Archive through May 13, 2003
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TV ClubHouse: Archive: American Idol (FOX): Miscellaneous Gossip (ARCHIVE): Archives: Archive through May 13, 2003

Crazydog

Monday, May 12, 2003 - 01:33 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I haven't been keeping track either, but Ruben sang last last week. To me it makes sense to have a Verizon ad encouraging people to vote just after the last performance before polls open. And maybe they wanted to run the ad twice and a logical place to do that would be about halfway through the show, after everyone has seen the contestants once each.

Sadiesmom

Monday, May 12, 2003 - 02:03 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Don't know if that ad ran before. I never had it on tape before. Could be. It is just very strange looking when it fast forwards.
I remember taping the America's cup when it ran in Austrailia the first time and noticing that the ads looked great in fast forward and figured that most of the companies knew that no one on the east coast was going to be up at 4 am watching this race.

Ladytex

Monday, May 12, 2003 - 03:29 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Oh please ......

Sadiesmom

Monday, May 12, 2003 - 03:59 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
It does look strange Lady Tex. And uf Crazydog is correct, it is only played after the last singer. Very few people have been the last singer besides Ruben and Clay. Actually they seem to be taking turns in closing the show. This might have subtely played against the others. I wonder how and when song order is decided? I am sure the producer decides. I wonder what makes their decision.

Jasonfan

Monday, May 12, 2003 - 09:10 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I don't know if this has been mentioned in another thread, but tomorrow, Oprah is on the set of AI. I'll be taping that one. Apparently, something makes Simon blush!!!

Texannie

Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 06:13 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Didn't know where to post this exactly, but Katie Couric's impression of Paula Abdul on the Tonite Show was absolutely dead on!!! She nailed her. Katie must watch the show.

Essence

Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 06:23 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I thought so too Texannie. That clapping of hers was hilarious. For each performer she would clap (that Paula clap) and say..."I think you really took a risk, you showed you were vulnerable. I think you made that song your own, and you look amazing."

Mike Myers was funny as Randy too...yo, yo, yo dawg, yo dawg.

It was a cute skit.

Essence

Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 05:37 am EditMoveDeleteIP
This is Josh’s interview on the Today show with Matt Lauer, May 12, 2003.

Matt: Josh good morning glad to have you back here.
Josh: Thank you for having me.

Matt: Bummed out? Disappointed?
Josh: Uh no, I mean I made it as far, you know, uh…4th, so um, you know, uh 70,000 people. I was quite happy with that, you know. I would have liked to continue, but um, the American public voted and I’m here so.

Matt: You’d been seeing the writing on the wall, I would imagine, coming because there had been talk for a couple of weeks that people thought you might be the next to go, and you kept surviving.
Josh: Right.

Matt: So it didn’t come as a big surprise?
Josh: Um, you know, no. I was quite glad to go out on a high note. You know? All the judges agreed that that was my best performance of the show, and um I just had a good time doing it. I’m glad I got another chance to redeem myself after the prior week.

Matt: Let me ask you kind of a weird question, because there was so much talk throughout the course of the competition that you were the U.S. Marine, and some people felt that you were pulled along by this wave of patriotism in this country during the war with Iraq and then the war ends. Basically do you think then that the wave of patriotism kind of ended and you were let go?
Josh: Um, no and if it did then you know that…you know stuff like that happens, but I always said from the beginning I wanted people to vote for me on my talent not because who I am. And I’ve always said that, but you know, if it happened, then it happened.

Matt: I think there were some people out there who were saying great, U.S. Marine and isn’t it wonderful and he’s showing a different side of military service. There were some other people in the last several weeks who were saying, wait a second, U.S. Marine? He should be in Iraq fighting with the rest of the guys. How did you feel about that?
Josh: Yea right. Um, it’s unfortunate you know? Not everybody’s informed on how military things work and uh, you know they jump the gun before they know all the information and uh every marine has their place, whether it be at a time of war in country or whether they be back home supporting those that are in the country, um everybody has their part from the beginning.

