# American Idol (5/11) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 12, 2004, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-11/244716 "2004-05-12T01:38:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-11/244716/81 "2004-05-13T19:20:35Z")
> [@skutir](#): > > LaToya will have a record deal, so you can buy her music if you like her. > > Frankly, I thought she was boring and felt the judges were trying to shame us into voting for her. She’s skillfull, but very predictable and bland. I don’t understand this…at all, **skutir.** LaToya London is a class act. She’s refined, classy, polished. She reminds me of Nancy Wilson. Her sayonara performance last night was anything but bland. It was a showstopper. Were Reuben or Clay scintillating? Was Kelly Clarkson? What about whatzzerface who showed at #3 last year? Is Jasmine electric? And what about Diana? While I like her vocally, her Mickey Mouse Club, goody-goody, squealy-squealy persona makes me wanna gag. One thing I am sure of: Diana D. is no American Idol. She doesn’t have the star power, the staying power to last more than two years. Fantasia and LaToya do and will. As for Jasmine, she’ll be doing the wedding singer, Lion’s Club, Holiday Inn circuit within three years. Soul Train if she’s lucky. ---
**Author:** ![YWalker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/6f9a4e/32.png) [@YWalker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YWalker)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-11/244716/82 "2004-05-13T19:49:01Z")
I won’t say I was shocked, but I was very disappointed in the bottom two last night. I think that LaToya is far and away the most polished performer of the whole crowd. She gave a solid performance every single time. I will agree that she did lack a bit of “oomph” or that something extra to make every single one of her songs exciting, but she didn’t have a single bad performance during the entire series. She is a very good journeyman performer; she may or may not have what it takes to be a “star.” I feel that Fantasia was the second best performer overall for the entire series. Her style isn’t necessarily to my taste, but again, she is a very solid entertainer and performer. She didn’t have the polish of LaToya, but she always did well. Diana — I think Simon hit it on the head once, when he mentioned that she could have just come from a high school revue. She frequently has the appearance of having been trained by the people who trained the mousketeers. She’s quite good, but cutesy stuff annoys the crap out of me. I’ll have to give her her due, though — she was far and away the best performance on Disco night. Her version of “Enough is Enough” threw away all the cutesy garbage, and she gave a fantastic performance. I attempted to vote for her several times, but never got through. (Thus, I have not spoiled my record of never actually voting for American Idol. I tried multiple times last year to vote for Clay, but never got through. I tried to vote for someone during one of the earlier shows this year, but never got through. At this point, I give up.) Jasmine is not a horrible singer — she just doesn’t belong where she is in this competition. I think Paula is correct when she said that she has a very pretty tone. There are points in songs when I am very, very impressed by the beauty and purity of her tone. Unfortunately, these points are mixed in with too many other points where she goes off pitch, or other things just don’t work. However, she’s just 17. I think that with some training, she has the potential to be very, very good. I just don’t think she’s there yet. Am I the only one who thought that Jasmine looked upset at the vote — that she had a guilty look on her face, knowing that she did not deserve to be going forward in the competition? And did you hear Fantasia sobbing when the result was announced, and see her crying later? ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-11/244716/83 "2004-05-13T19:53:37Z")
> [@](#): > > I don’t understand this…at all, **skutir.** LaToya London is a class act. She’s refined, classy, polished. She reminds me of Nancy Wilson. Her sayonara performance last night was anything but bland. It was a showstopper. Yes, she is and her performance was nice. However… > [@](#): > > Is Jasmine electric? And what about Diana? While I like her vocally, her Mickey Mouse Club, goody-goody, squealy-squealy persona makes me wanna gag. What IS it about people that they can’t stand cheerfulness, plain old joie de vivre? She’s SIXTEEN!!! Does a perfomer, (or anyone for that matter) HAVE to be some sunken-eyed, ginjoint, Janis Joplin-voiced weary of the evils of the world type for others to give validity to their performance or even their presense in the world? Sheesh. I happen to be a cheerful smiling type person out in real life, I find it insulting that it’s somehow considered a “BAD” trait to be such. > [@](#): > > One thing I am sure of: Diana D. is no American Idol. She doesn’t have the star power, the staying power to last more than two years. Fantasia and LaToya do and will. As for Jasmine, she’ll be doing the wedding singer, Lion’s Club, Holiday Inn circuit within three years. Soul Train if she’s lucky. One thing _I_ am sure of, and that’s to NEVER say NEVER. The girl is 16, she belts out a pretty powerful tune, she may just be the flavor of the month, OR she