American Idol 3

[2GOLD 0]

If that vanilla sounding, over weight slob, wannabe Luther Vandross can win American Idol then Diana's 16 y/o baby fat shouldn't be a problem.

 

Isn't it a singing contest? Or is that just what they want you to believe?

You know Ruben owns your face. If he didn't deserve to win I would like to know who did.

 

Better than the little crying loser Clay Aiken.

It was sad that he even made it to the final two.

[starvenger 0]

Justin Guarlioinfosdinfo  sucked so much on that first season.  That dude gave week after week after week of bad performance while Tamara and Kelly was just smoking everything that got near the stage.  I guess there is alway one or two a season.

 

And am I going to have to go on yet ANOTHER rant about calling people that aren't stick figures chunky or fat?  Damn.

 

Actually, I don't think she is fat. But that outfit was rather unappealing on her. If anything, her body size seems fine by me. However, whoever decides to put her in outfits that are too tight should be fired immediately. Cause that look last night had me confused.

Ripper, you don't need another rant on that. But Blondie does need to recognize that she CANNOT wear the same type of outfits that LaToya and Jasmine et al wear.

 

This girl...I don't know, something seems off in the neck up region.

I'd call her a butterface but there really isn't much about Blondie that appeals to me...

[starvenger 0]

You know Ruben owns your face. If he didn't deserve to win I would like to know who did.

Kimberley Locke. But the judges were fixated on Clay/Ruben and basically gave them gimmicks from the get-go that she didn't have a chance.

[Ripper 0]

Man, don't get me wrong about Diana. I probably have to see and hear about her more than ALL of you (she is from Snellville...which is basically Atlanta...that fucking girl is the top story on the news some nights).

 

She looks alot better out of make up though. She was on GoodDay Atlanta this morning just getting off the plane and the 8 pounds of make up was gone and she is a cute little girl . But I see why someone would call her da Butta face.

 

But fat? Nah.

[haVoc 0]

Hasn't Clay been more successful then Ruben? And that's all that matters in the world of POP music.

[starvenger 0]

Hasn't Clay been more successful then Ruben? And that's all that matter in the world of POP music.

That's true. I think that, right off the bat, the producers KNEW how to market Clay, while they still haven't figured it out for Ruben...

[haVoc 0]

You know Ruben owns your face. If he didn't deserve to win I would like to know who did.

Kimberley Locke. But the judges were fixated on Clay/Ruben and basically gave them gimmicks from the get-go that she didn't have a chance.

Maybe that's why people aren't voting who the judges are telling them to this year.

[2GOLD 0]

Hasn't Clay been more successful then Ruben? And that's all that matters in the world of POP music.

 

A white crying little dweeb who looks like he could get his ass kicked by a ten year old girl being successful in Pop music? No way that was going to happen.

 

He's another pretty boy twit, like John Mayer.

 

As for Ruben, his music was better when it was done by Luther. He's not Luther, he's not going to be Luther and he needs a change or he's done.

 

But yes, Clay has been more popular but it's not because he has talent. Cause he doesn't.

[Ripper 0]

Hasn't Clay been more successful then Ruben? And that's all that matter in the world of POP music.

That's true. I think that, right off the bat, the producers KNEW how to market Clay, while they still haven't figured it out for Ruben...

Rubens album sold alot amoung blacks and R&B fans. Clay sold more amoung white youth and pop fans.

 

There are a hell of alot more white youth and pop fans than there are black people and R&B fans...and smart people apparently.

 

Ruben sold 2-3 million I do believe. And He had a good album.

 

But you can't call him Vanilla when the only thing that makes Clay special is that he looks like a that and has a voice that doesn't seem quite right coming out of his body.

 

And yeah...Kimberly should've won. But definately not Clay.

[starvenger 0]

Hasn't Clay been more successful then Ruben? And that's all that matter in the world of POP music.

That's true. I think that, right off the bat, the producers KNEW how to market Clay, while they still haven't figured it out for Ruben...

