Disqualified - Frenchie out - ?? in
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TV ClubHouse: Archive: American Idol (FOX): Disqualified - Frenchie out - ?? in
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Archive through February 13, 2003 25   02/14 03:10pm
Archive through February 14, 2003 25   02/19 04:17am

Grooch

Friday, February 14, 2003 - 06:10 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
My last post and then I am getting up from the keyboard and walking away.
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I also don't know if anyone is condemning her wholly as a person, but I am getting a very bad vibe from this thread. And when people are down, I don't like seeing them kicked.

She was 18 when she posed and who the hell knows what kind of life she had growing up. For all we know she may have been sexually abused while growing up. Maybe that affected her judgement. Maybe she had alcoholic/drug addicted parents who didn't afford her mentally, physically, or emotionally the best ways to get through life.

The fact is, we don't know. Maybe she is doing the best she knows how to do. And if she does make it, maybe she will donate time and money to help young girls who were abused.

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Now I admit, my opinions are based on not seeing any of her post interviews.

Spygirl

Friday, February 14, 2003 - 06:16 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Grooch, one of my fundamental beliefs about people is that we do the best we can with what we know. It is a central principle of the theory I utilize in my therapy practice. Thank you for your post. :)

Karuuna

Friday, February 14, 2003 - 06:24 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Actually, for the most part I agree with you Grooch. I don't doubt that she may have done the best she knew how. It certainly sounds like she also acted out of desperation, in order to get her own career/life back on track.

At the same time, I don't think any of that negates that in my opinion I think what she did was wrong, in that it promotes the sexual desire for children. That may have been an unintended consequence. She may have known. At this point, we don't know for sure.

Even if it was the best she knew how to do, she's responsible for it, and has to live with, and in my opinion, should live with, the consequences.

On a personal note, I've done things in my past that I will forever regret. It was likely the best I knew how to do at the time. That doesn't make them any less wrong, nor does it mean that the people I hurt are any less hurt.

As always, this just my fuddy duddy opinion about things. It may or may not have anything to do with reality. :)

Grooch

Friday, February 14, 2003 - 06:30 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Thank you Kauruuna for your post. It clarifies a lot.

It was the whole of the thread and not the individual that I was reacting to.

Now, I swear I am off to bed. :)

Meggieprice

Friday, February 14, 2003 - 08:07 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I think that people are very different when they are 19 than they are when they are 23. I would hate to be forever judged for something I did back then. If she had not disclosed it, then I could see they would be justified. This has unfair all over it for me. I am really disappointed- I have been patiently waiting for her to blow the place away with her talent.

Hermione69

Saturday, February 15, 2003 - 06:42 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I would never condemn her wholly as a person for this. I did some really stupid things when I was younger, most of them involving alcohol and I know that who I am now is a very different person from those days. There does come a time when your past behaviors catch up with you and you need to take responsibility for them. Unfortunately, Frenchie's happened on national TV.

I was also a "pre-fan," really look forward to hearing her and very disappointed that she got DQed. However, I do agree with the decision by AI. Even if I didn't feel like this wasn't best example of Idol-like behavior, particularly to the hourdes of young people who watch the show, now that it is out and already such a big deal, there is no way that she would ever be able to participate fairly. She might lose votes for it. She might even gain votes from people who would want to "prove a point" who might ordinarily have voted for someone else.

I don't want to get into the Nikki arguments. Everybody has raised valid points on that, both pro and con, and I am sitting on the fence. It did occur to me to wonder if Nikki wasn't DQed for 2 reason... 1) that it happened later in the show (I don't remember reading about it until she was already in the final ten) and they didn't want the hassle of dealing with it at that point, but more especially because 2) no one really believed that Nikki had a snowball's chance in hell of winning the competition. From everything I have read, many people saw Frenchie going all the way and that might have seriously alarmed the executives, to think that she could win this thing and pornographic pictures of her are out there?? Yikes!

There is a part of me that agrees the timing is awful, that they should never have let her get this far, but she has generated a huge buzz that she never would have gotten if she had not made it this far. She has name recognition and outraged fans and she is going to get something out of this. She will land on her feet.

Djgirl5235

Saturday, February 15, 2003 - 01:39 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Herm...Herm...Herm... oh we share the same mind (for the most part anyway)...

I saw both parts of the ET interview, and Frenchie came across as a very very strong individual. I agree that the timing is awful, and they never should have let it drag on as long as they did. What she said still doesn't condone doing it, but I believe she was homeless at the time, and was trying to get back on her feet again. She's paid for her decision two-fold I think, and having to do so in front of the continent has got to hurt.