could be on the fast track to a life long career. It’s a little early to decide her fate FOR her. I don’t even agree about Jasmine, though I DO agree that she’s done a dismal job lately, I think she’s got a lovely voice, she just needs training, discipline and maturity. And again, she’s a child for goodness sake, she may or may not make it, but we can’t state that for a certainty based on this show. Lotsa famous people fail many times prior to success. I agree about LaToya, I couldn’t stand her for the first several weeks (oh, and this is the first year I’ve watched AI, I hadn’t even seen one show of either of the other seasons, so I’m not super jaded by the annoyances that seem to plague veteran viewers), she and Fantasia both sang the EXACT same songs in the EXACT same style every week. Belting out gospel/soul/R&B at the top of their lungs no matter what the actual genre, awash with so many runs and trills and growls that you wouldn’t have known if they were on the right note or not. For the most part, LaToya got past that tendency, so far Fantasia has not. And like others here, I find Fantasias voice grating, like a chipmunk on helium. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-11/244716/84 "2004-05-13T20:06:42Z")
At least at the office I work at, almost everybody has said that was the last time they will watch the show - this season and in the future. Not that people here are sore losers, but when you see obvious talent being booted for no particular reason, it sorta loses the fun of watching. Yes, as other have pointed out, it is just a gameshow/reality show…but somehow I think the sense of fair play was lost awhile ago. I don’t begrudge whoever wins, and I am sure the top ten will make some bucks on their upcoming tour. I just think the whole show has turned into a scummy Bush election in Florida. ---
**Author:** ![WernhamHogg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a587f6/32.png) [@WernhamHogg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WernhamHogg)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-11/244716/85 "2004-05-13T20:17:03Z")
> [@Carnac the Magnificent!](#): > > I don’t understand this…at all, **skutir.** LaToya London is a class act. She’s refined, classy, polished. She reminds me of Nancy Wilson. Her sayonara performance last night was anything but bland. It was a showstopper. You’re entitled to like LaToya. What Fantoya fans have to accept is that there is no law by man or God that **other** people have to like Fantoya, and that their preferences are just preferences, not facts, and not evidence of their own superior intellect and character, or even musical sophistication. And LaToya’s swan song was a Barbra Streisand song, wasn’t it? Do I really need to say anything else? What kills LaToya for me is her song selection. She sings songs I don’t like. I don’t care how well she sings them. > [@](#): > > Were Reuben or Clay scintillating? Was Kelly Clarkson? What about whatzzerface who showed at #3 last year? I dunno. I didn’t watch those seasons. But from what I’ve seen of Clay, he has the same strengths and weaknesses as LaToya - a good singer, but very predictable and uninteresting in terms of song selection. > [@](#): > > Is Jasmine electric? And what about Diana? While I like her vocally, her Mickey Mouse Club, goody-goody, squealy-squealy persona makes me wanna gag. You are entitled to gag. Unlike Fantoya fans, I won’t accuse you of being a racist, an idiot, or white-trash based on your tastes. ---
**Author:** ![WernhamHogg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a587f6/32.png) [@WernhamHogg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WernhamHogg)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-11/244716/86 "2004-05-13T20:27:40Z")
> [@DMark](#): > > At least at the office I work at, almost everybody has said that was the last time they will watch the show - this season and in the future. Yeah, just like everyone refuses to watch the Superbowl… and maybe never watch football again! – after their team is eliminated on a game-deciding questionable call from the officials. Funny how the NFL remains the most popular sport in the US. > [@](#): > > Not that people here are sore losers, but when you see obvious talent being booted for no particular reason, it sorta loses the fun of watching. I thought she was booted for one very good reason – she had the fewest votes, and the rules of the show are… oh, never mind. > [@](#): > > I think the sense of fair play was lost awhile ago. Fair play is exactly what you Fantoya fans hate… they want the show to change the rules to either let other people’s votes count for less or their own votes to count for more. This week I saw photographs of tortured prisoners, a videotape of a man getting his head sawed off, and a woman getting sent off of a singing contest with a fourth place finish among 70,000 entrants, guaranteed a record contract and a musical career. Guess which one doesn’t get make me feel upset and indignant. Go ahead, guess. ---
