'Idol' odds 'n ends: Jennifer Hudson joins VH1's "Divas" roster

The following are Idol-related odds and ends that happened this week:

>Just a few weeks ago, Kelly Clarkson let it slip that fellow Idol champ Jordin Sparks would be joining her in VH1's Divas special. Now, it was Jordin's turn to announce the addition of another Idol alum at concert event, as she told Paulette Tobin of The Grand Forks Herald that Jennifer Hudson would also be performing. This brings representation from the franchise at the broadcast to four, as Paula Abdul was recently announced as the show's host.

>Coming just one week after the official announcement of his fellow Top 2 comrade's album release date, Adam Lambert subtlety let it be known that his self-titled album would be out on Tues., Nov. 24. In a tweet sent out on Wednesday, Adam said:

over 86K raised by http://www.donorschoose.org... !! thank you guys so much! keep it coming! fyi my album drops Nov 24th ! 8:46 AM Sep 2nd from web

Adam is reportedly working with producers such as RedOne and Max Martin and looks to have a big opening week thanks to his album being released the week of Thanksgiving. Competition will come from Lil' Wayne, Mary J. Blige, Diddy, Susan Boyle and a re-release from Lady Gaga.

>It was recently announced that Diana DeGarmo has been selected to serve as a celebrity judge the New York Musical Theater Festival's (NYMF) "Next Broadway Sensation" contest, which will award one winner the chance to perform his or her own solo concert among other things. According to TheaterMania.com:

Confirmed celebrity judges include actors Diana DeGarmo, Jonathan Groff, Bailey Hanks, Orfeh, Donna Lynne Champlin, Kacie Sheik, and Allison Case; composer/lyricist Paul Scott Goodman; and record producer Noah Corman.

The three rounds of the competition will be held at New World Stages in New York, N.Y., on Sun., Sept. 13, Sept. 20 and Oct. 4.

>Keeping busy with his writing and storytelling skills, David Archuleta on Wednesday posted a new blog post on his official Ning network site about recording his Christmas album and performing the last concert of his summer tour in Alaska. Arch said in part:

I've been recording in LA and Utah this week and it's been quite the work but I'm really excited for it all to come together! I really like airplane rides though because it gives me time to write and get really detailed in my journal haha. Anyway... I know that may have seemed kinda random but I've been on airplanes quite a bit this last week. But I think the Christmas spirit is rubbing off on me because I've never started the Holiday season spirit this early in the year before haha. It feels good though.

He also gave a friendly shout out to fellow Season 7 alum Jason Castro and said he likes his new single, "Let's Just Fall In Love Again."

>Blake Lewis' album release is still one month away, but he eagerly e-mailed fans on his mail listing this morning to alert them that he will be sending links to preview select songs off Heartbreak On Vinyl over the next four weeks. He kicked things off this morning with a link to listen to the album's title track, "Heartbreak On Vinyl."