That island 'Idol' blitz

• Attempts to cheat may be in vain
• 'Idol' buzz
• Filipino pride flows for state's 'Idol' finalists

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

This shirt was created by friends of Jasmine Trias, while the flier has been passed out by Camile Velasco fans. Eugene Tanner • The Honolulu Advertiser

Camile Velasco's mother, Rennie West, left, and sister, Divina, right, watch "American Idol" with friends at the family's restaurant. Advertiser library photo • March 16, 2004

Students at Maryknoll School's Rogers Hall whoop it up as schoolmate Jasmine Trias appears in the televised singing contest. Advertiser library photo • March 2, 2004

'American Idol' 7-9 tonight (11 finalists compete) 7:30-8 p.m. tomorrow (one will be eliminated.) Fox (KHON) 'Idol' viewing parties tonight Dave & Buster's, Ward Entertainment Complex, at 7; doors open 5 Eastside Grill at 7 Players Sports Bar 'Aiea at 7 IHOP at Maui Mall at 7

Or the posters and handbills proclaiming "Camile Velasco, American Idol finalist ... Vote for Camile Every Tuesday," featuring Velasco's smiling face, with haku lei on her head and around her neck, passed out by volunteers and posted in storefronts on Maui and O'ahu.

They are tools of sorts in a quiet but burgeoning campaign by two support groups, each eager to attract attention and solicit kokua in a mounting competition.

Oh, sure, talent is a factor — but so is the networking.

As "American Idol" continues the second round of eliminations tonight on Fox, the two Hawai'i finalists — Trias, 17, of Mililani, and Velasco, 18, of Ha'iku, Maui — also square off on an nontelevised battleground: the ongoing, behind-the-scenes drive for boosters.

So critics don't misconstrue the tools of "battle," William Daquioag, Trias' voice teacher, said the tees are going for $8 apiece, paying only for production costs, with no profit margin. He declined to say how many are in distribution, but demand is exceeding supply.

And the fliers boosting Velasco — about 4,000, printed and paid for with donations from fan clubs and IHOP employees — are being distributed mostly by friends and fans as an awareness tool. Rennie West, Velasco's mom, said a T-shirt was under consideration, but none was created.

"We cannot openly solicit votes," said West, who has emerged as unofficial field general of Velasco's support mission, while her husband James West accompanies Camile in her "Idol" journey in Hollywood. "We're not allowed to 'campaign.' But Camile's biggest support is coming from fan clubs all over the country that were started ever since she sang 'One Last Cry,' " her audition song last month that earned her a slot on the final 12.

The clubs have sprouted, she said, in New York, New Jersey, Texas, Michigan, Florida, Oregon, Maryland, British Columbia and Virginia. Even in the Philippines. "It started with phone calls to the restaurant (Rennie and her husband own and operate the International House of Pancakes at the Maui Mall) and then cards. After that first Tuesday performance, when she sang 'One Last Cry,' the faxes also started pouring in from different states and areas of the country."

Support from schools

In the Trias camp, Daquioag, Trias' voice teacher from the Performing Artist Academy in Waipahu, has helped create a diverse and growing base of support.

"We have about 300 students in our academy, and they have families on the Mainland," said Daquioag, who also is a member of the Society of Seven Las Vegas.

"We called or e-mailed friends and relatives from the very beginning to let them know about Jasmine. Earlier, when she wasn't shown much, it was a little more difficult to 'sell' her, though everyone knew there were Hawai'i contestants. I figured we needed to get some kind of promotion going, so I helped put together the T-shirt with friends. It was meant to be for just immediate family and close friends ... but everybody wanted one, so we started taking orders. We're now in our third printing."

Because Trias is still in school (she's a senior), her Maryknoll campus is a big source of support.

"It hurts Camile a little, because she's not attending a school, because high schoolers will definitely back one of their own" such as Trias, said West.

Schools rally, big time.

"Our campuses (high school and grade school) are watching the show every week and voting for Jasmine," said Camille Michel, Maryknoll spokeswoman. "We've started viewing parties (none tonight, because it's spring break), but we'll resume next week, and AT&T Wireless has been there too, to provide phones."

Maryknoll alumni nationwide are aware of the competition. "We've kept in touch with e-mails, and alumni on the East Coast will call the school and tell us how she did before we get to see it here. And they tell us her voting number," said Michel. "For us, it's been all very positive."

One student group, which will be in Williamsburg, Va., tonight, can't miss the "Idol" fix and the Jasmine vote, "so the hotel will provide a suite for a group viewing to cheer Jasmine on and enable voting for her," said Michel.

Family connections

There also is peripheral support from — and for — siblings attending school. Divina, Velasco's 7-year-old sister who is in the second grade at Doris Todd Christian Academy on Maui, has become kind of a campus hero because of the big-sister connection. And Velasco's brother, John James (J.J.), 14, a ninth-grader at Seabury, "has suddenly become popular because of Camile," said Rennie West.

