He may not have won the title of "American Idol" just yet, but celebrity has already claimed Doylestown's Justin Guarini.

As one of 10 finalists competing for a major recording and management contract on Fox TV's summer hit series, the 23-year-old is already leaving throngs of adoring fans in his tracks and generating a buzz that could easily place him among today's crop of pop princes.

"It's been absolutely surreal," he says of his new status. "It leaves me speechless."

Tonight, the Central Bucks East High School graduate - whose sonorous voice has moved "American Idol" judge Paula Abdul to tears and whose magnetic presence has spawned entire Web sites praising his fair features - takes to the TV stage for the next round of competition.

From now until Labor Day - groomed by professional stylists, tutored by vocal coaches and instructed by various individuals on just about every aspect of being a celebrity - the 10 contestants will perform live concerts on TV.

As usual, the audience will vote for its favorites, eventually narrowing the competition to two solo performers who will vie for the title of "American Idol" during the season finale.

Keeping his song of choice for tonight's performance a surprise, Guarini says he looks forward to appearing with a live orchestra behind him, as all contestants will do from now on. A live audience also will watch each performance.

"I'm really very excited," he says. "I get to dance and move around on a big stage. The production aspect is really what I'm focused on now because when you have the cameras on you, you have to play not only to the TV audience but to a national audience as well."

From all accounts, Guarini thus far has had no problem giving the audience what it wants. His parents - his mother, Kathy, and his stepfather, Jerry, with whom he lives in Doylestown - flew to Los Angeles for the taping of one of the earlier segments.

The threesome vacationed briefly in Las Vegas before the next round of taping began. Guarini, his parents say, was recognized everywhere they went.

At the Hard Rock Cafe, a marquis display read "Congratulations, Justin Guarini - American Idol."

At the Rio Hotel and Casino, the comedy act, the Scintas, took a moment to shine the spotlight on Guarini to rousing applause. While leaving the Rio, Guarini was cheered on by a crowd hailing him "America's idol." And poolside at the hotel where he was staying, he was constantly approached by women, young and old, who wanted their picture taken with them.

"We couldn't walk 10 feet without being mobbed," says an emotional Jerry Guarini about his son's celebrity. "I keep telling people, 'I'm looking for Toto and Dorothy.' It's like we're in a tornado."

Guarini's seemingly effortless balance of humility and confidence - not to mention his "X factor" appeal touted by the show's judges - has made him so popular that selections from a CD he cut with a few friends in high school have made it onto the Internet.

Although the group, Midnight Voices, has since disbanded, they plan to re-issue the CD, making 10,000 copies with all shares of Guarini's profits going to the music scholarship program at Central Bucks East High School in Buckingham.

Gushing praise about Guarini can be found at http://www.shining-illusions.com/thecalling/justinguarini/- a Web site created specifically for him by two female fans. A neighbor, Cindy Cerzosimo, also is working on designing her own site: http://www.justinguarini.us/

Kathy Guarini finds it hard to believe that a few short weeks ago, her youngest son was selling ADT alarm systems door to door and considering signing with a small Northeast Philadelphia record label, Beneath the Concrete Recordings.

"It's mind-boggling," she says. "He's still our Justin, but he's everyone else's Justin, too."

Guarini is taking his taste of fame in stride. He says he is fortunate to have grown up around the entertainment industry, with his father, Eldrin Bell, having coordinated several music events in Atlanta as the former chief of police and his mother having been an anchorwoman for CNN.

"It's kind of prepared me for the stakes, as well as the angels," he says. "I think the support I've received is excellent, but I never let it define who I am. I always set limits and keep a hedge up around myself and focus."

He is not about to let the public's criticism or praise - both of which he refuses to read on various message boards devoted to the show - affect him.

"I don't have anything to hide," he says. "I've lived a life like any other kid. We're all normal kids from little normal towns, so I'm not worried about that at all."

essentialjustin.com