Matt: So what did you, do you think that in some ways you kind of helped the image of the military and the image of the marines by your participation in this show?
Josh: I hope so, because I was really, really trying to portray them as well as I could and represent and not disappoint uh anybody on the Marine Corps side.

Matt: Lets take a look at some your performance…[Jive Talkin] Do you think that country western and your style, country western style in the end made you in some ways run out of votes. It seems like this is a show about pop performances.
Josh: (Laughing) Right and you know I hope not because yea, it’s American Idol, but it doesn’t say American Pop Idol or American R&B Idol. Nothing like that or some of the other contestants would have been in trouble along right with me. Because some of the other contestants don’t do strictly pop. You know, what I mean? So, um I just wanted to come in there and do what I love to do and maybe hopefully you know lean some new ears toward a different kind of music.

Matt: Didn’t at one point you and Clay Aiken sing the same song?
Josh: Yes we did.

Matt: Do you think that was a good thing, a bad thing? It’s obviously easy to compare.
Josh: Um, I think it was a good thing.

Matt: To Love Somebody was the song right?
Josh: Correct. I think it was a good thing because Simon said himself that I took a lot of guts and I pulled it off. Um, we had two different totally, two different styles and the arrangements of the songs were totally different. Um, I had the instrumental drop out on one part and I even went up a key, raised a key in the song. And he just uh, you know he sang the song in its entirety. So it was two different arrangements of the song.

Matt: You’re one of these guys now, you’re a husband, father, marine, a performer, so where do you see, how do you see the next 5 years of your life playing out?
Josh: Um hopefully, you know, I’ll have some kind of record deal, or making albums, or singing on stage performing for people somewhere. You know? Because, you know, that’s what I love to do, and taking care of my family, my daughter, you know? Try to give them the best life I possibly can.
Matt: Handicap the field for me if you will, you’ve got Ruben Studdard left, we have Kimberley Locke, and Clay Aiken. You’ve spent a lot of time around these people.
Josh: A lot of time.

Matt: So what do you think is gonna happen?
Josh: Um, I think Ruben will win.

Matt: Why
Josh: Based on everything that’s surrounding him right now with the media and the judges and you know, he’s uh, pretty much out there. It’s like, it’s like an athlete that gets advertised. Let’s say a college athlete that goes real high in the draft and then ends up not doing much in the NFL because basically he was, you know, a lot of media behind him built him up bigger than he was.

Matt: Are you saying he’s got the media hype behind him, maybe not the best singer in the group?
Josh: Uh, I think Clay is the best singer in the group. I mean he’s never missed a note, he’s got a powerful voice, and he’s, not only does he got the best voice out of the three, but uh, he’s the most dedicated. If you look where he started at the beginning of the auditions with the way he looked, and where he’s at now, he’s made the biggest jump.

Matt: It seems as what you’re saying to me is the final two will be Ruben and Clay?
Josh: I think so.

Matt: You think Kimberley is gone this week?
Josh: I think so. I think they are going to have their David and Goliath match up. That’s exactly what I think is going to happen.

Matt: That’s a pretty good way to put it. No question about.

Texannie

Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 06:12 am EditMoveDeleteIP
yep..dissing Rueben. But I agree with his logic.

Moderator

Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 06:32 am EditMoveDeleteIP
The above two posts about Josh's interview on the Today Show were moved here from the "Good Luck Josh" thread since it has nothing to do with wishing Josh good luck.

-SD

Crazydog

Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 07:09 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Thanks for the transcript, Essence. Wow, it's really jarring when you see stuff like that written out and you can't help but notice all the uhs, ums and you knows.

I saw Joshua on "The Early Show" this morning, and he said pretty much the same thing. He believes Ruben will win because he's got all the media behind him, but he thinks Clay should win. There wasn't much to the interview at all. I wish Renee Syler had pushed him more on how he felt about thousands of other Marines being shipped out but yet somehow his unit stayed home. She asked something like that and he just dodged the question by saying something like "it's been a different kind of experience".

