'American Idol' Wild-Card Contestants Announced

Judges pick Anoop Desai, Matt Giraud, Tatiana Del Toro, others to try for the top 12 one more time By Gil Kaufman Anoop Desai performs on "American Idol" on Tuesday, February 17, 2009 Photo: FOX This time, America didn't vote, the judges did, and the wild-card round will see the return of such favorites as Matt Giraud, Megan Joy Corkrey, Anoop Desai and drama magnet Tatiana Del Toro. Sadly, MTV favorite Nick "Normund Gentle" Mitchell will have to go it alone. His histrionic joking didn't charm the judges enough to include him among the eight wild-carders who will give it another go on Thursday night (March 5). Following Wednesday night's elimination round, which sent Lil Rounds, Scott MacIntyre and Jorge Nuñez into the top 12 , the judges took turns picking the returning singers who will fight it out for the final three stools in the top 12. "Historically, this process enabled people like Jennifer Hudson and Clay Aiken to make it into the 12," Simon Cowell said, ... (link)