With all this talk about American Idol, someone on this board asked, "What have any of the American Idols done anyway?" Conveniently, my local newspaper, the Tampa Tribune, answered this question with a collection of stats about our Idols. Here are a few of the statistics, combined with what I know from other sources:

Kelly Clarkson, the first winner, sold 2.5 million copies of her first CD and 5.2 million of her second - and it is still extremely hot. She's won two Grammys.

Carrie Underwood, last year's winner, has a new album out that has already sold 2.8 million copies. She recently won (I think) two country music awards. This album is still doing well on the charts.

Clay Aiken, who came in second on season two to Ruben Studdard, sold 2.7 million copies of his first album and has album number two waiting in the wings.

Ruben Studdard sold 1.8 million copies of his first album.

Fantasia Barrino, who won season three's Idol, has sold 1.7 million copies of her first album. She won four Emmy nominations and is starring in an upcoming Lifetime Movie about her life (which I think she wrote as well).

Bo Bice, who finished second to Carrie Underwood, recently released an album which has currently sold 616,000 copies.

Two other Idol runner-ups, Diana DeGarmo (second to Fantasia), and Justin Guarini (second to Kelly), haven't done as well, selling 164,000 and 142,000 copies, respectively. Justin also starred in a movie with Kelly, but it was a flop.

Other former contestants are making names for themselves in showbusiness. From hosting programs on the TV Guide channel, to co-starring in the now-cancelled TV show, Boston Public, to movies, to Broadway, lots of Idol participants are using the singing show to launch themselves into acting careers as well.

So, to answer the question, "What have the American Idols done anyway," the answer is, "Plenty!"

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