Rubens album sold alot amoung blacks and R&B fans. Clay sold more amoung white youth and pop fans.

 

There are a hell of alot more white youth and pop fans than there are black people and R&B fans...and smart people apparently.

 

Ruben sold 2-3 million I do believe. And He had a good album.

Therein lies the problem. By all accounts, Ruben's album is a very good one, but to not have it connect with the regular pop music audience is a failure in my mind. Not Ruben's failure, mind you, but the producers and record company's failure.

 

I think that Kim's doing pretty well on the pop charts though...

[haVoc 0]

Ripper, I don't think any of us are Clay fans. Just saying he won the battle.

 

Actually, I think Clay is pretty funny. I saw his video last week and he had skaters and punk looking kids in it. Gives me another reason to mess with pop punk fans.

[Ripper 0]

Hasn't Clay been more successful then Ruben? And that's all that matter in the world of POP music.

That's true. I think that, right off the bat, the producers KNEW how to market Clay, while they still haven't figured it out for Ruben...

Rubens album sold alot amoung blacks and R&B fans. Clay sold more amoung white youth and pop fans.

 

There are a hell of alot more white youth and pop fans than there are black people and R&B fans...and smart people apparently.

 

Ruben sold 2-3 million I do believe. And He had a good album.

Therein lies the problem. By all accounts, Ruben's album is a very good one, but to not have it connect with the regular pop music audience is a failure in my mind. Not Ruben's failure, mind you, but the producers and record company's failure.

 

I think that Kim's doing pretty well on the pop charts though...

I think they marketed Ruben to the audience that his voice best suits him. Sorry 2004 would be a bad single if you are trying to get teh "Pop" audience, but the producers obviously saw that wasn't best for this guy and they went with a strong R&B thing. I don't view not being pop as a failure. As a R&B album, it was very good and successful.

[Guest 11and0baby]

But yes, Clay has been more popular but it's not because he has talent. Cause he doesn't.

 

Sorry But I just need to laught at that. Because saying Clay doesn't have any talent is like saying that Kurt Angle or Chris Benoit aren't awesome technical wrestlers.

 

The reason Clay went far is because that voice of his outta this world. I'd love to have seen Randy's and Simon's faces when he started to sing at his audition because they would've been shocked.

 

He doesn't look the greatest but that voice of his fucking awesome and is why he has sold more albums than anyone else that has come out of American Idol and none of the 'Idols' this year are close to Clay. LaToya maybe but she went.

 

And I picked that Diana would win when I saw her first performance in the 'Semi-Finals' or heats or whatever ya want to call them.

 

And Clay has talent or he wouldn't have had Neil Sedaka write songs for him.

[Mik 0]

Yeah, I think it's a little rediculous to say that Clay doesn't have any talent. He's one of the 5 biggest losers that can call themselves celebrities, but you can't discount the fact that he has an exceptional voice, especially for a male vocalist.

[starvenger 0]

OK, first I have to say this: Diana, copying Spawn's Season 3 haircut does NOT make you look better. Spawn ends up looking hot IN SPITE of the hair. You just look about the same...

 

Now, Diana had about as good a performance as Jasmine this first song, but Jasmine gets negative comments all around. Can you tell who the judges want out?

 

Fantasia, didn't do a great job with "Chain of Fools" (Frenchie and Kim did it tons better) BUT she was smart and didn't do it Aretha style, instead making it a bit more jazzy and smooth.

 

(edit)

Second song - judges choices have pretty much left me going "eh". This song is pretty much designed to see who sucks the least given the song they've been assigned...

 

...and BLEAH. Diana got a softball with Celine Dion and she fouled out. Horrid...

[starvenger 0]

Hey, it was good of Ryan Malcolm to show up and have the audience go "...who?"

 

(edit) Why is Clive Davis choosing Celine and Whitney songs? Fantasia was better than Jasmine doing a Whitney song, but it still wasn't great - she was not "as good or better" than Whitney. Still, Fantasia has been the best singer of the night, no doubt from me, unless Barbie knocks one out of the park...