I think her willingness to discuss it in an adult manner, and showing such strength has earned a lot of respect from me, especially given her age. She conducts herself with a lot of class, and I think she's going to go a long way!

Hotlantan

Saturday, February 15, 2003 - 05:57 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
It seems like a large portion of the public anger at Frenchie stems from the fact that her pictures were for a website that currently caters to promoting the sexual desire for children. Well, I absolutely believe Frenchie when she says that the site has changed ownership and that four years ago it did not have a kiddie focus.

Let's be realistic... most "Lolita" fans are usually looking for girls who look underaged - wearing pigtails and in Catholic schoolgirl outfits. Does ANYBODY here honestly think Frenchie's body type would appeal to someone coveting underaged girls?

Frenchie made an unfortunate choice, was very open and upfront about it, and is currently paying a heavy and public price for that old mistake. While I do feel the AI decision is justified, let us not compound our disappointment with Frenchie by automatically assuming that she knowingly contributed to the spread of simulated kiddie porn.

Dahli

Tuesday, February 18, 2003 - 08:52 am EditMoveDeleteIP
This whole issue hinges on the demand for this product, without that the supply and suppliers would not exist.... to my mind those that demand the product are the ones that should really be punished ashamed and decried by our culture and society. When and how we can eliminate the demand is where my interest and effort has always been.

Pagal

Wednesday, February 19, 2003 - 04:17 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Just read in my local paper that Frenchie will be covering the Grammys for Entertainment Tonight!

Hotlantan

Wednesday, February 19, 2003 - 01:47 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Frenchie's replacement has been added to the official website. Its Juanita Barber.

http://origin.idolonfox.com/contestants/juanitabarber.htm

I don't ever recall actually hearing her sing on that Hollywood show. The ONLY things I recall about her is that she was the one dancing around Rickey when he sang the MJ song "The Way You Make Me Feel". She also was the one who seemingly went into apoplectic shock as the third group got the bad news. Its also interesting that she and the other replacement contestant, George Trice, are both from Tennessee.

Fluff

Monday, February 24, 2003 - 02:53 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Frenchie was on Entertainment Tonight, and she is soooo gifted! My goodness!

Car54

Monday, February 24, 2003 - 04:51 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Simon and the next group of 8 were on the today show today. He said he might sign Frenchie to his label.

They showed Juanita singing. She is NO Frenchie.

Hard act to follow.

Ericka1012

Tuesday, February 25, 2003 - 11:19 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Car54, your comment Juanita is NO Frenchie...that was an UNDERSTATEMENT...Juanita isn't a pimple on Frenchie's BOODY...I think they could have found someone that could at least sing to replace Frenchie.

Frenchie if your out there: Girl you have a voice that makes a song sing...You sing Girl you sing we want to hear you!!!

Grooch

Wednesday, February 26, 2003 - 10:16 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Frenchie on the Fast Track!

February 26, 2003
Millions of viewers tuned in to "American Idol" last night, but FRENCHIE DAVIS wasn't one of them. It's not sour grapes on her part. The former "Idol" contender was on a plane returning from New York so she could be on the set of ET Wednesday to perform "Band of Gold."

Our special correspondent to the Grammys stayed in New York following her date on the red carpet to do what up-and-coming talent needs to do -- take meetings!

"I'm seeing what's what," the plus-sized singer happily reports. "I'm reviewing things that are on the table, and we'll see what happens."

More to the point, Frenchie told ET that she knew her former contenders will be just fine -- and that pretty soon, she's sure they will be experience the same life change she is going through -- recognition.

"It is so amazing," she says. "People run up to me and say, 'Frenchie, we love you.' Others don't come up to me, but they are not very good about not being obvious about it. I'll hear, 'Is that Frenchie? The big girl with the scandal from "American Idol?"'"

Acting as ET's special correspondent to the 45th Annual Grammy Awards allowed the Howard University senior to meet her idol ARETHA FRANKLIN. Happily, she wasn't tongue-tied at the encounter, and told the Queen of Soul, "You are the reason I sing."

Also among the chart-toppers she met were SHERYL CROW, QUEEN LATIFAH, PINK, TLC, ASHANTI, BUSTA RHYMES, GWEN STAFNI.

For more on Frenchie, turn in to tonight's ET.


Link

Fruitbat

Wednesday, February 26, 2003 - 11:31 am EditMoveDeleteIP
She may go further than had she remained on AI. Good for her!

Denecee

Wednesday, February 26, 2003 - 11:46 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I agree. I think being booted was the best thing that happened to her.