Posted on 03/21/2007 2:18:26 PM PDT by rface
The LAT's crack American Idol Showtracker investigative team was backstage at last night's taping, which introduced Fox's latest breakout star to nearly 30 million television viewers: young Ashley Ferl, the girl so memorably paralyzed by the spasms of tears elicited by Idol's resident Destroyer of Popular Music Sanjaya Malakar's eardrum-perforating performance. Reports the Times on how the show's producers came to identify the undeniable talent in their midst:
" First things first: Who was the crying girl? After the show, I chatted with Idol's newest superstar, the crying girl, Ashley Ferl, aged 13, from Riverside. For some long minutes after the show, Ashley remained in a state of inconsolable sobbing, unable to choke out a single word. However, through an interpreter (her mother) we were eventually able to learn some facts about the young superstar.
" The family, I was told, obtained tickets on a website to attend a taping of "Smarter Than a 5th Grader" a day passage that included not just the taping of the show itself, but also the dress rehearsal of either "Grader" or "Idol." The fates were kind, and the mother and daughter found their way to the "Idol" rehearsal, where Ashley's waterworks began. Her prowess was quickly brought to the attention of "Idol" producers who summoned the clan to a ringside seat of honor at the final taping.
" Her powers of speech slowly returning, Ashley revealed that while she was on stage she had been thinking that "this was the coolest thing ever." Asked whom she was supporting in the competition she named "Sanjaya, Melinda, Gina and Jordin" as her picks, refusing to narrow her vote down to a single choice. All my journalistic powers of persuasion, cajoling, bullying and insistence that on her vote might turn the entire competition, that "Listen to reason, young Ferl, there can't be four American Idols," would not convince her to name a single favorite. To my every argument, she would only repeat her mantra, "All Four: Sanjaya, Melinda, Gina and Jordin." And so the race begins in earnest, with tears at every step of the way.
Their reporting makes no mention of whether or not Fox, never a network to leave any opportunity for exploitation unexplored, has invited Ferl back for tonight's result show, knowing that the superfan's unflagging support of four of the remaining eleven hopefuls leaves them with (at worst) a thirty-seven percent chance of capturing on camera the utter ruination of her childhood should one of her favorites be dismissed. The resulting paroxysm of sorrow will immediately become part of the "farewell montage" that plays each contestant off the stage and into the professional purgatory of the Idol Tour, where the girl's flood of uncontrollable tears will remind viewers about the lives they destroy each and every week with their phone calls and text messages.
No doubt about it . . . he sucks.
I didn't notice that. I've never seen her neck. I know she thanked her personal shoppers or makeover people or whomever they were on one of the earlier shows so if she HAS a neck, you think they'd be working on that issue. If we notice, lots of people will notice.
I'll go back and check the shows the kids recorded - and if I can find the one where I saw her neck, I'll let you know. Maybe it was an optical illusion.
We watch it as a family. I DO wish they'd stop doing the Victoria Secret ads during the show, however.
Hmm I forget the dad on LIS at the moment, but I've met the young love interest guy, (Mark Goddard?), many times at conventions. He's pretty old but in good shape and definitely a heck of a nice guy.
Or on the night of the 2004 election.
Or maybe Bill Clinton talked to her... alone.
You and the rest of the fellas.
I forgot to note that it is plain ol' fun
After they showed the snippets of everyone at the end, she sounded a little weak.
Nice outfit though....it sure got Simon's attention, didn't it LOL!
Who was that?
He emulates Michael Jackson to a degree in softness of voice.
His main problem technically is that he is too young to make any song believable...lyric-wise. IOW, he should have been gone by now. Better singers are gone and he's still there.
He keeps changing his hairstyle and well, he's this year's freak...like Hung. The MSM picked it up. Goal accomplished, IMO.
He has a following to the point that enough votes are coming in for him. In fact, some people are voting for him knowing he's not any good compared to others.
This little girl acted like I would if Salma Hayek asked me to sleep with her. ROFL!!
We're all anxious to see if Sanja survives tonight. Odds are that the crying girl gives him another week to come up another schtick.
I think we saw the on air birth of the first AI goupy! LOL
:O)
P
Thank you, for the invite.
I'm there.
:O)
P
Just rap? LOL Heck, even Country is just as bad nowadays. And there version of metal? Puhlease!
Oh, no, is my age showing? :)
:O)
P
Sanjaya is to The Kinks what The Partridge Family is to The Rollinng Stones.
Don't forget Sinatra, Rudy and Bing!
I was thinking the same thing.
It's not about talent and technical skill as it is a product that the BUYING public wants this week.
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