 

(edit) ...and props for holding the glory note, but I wasn't blown away. Either Barbie or Jasmine could go...

[Exslade ZX 0]

I'm still sort of mad about the fact that Jasmine is still in..when in fact she proved tonight she didn't deserve that spot. Because she definitely was the worst out of the three.

 

I'm not a huge Diana fan, but I liked her last song...and she did fairly decent with the other two.

 

And now seeing as Latoya is out...I'm Fantasia all the way. She's "unique" I guess..awhile still being the best singer in this competition for sure. I will be highly pissed if the last two are Diana and Jasmine..and I will make sure not to watch that show or next season.

[starvenger 0]

At this point it's hard to see Fantasia not winning, much as I didn't want to say that since... well the final 32. With LaToya getting McKibbined there simply isn't any stiff competition.

[ant_7000 0]

Fantasia was best singer of the night. Diana did a good job singing the 3rd song, and Jasmine shouldn't even be there and won't hopefully.

[RavishingRickRudo 0]

I await the ritualistic blood sacrifice from Paula, Randy, and Simon for their personal lord and savior Fantiasia for the next show.

 

Seriously, I really like Fantasia, but they've gone drunk with praise for her.

 

"Yo yo yo, she-dawg, that was hype! Yo, that was da bomb. Ya hurd? Yo, I'd give my left nut to hear that again. Seriously, gimmie a knife and get the music ready."

 

"Fantasia. One word. If you aren't voted the American Idol, I will kill Randy. I'm serious. I will kill Randy if she doesn't win ("Yo, she's serious, and I'd let her y all!) You hear that America? I have the gun in my hand right now and I will do it!"

 

"Fantasia, you are the reason I wake up in the morning. You are the sunshine, you are the air, you are the sky. I don't deserve to be in your shadow, and I sure-as-hell don't deserve to be in your light. I... I don't know how I'd go on living without you, or your voice... life is meaningless - I know that now. As you, YOU Fantasia, make me feel like a bad humanbeing. I feel bad in knowing that I am not a nearly the person you are, and that my breathing the same air as you is stealing from you. That the exhaust that comes from my car hurts the environment and could possibly damage you. That right now, what I'm saying, is taking away from the time that you could use to sing and ease all of Americas pains... I cannot go on living with that knowledge. Good bye, I'm going to shoot myself with Paulas gun, and I hope everyone does the same."

[haVoc 0]

Simon Interview

 

By VIRGINIA HEFFERNAN, The New York Times

 

Simon Cowell, the imperious judge of Fox's call-in talent show "American Idol," was raised just north of London, in a manor house called Abbots Mead. His father was on the board of the record company EMI; after graduating from high school, Mr. Cowell worked in the company's mailroom. He went on to create novelty musical acts of professional wrestlers, the Power Rangers and celebrities like David Hasselhoff. Mr. Cowell made pop stars, in other words, out of athletes, toys and actors.

 

But these days Mr. Cowell is known less for eccentric hit making than for high-hatting the contestants on "American Idol," which is now in its third season. (Last Tuesday the show drew 22.8 million viewers.) Sharing a panel with the music executive Randy Jackson and the performer Paula Abdul, he opines, often bluntly, about the live performances, presumably influencing the vote, which viewers register by phone when the live show ends.

 

Wrapping up a contentious season, during which the show was dogged by questions about fairness and procedure, two finalists will be named tonight. Who will be cut? Jasmine Trias, the Hawaiian underdog; Diana DeGarmo, the baby-faced power-singer; or Fantasia Barrino, the irrepressible former gospel singer? In the midst of the suspense Mr. Cowell talked about racism, $300,000 cars and the madness of Fantasia. Here are excerpts from the conversation.

 

VIRGINIA HEFFERNAN Who's going to win "American Idol"?

 

SIMON COWELL Diana DeGarmo.

 

HEFFERNAN Oh, good Lord.

