MANILA, Philippines?Regular viewers of ?American Idol? on Star World and QTV may have noticed that several Filipino-looking contestants have made it to the world-famous reality contest?s Hollywood round.

One confirmed Fil-Am, according to QTV?s research department, is 17-year-old David James Archuleta, who wowed judges Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell in the San Diego auditions.

Even though he said he was earlier afflicted with ?vocal chord paralysis? and forgot some lines of John Mayer?s ?Waiting on the World to Change,? he was a standout?Jackson gamely sang backup to him; Abdul confessed that she wanted to ?squish? him; and Cowell commended him on his song choice.

According to different bloggers, Archuleta won in the kiddie section of ?Star Search? at age 12. That same year, he met and sang for AI?s Season 1 contestants, including winner Kelly Clarkson.

The video of Archuleta?s close encounter with the Idols is posted on YouTube and shows Clarkson being bowled over by the kid?s rendition of ?And I Am Telling You I?m Not Going.?

Utmost secrecy, however, surrounds AI Season 7, which began the audition process last year. Still, Idol fans have bombarded the Net with their fearless forecasts.

At least three Filipino-Americans have figured in the online conjecture game.

Apart from Archuleta, bloggers insisted that Fil-Am girls Ramielle Malubay and Neyshia Go have also made it to the Top 50.

The Net reports were made by bloggers who consulted various contestants?including those eliminated from the competition.

A more recent post claimed that Archuleta and Malubay have made it to the Top 24. At press time, Go?s fate was still uncertain, but a ?purported? complete list posted in a web site didn?t include her name among the Top 12 Girls.

Has-beens?

The anti-Idol site, votefortheworst.com, complained that a number of the rumored AI frontrunners couldn?t be considered ?undiscovered talent??like Archuleta who had topped ?Star Search,? and Irish-born Carly Smithson who had been an early favorite in Season 5 but was disqualified due to visa problems.

According to the site, Smithson had already released a poorly received CD.

The site scoffed: ?There are many contestants who are in the Top 50 who have failed careers ? has-beens who have failed at becoming famous yet snuck their way onto the show.?