My, my what a devious mind my journo pal Nelson Branco has! He just sent me this catty email: "In my opinion, 'Idol Gives Back' was all about trying to steal the Emmy from 'Amazing Race'!'"

Hmmmm. Fascinating conspiracy theory! And who doesn't like a good conspiracy? I'm all on top of this one. As preposterous as it seems — and, let's be honest, unlikely to be true — it conjures up an interesting possibility. Thanks to its special "Idol Gives Back" episode, "American Idol" now has a real shot at winning the Emmy for best reality-competition program.

The past four Emmy races have been truly amazing for "Idol" — for the wrong reason. It lost to "Amazing Race" lap after lap on the awards-derby track. Worse, America's most popular TV show hasn't won a single award from the TV industry's academy, not even in the tech categories. It's suffered 22 losing nominations.

To win the top program prize, a contender must submit a spectacular sample episode to Emmy judges. Rumor has it that that's been "Idol's" undoing. I watch lots of the Emmy episode submissions every year, but haven't yet checked out that category. I hear that "Idol" producers have often given judges duds from earlier in the season before the show heads into its thrilling last few showdowns. If that's not true, then the other possibility for its serial defeats is probably that "Idol" isn't that exciting to watch without the suspense of who'll blunder, who'll soar, who'll ultimately win. By the time judges choose a winner in summertime, the outcome is known. If that doesn't really matter, then the reason must be that "Amazing Race" is just better to watch because it's fueled by a more vroom-vroom pace.

But if anything can beat that, it's a noble, heroic, conscience-raising special like "Idol Gives Back."

"The Emmys would have to be pretty mean not to recognize a show that raised over $60 million for various charities," says Nelson. "Producer Nigel Lythgoe is guilting them out! They even brought Elvis back from the dead to insure their win! I love it. The irony, should 'Idol' win this year, is that this season is such a disappointment and doesn't deserve to win (last season was it's best season to date). "

How snarky of you, Nelson! This season ain't over yet! You Sanjaya fans sure die hard.

It's possible that "Idol" could be prohibited from entering "Gives Back" as its episode sample because it doesn't include competition. If so, "Gives Back" could enter the race for best variety special or that hodgepodge category called "special class" and result in a win that at least would halt "Idol's" total Emmy shut-out so far. Bottom line: "Idol" truly has the inside Emmy track this year. Its producers are in charge of producing the Emmy ceremony in September, which will be telecast by "Idol's" parent network, Fox.

Photo: Jack Black joined the scores of celebs raising money for the newly formed Charity Projects Entertainment Fund, which distributes donations to needy organizations such as America's Second Harvest, Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, TB and Malaria. (AP)