LOS ANGELES – "American Idol" alum Kellie Pickler may not have taken home Best Newcomer at the ACM awards over the weekend, but the country crooner attracted more screaming fans and fighting photogs than even the likes of Carrie Underwood and Garth Brooks on the red carpet and backstage.
But according to "American Idol" Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe, Kellie should be attributing her burgeoning fanbase to her burgeoning breasts.
"She's acquired two accoutrements that (naturally) photographers and men love," Lythgoe explained while preparing for the "American Idol" finale in downtown L.A. earlier this week. "I'm not sure what it cost her, but obviously it was well worth it."
After finishing at No. 6 in the fifth season of the hit reality show, Pickler went under the knife last year and emerged with two much larger female assets. But according to the North Carolina starlet, the surgery has helped her "mature" as an artist.
"It's been two years since my first record came out. I still have my sassy and girly side, but I've been growing a lot — in many more ways than one," Picker said with a sly smile, motioning to her new breasts. "Let's just say I feel much more mature now."
The busty blonde (who happens to be a beauty school drop-out) was also happy to admit that she isn't exactly a natural stunner. Aside from the plastic chest, it seems she relies on a lot of little plastic jars before leaving the house.
"My job is to sing and I have a total glam squad that does the rest; I use so much hairspray and so much makeup," Pickler added. "At night it's like a mask that I take off — you really wouldn't know who I am. I look really scary."
Speaking of something else that is scary and superstitious, Kellie also seems to have predicted this year's "Idol" winner.
"I am pretty sure David will win," she said with a smile.
Lauren Conrad Bans Heidi From 'The Hills' Party, Makes a Scene Over Her Underwear
Lauren Conrad may be perceived as the "good girl" on her own reality show, "The Hills," but apparently she was everything but darling at the show’s wrap party in Beverly Hills last week.
At the event (which was flooded with soft drink-sipping teeny-boppers), Pop Tarts was told that LC had fellow stars Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt banned because she wanted to be the center of attention and "didn’t want them to be a distraction."
Mind you, the 22-year-old also attended the Wango Tango Music Event two days earlier with her posse and reportedly caused a stir at the gifting lounge when she came across the Spreegirl Intimates section.
Conrad immediately recognized the panties worn by Montag on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine featuring "The Hills" girls and made a big deal about declaring that she’ll have to "stay away from those" and dragging her pals away. Mature, right?
Michael Johns Says the 'Idol' Judges Got It Wrong
While "American Idol" finalist Michael Johns had to settle for a seat rather than the stage at part one of the show's season finale on Tuesday night, he was more than happy to critique the threesome that spent so much time analyzing his singing abilities — and he didn't exactly "agree" that Archuleta was the "knockout" of the night.
"I think Archie performed amazing tonight. It was probably my favorite performances of Archuleta in the entire season," Johns said. "But I thought Cook was always at a high level, so I didn't totally agree with that."
Pop Tarts also thinks the big-wigs behind the seventh season went wrong with the, er, cheesy "boxing" theme of the show.
"It kinda was funny," Johns said.
Shar Goes Shopping for Britney
Britney Spears may have a newfound friend in Mel Gibson, but it appears the "Crazy" crooner can still rely on Shar Jackson to stand by her (despite that Brit hooked up with Shar's man Kevin Federline while she was pregnant with his child).
We busted Jackson shopping at the recent Silver Spoon Dog & Baby Buffet, picking out designer jeans from Lucky Kid (the baby label for Lucky Brand) for Sean Preston and a few toys for Jayden James.
"Britney's boys are doing really well," she told us. "Kevin is a great dad."
Speaking of Spears, the songstress has returned from her Costa Rica retreat with her daddy and Gibson. Although she's been snapped (frequently) on the beach sporting a little belly, a Britney insider assures us she is "100 percent not pregnant."
Spotted or Snapped a Star? Got a Good Scoop? E-mail poptartstips@gmail.com.
Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox