Posted on: Friday, September 24, 2004

'Idols' come home

•	Looking back ... and ahead

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

Diana DeGarmo, the runner-up in the third season of "American Idol," along with the show's final 10 are making their last stop of a whirlwind 50-city summer tour in Hawai'i. There's no voting this time, but we can still cheer on Hawai'i's Jasmine Trias and Camile Velasco. Associated Press

Jasmine Trias, also known as the Maryknoll Mystery Girl, took third place in last season's "American Idol." The recent graduate is emerging as a soloist. Advertiser library photo

'American Idols Live!' 7 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday Blaisdell Arena $48 (initially sold out, but more seats have been released for all shows) (877) 750-4400

It seems like only yesterday when you first saw them audition, compete and sing their hearts out — winning praise, getting criticized, glowing, crying, growing, still crying and frequently taking a slam from the judges. It was all part of their quest to become the next "American Idol."

Initially, thousands were at bat, then 32, then 10. And then there was one: Fantasia Barrino, the third American Idol.

It was a Tuesday-Wednesday ritual you're not likely to forget.

You tuned in with passion. You had viewing parties. You ate dinner while they sang. You avoided movies or meetings during watch-and-vote or watch-and-hope nights. You set your clock around "Idol" mania.

You sometimes cheered Paula for her positive advice; you groaned at Randy for his overdone "Yo, dude" demeanor; and you hissed at Simon, the prince of put-down.

And you dialed. And redialed. Again and again.

And now, the 10 finalists are finally coming to Hawai'i, Tuesday through Thursday at Blaisdell Arena. It's the last stop and the only three-night gig of a whirlwind 50-city summer tour.

It's our first chance to see 'em all in the flesh. After all the contestants have gone through, after all you've been through, it's finally time to rediscover what "Idol" mania was all about.

Or is it? Was it all hype?

It's almost anticlimactic, right? Clearly, Hawai'i had an awesome presence in the third "Idol" search. We watched with a vengeance — and took ownership of our three contestants: Jonah Moananu, first to go; Camile Velasco, next to go; and Jasmine Trias, who wound up No. 3 and angered La Toya London backers who felt the Maryknoll Mystery Girl should have had an earlier departure.

Remember?

How can you forget? About 5.9 million voting attempts were tracked by Verizon Hawai'i the night Trias was finally voted off; at least 1.6 million connections were logged.

When Velasco's fate was at stake, we rallied with 1.5 million call attempts. Moananu didn't fare as well (the tally dipped to 450,000 attempts when he was on the show), but Trias emerged as the big player, first logging 1.3 million call attempts, and building and astonishing nay-sayers from the get-go.

The viewership helped KHON-2, the Fox station here, retain its supremacy as the top affiliate nationwide. (Its leadership in news viewership also has been a factor). The average number of Honolulu households watching a Tuesday "Idol" show last February was about 152,000; about 353,000 viewers age 2 and older were watching in those homes with TV turned on.

In comparison with national statistics provided by KHON, Hawai'i was the winner, with nearly two times more viewers tuned to "Idol" than in other markets. Grade-schoolers to seniors in retirement communities knew who Trias was, and shared her climb up the popularity pole.

It's been months since the competition, and you're wondering if Velasco, of Ha'iku, Maui, still wears the colors (red, yellow, green) of Jamaica, after her brief four-week run on the series.

Yes, she does. She's also blossomed, somewhat, from a shy novice to a seasoned dancer. Yes, she moves and grooves like a soul sister.

"I think viewers think I'm still this shy person," Velasco said last week in a phone call from Ottawa, Ontario, where the show was on tour. "There's another side of me that has emerged on this tour."

You're curious if Trias of Mililani, who became the darling of all Hawai'i and the pride of Maryknoll, still displays her favored faux flower on her head or elsewhere in her get-up.

Yes, she does. Maybe not as regularly, but the flower still is part of her post-television identity as she treads through the transition period from being part of the "Idol" family to emerging as a soloist.

"The show has allowed me to be myself as I seek my dream," said Trias, also from Ottawa. "When I was in high school (she graduated in June), I wanted to choose a career where I could make a difference in people's lives. Like a nurse or a doctor, in the medical field.

"But I love singing, and this gives me an opportunity to make a difference in a different way. It's what I like to do, and it's flattering for me to do this show in Hawai'i, where I get to pursue a dream while possibly influencing others to pursue their dreams, too. I mean, I have heard from the young kids who look up to me. I've given them some hope that it's possible."

While Fantasia may be the belle of the "Idol" ball, thanks to her Numero Uno ranking (we don't know how she feels or fares at the moment because she declined an interview), there's wild and joyous anticipation at the No. 2 spot.

For Diana DeGarmo, who finished second, there is a Hawai'i connection. While she lives in Snellvile, Ga., and would logically have auditioned in Atlanta, she flew to Hawai'i last fall in her quest for stardom. She survived the rigors of Aloha Stadium, the Hanohano Room of the Sheraton Waikiki Hotel, and the Hollywood auditions to become one of the top 32, then a top-10er, to finish as runner-up, pushing Trias to third.