 

COWELL I thought she was a stage-school brat when I first met her. But she's quite a nice girl. And she's our little Seabiscuit.

 

HEFFERNAN Why did La Toya London, who's such a good singer, get kicked off last week?

 

COWELL She was very cold. She could have been a robot for all the emotion or personality she put over. And she said something very stupid. She had a little bit of criticism, and she said: "I'm not the slightest bit worried. We're all winners now. We're all going to have successful careers." When she said it, I said, "She's out." Because America decides whether they're going to have successful careers. To say that was verging on arrogance.

 

HEFFERNAN You like to punish these people for hubris.

 

COWELL I don't like to punish them. But look, lots of them will get record deals. But will they make any money or have a career? I'm dubious.

 

I do try to encourage this winning mentality. And I've got to tell you, Clay Aiken is — whatever he says in interviews he is, or was — dreading someone as good as him coming through the ranks. And rightly so. Because he's a winner. It's like me seeing another talent show coming on, and pretending that I'm happy that another friend of mine has done it successfully. I'd be suicidal.

 

HEFFERNAN Do you agree with Elton John that the dismissal of the black singers, who have great, powerful voices, is evidence of racism in the voting?

 

COWELL That was a throwaway remark. The reality is that those people simply aren't getting enough votes. We have a lot of passive viewers on "American Idol" who enjoy watching, and enjoy the controversy afterward, but don't pick up the phone.

 

HEFFERNAN Unlike the other judges, you don't talk much about pitch when you comment on a performance. Why not?

 

COWELL I don't think I'm a music expert. I haven't got a clue whether I've got good or bad pitch, and I couldn't care less. I don't like that kind of criticism. This competition is not about who's singing in tune.

 

HEFFERNAN What do you like about a good pop performance then?

 

COWELL It's like drinking a Häagen-Dazs strawberry milkshake. Just delicious. Why do I like strawberry and not banana? I don't know. I just do.

 

HEFFERNAN Are you sentimental?

 

COWELL I don't know if I'm sentimental. But there are occasions when a song is sung and you sit back and you let it wash all over you. That's normally like a Tony Bennett song, a good Frank Sinatra song or a good Righteous Brothers song.

 

HEFFERNAN What about an "American Idol" song?

 

COWELL Could I sit there and listen to these kids sing in a concert? I couldn't stay there for two minutes. I couldn't think of anything worse.

 

HEFFERNAN Even a Clay Aiken concert?

 

COWELL Are you kidding? I wouldn't last a minute.

 

HEFFERNAN Several of the "American Idol" performers have gospel in their pasts, and in interviews they make frequent references to God. What do you make of the religious element to the show?

 

COWELL Well, you know the answer to the question, don't you? Obviously a lot of people are using it to gain votes. Come on. You know that, and I know that.

I also don't like the constant dedications to children. Give me a break. Like Fantasia, who has an edge on her. I think she's used her kid twice now in the show. And you just think: "Enough. You're now behaving like a politician rather than a pop star." It all becomes a bit gruesome.

 

HEFFERNAN Maybe Fantasia's cynicism adds to her serpentine appeal.

 

COWELL I'll try to think of it that way. With Fantasia there is an element of unpredictability about her, in how she performs, in what she says when she answers you back. There's a hint of madness there, which is good.

 

HEFFERNAN Are you a jealous person?

 

COWELL I'm competitive. I'm not jealous. I have a lot of friends who are billionaires. I don't envy their wealth. But if I'm releasing a record the same week as one of my competitors who may be a friend, I'm going to do anything in my power to make sure that I'm more successful than he is.

 

Look, I was slightly cynical of the American mentality before I came over here, but now I preach it. Here, no one's going to tear you down if you buy yourself a $300,000 car. They're likely to say: "Well, you probably worked hard for it. Good luck to you."

 

HEFFERNAN Randy Jackson. What do you think his shambling commentary adds to the show?

