For those of you joining us for today’s season premiere of American Idol, let us catch you up. We’ve been doing our research for the past few months to bring you the skinny on the plants of American Idol 8. Here’s a who’s who of the usual suspects who will be competing for your votes this year, along with some wilted plants who didn’t make it. Use this like a scorecard so you can check off the forest as the plants appear on the show.

Plants Who Are in the Top 50

Name: Brent Keith Smith

Audition City: Unknown

Why He’s a Plant: He’s already came in sixth place on Nashville Star 2, had music videos played on CMT, and sang the theme song to the movie Dale. That’s a super plant if you ask us.

We received a tip about American Idol 8 Hollywood contestant Natasha Valentine (pictured left). Looks like she goes by Tasha. Our tipster said, "She was a contestant on Nashville Star season one. Her voice is very old fashioned, and she dresses kinda like Steffi D from CI. I see her as cannon fodder and I doubt she'll get past the second day of Hollywood because she doesn't have a great voice. Simon will probably say she could've been big in the '60s, but she's not really current sounding." Tasha's on the Nashville Star website and has some videos online. And here's her MySpace. Looks like she's traded in the old fashioned clothes for lesbian country wear. Although her profile doesn't say it, she seems to be posing with a girlfriend in some pictures. What's your take, and if she is gay, will Idol be able to see past their rampant homphobia to let her on the show?

JoesPlace gave us even more names of the people who made Hollywood today. Check out our previous lists here, here, and here, and you can add these as well. Please let us know if you know anything about these Hollywood contestants and we'll update everyone.

• Check out some info on these people who made Hollywood: Alex Green, Josh Cloud, Kendall Beard, and Ricky Braddy.
• We know very little about these people. If you've heard of them, please e-mail us and let us know more about them:  Alex Wagner, Antonio Magana, Chris Medina, Devon Baldwin, James Harris, John Twiford, Justin Williams, Katrina Darrell, Kaylan Loyd, Lauren Barnes, Markeese Morris, Margaret May, Natasha Valentine, Nick Mitchell, Steve Fowler, and Twan Lozada.