Entertainment

Once American Idol contestants make it to Hollywood, they must adhere to strict commandments. Number One: Thou shalt not tweet (or update Facebook, or speak actual words) about your progress or lack thereof on the show.

So while we have to wait for Tuesday's show to see how local favorites are doing in their quest to make the Top 24, that doesn't mean we can't learn more about them. Several hopefuls already have extensive online résumés on MySpace, Facebook or Americanidol.com, plus videos and singing clips, along with some interesting tweets.

Other highlights for Tuesday's show: Ellen DeGeneres makes her debut as a judge. But since this is a taped show, don't expect any commentary on the prospect of shock jock Howard Stern replacing Simon Cowell next season.

Here are some local singers to watch:

Michael Castro, 20
Rockwall

Background: Jason Castro's little brother has recorded several demos and lists his style as "acoustic/soul/disco house." (He later admits that last part was a joke.) He says he's also influenced by the blues: "I like people to miss a few notes and get carried away sometimes." In his Golden Ticket interview on americanidol.com, Michael admits that he tried out last season "because – well, there was really no reason. I just wanted to see how far I'd get. But this season I'm actually trying."

Fun facts: Before taking up singing, "I was an MMA fighter, before that it was jiu-jitsu and before that it was 'body building' [his quotes] and before that it was drifting [not through life in general, but as it relates to car racing] and before that it was working on cars and before that soccer and the list goes on and on!" He refers to himself as "Stro" on at least one occasion.

Insider info from last season: When a fan asked if he was as depressed as he looked after getting cut, Michael says that was an editing trick. "That clip was from another time sitting in that room, because we knew before they came in we were in the cut room and so when they told us, we had already planned to jump around and cheer, and we did! But of course they edited it to look like we were all gonna die!"

Recent Tweet: "What if the crazy people are onto something and it's really the rest of us who are the crazies?"

Kimberly Carver, 26
Denton

Background: In an interview on nbcdfw.com, the Guyer High School English teacher (who sang an original song for her Idol audition) says she's "spent a good deal of my life preparing for the ability to play my music for a living. My goal is to be paid for what I love to do." Carver was in the band Intercessor for five years. But her most memorable performing experience was impromptu, she tells the site: "I sang on a whim with some homeless guys looking for cash, and we worked up some great gospel songs and had a crowd gathering with the harmonies we had going. It was a very special afternoon."

Kimberly Carver/Kelly Clarkson: "I've noticed a few similarities between us. We both have the initials K.C., we kinda favor each other a little in the face, and we have a really similar vocal style."

Celebratory drink: "I'm a Jim Beam woman."

Maegan Wright, 20
Richardson

Background: According to her MySpace page, she's currently with the cover band Signed Sealed Delivered. She started signing as a child and began writing songs at 14. She says she sounds like "May-gen Ryt," but her influences include Christina Aguilera, Celine Dion, Etta James and Etta Fitzgerald.

Fun Facts: On americanidol.com, Maegan admits to a crush on Season Eight's Matt Giraud: "I am in love. I absolutely bawled when he got kicked off. 'You can't do this to me!'" Her MySpace musings include confessions such as "I really don't like thunder, and I am terrified of bugs," along with a quote from Mahatma Gandhi: "Where there is love there is life."

Idol past: She auditioned two years ago, "but I didn't really know what I wanted. Two years makes such a difference."

Recent Tweet: "Aww I want a little puppy English bulldog!!! So wrinkly and kissable. Haha I like those two words in the same sentence!"

Alex Lambert, 18
North Richland Hills

Background: As a member of the band HandsThatHurt, he has played at local clubs and coffee shops. YouTube clips include him playing the guitar and singing covers of "Twist and Shout," "I'm Yours" and the Barney & Friends theme song. (That dinosaur is really getting around this season.)

Fun Facts: Alex, who has very little airtime on Idol but is rumored to be doing well, played football in high school and has six brothers. In his Golden Ticket interview on americanidol.com, he says, "I have a unique personality and a unique voice, and I think I could have a lot of stage presence. I think I can draw America into my music."

His special talent: "Describing to someone what something is perfectly. Like, if someone wants to know something specific and they want to know exactly what it means, I'm their man." Allrighty then.

Todrick Hall, 22
Arlington

Background: The Bowie High alum (who sang a witty tune about the judges for his audition) offers a plethora of info on MySpace. (Warning: Only the most advanced users will be able to figure out how to turn off the rap music so they can actually watch his clips. The rest of us should resort to YouTube.) The actor, singer and dancer has performed at Disney World, Six Flags Over Texas, on cruise ships and was in the Broadway production of The Color Purple –alongside Idol winner Fantasia Barrino. He also performed as "Black Efron" in a Disneyland production of High School Musical 2.

Controversy: Todrick wrote and produced the traveling show Oz, The Musical, which allows local kids in each city to be part of the cast. After several of the shows were canceled, some parents have complained that they paid for their kids to be part of the show and were never given refunds. While other parents have jumped to his defense, Todrick may be feeling the pressure. On Jan. 29 he Tweeted, "Haters...hope you wake up tomorrow happier with your life, so that you can stop hating on mine." (The Web site for the show was taken down on Jan. 10 "and is pending renewal or deletion.")

Erica Rhodes, 24
Irving

Background: The former Barney regular (she played "Kim") raised eyebrows with her leather outfit and whip at the Idol auditions. Her online resume from the Horne Agency lists several TV and theatre credits, along with time spent as a Dallas Desperados dancer and a broadcast student at Southern Methodist University. Under "special skills," she lists piano, swimming, singing and tennis, along with "good w/animals" and "drive a car."

Confusion: On the entertainment-industry site imdb.com, Erica's Idol audition coverage is linked to another actress with the same name. (The other Erica has lighter hair and is a horror-movie regular. And judging by her Twitter page, she's growing tired of the confusion.)

Fan Base: Comments under her recording of "Nothing Left to Lose" on YouTube, include "Wow. Will you marry me?"

American Idol

7 tonight and 8 p.m. Wednesday, Fox (Channel 4). 1 hr.