Be sure to tune into The Morning Show with Mike and Juliet tomorrow morning (Wednesday) at 9:00 a.m. on WTXF Fox 29 to see their exclusive interview with Ryan Seacrest and Randy Jackson of American Idol. Phillyist has obtained advance clips of the interviews and can assure you the segment promises to be interesting to AI fans. Some of the highlights include: RYAN SEACREST ON…. IS THE BACK AND FORTH WITH SIMON COWELL EVER PLANNED?......

Michael will be seeing a number of bills on his desk—the legislative kind, not the curse your credit card company and feel bitter about still not winning Powerball kind—in the next couple days, as the City Council passed several of measures yesterday. One of them would require tour guides to take a geography and history test. (Hopefully, James Lewis will do a better job with that test than he did with his American Idol audition.)......

Tuesday is traditionally a day of stupid two-for-one deals, twice the music from awful radio bands and similar disappointments of daily proportions. Let's see if there's anything low on disappointment and high on "Thanks-for-telling-me-about-this-awesome-event!" Or something like that. PATRICK MURPHY - TAKING THE HILL: FROM PHILLY TO BAGHDAD TO THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS The North Philly native is coming to the UPenn book store tonight to discuss his autobiographical release Taking the Hill, which......

Ah, love. Though we may not have an overflow of the brotherly variety, Philly is offering plenty of options for those happy couples looking to sanctify said happiness with boxes of chocolates and a night on the town. We’ll tackle the latter here; we've given you some chocolate-related goodness already. If you forget to get a card and all the Rite Aid has left are American Idol Valentines, take heart: you can make your own......

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How did last night's debut of American Idol treat Philadelphia? The Inquirer has the analysis - and a horrifying picture. Two West Philadelphia High students were slashed during an argument on Monday, so a heavy police presence blanketed the area yesterday as students were dismissed for the day. A suspect on the city's 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list, described as a "one-man army," and who had eluded authorities for over two years while running a......

Or something.......

What's new and/or interesting on TV this week. Samantha Who? (Mon, 9:30PM-10PM, ABC) - Christina Applegate's new show (this is the pilot) features her as a woman who wakes up from a coma with amnesia and discovers that the person she used to be was a bitch, a cheater, an alcoholic, and had no friends. We remember a little movie called Regarding Henry that had a similar premise, but starred Harrison Ford instead of Applegate.......

CultureGrrl informs us that the movement fighting to keep the Barnes Foundation from moving is splintering into different groups, each with its own petition. The Inquirer has collected reactions to Alberto Gonzales' resignation from PA's Senator Specter, as well as from local attorneys and agents. A motorcyclist from Woodbury, heading back over the Ben Franklin Bridge to New Jersey early yesterday morning, ran into the back of a car near the Philadelphia entrance and was......

Yesterday American Idol competitions were held at the Wachovia Center, and the Daily News was there. Update: We are informed that the Inquirer was there, too, and even shot some video. From Saturday morning through Sunday afternoon, technical problems made it impossible for anyone to buy Amtrak tickets either online or at station kiosks. The reservation system has since been completely restored. Apparently Philadelphia is losing some of its college graduates and young professionals to......

What's new and/or interesting on TV this week. Animal Battlegrounds (Tue, 9:30PM-10PM, Animal Planet) - Are the parts in nature shows where the animals eat each other your favorite bits? Then this show is for you! It seems to look exclusively at such conflicts. This episode focuses on wetland environments, particularly Africa, and features archerfish shooting their prey down out of the trees, and black egrets catching fish by tricking them with shadows. Globe Trekker......

Highway and transit funds are currently the subject of much debate in this state and others around the nation. Rendell has given up on his idea of increasing PA's sales tax because, he says, the economy is doing better than expected, and it won't be necessary. Better get practising, folks, because American Idol is coming to town. The reality show will be holding auditions, with Simon, Paula, and the whole crew, at the Wachovia Center......

Philly, we know you've got musical talent. You play instruments, write music, dance, dj, and, of course, sing. Some of you sing for money, in venues ranging from the Kimmel Center to any patch of concrete you can grab. Ever thought of taking your tunes on the road? If you have, the Boston Pops want YOU... to put a video of yourself singing on YouTube and join POPSearch 2007. If you can't get your own......

Toby Lightman...

As everyone watched Haley Scarnato get her ass kicked off American Idol last night, we were at The Tower Theater watching Toby Lightman's kick-ass show. She was so good we forgot who she was opening for. Oh yeah, Taylor Hicks, the winner of American Idol's fifth season, and better known as The Soul Patrol. Toby Lightman, a native of Cherry Hill, NJ, rocked the house last night showcasing songs from her new album, Bird......

That's right, the Soul Patrol is in town. Not really sure if Philadelphia needs any more soul, but I guess we can decide that tonight. I'll be honest, I am not really a fan of Taylor Hicks. I didn't vote for him nor do I agree with America that he should have won American Idol's Season 5. He's a good performer and singer, just not an "idol" to me. His part of the show should......

