All About
American IdolParis Bennett
ROLE MODEL Billie Holiday (artistically speaking, of course — we're not suggesting Paris pick up a heroin habit)
BAD INFLUENCE Beyoncé
PROFESSIONAL PLAYBOOK Heaven help us for turning to Paula Abdul for sage advice, but as Idol's loopiest judge pointed out during Rod Stewart week, Paris could cut an album of standards tomorrow and find herself on top of the charts. Indeed, when she channels old-school chestnuts like ''Take Five'' and ''These Foolish Things,'' Paris gives us the tinglies like no other season 5 singer, her jazzy phrasing and pitch-perfect vocals a thrilling throwback to another time and place. Conversely, though, when Paris aims for urban sexiness (like that hyperactive version of Beyoncé's ''Work It Out''), the results are downright creepy — kind of like watching a Kewpie doll perform a drag show as Jessica Rabbit.
