American Idol Finals - Live Thread!!

Fox ^ | May 21, 2003 | all of us

[JustPiper]

You mean it's okay for him to slander freepers and you'll stick up for that?

Seeing misjudging another old timer here, oops let me say my age and I'm sure there are folx who hate old people too, lighten up. I guessed I missed his slander, there have been so many thrown here I'm boggled and feel like I'm in Twilight Zone. Hey, but remember I am a Ruben fan and stick up for the underdog ;)

[cincinnati65]

I am. Last time I checked, we're all entitled to our respective opinions. Just because it's your opinion or feeling, doesn't make it a fact. Unless you're a Democrat.

[Howlin]

As I said, you may mock us for our investment in this show, but you're obviously invested in criticizing other people choices.

And you haven't upset me at all. I enjoy seeing people be sanctimonious.

[Howlin]

Good to know you don't mind cheating.

[JustPiper]

Fallen, Evanescence

Now Amy Lee is what I'm talking about Dawg ;) If she would have been on Idol, there would be a clear winner!

[fightinJAG]

Surge in calls tagged to 'American Idol'

LYNN ELBER, AP Television Writer Wednesday, May 21, 2003

---

(05-21) 16:33 PDT LOS ANGELES (AP) --

Ruben and Clay sang, then America talked. And talked.

Telephone calling surged on major carriers Verizon and SBC Communications after Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken competed for the title of "American Idol" on the Fox TV talent show Tuesday.

Chatter among viewers as well as calls to phone numbers registering audience votes for the two contestants led to the increase in volume, according to the phone companies.

Verizon, which typically processes more than 1.5 billion phone calls on an average weekday, saw an increase of 116 million calls, or 7 percent, Tuesday night.

"That's a significant jump, which can be attributed in large part to the massive amount of calls placed to the 'American Idol' hot lines," the company said in a statement.

But the series generated other types of phone traffic, according to Suzy Henderson, SBC executive director of network services.

"People call friends, family to discuss the program," Henderson said. "We've seen an increase in traffic across the network in general because this is an enormously popular show."

SBC said it processed more than 260 million calls during the three-hour "American Idol" voting window last night, a hefty 100 million calls more and an 80 percent increase over a typical weeknight.

Cell phone owners also were able to cast votes by text messaging.

"American Idol" producers had said they expected as many as 30 million votes; an official tally wasn't available Wednesday afternoon. The winner was to be announced Wednesday night.

The huge number of calls also represents efforts by some frustrated fans to get past busy signals on the voting lines. The bottleneck occurred even before the crucial final round.

"I must have called five times and never got through," Jolene Bristow, 72, a special education teacher in Ontario, said after trying to vote for Studdard last week.

"It bothered me. ... I at least want my voice to be heard," she said.

[Pokey78]

You need a whole tinfoil house to follow the anti-Clay conspiracies.

[floriduh voter]

Buy 2 cds. One to keep and one to give. That's what I'm going to do. I'm going to cast my vote with my pocketbook. Clay's cd will sell like Clarkson's. Rubens will sell like Justin's.

[fightinJAG]

Yep, Billboard also is reporting the difference was 130K. This is series. And hugh.

Edited By Barry A. Jeckell. May 21, 2003, 10:00 PM ET

Studdard Wins Second 'American Idol'




Soul balladeer Ruben Studdard has been crowned the second "American Idol." The aspiring artist learned he was the victor of a public vote at the end of tonight's (May 21) two-hour season finale of the Fox talent contest/reality series. Following Tuesday night's final performance episode, more than 24 million votes were logged, "Idol" host Ryan Seacrest announced. A mere 130,000 votes separated the winner and the runner-up; Fox said the amount was misread during the broadcast.

Studdard won the audience over with his performances of the Burt Bacharach/Hal David song "A House is Not a Home," John Lennon's "Imagine," and the Westlife song "Flying Without Wings," written by Wayne Hector and Steven Mac.

"Flying Without Wings" will be Studdard's debut solo single, to be released June 3 by RCA. The disc will also feature his version of the Carpenters' "Superstar."

Runner-up Clay Aiken's solo debut single, "This Is the Night," an original song he performed on Tuesday night's show, will be released on June 10 by RCA. The cut will be backed with his version of the Jeffrey Osborne ballad "On the Wings of Love."

Also on hand for the second season finale was first season winner Kelly Clarkson, who performed two songs, including her single "Miss Independent." RCA Music Group chairman Clive Davis was on hand to praise Clarkson and present her with a Recording Industry Association of America platinum award certifying U.S. shipments of 1 million copies of her RCA debut, "Thankful." Released in April, the album debuted at No. 1 on The Billboard 200.

As members of the American Idol Finalists recording ensemble, Studdard and Aiken already have a No. 1 single under their belts. The group's version of Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the U.S.A." has spent five straight weeks on top of Billboard's Hot 100 Singles Sales chart. The single, which bowed at No. 4 on the Hot 100, has sold 215,000 copies in the U.S., according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Amidst all of the media attention that will follow his "Idol" win, Studdard will begin concentrating on his debut full-length. "I want my album to be a R&B mix with a neo-soul/gospel vibe, Studdard says. "I really like Dave Hollister and Musiq. That's the kind of sound I'd go for on my album."