Jasmine's brother, Ronal, 15, a sophomore at University Lab School, and kid sister, Neolani, 6, a first-grader at Kipapa Elementary School, have become idolized on their respective campuses. "The support has been pretty amazing," said their dad, Rudy Trias. "Before Jasmine left for the Mainland, Kipapa even had a rally."

Velasco, who attended two Maui schools (Seabury Hall and St. Anthony) and later earned her GED, has received backing from students from both campuses as well as at Maui High School. Velasco also has two local fan clubs.

If Trias has fan clubs, her family is not aware of it.

Because Rudy Trias is with his daughter during the ongoing sing-out, he is on leave from his job with the Fleet Technical Support Center at the Pearl Harbor Naval Shipyard, where his colleagues dutifully watch and vote. "I call them weekly, phone and tell them what's up," he said.

Mom Nora Trias is a registered nurse at Maluhia Hospital (and also on call at Kuakini Medical Center), where her fame is mounting as the mother of an "Idol" contestant, particularly after biographical video portraits were shown on "Idol" last week. "I just started at Maluhia, and the residents are very supportive," she said. "They tape Jasmine's performance and show it to the residents, so they know what's happening, even if they can't vote." Staffers are turning in and doing the dial-and-redial drill every Tuesday.

There's awareness and support, too — though without the power of vote — for Velasco in Japan, where her biological father, Machinist Mate 1st Class William

Velasco is stationed. Velasco's father got to watch "Idol" when he was aboard the USS Blue Ridge in the China Sea while assigned to the ship's engineering department.

"None of us had any idea that Camile would go this far," said Rennie West, who will be in Hollywood for tonight's competition. "Win or lose, she'll continue in music."

Rudy Trias said the journey has been exhausting fun — "hurry up and wait, mostly," he said and sighed, because Jasmine's days (and some nights) are filled, while he's to be on call.

"There's little time to get together with Camile's dad," he said. "We mostly see each other at each show's taping."

Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, 525-8067 or fax 525-8055.

Attempts to cheat may be in vain

Hawai'i calls, Hawai'i cheats?

The buzz on the official "American Idol" Web site keeps coming back to the allegations made last month that Hawai'i is "cheating."

One anonymous writer said people were dialing in their votes for Hawai'i contestants hours before the voting was officially to open.

But that can't be, says a Fox spokeswoman: "Unless the phone voting window is open for your region, you're not voting."

Because "American Idol" shows tape delayed here, accusations were being made that if you know the official number of your contestant ahead of time, one could start dialing in votes even before she's shown singing over the local airwaves.

It is possible to find that out if you see an early feed of the show or have a friend on the East Coast watch the show and give you the contestant's number.

During last week's extended two-hour telecast, one Advertiser staffer tried to cast a vote at 8:45 p.m., about 15 minutes before official voting was to begin. The call seemed to indicate he was able to cast his ballot early.

"Sure, you can pick up your phone and dial the numbers if you know ahead of time what that code is," said Ann Nishida, spokesperson for Verizon. "We aren't going to stop the calls. It would be up to 'American Idol' how they want to calibrate votes. If they want to only count votes that come in between the voting time slot, they can. Verizon's piece of it is, we just pass on your call. We don't monitor or block it."

Nishida said a radio station has asked if earlier calling was possible. "We're not going to endorse it," she said. "We suppose it's possible, but it depends on the parameters (Fox and 'American Idol') set up. Folks are looking for ways to beat the system, but that's not under Verizon's control."

The Fox spokeswoman, who said it's company policy not to use her name, adds that sure, anyone could call the number, "but it won't count until your regional window opens up."

"... Hawai'i isn't cheating. Calls don't go through until the phone lines are opened."

'Idol' buzz

Country roads: The 11 "American Idol" finalists are expected to travel down country roads in tonight's show — so expect tunes from the likes of Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson, LeAnn Rimes, Shania Twain and Johnny Cash.

Teacher's pet: Tita Hutchison, daughter of theater vets Wisa D'Orso and Jim Hutchison here, has been the voice teacher for LaToya London, one of the frontrunners in the current crop of competitors. Tita Hutchison has given London voice lessons at the Music Institute of Hollywood.

Banner manner: Maryknoll pride for student Jasmine Trias, 17, is reflected in a huge sign, "Maryknoll School, Home of Jasmine Trias, Our American Idol," posted at the high school. Similar pride shines on a banner at the International House of Pancakes at the Maui Mall that reads, "Congratulations to Camile, IHOP waitress, from the IHOP staff." There's also a sweet banner with joint wishes: "Congratulations to Camile and Jasmine."