'Idol' hears a pitch

What could be more cringe-worthy than a formerly $20-million-a-film actor shamelessly shilling for his latest Seuss all-family flick as part of the "unscripted" banter of "American Idol?"

Doing so while dressed in elephant ears, a trunk and booties. And, major insult to injury, having your ad-lib stepped on and being ushered off the stage by perpetually crisp and on-cue host Ryan Seacrest.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Jim Carrey looked completely miserable from start (when he let slip something about being contractually obligated to promote "Horton Hears a Who!" in whatever degrading way Fox could cook up) to finish (a sad attempt at an REO Speedwagon joke).

Darn painful which, of course, is why we're passing it on here.