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Second Place is Just as Nice

Katherine McPhee may not have won the fifth season of American Idol, but that won`t keep her from making it in the entertainment industry. The second place winner and singing sensation signed a record deal with Clive Davis in conjunction with 19 Recordings Unlimited. If you recall, 19 Recordings is managed by Idol judge Simon Fuller, who manages to both entertain Idol fans and produce entertaining music.

Like every second place winner of American Idol, Katherine McPhee will have the next few years of her life set. With a record contract signed and singles to be released by the end of the month, there is no doubt that she will be entertaining the masses for at least another year. Where she goes from there however, is totally up to her. Look at former second place Idols such as Justin Guarini, sure he was a hit at first, but no one has heard of him in quite a while.

Being a runner-up on American Idol though seems like your best bet. You are not obligated to do American Idol appearances or pay large percentages of your profits to Idol. However, your fan base is instantly lower and you must make waves in the entertainment field to get your stardom to stick, otherwise you are just another reality show loser. Only time will tell who will survive this cut-throat industry and who will fall in the cracks.