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Desperate for a new marketing campaign after their last tagline—"We make animal cruelty taste delicious!"—failed to connect with upscale urban markets, KFC has decided to hop aboard the tidal wave of American Idol mania currently sweeping the country to promote their new "Famous Bowls" line of heart-attacks-in-a-cup. In an ingenious bit of parasitic programming, the fast food chain is dangling the incredible prize of a $10,000 jingle-recording contract in front of tonight's second-place finisher:

For weeks, America has been "bowled" over by the musical talents of the two finalists. Now thanks to KFC, this week's runner-up can turn defeat into a sweet $10,000 commercial recording deal plus a year's supply of KFC Famous Bowls. The runner-up will have until June 7, 2006 to accept KFC's offer and satisfy their hunger for fame.

KFC's dream makers probably have a clear preference for who they'd like to fill the position of musical pitchman (hint: Taylor Hicks would look a lot better spastically dancing around in a Col. Sanders "soul patrol" patch and white plantation owner's suit than Katharine McPhee ever could), but after last night's strong Hicks showing, we imagine they have resigned themselves to the fact that this offer will go out to the fairer competitor. Like fellow ousted contestant Chris Daughtry and his offer to join Fuel (which, TMZ reports, he has turned down), McPhee will have some tough decisions ahead of her: Does she brave the uncharted waters of releasing a solo record that risks only selling a couple million copies, or cash in on the attractive, in-the-hand security of a low five-figure income and all-she-can-eat mashed potato bowls for a year? Only time will tell.