Couldn't stand idle on "Idol" cards

What can I say? I got caught up in the "American Idol" hysteria earlier today. (Have you voted in the Season 8 poll to the right yet?!)

Following two horrible days of which I won't even speak, I broke down today during an spur-of-the-moment trip to the mall and bought a few packs of these 2009 Upper Deck "American Idol" trading cards; think of it as my reward. They weren't very expensive — you only get 5 cards in a pack, though — and having started collecting baseball cards when I was in the first grade, I've been hooked on trading cards ever since. For a couple bucks, I thought I'd take a chance on the new product.

For me, the lure was those four words right on the front of the foil package: Look for AUTOGRAPHED CARDS! I'm a sucker for autographed memorabilia of all kinds (even trading cards), so that was the hook that lured me in.

Adam Lambert. Kris Allen. Hey, even a Willliam Hung signature would have made me happy. And even though I knew the odds were against me, I was still bummed when no autograph was found. For some of the autographs I could have pulled, click here.
Still, they're pretty sweet cards for being a non-sports item. The glossy photos made "Idol" cuties like Season 1 winner Kelly Clarkson (she's always been my favorite!) and Katharine McPhee, not to mention Season 8 wannabe "Bikini Girl," jump off the card.

Though I only got 15 cards on the day, I did get a few of familiar faces who I've already interviewed here at "Sean's Space" ... or as I sometimes refer to it now, the "Space!"

Here, for example, was Season 5 champion Taylor Hicks, who was my first "Idol" interview all the way back in August 2007. In case you're new to the "Space" and missed that Q&A, you can click here to check it out and click here to read my full story about Taylor's Poughkeepsie show. He was the first of two "Idol" champs, I've met and interviewed; David Cook, of course, is the other. We chatted just two months ago when he came to town. Good guy.

To quote pitch man Billy Mays, he of Awesome Auger and OxiClean fame: But wait ... there's more!

This card of Clay Aiken, the runner-up from Season 2, found its way into one of my packs, reminding me of when I spoke with Clay back in December of that same year, a few days before catching his Christmas concert at the Mid-Hudson Civic Center here in town. I also pulled a card of Blake Lewis, the Season 6 runner-up who I spoke to last summer in anticipation of his KFEST performance.

So yeah, I didn't get any autographs (bummer!), but that's OK. I still got to reminisce down "Idol" Avenue, and I've got some great cards and even better stories to share.