Kellie Pickler

When this perky 19-year-old country singer from North Carolina initially made it to American Idol's top 10 in 2006, judge Simon Cowell predicted she would see the competition through to the end. But despite her all-American good looks, powerhouse voice and harrowing sob story — MIA mom, jailed dad — the bubbly blonde finished sixth. Although some viewers found her naiveté charming (she routinely mispronounced words and asked the definitions of "calamari," "salmon" and "minx"), many more found Pickler's gaffs downright embarrassing and questioned whether she was only pretending to be a Jessica Simpson-style dimwit. Ultimately, her overwrought and off-pitch vocals got her the boot. Yet even though she didn't even make the top five, she still caught the eye of the entertainment industry, landing a record deal and releasing her first album, the appropriately titled Small Town Girl, in October 2006. In addition, a sitcom based on her persona is reportedly currently in development.