**Author:** ![Caffeine.addict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f475e1/32.png) [@Caffeine.addict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caffeine.addict)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-11/244716/87 "2004-05-13T21:26:06Z")
> [@](#): > > And LaToya’s swan song was a Barbra Streisand song, wasn’t it? Do I really need to say anything else? What kills LaToya for me is her song selection. She sings songs I don’t like. I don’t care how well she sings them. I think that **skutir** has hit the nail on the head here. Yes, LaToya had a good voice and good stage presence, but her song selection never appealed to me, and obviously didn’t appeal to a good portion of the audience. Something to note here, is that the best singer also doesn’t necessarily equal the most popular recording artist which is what Fox et al are looking for. Hell, I’ll confess a dirty little secret, my wife voted for Jasmine. She is 29, has a post-graduate degree, and has never watched daytime TV. Her reasoning was that she found LaToya to be boring, didn’t like Fantasia’s voice and found Diana DeGarmo to be fake. I didn’t have a preference in this show since I liked George, but could see that his performances hadn’t been getting better and had somehow declined. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Chupanibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/fbc32d/32.png) [@El\_Chupanibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Chupanibre)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-11/244716/88 "2004-05-13T21:53:59Z")
So does anyone else think Jasmine pretty much has it locked up at this point? It’s looking more and more like she’s getting the teen vote now (no OMG CUTE BOYZ left to vote for I suppose), so I think she’s going to take it all. Not that I care one way or the other, I just enjoy the internet drama the day after the results shows. This season is making the “Frenchie” controversy look like much ado about nothing. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@kka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kka)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-11/244716/89 "2004-05-13T22:26:38Z")
> [@skutir](#): > > This week I saw photographs of tortured prisoners, a videotape of a man getting his head sawed off, and a woman getting sent off of a singing contest with a fourth place finish among 70,000 entrants, guaranteed a record contract and a musical career. Guess which one doesn’t get make me feel upset and indignant. Go ahead, guess. The tortured prisoners??? ---
**Author:** ![WernhamHogg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a587f6/32.png) [@WernhamHogg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WernhamHogg)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-11/244716/90 "2004-05-13T22:59:07Z")
> [@kka](#): > > The tortured prisoners??? Er… is that a rhetorical question? > **[Yahoo News - Latest News & Headlines](https://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=%2Fafp%2F20040510%2Fwl_mideast_afp%2Firaq_prisoners_040510100633)** > > The latest news and headlines from Yahoo! News. Get breaking news stories and in-depth coverage with videos and photos. One of many stories. If it IS rhetorical, and you’re questioning the mentioning of this thread, I apologize if I offended anyone. I am just mentioning it for perspective… I have a really hard time understanding the anger and outrage over this show. My favorite contestants have been systematically voted off of the show, and my single favorite wasn’t even allowed to advance to the semifinals despite being a far better singer than many who did… I was confused and disappointed at times, but never felt any sense of unfairness, nor have I felt that there is something wrong with people who have different tastes. My opinion is, we’re all watching reality TV, so none of us can be culture snobs. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Chupanibre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/fbc32d/32.png) [@El\_Chupanibre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Chupanibre)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2004, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-11/244716/91 "2004-05-13T23:07:23Z")
> [@skutir](#): > > Er… is that a rhetorical question? I’m pretty sure he/she/it was guessing which travesty you found most unsettling. That’s how I took it at least. 😉 Good points above too. ---
**Author:** ![SpoilerVirgin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@SpoilerVirgin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpoilerVirgin)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-11/244716/92 "2004-05-14T00:42:41Z")
For those who were interested in how Hawaii affected the vote, there’s a great article from [eonline](http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/eo/20040513/en_tv_eo/14095). > [@](#): > > Hawaii residents attempted a record 5 million cellular and landline calls (read: votes) following Tuesday night’s Idol, said Kevin Laverty, spokesman for Verizon, the Aloha state’s main phone-service provider. > > Of those, 1.3 million calls got through–another record, Laverty said. > > Per the U.S. Census Bureau (news - web sites), Hawaii’s total population, as of 2002, was 1.2 million. > > By comparison, Verizon-served New Jersey (population: 8.6 million) got 1.2 million Idol calls completed on Tuesday night, Laverty said. ---
