They say you are the company you keep. And if that’s the case, I hang out with total jerks. That’s because everyone I know positively hates Danny Gokey.

On the surface, it’s easy to see why so many people loathe the “American Idol” semifinalist: His glasses. The heart symbol he makes with his hands. The fact that he dresses like a cross between a figure skater and Charlie Sheen on “Two and a Half Men.” His demeanor — which seems to flit between humility and cockiness — doesn’t do him many favors, either. When he’s being humble, people call him a phony. When he’s being cocky, they call him a jerk. Danny Gokey, it seems, cannot win.

Of course, this is all superficial, speculative stuff. It says nothing about his vocal ability (which is — even I will begrudgingly admit — pretty great, so long as he’s not singing Aerosmith) or the fact that he’s one of the final three contestants left on the show (so, you know, he must be doing something right). I don’t know anyone who’s actually hung out with Danny Gokey, or served him coffee, or interacted with him on any level in between. I have no first-hand accounts of him being a jerk. Yet, I — and pretty much everyone I know — seem to believe that he is. This probably isn’t fair. But it is kind of true.

Because I have written plenty of nasty stuff about Gokey (check the last line of this column about Adam Lambert for proof) without ever meeting him and have been congratulated by my friends and co-workers for doing so. And this probably says more about me — and people like me — than any of us would care to admit.

Do we dislike Gokey for any tangible reason? Is he a bad tipper? Mean to the elderly? No, we hate him because he sometimes appears to be a jerk on a televised singing competition. And that apparently gives us license to say all sorts of nasty things about him, to accuse him of wearing his wedding ring or using the death of his wife to curry the favor of “Idol” voters. And that’s crazy. And pretty mean.

Perhaps Danny Gokey is proof that we hate without reason. That we are given to jealousy. That we dislike those who are naturally gifted (and dare to acknowledge that fact). That we are all, on some level, elitists, and within us all lies a superiority complex, a bias against those in the so-called “red states” who somehow find Gokey’s story, struggle, faith — and even his voice — inspiring and uplifting.

But maybe I’m just writing about myself now. After all, last year, I penned a column, in which I called David Cook “the reason we are obese and ignorant … the reason the rest of the world hates us.” (It was not, shall we say, one of my finer moments.) And I kind of feel the same way about Danny Gokey — only this time, I’m not going to allow myself to go down that path.

Do I want Gokey to win “American Idol”? No. Would I ever buy one of his albums? Probably not. But do I think he’s a terrible person? Someone worthy of scorn or ridicule? Everything that’s wrong with America? Most definitely not. Because he’s taught me a little something about myself. He’s exposed an ugly part of my subconscious that I really don’t like. And so I’m working on it. I’m not going to hate on Danny Gokey anymore. It will make me a better person.

Because Danny Gokey is what’s great about “American Idol.” He is the opportunity to learn about ourselves, to grow and to come together as one. To cast aside age-old divides and forge a better tomorrow. He is unity and hope, in spectacles. He’s already taught me a new way — and he can do the same thing for you. Embrace him, even if you don’t want to. And even if he might be kind of a jerk. Or because he is.

Despite the rumors, blogs, feuds and fiery debates spurred by Miss California’s pageant platform against gay marriage, Donald Trump said he thinks the controversy surrounding Carrie Prejean is a “good thing.”

“To a large extent, because of the great beauty of Carrie, it stirred a national debate on an issue that’s been out there for a long time,” Trump said on “Good Morning America” today.

But it was a set of topless photos, not Prejean’s marriage views, that threatened her crown a month after she was named runner-up in the Trump-owned Miss USA pageant. During a news conference Tuesday, Trump announced that Prejean would not be stripped of her Miss California title or crown.

“If a photographer wants to release these photos just to make me look bad, then so be it,” she said.

Prejean said she didn’t consider the photos to be “semi-nude,” and added that while she has been pressured to do so, she has never posed nude or semi-nude and always requests that her breasts be covered and she’s shot in full bottoms.

The racy photos, however “lovely” Trump thinks they are, have drawn criticism from the many of the same conservative groups that initially backed Prejean for her gay marriage stance.

Trump said that admitting contestants who have done some modeling into the pageant and asking them tough questions has kept Miss USA relevant while the competing Miss America pageant has been taken off network television.

“Miss America’s gone-zo, and we’re doing phenomenally,” he said.

Let’s begin our recap of American Idol’s eighth-season Top 3 performance night with a quiz:

Which of the following unexpected events and scenes did NOT play out during tonight’s Idol telecast? A. A fearsome howler monkey wrestled the mic away from a backup singer and offered aggressive, unwanted support to Adam Lambert as he performed Aerosmith’s ”Cryin’.” B. Kris Allen swiped some nailpolish off the top of Adam’s dresser. C. Simon upgraded from bargain-store undershirt to an elegant, tailored suit. D. Randy was the least annoying member of the judges’ panel. E. Ryan’s play-by-play included the exclamation: ”Paula’s just punched Simon in the left breast.”

