'Idol' odds 'n ends: Blake Lewis unveils new single choice

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

>Blake Lewis revealed his new single choice, "Heartbreak on Vinyl," and sent a link for fans to listen to a remix of the song by LA Riots in an e-mail sent to fans. In the e-mail, Blake also mentioned a fan-made video that made Yahoo!'s Top 10 Most Awesome Music Videos of 2009, which can be viewed below:

In addition to the LA Riots remix, the single will include remixes by Chew Fu and Bimbo Jones and will be available digitally on Tues., Jan. 19.

>Carrie Underwood will take a stab at acting in her first guest appearance on a CBS sitcom when she stars in an episode of How I Met Your Mother. Per The LA Times:

Underwood will make her acting debut on the CBS sitcom as a love interest for Ted (Josh Radnor), CBS confirmed. Her character, Tiffany, is an enigmatic pharmaceutical sales rep.

The newly-engaged Carrie recently took her comedy skills on a test drive on her variety special that aired on FOX last month. The episode will air sometime in March.

>Katharine McPhee's latest stop in support of her sophomore album Unbroken was on NBC's Today Show, which aired yesterday. Kat spoke with co-host Hoda Kotb and America's Got Talent judge Piers Morgan. Watch the segment below:



After fending off the usual comments about her "new" (and by "new" it's really 8-9 months-old) hairstyle, Kat spoke about why she decided to name her album Unbroken and what was behind her covering the quirky song "Brand New Key."

>Two Idol alums launched new blogs this week. Kimberly Caldwell recently tweeted about her new blog, which basically seems to be a Twitter feed on her site:

Check out my blog: kimberlycaldwell.tumblr.com Good news about the pup! 3:21 PM Jan 7th from Echofon

Meanwhile, Felicia Barton similarly revealed her new blog, as she announced via her own Twitter account:

thanks to everyone that is following me on my new blog!..I am really excited about it!!!... www.followingfelicia.blogspot.com 11:11 PM Jan 7th from web

>Since CBS failed to broadcast David Archuleta's halftime performance at the Brut Sun Bowl in San Antonio, Tex., on Thurs., Dec. 31. Watch him perform "Don't Stop Believin'" below:



David also sang his songs "Crush" and "Zero Gravity" during the halftime set. Prior to halftime he also sang "God Bless America."