So with more attention being paid to "American Idol" contestants' private lives — both on the show in the form of personal questions and off the air in blogs and videos — there's a good chance someone might be outed as gay during competition. We've got black and female presidential candidates, but is America ready to vote for its first gay "Idol"?

Much speculation has been the result of this seemingly impromptu online video by contestant Danny Noriega, in which — after belting a melismatic verse and chorus of Aretha Franklin's "Chain of Fools" — he freestyle raps a little song ...