Hawaii Embodies the Politics of American Idol (Media Throws Down the Race Card)

Life Today Section ^ | May 14, 2004 | Bill Keveny

[sathers]

The benefactor of this vote is FILIPINO! How can it possibly be racist?

If Diana DeGarmo (the most improved by the way) wins, it's suddenly a race issue?

[Ciexyz]

I am SOOOO sick of hearing about the race card in connectio with American Idol! It's a popularity contest. We can vote for whoever we like best. We don't need Simon or Elton John to tell us who to vote for. Elton John was out of line for saying that racism effects the voting. Wrong!

We vote for our favorites. We have our own preferences. If the judges think they're going to shame us into voting for the candidate THEY think deserves to win....guess again!

[Ciexyz]

Jasmine has my vote and I live in PA!

As for Simon--he's obnoxious. One week he told one of the contestants, You look like you have a cat on your head (referring to her hair style.)

[sathers]

Just wait for the fake media outrage if Diana DeGarmo wins over Fantasia Barrino in a possible final two..

[TontoKowalski]

I don't think so. Diana is MILES and MILES better than Jasmine. If she beats Fantasia, it would be on merit.

LaToya was my favorite. Has been all along. I think that Diana, whom I didn't care for that much in the beginning, is peaking at the right moment. Fantasia, whom I loved from the very start, has begun to get on my nerves.

Besides, and I don't know if this is true or not, I'm told that Diana is half-black. Not that I care one bit, but, if true, would negate any argument that the decision was racist.

[RightthinkinAmerican]

Pacific Islanders are a minority - why is the race card blacks-only? If there had been only whites left with her in the competition would the charge have been made?

[sathers]

I like Jasmine too and Simon making her cry on stage with his comments obviously galvanized all of Hawaii.

[dead]

Hawaii's 1.25 million population completed a total of 1.23 million calls in their two hour voting period…That's 24,000 more than New Jersey which has seven times the population.

Get a life, Hawaii.

[TontoKowalski]

Jasmine stayed on the show because she cried at the criticism. When Simon ripped that red-headed kid, he stayed. Next week he ripped him again, and he stayed. Finally, he was neutral... even backhandedly complimentary... and the kid was voted out.

It always backfires when the judges tear someone up. Watch this week for Simon to be bland in critiquing Jasmine, and she'll be gone.

[sathers]

Diana's Mom or Dad is black?

Defeats this lame mainstream media arguement even more.

[sathers]

The Hawaii news anchors were signing off their broadcasts with 'Dont forget to vote for Jasmine Trias!' (not kidding)

[sheik yerbouty]

It's amazing how that happens1 i say 'Tough shi'ite!"

[Feiny]

When Jennifer was voted off....I didn't watch for 2 weeks.

LaToya was my favorite singer, Fantasia my favorite performer. I like Jasmine throughout the competition, but was not crazy about Diana.....that changed over the past 2 episodes.

[TontoKowalski]

They've shown her mother at the show, and she's a stout white woman. As I caveated before, I don't know if her Dad is really a black man or not. I haven't seen him on the show.

She's a very pretty girl. I was trying to see if I could tell if she was of AA ancestry, and her skintone hints at mixed race, but all the white girls in Georgia have tans so I couldn't really tell.

Anyhow, now that my favorite is out of the running, I may try to sway my son's vote to her. We enjoy the watching the show together, and there's not much I can watch in primetime with a nine year old.

[Feiny]

I doubt everyone voted once....it was a few thousand voting hundreds of times.

Aloha Mr. Hand

[Ohioan from Florida]

I think Americans have an affinity for the underdog many times. I think that's what's going on in this situation. People liked each of the last four contestants. It will be a toss-up each week.

I know many will disagree with me, but although I've enjoyed LaToya very much over this competition, I did not like her performance this week as much as I liked Jasmine's. Maybe the voters agreed with my tastes, although the top vote getter is not always who I've preferred.

I think it's best put the way LaToya said it, "It's OK. That's the way the cookie crumbles." There's no doubt LaToya is talented. Good things will come to her, sometimes in spite of what the votes may say. Those last four are all winners in my book, and I look forward to each of them having productive careers if they so choose!

[sathers]

Diana's DeGarmo's dad must be an extremely light colored person of Asian or Latino, or AA descent because you can hardly tell.

[TontoKowalski]

I like Jasmine throughout the competition, but was not crazy about Diana.....that changed over the past 2 episodes.

I don't think Jasmine is a bad singer, she's just not as good as the others. I was so-so on Diana (especially after that gawdawful rendition of the Titanic theme song), but have really come to like her a lot in recent weeks.

Fantasia's "Summertime" was incredible. She's been good every week, but the voice... a little bit earthy soul, a little gospel, a little Ertha Kitt... which was so interesting in the beginning is getting a little old.

Pity that LaToya went... she was the class of the competition.

[kevkrom]

I doubt it has anything to do with racism, but it certainly isn't about telent either, else Jasmine would have been gone three weeks ago. The only two singers in this competition really worh listening two are Diana and La Toya -- Jasmine has a nice voice but is compeltely out of her depth, and Fantasia is very inconsisten and has trouble moving and singing at the same time (plus she has a tendency to over-do everything).

With La Toya out, I'm not sure if it will be even worth watching the whole thing just to see Diana's performances.

[sathers]

Unfortunately, Fantasia Barrino may be next on the 'chopping block'

I don't think her gritty soulful, R& B style gets her votes among the young tween kids calling for their 'cute' favorite.

But then again, maybe all of Jennifer Hudsons, LaToya London and Fantasia's voters will work together.