In addition to saying that he thinks Ruben has got all the media behind him, Joshua also dissed Ruben again. Renee asked about Simon commenting on Joshua's need to lose some weight. He replied that Simon selects certain people to pick on from the beginning to the end. He was told that he needed to lose weight but yet there were some other individuals who were in the same position but not a word was said to them. He was trying to be diplomatic, but clearly what he was saying was "Ruben's even fatter than me and he was never told to lose the pounds". And Joshua disagreed that he himself was overweight. I don't know for sure, but I do know that that tight shirt with the tight sleeves he wore on his last night was NOT flattering.

By the way, since when do two other networks promote a reality show airing on another network? Seems a bit odd to me that they'd be allowed to by their bosses. But I suppose AI is a big story and so are the contestants.

Ginger1218

Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 07:27 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I don't think he is dissing Reuben at all.

Hermione69

Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 08:23 am EditMoveDeleteIP
This is actually not in relation to the Josh comments, although I don't see the big deal about that either because I remember reading that Ricky and Vanessa want Ruben to win. They have favorites and opinions just like we do. I remember the hue and cry last year that Justin was getting unfair exposure by being related to Samuel L. Jackson. That didn't propel him to the win, and neither will any of this make a different in the end result this year, IMHO.

All three of the final contestants are getting "bashed" to one degree or another. I don't believe I have said a word to anyone in the last few weeks who has criticized Clay (who we all know is my personal fave), but I've heard theatrical, fake, smarmy, drama queen and many other somewhat negative descriptions voiced about him. You know what? I don't agree, but that's okay. I let it pass. People are entitled to express their opinion within the rules of the board. I remember feeling way more sensitive earlier on in the show and rushing into battle before I realized how unfair I was being in expecting everyone to think and feel and react just like me. If someone thinks Ruben is boring or Kim Locke is mediocre or says that Clay annoys them, why is that bashing? Why are they not allowed to express their opinions? Personally, now that Carmen and Josh have left, I haven't seen anything that I felt was really over the top against the remaining contestants.

If someone doesn't think the judges are fair, they should be able to say that. In fact, I have heard many, many, many people in my "real life" and at other sites and in articles written about the show who are saying the same thing that people here are commenting on about the judges, so it is not like people here are the only ones noticing or being a bunch of whiners.

I just wanted to get that off my chest. I think all three of the contestants left are remarkably talented and, at this point in the competition, I think most of us agree that it just comes down to preference, but we should still feel safe to express our opinions on why one may move us and another doesn't or why the judges may respond the way they do if we are so inclined to express our views on that.

<edited to add an afterthought>

Crazydog

Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 08:28 am EditMoveDeleteIP
It's a matter of opinion of course. I view Joshua's comments re Ruben as a diss. What he is basically saying is that Ruben is going to win the competition because he has all the support of the media. But he feels that Clay should win.

So essentially I interpret that as meaning he thinks a Ruben win would be undeserved because he thinks Ruben is not talented enough to deserve to win. There is a way he could have supported his friend Clay without dissing Ruben. He could have said that both are talented but he prefers Clay.

Hermione69

Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 08:41 am EditMoveDeleteIP
My post above was MHO, FWIW, of course. I always get a little nervous posting something like that. I think we can all stay respectful without feeling like we can't say anything at all. Obviously we all have different reactions, some positive, some negative, some neutral.

Peace.

Beachcomber88

Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 09:09 am EditMoveDeleteIP
In his interview with Matt Laeur, Joshua clearly is dissing Ruben. In comparing Ruben to a college football player who is drafted high and then ends up busting in the NFL, he essentially is saying that Ruben will win but not have a great post Idol career. Surprising since it seemed that all of the final four were a close knit bunch and I wouldn't have expected one of them to come out and say something so negative.

I do have to kind of agree with Joshua. It seems like the majority of the "skits" that the contestants do have centered around Ruben. The Ruben/Carmen dream sequence, the Ruben pimp daddy, the Ruben this, the Ruben that... So he may have a point.

Herm, I agree with you about these boards. We should all be free to express our opinions without fear of public backlash. But my comments here are directed solely at what Joshua said yesterday.

Cupcake

Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 09:20 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Hi Hermi,

I agree with your comments. I don't know you, but you sound like a very fair-minded and honest person and I am glad you are around to post your thoughts. So don't be nervous about posting!

