'American Idol' dorm den of iniquity

By Stone Martindale Jan 15, 2007, 16:48 GMT

All the recent Idol hoopla has been over the bizarre on-air antics of judge Paula Abdul, whilst moneybags Simon has been off bronzing in an island getaway, and "dog" Randy Jackson has been laying low. Who knew the dorms of American Idol would tell shocking tales of rebellion.

Season Six of "American Idol" debuts Tuesday, the New York Post reports that it turns out that the onstage performances have nothing on the shenaningans offstage "in the luxury bunkhouses where finalists share bedrooms, bathrooms, meals and a general disdain for the onerous rules and curfews."

The Post interviewed 10 past Idol contestants who revealed the inner doings and cliques of the "American Idol" dorm.

Katharine McPhee repeatedly scaled the walls to go visit her boyfriend.

Ryan Starr spied on nearby Jennifer Lopez's house.

Scott Savol and pals made frequent trips to Hooters- a restaurant with waitresses in hot pants and revealing tops. And Bucky Covington says the boys' rooms were stinking pigsties. All this occured and Idol contestant Josh Gracin cooked breakfast too.

The Post outlined the strict spartan set up for the Idol finalists. Together chaperoned in a 24 -7 situation, no visitors were allowed and little freedom to come and go, no driving and a tight curfew: 11 p.m. during the week, and midnight on the weekends, security guards assigned to their comings and goings.

"It was like a boot camp," says second-season seventh-place finisher Kimberly Caldwell, 24. "All we did was practice. We worked our butts off, from 5 or 6 a.m. to 10 at night," reported the Post.

"It was stressful. We didn't relax when we were on the show," adds Caldwell, who is a host on the TV Guide Channel and is recording an album.

"The only time we got to chill was on Wednesdays; it was the last dinner for whomever got kicked off, so we went to an Italian restaurant and ate too many carbs."

"You kind of get cabin fever after a while," chimes in second-season third-place finisher Kimberly Locke, 29, who had a hit post-"Idol" single, "Eighth World Wonder," and will appear on VH1's "Celebrity Fit Club" this spring.

"There were a lot of rules. To have someone tell me that I can't go out and take myself to the store, that took a lot of adjusting."

And, while Kimberly Locke from the second season complained to The Post that she "couldn't have a glass of wine," others said you just couldn't be seen drinking.

"They told us never to have drinks unless they're in a glass," says Savol. "No beer bottles."

Newlywed Savol, who is recording an album, says he and the guys made frequent outings to Hooters. "Anthony Federov's such a clean-cut kind of guy; Hooters to him felt like a gentleman's club," Savol says to the New York Post.

The restrictions made many of the Idol contestants bold and sneaky. "I snuck out. Totally," says McPhee, 22, who lost last season to Taylor Hicks, reported the New York Post.