BETTER LATELY THAN NEVER

Melissa McGhee got cut on Wednesday night's American Idol, but not before belting out a flub-free version — alas, one cut short by trigger-happy Fox affiliates in many markets — of Stevie Wonder's "Lately" as the end credits rolled. The Tampa native can't help but feel that her previous slipups (she botched the lyrics in rehearsal and onstage Tuesday night) begot her booting. "I think it weighed a lot on the actual decision," she tells TVGuide.com, adding with a chuckle, "America's not that forgiving!" Somewhere, Ashlee Simpson is saying, "Amen."