 

COWELL You know, Randy is incredibly important on the panel because he has, to use an American expression, great energy. And it's very easy to be cynical and down and depressed when you're on this show, and I've never ever seen Randy down.

 

HEFFERNAN Are you getting bored with "American Idol"?

 

COWELL No. All the things people are complaining about now: the wrong person being kicked out, that person shouldn't be in. I love all that. I think it's interesting.

 

HEFFERNAN With all the show's alumni making such bland music, do you ever feel like you're creating monsters?

 

COWELL I'm not sure if we're creating monsters. "Idol" wasn't a television company saying, "Let's put on a talent show." It was a record company saying, "Right, we need a vehicle to find new talent." At that time we believed that there was a lack of good solo artists out there. I've always said that with a bit of luck and a bit of skill or whatever this show could last for another 20 years.

 

HEFFERNAN Why has "American Idol" done so well?

 

COWELL It's only on once a year. It's something to look forward to. It's a very easy show to watch, and I think Fox has been very clever, in that they didn't do what ABC did with "Millionaire," and kill it quickly because they overran it. They kind of looked after it and protected it.

 

HEFFERNAN Do you think the show's culturally important?

 

COWELL: No, I don't. People might be able to get a reality check: it's not quite as easy to be famous as you think it is. But I don't think it's culturally important, and it shouldn't be.

 

 

May 19, 2004

[Ripper 0]

Now that is honesty.

[Black Lushus 0]

okay, so I didn't watch last night, did the plastic piggy show that she's still the favorite?

[Ripper 0]

okay, so I didn't watch last night, did the plastic piggy show that she's still the favorite?

Fantasia was the best, Diana was good, and Jasmine was...well...not that great.

 

So in other words, yes Diana is going to win.

 

And i am going to have to here "SNELLVILLE'S OWN DIANA DIGARMO!!!" over and over and listen to her talk about "When I'm home in Atlanta(in ungodly high pitched voice) I listen to [insert radio station]" from now on.

 

GREAT.

[Black Lushus 0]

Diana winning proves everything that's wrong with this country...it's right up there with high gas prices...

[chaosrage 0]

Diana should win now. She's really good. La Toya should have won but she's out.

 

Fantasia's voice is like nails on a chalkboard.

[Ripper 0]

Okay, seriously, saying that Fantasia has a bad voice is like saying Jordan can't play basketball because you weren't a Bulls fan.

 

Not liking her, her style and such is one thing, but I don't think you can possibly deny that the girl has a very good voice.

[Guest Loss]

I love Diana, but only because she gains weight every week! I want her to disappear for six months after the finale and come back looking like CARNIE WILSON! I hope it happens.

[Black Lushus 0]

Diana should win now. She's really good. La Toya should have won but she's out.

 

Fantasia's voice is like nails on a chalkboard.

Diana is cookie cutter same ol' same ol' music...what sets her apart from Kelly Clarkson, Jessica Simpson, that new worthless chick JoJo, early Britney or Christina? other than 50 pounds, nothing is different or new or fresh with her...she's VERY annoying, everytime I hear her tell the crowd to "come on" or "clap your hands" or "get on up" it makes me cringe...whenever she talks with the judges or Seacrest it makes me want to puke on my shoes...there is nothing at all that I like about this girl...sure she can sing, but so what? so could LaToya and George Huff, so could previous Idol losers...this is all strictly my opinion of course...

 

LaToya lacked personality and was slightly cocky, like Cowell said in the previously mentioned interview...good voice, no personality...that's why she's out...

 

also, memo to chicks with pink or weird colored hair...you guys are 0-3 in Idol Finals, the hair thing DOESN'T GET YOU VOTES!!!!

[starvenger 0]

Diana should win now. She's really good. La Toya should have won but she's out.

 

Fantasia's voice is like nails on a chalkboard.

Diana is a perfect example of what Zack Werner was saying during World Idol - she "shouts the music".

 

Fantasia, to her credit, shows more versatility, and a knowledge of when to turn it down. I still don't like her singing voice though.