the buzz log

The preferred pastime of "Idol" watchers: getting all het up over déjà-vü controversies.

The Fox reality competition goes into audition finals for three nights, but viewers (and searchers) are still arguing over Week Two, when one Joanna Pacitti got her golden ticket in Louisville, Ky. The first red flag—no, make that a flamethrower igniting a curtain of conflict—came when newbie judge Kara DioGuardi actually recognized Ms. Pacitti. As Yahoo! Music reports, turns out that the Kentucky auditioner has had a recording contract, a debut album, and several crooning spots on movie soundtracks like "Legally Blonde" and "Bratz."

Idolers aren't taking this lying down, and Pacitti searches on Yahoo! have been massive, with people delving into her biography, Britney Spears link, the Broadway days, her songs "Watch Me Shine" and "Ultraviolet," and more, um, salacious look-ups. (Welcome to Web fame, JP.)

Her professionalism runs counter to the "Idol" illusion of the Cinderella story: A complete nobody gets plucked to be on center stage via sheer talent and the will of the people. It helps if this nobody has Obstacles To Overcome (so far this season: blindness, homelessness, and taking care of an ill parent). Anyone already dumped by a studio...well, that's secondhand goods, and "Idol" covers the subject of rejects during auditions.

Except of course, the singing competition has allowed second chances before. USA Today calls Pacitti "this season's Carly Smithson--a female powerhouse with a failed major-label album in her past." Besides Smithson, her fellow Season 7 "I had a contract once" finalists included Michael Johns and Kristy Lee Cook. True, winner David Cook had released a solo independent album before his big "Idol" break, but that doesn't even count as minor league.

By outraged press and blog accounts, Pacitti has had even more breaks (see calculations according to Billboard). Still, as past competition seasons show, second chances don't necessarily pay off in the form of the "Idol" crown.

There are quite a few weeks to go before you bet your bottom dollar on that result. Meanwhile, as Season 8 finishes up auditions this week and monopolizes Fox primetime, here are the top 10 auditioners to catch the buzz this week.

Top Searched "American Idol" Contestants, past 7 days

1. Joanna Pacitti
2. Katrina Darrell
3. Casey Carlson
4. Adam Lambert
5. Michael Castro
6. Raquel Houghton
7. Kai Kalama
8. Tatiana Del Toro
9. Matt Giraud
10. Leneshe Young

In other "Idol" alum news: The two Davids go on tour, but not together, as Cook hits the college circuit and Archuleta eventually plans to go to college ... Kelly Clarkson, AKA the Original Idol, charts another hit and changes searchers' tune from "kelly clarkson fat" to "kelly clarkson new look" ... EW is doing its darndest to promote Season 6 runner-up Melinda Doolittle (whose album comes out Feb. 3) and has her performing in its copy room.