'American Idol' Rounds Up Real Nice People in Dallas

It was just a few seasons ago that "American Idol" was reluctant to reveal that Fantasia was a single mom and even tossed Frenchy for her modeling career. Now, thanks to Internet sleuths, they're taking the lead on messed-up lives and glorifying the fact that one of the singers headed to Hollywood is a former meth head.
And never mind about TMZ or the Smoking Gun - "Idol" has already secured the old  photos to show how cleaned up she is with her two children. (Visible means of support and/or "dad" not included).
Maybe it's a new transparency on "Idol," going hand in hand with Simon Cowell's seemingly benevolent behavior toward contestants. Actually, the latter isn't really true. He is just deferring to his fellow judges so that not every "no" comes from him first; in  some cases with borderline talent, he gladly gives a "yes" to force the hand of the other two, and it is fun to watch Paula squirm and Randy hem and haw.
In Dallas, "Idol" went on a good-guy bender, showcasing one nice, polite person after another, pumping those feel-good juices as if episode 2 was shot by the Greater Dallas Chamber of Commerce. The freakiest thing we saw was a brother-sister duo singing a round in what I'm guessing was Italian. "Idol" actually made the guy who had never kissed a girl seemed, dare I say it, normal.
And as much as their montages can be tiresome, the stitched together clip of the not-so-talented singing lines of Kelly Clarkson's hit "Since You've Been Gone" was entertaining.
Naturally, one of the better performers already has a singing career.
CITY: Dallas
SINGERS HEADED TO HOLLYWOOD: 24
OF THE 24, WE HEARD: 8
NUMBER TOLD NO ON AIR: 11, plus the guy who was too old but was allowed to sing his original about being "brothers till the end of time."
SOB STORIES GOING TO H'WOOD: 2
SOB STORIES SENT HOME: 0
DIGS BY SIMON AT CLAY AIKEN: 1
DIGS BY SIMON AT OTHER SINGERS: 0
MOST DISGUSTING THING SHOWN ON 'IDOL,' POSSIBLY EVER: A contestants collection of fingernail clippings. (There I just threw up in my throat typing that).
GIRLS WHO MIGHT BE CALLED 'MINX' BY SIMON: 1 (Alaina Whitaker)
UNLIKELY SINGERS WHO I WOULD LIKE TO SEE DO WELL: 1 (Drew the farm boy whose unpronounceable name begins with a P).