TV Guide Online: Isn't it crazy how upset your fans are?
La Toya London: It feels good to know that people really believe in me and are upset that I'm off the show. It makes me feel really, really important and good. I hope it dies down and turns into happiness because I'm happy. Stay tuned, because La Toya's comin' back atcha.

TVGO: What did you think of Paula's on-air meltdown after your ouster?
London: I didn't know how much she cared about me until that moment! She supported me, she gave me a huge hug and told me how much she loved me and thought I was a star.

TVGO: Jasmine was tearful — and clearly in shock that she stayed and you went. Did she have survivor's guilt like John Stevens?
London: No, John Stevens was like, "It should've been me," and almost blamed himself [when he outlasted people]. Jasmine definitely didn't feel that way, but she thought it was gonna be her. I'm sure she had mixed emotions about it; she was sad and happy at the same time.

TVGO: Were you surprised to get voted off?
London: I was sad to see both me and Fantasia in the bottom two. A lot of people wanted it to be us in the end. I thought I would at least be in the top three and then go — I didn't want to put my hopes up too high. No one expected Jennifer Hudson and George Huff to go so soon, so at that point, I mentally prepared myself that it was possible I could leave the competition. I was hopeful, but ready for the worst.

TVGO: During the disco show, Simon said you lacked personality on your first song. Then, you were much sassier in the second one. Did you take his comments to heart?
London: "Love You Inside and Out" had low-key attitude. The other one — "Don't Leave Me This Way" — was more high energy. I perform according to the feel of the song. The judges' opinion is their opinion. I was happy with my song choices and performances.

TVGO: People seem to put you and Fantasia in the same box as "black divas." Did it bother you?
London: It did. I don't like all that pressure of the whole diva thing. They expected us to be like Whitney and Mariah! People are always going to categorize you and try to start some controversy — I'm glad me and Fantasia knew that, and we were able to ignore it and laugh at it and support each other.

TVGO: The final four was pretty multicultural. What's your take on Elton John's suggestion that AI's voting process is marred by racism?
London: I don't think so. Look at last year — Ruben won the whole thing. It's not a racist thing. It boils down to America's votes. Who knows what happened. Maybe people watched and didn't vote or they just missed the show... Who knows?

TVGO: Did you overstep by telling Ryan that you'd all have careers, no matter who won? Simon didn't like that, since that idea makes the result of the contest less important.
London: I understand they want you to have that competitive attitude. I just have to keep it real. I wasn't going to sit there and lie about it. I can't stress myself worrying about, "Am I gonna win?" You'll go crazy because it's so unpredictable. Everyone thought I'd win and I went home, yet Jasmine's there and still competing! You have to stay positive. I felt I came to succeed as an artist and I'm still gonna do that. My career will go on.

TVGO: Any big offers yet?
London: Not yet. All of [the AI finalists'] calls are forwarded to 19 Management. They have us focusing on the [Greatest Soul Classics] CD and the American Idol tour that's coming up. Then, after that, they'll let us know what calls have been coming in, and we'll start working on our personal careers.

TV Guide Online: This show copies AI right down to host Brian McFayden, who's a clone of Ryan Seacrest. Although he looks a bit younger...
Vitamin C: [Chuckles] I don't know his age. They're both young, good-looking, radio-veejay kind of guys with good highlights and white teeth.

TVGO: Is this is a good career move for you?
Vitamin C: I did it because I laughed out loud at the concept. It's also somewhat unexpected for me, since Vitamin C has a lovely reputation for being super nice. I'm supposed to pull heartstrings — I never get to be funny! When I [became] Vitamin C, people somehow just thought I was a Britney clone who was 100 years older. I was like, "Noooo! You don't get it!"

TVGO: So you did this to show you can do comedy?
Vitamin C: Quite honestly, I didn't think of it as a career move. If the show's a hit and people find it funny, maybe it'll help me. If the show's a bomb, people might think I'm a crazy bitch and why did I do it? [Laughs] You're talking to someone who maybe should think more about it. I just do things I want to do. Maybe I'd have a different sort of career if I were more calculating.

TVGO: Superstar's premise seems cruel. Kids with stars in their eyes are set up for humiliation. Can you defend this?
Vitamin C: I don't know if I have a defense. I'll tell you what I think: All reality television is inherently cruel. If you put yourself in a show, you're going to be subjected to some form of a reveal and humiliation. Unfortunately, people want to watch that. All the people I know love to watch the car wrecks in the beginning of American Idol the most.

