiken fans into a lather, the publication of the actual recipe on Martha Stewart's official website this morning has caused discussions of the gravest order today.

Texans are baffled by an ingredient list that calls for medium-sharp cheddar cheese, as they haven't seen it in stores. A fan from Maryland only knows of New York extra-sharp cheddar. Will that work as well?

The Oregonian knows all about cheese flavor grades due to the Tillamook and Bandon cheese-making factories practically in her backyard, and is offering overnight shipping to her ingredient-challenged friends. So do we need Clay's size 13 sneakers to crush the Ritz crackers in the sleeve? All for one, and one for all these Claymates!

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