Now that season 6 of "American Idol" is over - with Jordin Sparks crowned the newest Idol - and

 auditions for season 7 are under way, Sparks and the rest of the season-6 bunch are

in their promotional push, hoping to hit post-"Idol" success. Runner-up Blake Lewis and his beat-

boxing talents aside, still leading the pack of exiles just might be Sanjaya Malakar. Applauded more for

 his charm (and hairstyles) than for his talent, Malakar remains a hot watercooler topic, while other

castoffs have faded from memory.

With "American Idol" averaging about 31 million viewers this season, the fortunate few who take the

stage usually get their 15 minutes of fame. But what about after the final votes are tallied? An "Idol"

presence isn't a guarantee of future success, nor is an "Idol" eviction a promise of failure. Six years

into this pop-culture phenomenon, it's clear that it doesn't always matter who "wins."

Let's see how some past "Idol" contenders have fared professionally in a post-"Idol" world.