America is in a funk over a really scary economy. The prime time diversion "American Idol" came back to our living rooms at just the right time. And, with another tarheel story line. A change in the rules, apparently because of declining ratings last season, allowed UNC-Chapel Hill student Anoop Desai to make the finals. We are all over this story.
One of Anoop's professors talked to our Eric Ferreri last week. And Anoop seems to have followed the advice of our pop culture mavens Adrienne Johnson Martin and Luciana Chavez when he performed Tuesday night.
Pop music critic David Menconi was impressed. Did you vote? Will Anoop follow in the path of tarheels Clay and Fantasia?
Linda Williams
Linda Williams is a native of Fayetteville and graduate of UNC-CH. Her journalistic experience includes working at The Oregonian, The Wall Street Journal and the Los Angeles Times. She can be reached at