Even though Ruben is my favorite, I would be very happy for any of the remaining three to win as I feel they are all very talented and deserve recording contracts and wish them well in the future.

:)

Djgirl5235

Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 09:22 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Herm - I completely agree. This is a volatile time of AI since we're down to the wire, and things are bound to get a little heated, but if we can all remember that music is a personal preference, and what we hear from one contestant we may choose to ignore from another. I personally am going to try being absolutely impartial tonight when I am watching (BTW, I'm judging the 3rd round for Realitytvtalk.com, not the 2nd as previously thought) so that I can judge fairly.

There is an interesting article on Foxesonidol.com about Ruben and if he can carry off being the American Idol. Here's a link:

Can Ruben Really Be the American Idol

And another article about the whole reason we watch this series:

Who's Song Do You Want To Hear

Ladytex

Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 10:01 am EditMoveDeleteIP
..

Hermione69

Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 10:05 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I would buy a Clay CD, a Ruben CD AND a Kim L. CD! I hope they all get produced when this is over. I don't want any of these three to fade into the sunset.

What is this about the AI people are only allowed to sign TWO this year? Well, I try not to let that worry me too much because I am sure whoever is left out of the equation will be snapped up by someone else and may even be better off for it.

Prisonerno6

Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 10:11 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I think the difference between what others contestants have said about who they want to win and what Josh said is the others simply say they want X to win and leave it at that. Josh implies that Ruben doesn't deserve to win, and that's what squicks me about his comments. At this point, I think the three contestants are equally deserving of the win, and it just ends up being a matter of preference.

(Did anyone else think Josh's comments about Ruben were awfully similar to general comments about Josh not being in the bottom two the other week? I.e., he came out on top for reasons having nothing to do with talent...)

Crazydog

Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 10:23 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Exactly, Prisoner. I agree completely. There's nothing wrong with saying who you want to win. They have all spent a lot of time together and of course they have an opinion. But to me it's not cool for Joshua to imply that Ruben does not deserve to win. And I agree with you, it's very ironic that Joshua thinks Ruben will win because he has media support that does not correspond with his talent, when he himself was the most blatant beneficiary of the same thing.

Hermi, obviously Kelly has her CD and Justin has one coming out. But I could have sworn last year I read that just after her ouster, Tamyra was signed by 19 Entertainment, which I think is Simon's company. Don't have any word on the status of her CD though. Seems like she is pursuing another avenues first.

Hermione69

Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 10:29 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Hi Crazydog, I thought Tamyra had one coming out later in the summer but I have absolutely no idea where I got that idea from. I hope she is. She is very talented and an all-around lovely young lady.

Prisoner and others, you have raised good points. It is probably not in the best taste for Josh to imply Ruben doesn't deserve to win. I don't think Josh is the most eloquent speaker and he may not have really meant it exactly like that, but I agree it did come across that way.

Hermione69

Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 10:30 am EditMoveDeleteIP
BTW, I like your word "squicks"!! Very expressive!

Crossfire

Tuesday, May 13, 2003 - 10:43 am EditMoveDeleteIP

Quote:

I think the difference between what others contestants have said about who they want to win and what Josh said is the others simply say they want X to win and leave it at that.



Well to be fair, lets look at the sequence.


Quote:

Matt: So what do you think is gonna happen?
Josh: Um, I think Ruben will win.



There you go. First off, he was not asked who he wanted to win, he was asked who he thought was going to win. He gave his answer just as you would have wanted it, and stopped.

So what happened?

Next question:


Quote:

Matt: Why




That kind of kept him from 'leaving it at that' didn't it?

Continuing, he was pressed further:


Quote:

Matt: Are you saying he’s got the media hype behind him, maybe not the best singer in the group?




And that is exactly what he said, going on to further say flat out that he thought Clay was the better singer.

Josh explained himself quite well. His claim, is that Clay has grown more than Ruben has during the process, and I think that is a factual statement. If you want to characterize it as a diss so be it, but what he said makes sense to me and I don't think it was intended to be taken as a diss. Someone asked for his opinion, and he gave it.