TVGO: That's true...
Vitamin C: This show is nothing worse than Punk'd. I don't believe it's inherently evil. We never attack them on a personal level. We're making fun of the process much more than the [contestants]. It makes you wonder about the people that want to buy into this process. One guy came in and sang "We Don't Need Another Hero" from the movie Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome. I asked the person, "Have you ever been to a thunderdome? 'Cause I have, and the thunderdome is like the superstar industry. It's not a place for someone who's emotionally weak." Now, if I said that to you, you'd start laughing and look at me like I was outta my f---in' head! But in our society, a reality-TV contestant will stand there and listen to any drivel that comes out of a celebrity's mouth.

TVGO: What do you say to those who'll condemn the show anyway?
Vitamin C: There are people who will see it as cruel and not get the joke. Reality TV is low. C'mon! If you don't like it, turn it off. We're not hurting anyone. No animals were harmed. The winner gets $100,000 and a recording contract, and I do think that person will be a pop star. The other people got money and parting gifts. That's better treatment than on American Idol, where they'd just hear some harsh words and get trashed. Here, they get a chance to be underdogs who win America's hearts.

TVGO: What does it really take to be a pop star?
Vitamin C: Anyone can be a pop star, but it takes more than a great voice. Plenty of people are great singers but never have hit records. Others can't sing all that well but have year after year of hits. You need a personality. I will be honest. I'm a terrible singer, always have been. Well, I'm not bad, but I'm no Christina Aguilera. But I'm a great songwriter and I love making music. You just have to have a sense of humor about yourself like Jessica Simpson. When she took herself so seriously, it was a yawn. Once she showed a more human side, it was a breath of fresh air!

TV Guide Online: You're nominated with Bob Barker. How would you do on The Price Is Right? Do you know the price of Rice-A-Roni, for instance?
Alex Trebek: No, and my wife keeps chastising me about that because she indicates to me, "You know, the prices have gone up a lot, Alex." I'm not sure I'd do all that well with the current prices of things like that. I tend not to pay all that much attention, although there are situations where I will drive around the block to find gasoline that's two cents less per gallon.

TVGO: The celebrity-themed Jeopardy! tournaments are always so competitive. What's the worst trash talk you've heard recently?
Trebek: I made a ruling in Wayne Brady's behalf and Ashton Kutcher took exception to that. And Wayne wound up winning. The two of them went a little mano a mano, doing push-ups off camera.

TVGO: What's the best Jeopardy! strategy you've seen?
Trebek: [One] champion we had would jump all over the board to cause a bit of confusion among his opponents. But if you do not have good reflexes and don't know the material, there is no strategy that will guarantee a victory.

TVGO: How do you decide what phrase to say when someone gets the right answer?
Trebek: If I use one word 15 or 20 times in a row, that's gonna bug the audience, so I try to keep it fresh and varied. "That's right." "Good." "Correct." "You got it." "Right on." "Way to go."

TVGO: Good answer. What do you do while contestants write down their Final Jeopardy answers?
Trebek: I watch to see if they're writing anything down, so I can comment afterwards. "He had a smile on his face so he must feel pretty confident. And, ooh, this one was struggling and didn't write anything down 'til the last possible moment."

TVGO: It's been three years since you shaved your mustache. Would you now consider a goatee?
Trebek: Uh, never a goatee.

TVGO: And no soul patch, either?
Trebek: No.

TVGO: You have a 13-year-old son and a 10-year-old daughter. Do they ever goof on Dad's unique job?
Trebek: Just when they wanna be little smartasses. They'll just play the kind of game that a lot of people play with me. "The answer is..." And I have to come up with the correct question.

TVGO: People say you seem a bit smug for a man who has all the answers right in front of him.
Trebek: Well, I don't think I come off as arrogant or a know-it-all. There are times when I give a correct response that I didn't know. And I could say, "I'm sorry. The right response is 'Napoleon' — and I didn't know that before I read it on this clue!" But I'm the man in charge, and I have to act that way.

TVGO: Letterman once did a list of "Top 10 Ways to Tick Off Alex Trebek." No. 3 was, "Answer every question, 'Who is George Peppard?'" Would that really drive you nuts?
Trebek: No. [Laughs] I love weird humor, and Letterman has some pretty weird humor going sometimes. Jeopardy! is fair game because we're part of Americana. People love us and make fun of us. And that's a sign that we've arrived.