American Idol fans weren’t the only ones shocked and disappointed by the surprise elimination of early favorite Alexis Grace Wednesday night.

“I was like, ‘Is this a bad dream? What’s going on?’” the 21-year-old Memphis native said Thursday. “It’s hard. I’m obviously disappointed.”

The news was particularly hard for the pink-haired hopeful to swallow as it means she just missed making the cut for this summer’s American Idol tour.

“I’d set a goal for myself to make tour,” says Grace. “But everybody has their times where they don’t do exactly what they want to in life, and it only gives them more encouragement to work harder. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”

For a brief moment on Wednesday’s show, it seemed Grace might get a reprieve with the new “judges save” rule, but after she forgot some words to “Jolene” and cracked a couple notes, judge Simon Cowell said it “wasn’t good enough.”

“If I’d remembered the words and been more in control of it, that might’ve helped,” Grace laments, but added. “It’s still very early in the game and I could see why they would want to save it for later. It’s better television.”

Grace says she had grown particularly close to fellow Idol Megan Joy, who’s also a young mom. The two joked that if they’d both made the tour, Grace’s daughter Ryan, 2, and Joy’s son Ryder, also 2, would become “boyfriend and girlfriend.”

“But they still can,” says Alexis Grace with a laugh, “because [Megan Joy] and I said we’re going to buy condos on the beach somewhere right next to each other so they can go over and play with each other all the time.”

Grace’s biggest challenge on American Idol was being away from her daughter, even though she called her every day so the two could sing the Barney song together.

She’s looking forward to their reunion next Tuesday, when she returns to Memphis after a round of press in New York City.

“I’m going go home and watch Elmo with her,” Grace says. “We’re going to go play with the toys in her bedroom. That’s the first thing I’m doing, and I can’t wait.”

When Ryan gets older, Grace - who is engaged to Ryan’s father but so far has not set a wedding date - hopes her daughter will learn from mom’s Idol experience.

“It’ll show her that you’ve got to work hard for what you want and never give up,” says Grace, who plans to eventually record a blues/soul album. “Because of this, I think I’m going to have a really great daughter. I feel very proud.”

Reggie Bush is into her either way (as evidenced by their sexy GQ photos), but like many celebs Kim Kardashian loves to switch up her appearance.

The reality star got edgy at the Y-3 fashion show in N.Y.C., tracing her eyes with angular black liner, but later, she gave into her soft side at the Tracy Reese show with some '50s-inspired top liner and shiny red lips.

Check out this comparison and tell us which you prefer:

Kim Kardashian looks best wearing ...

Spending time out with her co-star beau, Vanessa Hudgens was spotted gassing up in Los Angeles on Thursday afternoon (March 19).

With Zac Efron waiting in the driver’s seat of her sporty Audi convertible, the “High School Musical” starlet kindly hopped out and pumped her own petrol.

The couples outing comes just after pictures of Zac posing in steamy shots with model Edita Vilkeviciute made their debut via Interview magazine.

Talking about one particular shot in which he and the sexy supermodel pose in a pile of sand, Zac tells, “I got pretty dirty by the end of so that was fun. It was definitely different from anything I had ever done before.”

Continuing along with her career-branching efforts, Hilary Duff was spotted arriving at a casting call in Hollywood on Thursday (March 19).

The “Cheaper By the Dozen” starlet was dressed casually in a black tank top and jean shorts, looking serious as she passed by awaiting paparazzi with her script in-hand.

Miss Duff is recently returned to her home in the west coast following a week-long stay up in Canada, where she promoted her charitable gig “Blessings In a Backpack”.

Along with doing her part to help the community, Hilary also was able to make it to one of her boyfriend’s hockey games, cheering on Mike Comrie and his fellowOttawa Senators to a 3-2 victory over the Tampa Bay Lighting.

Getting back to work on her show, America Ferrera was spotted out on the set of “Ugly Betty” in Manhattan on Thursday (March 19).

The 24-year-old actress was decked out in her typical unique garb as on-set workers held an umbrella over her head while shooting a few scenes.

With the series coming to an end, “Ugly Betty” returns with a brand new episode on Thursday, May 7 in its regular 8PM timeslot, followed up with a new episode on May 14 and the two-hour season finale on May 21.

The decision to pull the plug on “Ugly Betty” in March as made so that ABC could make room for their newer comedies “In the Motherhood” and “Samantha Who”.

She just broke up with boyfriend Jay Lyon, and it sounds as if Whitney Port is already moving on with her love life.

The MTV reality starlet, who was spotted out getting her nails done in Santa Monica earlier this week, reportedly was all about actor Robert Buckley during a recent trip to Miami.

According to OK! magazine sources, Miss Port and the “Lipstick Jungle” hunk hosted the Havaianas Spring Break event at the Shore Club - where they “hit it off, getting very friendly and canoodling throughout the afternoon.”

“They were really cute with each other,” the insider tells OK!, although it’s still uncertain whether the duo have a future together or were just keeping one another company now that they’re both single.

Back to her old haunts for the first time since a lengthy stay in St Lucia, Amy Winehouse flashed her polka dot underwear as she left Maddox Nightclub in London on Wednesday night (March 18).

Following a court appearance earlier in the day, the “Rehab” crooner looked in high spirits, though a bit disheveled, following a party thrown by Sadie Frost to celebrate the end of her run onstage in the West End play “Touched”.

After getting in her fill at Maddox, Miss Winehouse and her friends then headed off to Camden’s Hawley Arms to finish off the night.

Staying until 2AM, Amy reportedly was overheard telling the clubs staffers: “I’ve had a great time, but I’ve got to go before I get out of it.”

Joining in on an educational effort, Sheryl Crow spent time speaking to students at Woodrow Wilson Senior High School in Washington DC on Thursday (March 19).

The visit was part of a series of events where famous women spoke to high school students throughout the Washington DC metropolitan area for Women’s History Month.

Put together by First Lady Michelle Obama, Sheryl was joined in her efforts by Alicia Keys, Debbie Allen, Phylicia Rashad, Fran Drescher, Dominique Dawes, Lisa Leslie Lockwood and Mae Jemison.

Later this evening, the group of ladies will unite at the White House for dinner with Mrs. Obama and another group of DC school students.

As a follow-up to Gossip Girls’ previous report on Natasha Richardson’s autopsy, the results have been released by doctor’s working on the case (March 19).

After this morning’s examination, the agency in charge has said that the Broadway star passed away as a result of an “epidural hematoma due to blunt impact to the head.”

As was expected, medical examiner spokeswoman Ellen Borakove added that the death will be ruled an accident - resulting from her fall while skiing in Canada.

Meanwhile, a private memorial service is in the planning stages by Greenwich Village Funeral Home - although no details have been released.

With a second “Melrose Place” in the works, Lisa Rinna was spotted out yesterday (March 18) wearing a cardboard sign looking like she desperately wanted her Taylor McBride role back.

However, as it turns out, the actress wasn’t really trying to get back on “Melrose Place,” but was doing a skit for a new Web Show.

Rinna admits, “A dear friend asked me if I would do this skit. I said why not? Because, you know me, I’ll do anything.”

It’s still unknown if the 45-year-old will be returning to the 90’s drama re-make, but what we do know is that Heather Locklear was asked to return as her character, Amanda Woodward, but declined the offer.

Newbie, Ashlee Simpson, however, is on board and will be playing a small town girl who moves to LA named Violet.