I know, I know…even if you missed tonight’s episode, the correct answer (C) was too easy. (Simon never wears a suit until the season finale! Duh.) But the thing that impresses me about my favorite show on television is that with only three contestants and three episodes remaining before the lights go out at the Nokia, it manages to avoid settling into a predictable groove. I mean, just after I reach a point where I feel safe promising on an Idolatry episode that I’ll dye my hair (gulp) to Iraheta Red if Adam doesn’t take home the season 8 crown, along come those nagging winds of uncertainty. Was there a slight yet certain disturbance in Glambert’s swagger? Was Danny’s voice beginning to show the strain of 10 weeks of getting run through the unforgiving Idol machinery? And did Kris manage to have a moment despite/because of his decision to cover a song by Kanye West?

But wait. Before we start debating the performances on the ”most physically aggressive episode of Idol ever,” and before we begin our impassioned calls for a Kris-Adam or Adam-Danny or Danny-Kris finale, let’s all agree on two things, shall we? First off, the first Allison-free week of the season 8 finals was a little less fun, a little less fearless, and a lot less fuchsia. And secondly, Idol’s producers have officially lost sight of the fact that it’s the vocal performances of a merry band of superstar wannabes, and not the self-impressed blatherings of a panel of has-beens and never-wases, that keep their show’s engine purring.

Think I’m being overly harsh? Let’s flash back to Top 3 night on Season 7, when we got a whopping nine performances. We had David Cook tackling ”The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” ”Dare You to Move,” and ”I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing,” David Archuleta attempting ”And So It Goes,” ”With You,” and ”Longer,” and Syesha Mercado pulling out ”If I Ain’t Got You,” ”Fever,” and that song by the animated penguins. Granted, the ”Producers’ Choice” round of 2008 did not yield stellar results — Armageddon love theme + Dan Fogelberg schlock + Happy Feet album cut = a sudden and terrifying urge to grab the remote and find out about this thing called NCIS) — but did Idol’s producers really think it was cool to leave us with only six performances and a few seconds’ worth of hometown visit footage on which to choose our finale participants? Especially on a night where if Kara’s combined critiques had been tossed in the dumpster, Adam, Kris, and Danny would’ve almost had time to respectively perform ”Paradise by the Dashboard Light,” ”Alice’s Restaurant,” and ”American Pie” in their entirety.

Reports surfaced that Megan Fox had turned down the chance to be a Bond Girl. Given that her acting skills are about on par with Denise Richards, we highly doubt she would have turned down any acting offers that come her way.

Ya heard it here first! Dr. George O’Malley is a goner.

I broke the news back in May that T.R. Knight’s character on Grey’s Anatomy was being killed off because the actor was leaving the show.

And now, finally, series creator Shonda Rhimes has confirmed to Entertainment Weekly that the young doctor will flatline forever during the season premiere, airing Sept. 24. Last we saw the poor chap was during last season’s finale, when he was at death’s door and unrecognizable after being hit by a bus.

Meanwhile, Knight, reveals to the magazine for the first time why he decided to ditch Seattle Grace…

The actor, no surprise, was not happy with his diminishing presence on the show. He never asked Rhimes for an explanation. “My five-year experience proved to me that I could not trust any answer that was given ,” Knight told EW.

He claims his relationship with Rhimes was never the same after she apparently discouraged him not to come out after Isaiah Washington’s infamous f-word outbursts.

“I think she was concerned about having my statement come out so close to the event,” Knight said.

Rhimes remembers things quite differently, insisting that she supported the decision and thought his coming out was “awesome.”

Knight realizes not everyone will understand—or appreciate—his decision to walk away from a $14 million paycheck. “There are a lot of people who would like to be in my position,” he acknowledged. “But in the end, I need to be fulfilled in my work—that’s more important than the money. that’s the goal. If I’m lucky to ever work again.”

Don’t be so modest, Mr. Knight. We all know you’ve already lined up two major theater gigs.

In September, he’ll star in the Tony-winning Parade in Los Angeles. Then it’s off to New York in February, where he’ll headline the Stanley Tucci-directed Broadway revival of Lend Me a Tenor.

As if we couldn’t love Selena Gomez any more, she had to go and do this.

The Wizards of Waverly Place starlet turned on the waterworks—hers and, in the process, ours—by posting a heartfelt video on Wednesday thanking her fans for making it “the best birthday yet.”

You see, the Disney darling turned the big 1-7 yesterday, and when she got back to her dressing room, she was so moved by the outpouring of gifts, she just had to share her appreciation with the world…

Of course, watching this honest expression of gratitude immediately made us think about the music video Selena’s BFF, Taylor Swift, did recently for Mother’s Day.