Archive through June 10, 2003
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TV ClubHouse: Archive: American Idol (FOX): Ruben Fan Club (ARCHIVE): Archive through June 10, 2003

Nanarobin

Monday, June 02, 2003 - 01:02 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Just as I posted in Clay thread:

Link to most of the new US magazine cover articles and pics are here:

http://pub227.ezboard.com/fthatstheclayfrm9.showMessage?topicID=605.topic

Clay/Ruben pictures are huge and take a while to load on my dial up...but are worth the look if you have not seen the magazine...

Prisonerno6

Monday, June 02, 2003 - 05:12 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Would you believe I woke up to Ruben's single playing on the radio this morning? Well, technically I woke up to the alarm, but as soon as I hit the snooze button to start the radio, the DJ announced the song. Ruben sounded very smooth on that song, and I like the way it really builds in emotion, starting off kind of easy and then really gaining in power.

Nanarobin

Monday, June 02, 2003 - 08:47 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I did not know they were playing the singles on air yet...must have sent out advance copies.

Prisoner...did you swoon while listening to Ruben?
I am betting that you did!! ha ha

Prisonerno6

Monday, June 02, 2003 - 09:06 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Swoon? Um, no. I'm not the swooning type.

Seamonkey

Monday, June 02, 2003 - 09:29 am EditMoveDeleteIP
<seamonkey tries to envision prisoner swooning>

Prisoner.. that's pretty cool!!

<seamonkey not the swooning type either>

Essence

Tuesday, June 03, 2003 - 08:06 am EditMoveDeleteIP
American Idol, The FORT Interview With Ruben Studdard

This article was removed at the request of the admin from www.fansofrealitytv.com, who claim copyright on this article. If you wish to read it, please visit their site. -admin


If you want to contact the author of this recap, send e-mail to lobeck@fansofrealitytv.com.}

link

Nanarobin

Wednesday, June 04, 2003 - 04:11 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Rubenites...found this great pic of your Ruben and just had to post it for your enjoyment.....
1,Ruben

Enjoy the wings!!

Nanarobin

Wednesday, June 04, 2003 - 04:21 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Sorry...file was a bit over the limit...I don't know how to zip it to get it 7KB less so it will load to the board....sorry, I tried!!

Nanarobin

Wednesday, June 04, 2003 - 04:31 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Maybe someone can zip and paste to board...as is a great picture with bit of animation...found at:

The Link

[sorry, don't yet know how to post the fancy words link...I just figured out pics] NanaRobin

Essence

Wednesday, June 04, 2003 - 09:06 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Nice Ruben article...


'American Idol' shows the world Birmingham's a better place


06/01/03

There he stood, in the spotlight, a great hulk of a man, his black skin glistening with sweat. He sang and the crowd cheered.

The phone lines hummed with calls from all over the country, maybe even from around the world. More than 24 million voted for their "American Idol" choice.

And when the numbers were tallied it was Ruben Studdard, former Alabama A&M student, gospel singer, and native Birminghamian, who became a new American icon. A 24-year-old, self-effacing, soft-spoken living proof that magic things can happen.

His first prize will be a recording contract. After that, who knows?

By the next morning he was on the "Today" show. By the evening, with Jay Leno on "Tonight." Thursday evening he made it to the front page of The Huntsville Times. By Friday night he was being interviewed by Larry King along with Clay Aiken, the runner-up. More interviews, fame, celebrity - the American way of recognizing royalty of talent.

This was not the first round of talent searches for this particular television series, so why the hype, the fervor generated by this particular young man?

Was it his teddy-bear looks, his gentle manner and, of course, his voice that mesmerized millions?

What set Ruben's meteoric rise apart, to me, was his hometown support. The city of Birmingham now has a genuine national celebrity of merit. Birmingham! Just think of it - the city known to the rest of the country as one of the last bastions of vicious racism as recently as 40 years ago, finally has come of age.

During the last two hours of the prime-time contest, an image of Ruben's fans in Birmingham was shown. Black and white faces, cheering him on, waving banners. Billboards all over the city urging "Go, Ruben." Signs in the windows of little shops in the lily-white suburbs of Crestline and Mountain Brook.

For weeks during the contest, television sets would click on in homes, in appliance stores, everywhere and groups of people, all colors, would stop what they were doing to tune in to "Idol" hoping that their Ruben would make it to the next round.

Usually this kind of fervor is reserved for football heroes in Alabama, but the near hysteria generated by Ruben has not been seen since the Bear passed on. Truly amazing.