**Author:** ![WernhamHogg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a587f6/32.png) [@WernhamHogg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WernhamHogg)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-11/244716/93 "2004-05-14T00:50:46Z")
> [@El Chupanibre](#): > > I’m pretty sure he/she/it was guessing which travesty you found most unsettling. That’s how I took it at least. 😉 > > Good points above too. Ah, of course. I have to read it as a direct response to the end of my post. I try to make one really stupid post a day to keep myself humble. That was today’s. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-11/244716/94 "2004-05-14T01:37:09Z")
> [@](#): > > For those who were interested in how Hawaii affected the vote, there’s a great article from [eonline](http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/eo/20040513/en_tv_eo/14095). Well, it’s possible that some Alaskans voted for her too. We tend to view Hawaii as a sister state, despite the weather differences, there are a LOT of similarities between our two states. Though Alaska’s population is only 600,000, (well 599,999 now that I’ve moved to Texas :D), so I’m not sure if their votes would have helped or not. I didn’t vote for her, ex-Alaskan or not, I liked Diana best out of our choices, for the same reasons that others had mentioned. I never expected LaToya to have gotten booted before Jasmine though, I would have said that the next two to go would have been Jasmine, and then LaToya, and then, despite the fact that I don’t like most of LaToya’s song selections, I would have had a tough choice between the two of them. PS slight hijack, I think that calling the two “divas” Fantoya/Latasia is very misguided,bordering on insulting, the two are NOTHING like each other in terms of voice, style, quality, or personality. ---
**Author:** ![WernhamHogg](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a587f6/32.png) [@WernhamHogg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WernhamHogg)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-11/244716/95 "2004-05-14T01:48:03Z")
> [@CanvasShoes](#): > > PS slight hijack, I think that calling the two “divas” Fantoya/Latasia is very misguided,bordering on insulting, the two are NOTHING like each other in terms of voice, style, quality, or personality. Duly noted. I didn’t mean anything by it… and I agree. The only thing they have in common is that they are (were) the favorites. ---
**Author:** ![TheFifthYear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@TheFifthYear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFifthYear)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-11/244716/96 "2004-05-14T01:49:24Z")
OK, I need some help from those who have watched this show in the past. The judges absolutely dogged Jasmine this past week. Pretty brutal. But we’re now down to three, and they have to consider that she could win. If the judges continue to treat her this way and she wins anyway, that leaves them in the awkward position of promoting a singer they have been harshly criticizing for weeks. So, has this situation arisen in the past? Will the judges start to turn, and be more positive, regardless of their true feelings? ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 5:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-11/244716/97 "2004-05-14T05:34:59Z")
> [@CanvasShoes](#): > > > [@](#): > > > > \ a bunch of stuff dogging on my post, with some very well-considered points. \ > > Sorry, I don’t mean to pick on YOUR post, it just epitomized my annoyance with this attitude. No offense taken, **Canvas Shoes**. Speaking as one statistically insignificant data point to another, I 'd like to say that you’ve shown yourself to be quite the intelligent and serious-minded poster. Intelligent enough to have made note of the presence and significance of the word _predominant_ in my post, I daresay. ---
**Author:** ![annieclaus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5a626/32.png) [@annieclaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/annieclaus)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-11/244716/98 "2004-05-14T13:37:54Z")
> [@kevja](#): > > I disagree with the vote, but it was great television. And THAT’S the whole point!!! FOX could care less who wins, so long as eyeballs stay tuned, the Buzz keeps Buzzing and the ad dollars roll in. It’s 19 Entertainment that should be worried because they’ve got to make an Idol out of whoever wins this mess. Wouldn’t want to be in their shoes. Voting for somebody. . . for whatever reason. . . doesn’t necessarily translate into buying CDs or concert tickets. ---
**Author:** ![annieclaus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b5a626/32.png) [@annieclaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/annieclaus)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-11/244716/99 "2004-05-14T13:42:44Z")
> [@YWalker](#): > > And did you hear Fantasia sobbing when the result was announced, and see her crying later? Fan-tay-see-a cries at Exit signs. Oops, bad choice of words. Fan-tay-see-a cries at Yield signs. Doncha think there was a bit of “thank-heavens-my-stiffest-competition-just-got-booted” tears of joy there??? ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2004, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-11/244716/100 "2004-05-14T14:56:08Z")
> [@skutir](#): > > Duly noted. I didn’t mean anything by it… and I agree. The only thing they have in common is that they [Fantasia/Latoya] are (were) the favorites. That…plus that Other Thing nobody wants to mention. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-5-11/244716.md?page=4)