By now, you're probably aware that Kelly Clarkson will return to "American Idol" this week, to perform her current Country smash "Don't You Wanna Stay" with Jason Aldean during Thursday night's results show.
Obviously, we're pumped by the news — after all, we loved Kelly's last album, 2009's All I Ever Wanted — and we're glad to see her stepping back into the spotlight to promote her still-too-far-away new album (she did a medley of her greatest hits last week on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" last week). But, to be honest, it's not like this is the first time she'll be back on the show — shoot, she was on just last year, joining other "Idol" faves in a tribute performance to departing judge Simon Cowell — so we'd like to use this opportunity to shine a light on some of Clarkson's fellow "A.I." alumni ... because, really, they could use the love.
So, with Kelly booked, here are five other former "American Idol" contestants we'd like to see take the stage this year, for reasons as perverse as they are profound. After all, anybody's better than Iggy Pop, right?
» Antonella Barba: As those photos of her cavorting in the fountains of the National World War II Memorial proved, she is certainly the most, uh, patriotic contestant in "Idol" history (take that, Kristy Lee Cook!), and judging by her official site, her schedule's clear. Plus, with Glenn Beck vacating our airwaves, someone needs to fill the "marginally talented jingoist" slot, don't they?