He hopes to collaborate with songwriters/producers Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds and Rodney Jerkins on the project. "I also really want to do a duet with Kelly Price or [first season 'American Idol' finalist] Tamyra Gray," he adds.

Studdard says that he intends to write songs for his first album: "I've been writing songs since I was 14. If I wasn't singing, I'd be writing and producing." No timetable for the release of the album has been disclosed.

In July, Studdard and Aiken will join eight other second season "American Idol" finalists on a North American summer tour. As previously reported, the trek will kick off July 8 in St. Paul, Minn., and will also feature Kimberly Caldwell, Julia Demato, Joshua Gracin, Charles Grigsby, Kimberly Locke, Carmen Rasmusen, Rickey Smith, and Trenyce.

Seven of the finalists -- Caldwell, DeMato, Grigsby, Locke, Rasmusen, Smith, and Trenyce -- will be seen performing Sunday (May 25) at NASCAR's Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe's Motor Speedway in Concord, N.C. The race and the performance will air nationally on Fox beginning at 5 p.m. ET.

[cincinnati65]

See. It's junk like that, that's so incendiary in your comments. You have absolutely no proof of any cheating. Just feeling and opinion. Just like the freakin' Democrats after the 2000 election. You're just sore because your guy didn't win.

[Timesink]

Are you perfectly fine with past contestants saying that Ruben was going to win because that's who the producers wanted?

Yup, I am. It's published knowledge that Simon, at least, was really hoping for a Clay - Ruben showdown at the end. That doesn't mean he rigged the voting, or did anything besides slanting his own on-air judging (which IMHO has always been obvious). Simon wanted a lot of things that didn't happen, either, such as getting rid of Josh a LOT sooner, and getting certain people voted through to later rounds last year that got voted off.

I'll also put this question out there: Given that this was the final episode of the season, why should they care less whether Clay or Ruben won? Especially when they'd already BOTH been given record contracts and there is obviously an equally large market out there willing to buy each singer's albums?

[Howlin]

What's incindiary about telling the truth? Is it that you just don't like to see it in writing?

I asked him if it was fine by him that past contestants said the fix was in, the the producers wanted Ruben.......and you said it was FINE WITH YOU.

That's cheating.

[republicandiva]

As long as it's about his talent, not his skin color or his weight

I agree that some of the comments tonight have been in very poor taste. However, there was a discussion the other night on Ruben's weight in the context of both Barry White and Luther Vandross' life threatening conditions. I am an opera singer and have struggled with my weight as long as I can remember. The type of weight that Ruben is carrying WILL HAVE A DERROGATORY EFFECT ON HIS SINGING ABILITY! It's simple physics! Singing is not through the throat, it is air being forced out through the diaphragm via the structures in the upper body, throat and head! If there is insufficient room for these mechanics to properly occur, there is a definite hinderance. Ruben often has a shallow tone, indicating he is "throat singing" rather than using his diaphragm.

Aside from the effect on his performance, the pressures this young man is going to face with this title could very definitely be life threatening. I agree with you 100% that this title should not have been decided because of race or weight, but now that Ruben is the winner, he needs to seriously address this problem. I'm not saying he should look like Clay, but he needs to find a healthy weight, and if you're sweating and winded after singing one song, you are NOT at a healthy weight. BTW, I don't believe he won because of race...I think Simon, et al, just see Ruben as more marketable, and after all, in the music business, the dollar rules supreme!

[floriduh voter]

Seacrest first announced 13 thousand votes. He then changed it to 1,300 votes. Then the Fox affiliate corrected the tally one last time to 130K votes. Pretty creative bookkeeping if you ask me. I guess they are already feeling some heat so they really cooked the numbers after the show was over. Fox Ch. 13 Tampa FL. wfla

[JustPiper]

I am. Last time I checked, we're all entitled to our respective opinions. Just because it's your opinion or feeling, doesn't make it a fact. Unless you're a Democrat.

There it is! And with that I do not think I can take the diatribe any longer;)

[Happygal]

You seem to be very clued up on the show to comment.

As for Simon Cowell...well, he's a very successful record producer, and also one of the devisors of American Idol. So I bet it's He and not You who is laughing all the way to the bank.

BTW, I believe Simon Cowell is straight.

I think Clay is as gay as a beaded handbag. (Not that THAT matters!)

As for Reuban...That black boy can sing!
Give him some credit. Unless, of course, you, yourself are a closet Otis Redding, George Michael, etc?

[BamaBlue]

I beg you to look through the record, Howlin. Who has been commenting and who has been sanctimonious (did I spell that right?) I have never attacked you personally. Can you say the same? Why is this the case? If you have no argument attack the messenger is the only thing I can think of. Help me out here.

Regards,

BAMA

[Howlin]

T, you know exactly what has gone on over the past months with the blacks being voted off the show, or tossed off and all the uproar that caused.

And I believe that's why they continued to shove Ruben in people's faces until the very end.

If you want to say that because I believe they were blackmailed into pushing Ruben racist, fine by me. I see no difference in what they did than in what Jesse Jackson did to NASCAR.

[JustPiper]

Heya Pokey ;)

[cincinnati65]

They can SAY whatever they want. They are PAST contestants (read sour grapes). To level an accusation like cheating, you really should have better proof than others (or your own) opinion. Cheating is a very strong word.