Some 30 million people are tuning into "American Idol" each night, and countless water-cooler chats are going on over who might win but those on the inside are living a blur right now.
"It's the biggest show in America, and you really don't know what's going on in the world," says Kimberly Caldwell. "You're in the 'American Idol' bubble."
Caldwell should know.
She made it into the top 10 on "American Idol" in Season 2 and ended up finishing seventh. She since has parlayed that experience into a hosting job for the TV Guide Network, where she hosts "Idol Tonight," "Idol Chat" and "Reality Chat."
Although viewers see only the performances and an occasional glimpse into the lives of the contestants, what goes on behind the scenes is grueling. The final three compete at 8 tonight on Fox.
They're working all day, shooting Ford commercials on weekends and preparing for the performance and results shows.
"I know they're working 10 times harder than we did in Season 2," she says.
"I'm telling you, there is no downtime," she says of her time on "Idol," when the cast lived in a mansion (it now lives in apartments). "We would play pool. We had a Jacuzzi.
"If we had time, we would jump in to soothe our aches. And when there is downtime, you've got a CD player in your ears listening to the song you're going to perform next."
After last week's elimination, there are just three "Idols" left Jordin Sparks, Melinda Doolittle and Blake Lewis.
Eventually, one will be crowned the new "American Idol." Then the others will launch their careers, just as Caldwell did.
The day she got voted off "American Idol," judge Randy Jackson and songwriter Diane Warren approached her about getting into the music industry. The next day, she landed a job as a correspondent for a Fox Sports program.
She then shifted to TV Guide, where she's the network's expert on all things reality.
She's also working in the recording studio with John Rich of the country group Big & Rich. She describes her sound as "unapologetic. It's very edgy. It's very in your face. It's very me."
There's no timetable for a CD release, she says.
As for the current "Idol," she thinks Sparks or Lewis will win. Lewis is an "original," while Sparks is a "powerhouse," Caldwell says.
Looking ahead, Caldwell has no plans to give up TV should her music career go into high speed, either.
"This is the best day job I've had in my life," she says, "and the only one I've ever been able to keep."
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