Monday New York native Richard Goode, piano, comes to Philadelphia (thanks to the PCMS) for an evening of hits: Bach, Mozart, Brahms, and Debussy. Perelman Theater (Kimmel Center); 8 PM; $22 Tuesday Feel-good concert of the week: NPR’s Classical music program, From the Top, hosted by pianist Christopher O'Riley, returns to the Kimmel Center to showcase the next generation of Philadelphia’s classical musicians. You’ll be sure to leave the hall uplifted and awed. Verizon......

What's new and/or interesting on TV this week. House (Tue, 9PM-10PM, Fox) - Woah. Is this show taking a weird, supernatural turn? A new patient - who's a veteran of the Iraq war complaining of Gulf War syndrome, and a nephew of a big hospital donor - is familiar to House, because he saw the man in a nightmare the night before! In lesser news, House is having trouble going to the bathroom, and Cameron......

Austinist gets arty with an interactive guide to SXSW, loved some local art galleries and a new art exhibit and lamented the possible loss of "Friday Night Lights" production to New Mexico. Bostonist was happy they finally found an Anna Nicole Smith connection to their fair city and that an Apple Store was opening up. They were less happy that new rules have been established limiting underage shows and that their Governor is spending......

Little-known fact: There are a hell of a lot of blogs in Philly. While we here try to hold our own, there are a lot of good stories out there just waiting to be read from around the Philly blog community. Here are a few that popped up throughout the week. Go ahead, check it out, we won't get jealous. Just come on back here when you're good and ready. We'll have cookies and soy......

We here at Phillyist love a good contest, and what better contest than one where we all get to watch hundreds of people make asses of themselves on national television?! Yes, American Idol is a grand display of what we like to call "TV 2.0" - part game show, part reality show, part drama, part comedy; 100% entertaining. Well, while this picture is not the most flattering one floating around the net, Nicole Tranquillo may......

It's the steak that's cooked. Did we say talent? We meant the opposite... (That insult has been brought to you by the new season of American Idol. Since you know how much we love it.)......

What's new and/or interesting on TV this week. Golden Globe Awards (Mon; 8PM-11PM; NBC) - During the 64th annual occurrence of this TV and movie awards show, Warren Beatty will receive the Cecil B. DeMille lifetime achievement award. The winners of the other awards are, of course, still a secret. (Check E! at this same time Tuesday night for the inevitable run-down of the clothing and fashions.) (Link) American Idol (Tue; 8PM-10PM; Fox) - Oh,......

As 2006 ends and 2007 begins, the -ists look back not at the past week, but at the past year. So here it is, your Best of 2006 Spectacular. And from all of us at the -ists, happy New Year! Austinist was all about controversy as new construction to increase urban density ran rampant in 2006, as did threats to the city's image from gigantic corporations looking to set up shop in town, leading......

Torontoist visits the site of a new Frank Gehry structure, stalks "the elusive Bahamas streetcar", and watches Tom Green get surgery. Phillyist rejoices in the Phillies' wild card chances, mourns the injuries sustained by Eagles defensive end Jevon Kearse, and goes pirate on our asses. SFist notes that Guns and Roses were in town, that San Franciscans are taking over reality TV, and that the San Francisco Chronicle's skills of original nomenclature could use some......

Every Tuesday and Thursday, we'll be posting events that are going on sale during the current week. This Thursday post only collects the latest announcements, so definitely check the Tuesday post for any you may have missed. Oak Ridge Boys Dover Downs, Dover, DE Sat, 7/8/06, 9PM $47 On sale: Today, 10AM, TicketMaster Summerjam 2006 featuring Saving Jane, Josh Kelley, and Cheyenne Bryce Jordan Center, University Park, PA Sat, 7/29/06, 7:30PM $20 On sale: Fri,......

Fourth of July is nearly upon us, the time of year when Philly pulls out all the stops to celebrate the birth of our nation, and Sunoco Welcomes America to join in, whether we want them to or not. (We kid, we kid. Come on in America, and bring your tourist monies. We can't eat all these cheesesteaks ourselves.) It would be redundant of us to list all of the official events here (particularly as......

What's interesting on TV this week. Shortest Marriages (Mon; 9PM-10PM; VH1) - Short celebrity marriages. Isn't that a bit redundant? The question about this show is not so much which marriages will they talk about, but more which marriages will they leave out? Dirty Jobs (Tue; 9PM-10PM; Discovery) - Another gross episode of this show about a dude trying out various filthy jobs. But what's so dirty about dismantling Tournament of Roses Parade floats? Quite......

San Francisco is proud host of a new reality show called "How to Get the Guy" that's unfortunately not a descendant of Will and Grace, Queer Eye, The L Word, American Idol etc. Also a biodefence lab is coming to the East Bay and SFist teaches wine pairing. Getting on the wrong train sucks. Getting on the wrong train and becoming the victim of what will later be described as a "stabbing spree" really sucks.......

The weeks starts out right when a sucker punch on the field lands Chicagoist in the middle of a Sox/Cubs throwdown and the fists continue to fly in the comments. Despite suburban resident Ms. Pinney's best little try no books will be banned anytime soon and the El is really really gross. Houstonist is there to start compiling the punditry when when the guilty, guilty Enron verdict comes down. This guy seems to be able......