Five Essential American Idol Web Sites

There are hundreds of blogs and web sites dedicated to America's top-rated show, but which ones are most worthwhile?

AmericanIdol.com. This is the show's official site, which features photos, behind-the-scenes stuff, a store, and a message board. I am not a fan of the message board because it is heavily censored. For example, it will not allow you to write the word "fixed." Thus, you get a lot of sycophants, but not many detractors. Those who leave negative comments may be ousted from the board. Still, the site a great source of information.

Rickey.org. Rickey is among the most fanatical Idol followers in the world, and his site is a must-read, especially on the night of the show, when he blogs live. Rickey is honest about his favorites, loves to analyze and predict what will happen, and has good, honest, intelligent fans who will criticize the contestants, but not hatefully. What comes through is Rickey's passion for the show, and it's infectious.

MJsBigBlog.com. This is the most comprehensive site for fans. Like Rickey, M.J. is a tremendously passionate fan who loves the show, but is not afraid to criticize the producers for some of their decisions. If there's any breaking news either about this current season or a contestant from seasons past, you can be sure that M.J. is on top of it. Each day she links several articles relating to Idol from other sites, and she does this year-round, so you can get your Idol fix in the middle of October. Also love the comments, because they are brutally honest.

VoteForTheWorst.com. Many fans detest this site because it mocks the show and tries to ruin it by trying to get the people to vote for the worst singer, but I see it as harmless fun. Sure, the content can be mean-spirited and vicious, but you cannot deny that it is entertaining as heck.

DialIdol.com. This site tracks phone calls on performance nights to see which callers have the most and fewest busy signals. Then they predict who is safe and who is in danger of being voted off. Over the years, they have had a fantastic success rate. For instance, they predicted last season after the final performance show that David Cook would win it all, even though many fans thought that David Archuleta was the frontrunner.

As I've said, part of the Idol experience is following the sites, so enjoy.