By Thursday, the day after the contest, the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce and Convention Bureau officials were "contemplating ways for the city to capitalize on Studdards's success. "Chamber President David Adkisson said "To have an African-American from this community touting Birmingham on national TV the way Ruben did, it blows away a lot of negative stereotypes about this city."

This may not sound so extraordinary to the rest of the country. But, trust me, coming from Birmingham, this is a major admission that Birmingham, and perhaps much of Alabama, has finally acknowledged the equality and diversity which has swept the country within the past 40 years.

After the shower of confetti, Ruben sounded like one of those humble sports heroes, praising the competition, thanking all his supporters, promising to pay off his student loans and his mama's mortgage.

This was not a show I routinely watched, at least until Ruben became a front-runner.

Then my friends started tuning in, urged by their adult children. People began to wonder: Could he really pull it off? Would America choose this young man over all the rest of those hugely talented young people?

Yes, even though there was a razor-thin margin of victory, a mere 130,000 votes out of 24 million, and from a field of 70,000 contestants. And it ended on the perfect note, with Ruben telling Clay, "I love you, man."

Barbara Lapidus of Huntsville is one of The Times' community columnists for 2003.


link

Readonly

Thursday, June 05, 2003 - 07:17 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I just hear Ruben on the radio. It was great to hear him sing again. I miss my weekly fix of America Idol, otherwise known as the Ruben and Clay show!!!

Essence

Thursday, June 05, 2003 - 08:29 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Ruben's coming for video shoot
`Idol' will be filmed Sunday in Linn Park

06/04/03

MARIE A. JONES
News staff writer

American Idol Ruben Studdard is flying back to his beloved 205 this weekend to record a video for his upcoming single, "Flying Without Wings."

This will be Studdard's first time back home since winning the Idol distinction that includes a $1 million recording contract with J Records.

Roger Ubina, video producer with A Few Miles North production company in New York, flew into Birmingham Monday to scout out locations for Studdard's video.

Ubina picked Linn Park as the location for the shoot and will be filming along with director Erik White from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. The producer filed paperwork with the city Tuesday to secure the location, according to City Council spokesperson Debra Vance, and it is being processed.

Studdard is expected to perform his single scheduled for release Tuesday near the fountain area, Ubina said. The video's theme is "Alabama welcoming Ruben home" and Studdard's fans are invited to come out to be a part of the video, he said.

If it rains Sunday, Ubina and his team may relocate the video shoot to the Fair Park Arena or Boutwell Auditorium.

The video's director is a top man in the industry, Ubina said. White has directed videos for rapper Ludacris, singer Ginuwine and group B2K.

Studdard's video is scheduled to air on all the music channels two weeks from Sunday.

J Records would not confirm the location or any specific information about the video shoot. It would only say that Studdard is coming to Birmingham for a Sunday video shoot.

After being named the Idol, Studdard and his brother Kevin have been traveling the country, doing scores of interviews from "Tonight with Jay Leno" to "Live with Regis and Kelly."

The men even spent time in Miami for some rest and relaxation. Now it's back home to Birmingham.

link

Seamonkey

Thursday, June 05, 2003 - 07:44 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Luther's mama was on Access Hollywood tonight and all I can say is.. he couldn't have a more positive or optimistic and loving Mom to help him through this. She was also on CBS, just caught the end of that but she said they feel and appreciate all of the prayer beamed their way.

Readonly, great article!!!

Ladytex

Friday, June 06, 2003 - 08:24 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Speaking of Luther, I read this on Netscape this morning:

...Vandross has been hospitalized at Weill-Cornell Medical Center since his stroke. He contracted pneumonia and needed a tracheotomy to help him breathe. It remains unclear whether he has suffered any long-term paralysis or nerve damage.

However, Vandross recognizes family and friends, has recently begun mouthing words, and has started mild physical therapy, according to family and friends.

``Luther is going to be just fine,'' his mother, Mary Vandross, said this week. ``This is God's way of saying, 'You're tired.'''


