It was a big night for Toby Keith at the 'American Country Awards' (Mon., 8PM ET on FOX), as he took home honors not just for work he's done in the past year, but over the past decade. Co-hosts Trace Adkins and Kristin Chenoweth were on hand to bestow upon Keith the Artist of the Decade Award, but Keith's good buddy Stephen Colbert couldn't miss out on the opportunity, sending kudos from his desk at 'The Colbert Report.'

It was only the second year of the fan-voted country music competition, but the stars weren't shy at showing up to the sophomore event. Fan support certainly helped former 'American Idol' contestants from the first season to now.

With the Season 11 premiere only a few weeks away, 'American Idol' boss Nigel Lythgoe has released a new promo video (watch it after the jump) and talked about his plans for the show.

After all the upheaval surrounding Season 10 after the departure of Simon Cowell and the most of the judging panel, Lythgoe says he's done changing the show around. He told the AP "I think we made a lot of tweaks last year. I'm not sure that we want to make too many more tweaks this year."

Lythgoe acknowledged that the biggest change he made to the show in Season 10, which was to stop making contestants sing in styles other than their own, had been a game-changer. It produced the first country winner since 2005, and made it possible for contestants like Casey Abrams to go further in the competition than they might have done otherwise.

This year, we're betting that 'American Idol' stars Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina are mostly thankful that turkey day is firmly behind them. The Season 10 winner and runner-up both had pretty bad experiences yesterday.

An estimated 50 million viewers were watching as country crooner McCreery was revealed to be lip-syncing at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York.

Meanwhile, Alaina can now join the pantheon of singers -- yes, we mean you Christina Aguilera, Cyndia Lauper and ... um ... Scotty McCreery -- who've flubbed the national anthem on live TV.

Taylor and Russell certainly spared no expense for Kennedy's fifth birthday on 'The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills' (Mon., 9PM ET on Bravo). It's a good thing the cameras were rolling, too, because I certainly don't remember my fifth birthday party.

If you're going so far as to have a former 'American Idol' alum write a song for her, you want her to be able to remember it. Or at least stick in the DVD and rewatch it.

Taylor seemed to enjoy Ace Young's presence at the festivities even more than she loves his song -- and she cried the first time she heard that. "If you were any cuter," she started. "You're killing me right now!"

Now that 'The X Factor' has moved past its 'Idol'-inspired laugh-at-the-weird people stage, it's beginning its 'The Voice'-inspired mentor phase, where the contenders will be split into 4 groups, each to be tutored by one of the show's judges. On 'Good Day LA' (weekdays, 7AM PT on FOX) Cowell explained what the show is looking for in its champion.

"You've got to find somebody and you've gotta show how you can turn them into a real winner in the real world. Not within a competition, 'cuz someone's always going to win a show, somebody you can say ... we helped make this person into a star," he explained.

Reigning 'American Idol' champ Scotty McCreery may not be turning 18 for another week, but he's already got the deep Southern twang of a seasoned country star. McCreery made an appearance on 'Today' (weekdays, 9AM ET on NBC) to talk about the upcoming milestone and performed his song 'The Trouble With Girls.'

In the next few months, McCreery will be singing the National Anthem at Game 1 of the World Series and going on the road with Brad Paisley. Five days after his CD comes out, he turns 18. "We're actually going to have a big concert, CD release birthday bash," he told Ann Curry.

Former 'American Idol' contestant Pia Toscano released her debut single, 'This Time,' in July, but what the 'Good Day New York' (weekdays, 9AM ET on Fox) crew mainly wanted to talk to her about was her relationship with musician and 'Dancing With the Stars' pro Mark Ballas. It's been rumored the pair are dating, but they've denied it.

Toscano said she and Ballas were busy, and just friends. "I'm on tour right now, he's starting his season, we're both very supportive of each other, he's got a wonderful album out," she said. "We're just doing out thing, we're focusing on our careers and we're good friends."

'American Idol' fans, make sure to pencil in a very important event on Oct. 4: AOL TV sister site The Boot reports that's the day 'American Idol' winner Scotty McCreery will release his debut album, 'Clear as Day.'

Though a track list has not yet been revealed, we do know that Scotty's breakout hit, 'I Love You This Big,' will be on the album. The tune made Billboard history earlier this year, leaving the North Carolina native pleasantly shocked.

"That's very humbling for me," he told The Boot. "Just a week after 'Idol,' I heard about it in an interview and I was taken aback. I'm looking forward to what else I can do, if I can work my tail off to get there! If I can break another record, we'll see, but I've gotta just work, work work."

Where were you this time last year?
Scotty: At this time last year, I would have been on the baseball field. We have spring ball for the school, and summer ball, getting ready for the school. So, I would have been on the baseball field pitching away.

And where are you a year later?
Scotty: Yesterday, I was in the studio, working away and recording some songs for the new album. We've got two or three done. I've definitely been writing. For this album, I don't think any of my original stuff will be on it, because it's happened so quick for me, and it's rapid-fire. We're definitely still writing and jamming out on the bus.

Jordin Sparks hasn't had much time to sit back and reflect on her 2007 'American Idol' win. She's been too busy releasing albums, touring large venues with other pop acts, and appearing in the Tony-winning Broadway musical, 'In the Heights.' But Sparks came up for air long enough on 'Today' (weekdays, 7AM on NBC) to look back on the wild ride she's been on for the past four years.

"It seems like forever, but at the same time, it seems like only yesterday," she said. "And I think about it and it's like, almost five years, and I'm just like, I can't believe it." Sparks said she loved working on Broadway and would do it again if the right project popped up. Of course, she'd have to fit that in between tours to support her music. "I just finished in July, but it's like, I'm just like the Energizer bunny," she said, "I just keep going and going and going and going and going. It's insane."

Former 'American Idol' finalist Clay Aiken got to try out his acting chops Sunday on 'Drop Dead Diva' (Sundays, 9PM on Lifetime), playing a witness in a case of a mail-order-bride scam. Aiken played Tyler, the former husband of Irina, the mail-order bride in question. Grayson and Kim were representing Hank the Bailiff, who once had a crush on Jane and was dumped by Irina.

Grayson and Kim were suspicious when they interviewed Tyler, finding out that he left Irina on good terms. She didn't max out his credit cards and returned the engagement ring. "I felt terrible, but after a couple of months I just realized she wasn't right for me," said Tyler.

It seems as though the game of cat and mouse that Jennifer Lopez has been playing with 'American Idol' execs all summer may soon be at an end.

According to 'The Wall Street Journal,' Lopez is close to signing a deal that will bring her back to the 'American Idol' judging panel for at least one more season.

When Lopez's original one-year contract -- estimated at $12 million -- expired back in May she said she was "on the fence" about committing to the series for another season, and she's been pitching her own TV talent show to networks.

'Idol' execs, in return, then let it be known that they were lining up possible replacements should they be unable to lure her back.

First a booted judge and now a multi-million dollar lawsuit. The drama with 'The X Factor' has reached new heights -- before the show even premieres. Simon Fuller, creator of 'American Idol,' is suing Fox and Fremantle North America -- producer of both shows -- for a stake in 'The X Factor.'

"Today Simon Fuller filed a legal complaint against Fox Broadcasting Company and Fremantle in the State of California over their refusal to honor a 2005 contract that granted Mr. Fuller an executive producer credit and fees on the 'X Factor' television program in the US. Mr. Fuller has prudently attempted to settle this matter privately but the other parties have refused to honor the original contract leaving him no other choice but to pursue legal action," Fuller's publicist said in a statement to Deadline.