Netscape Entertainment Article

Seamonkey

Friday, June 06, 2003 - 10:15 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Review of Ruben's single:
billboard

Maris

Saturday, June 07, 2003 - 04:01 am EditMoveDeleteIP
if you want to listen to Rubens single they have it on netscape:

rubens single

Nanarobin

Sunday, June 08, 2003 - 12:06 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
RUBEN'S VIDEO FILMING IN BIRMINGHAM SUNDAY...

if you want to see a fans pics of the filming of Ruben's video down in Birmingham today, Sunday, I found these over on the FORT site...link:

The Link

hope this works...it was really hot there..poor Ruben was really sweating...good pics of his mom in the shots, as well.
<fixed links> (22)

Ladyc

Sunday, June 08, 2003 - 04:37 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
WOW, Thanks Nanarobin. :-)

Seamonkey

Monday, June 09, 2003 - 03:49 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
http://www.billboard.com/bb/poll/poll_question.jsp

Go here to vote for Ruben's or Clay's singles..
(clearly Clay's fans have found this site in great numbers :) )

Ladytex

Monday, June 09, 2003 - 05:30 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Online polls don't mean too much to me because I know that many of Ruben's fans are not web junkies. My friends and I are just going to enjoy the big guy, buy his records, and leave the competition and nastiness to those others. The show is over, Ruben is the American Idol and regardless of what they say, they aren't gonna take that away from him.

Seamonkey

Monday, June 09, 2003 - 05:39 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Oh yeah, Ladytex, I agree totally!! I've forbidden myself from posting in the Clay thread but, I did go to the url above and put in my vote for Ruben, just because :)

<Grin> and yeah, they can't take that away!!

Jimmer

Monday, June 09, 2003 - 09:18 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
These kind of polls irritate me. I know it's all not serious but I like both Ruben and Clay and I'll buy both of their stuff ahead of a lot of other performers.

Essence

Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 05:41 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Fans pack park for Ruben's video shoot
06/09/03

MARIE A. JONES
News staff writer

The Velvet Teddy Bear descended upon downtown Birmingham Sunday to record his "Flying Without Wings" video.

More than 2,000 screaming fans packed Linn Park to cheer on American Idol Ruben Studdard as he lip-synched the words to his single that hits record stores tomorrow.

"Everything is what I thought it would be and more," Studdard said of his homecoming. "I'm excited and glad to see people here."

A sea of fans came out to get a glimpse of their idol in person, hundreds of them holding signs that read, "Go Ruuuuben" and "205 loves Ruben."

Folks came out as early as 2 a.m. for the 10 a.m. shoot that lasted until around 5 p.m.

Onlookers stood under the beaming sun, chomping on "Bama Dawgs" and munching "Flyin' without wings." Studdard's family who are celebrities in their own right signed autographs and greeted fans.

"Ruben is such a good role model for kids," said Julie Cochrun of Forest Park. "Plus, he's got the cutest dimples."

Studdard, dressed in a red cotton shirt and blue jeans, stood on stage near the park's gurgling fountain.

"I'm excited man," Studdard said. "I thank God He has given me the opportunity to work with some great people."

J Records flew folks in from New York, Los Angeles and Miami to help with the project.

"It's unbelievable. It's a phenomenon," said the video's cinematographer, Malik Sayeed, who worked on rapper DMX's movie, "Belly."

He and video director Erik White spent Saturday shooting video of parts of the city, including Sixteenth Street Baptist church, Studdard's grandmother's home and his church, Rising Star Baptist.

"They got things that are near and dear to me," Studdard said.

After flying in to town Saturday, Studdard had his family and friends stay the night with him in his hotel. They all ate Jim'N Nicks barbecue while he relaxed.

Sunday morning Studdard headed to a plush black-and-gold trailer that was parked in front of the Birmingham Board of Education building. When it was time to shoot the video, Studdard jumped into a black Ford Excursion and was whisked off to the set.

Following close by was his stylist, makeup artist, six police officers and his 485-pound bodyguard, Big Junior.

"Man, I don't like this entourage thing," Studdard said with a laugh.

Studdard and his brother Kevin who travels with him say it's good to be home after spending their days living in hotels in New York while Studdard records his album.

The men have been getting up at 9 a.m. and heading off to J Records day after day.

"I wouldn't be surprised and I'm not saying this because he's my brother if he got a Grammy for `Best New Artist,'" Kevin said. "J Records is putting their all into this album."

Besides getting attention from the label, Kevin admits the women have been showing them lots of love too.

"Put it like this, we are probably the most popular brothers in America," he said.

link

Prisonerno6

Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 06:15 am EditMoveDeleteIP
With regard to online polls, etc...

Ruben fans don't have anything to prove. :-) He already won. I suspect some Clay fans are still trying to prove Clay was really the winner.

On another note, I just got my email this morning from Amazon saying Ruben's single has shipped. Whoo-hoo!

Essence

Tuesday, June 10, 2003 - 06:22 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I got an email too Prisoner...estimated delivery date June 11-13. Hope it's before the 13th (I'd sure love to take it on the road with me...going to visit the Dad this weekend). Or, I'll just have to delay my departure until the mail comes in that day .