Why Hawai'i? "I had a conflict on the day of the Atlanta auditions, but I had a cousin who was attending HPU (Hawai'i Pacific University), so it made some sense that I fly there and try out there, and visit family," DeGarmo said by phone from Ottawa.

And being No. 2 ain't so bad, she said, acknowledging the phenom that is Clay Aiken, who lost to Ruben Studdard in last year's photo finish. "I'd say that finishing second is wonderful," DeGarmo said. "The way I look at it, first or second, you get the same amount of time in the show. You just don't get the title."

Of her earlier Island visit, she said: "I didn't get much time there — only two days — to explore Hawai'i," said DeGarmo, who was 16 then and just turned 17 (June 16). "The rest of the time was worrying about the tryouts."

Hawai'i was a popular audition location for "Idol," even for nonresidents. Advertiser library photo

William Hung, who had no regrets at giving his all in a rendition of "She Bangs," is a memorable nonfinalist from last season's "American Idol." Advertiser library photo

During the competition, DeGarmo had been called "too young" by the judges.

"I think youth has a plus," she said. "I mean, you work up the energy. Though with school, I have to work with a tutor while traveling. But it's fun. There were a couple of times, when Simon (Cowell) was doing that too-young thing, where I was really getting a little crazy with him. But that's his opinion, and you move on."

Though she's missing school and her campus chums, "I'm getting an education (on the road) that money can't buy. I wouldn't trade this for anything. Even college; I believe things happen for a reason, and if I want to, I'll do the college thing — 'Idol' is not taking anything away from me."

As runner-up, DeGarmo has been able to negotiate a recording contract with RCA, which plans to release a CD in November. She has been flying to New York or Los Angeles on a concert day off, to record.

She could well be this year's Aiken, aching to get going on her recording career. She's already worked with producers and songwriters who've put other icons on the map: Andreas Carlsson (Britney Spears, Aiken), John Shanks (Hilary Duff, Michelle Branch) and David Foster (Whitney Houston, Toni Braxton). With Foster, DeGarmo also has collaborated on a song.

"So many amazing people are doing amazing things for me," she said of the yet-untitled disc. "It's too early for an album title yet, though we have a couple (of ideas) in mind."

For a while, DeGarmo had to forsake high heels in concert and appear in tennis shoes, the result of a bad fall on a flight of stairs.

"I hurt my leg really badly," said DeGarmo, who since has recovered and returned to pumps that elevate her. "I'm barely 5-3, so I need the heels."

She's learned that it's called show business for a reason. "It's a business first, before any music is ever made, and sometimes you can make a good business decision, or a bad one. I've realized that this is a business in which you learn as you go."

Burnout has been a threat for anyone on the tour. How does DeGarmo keep her stamina up?

"I crawl in bed and sleep," DeGarmo said. "It lets me rest my voice and body, re-energize for the next show. Some people go out; I think you definitely pay the price if you do this constantly. But I live on coffee— and lots of Coca-Cola."

The tour has had the usual rigors — like bus rides from one city to another, some as few as three hours, once as long as 12 hours, said Rudy Trias, father of Jasmine, and one of three parents on board (DeGarmo's mom and John Stevens' mom are also accompanying the performers, since all are minors).

"You get used to the bus trips," he said. "You have to; it's a way of life on the road. But we've been to cities we'd never dream of visiting."

While Hawai'i is the last stop of the "Idols" tour, there will be one other "official" concert, Oct. 5 at the Singapore Indoor Stadium. About seven of the 10 headliners will participate, including Trias and Velasco.

As the tour heads this way, there are questions galore.

Will Barrino show off her baby during the "Idol" concert?

Has DeGarmo retired her pink (favorite color) outfits?

Is retro crooner John Stevens' hair really that red?

Will Amy Adams — who dropped out of some shows, due to illness — show off her pink hair?

Has Jennifer Hudson forgotten the "diva" label?

Has La Toya London forgiven Jasmine? Or Fantasia, for that matter?

Is Jon Peter Lewis — JPL to his fans — still bopping to the beat? (He auditioned — and made it — in Honolulu, too!)

Is Trias still selling sweetness, or will she have a surprise or two?

Will Velasco really show she can strut?

Will George Huff do his contagious bounce?

And where's Ryan Seacrest?

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

• • •

Looking back ... and ahead

Been up nights since "American Idol" ended in May, wondering what's next for your favorite ex-Idol wannabe? Are you and your friends still debating whether Jon Peter Lewis' cover of Elton John's "Rocket Man" was as brilliant as, say, John Stevens' "Crocodile Rock"?

Here are some final words on the Honolulu-bound final 10:

NAME: Fantasia Barrino

HOMETOWN: High Point, N.C.

AGE: 20

AUDITION CITY: Atlanta, Ga.

WIN/PLACE/SHOW: Your American Idol 2004

BEST PERFORMANCE: "Summertime." Though never as good as the first time she sang it, Fantasia's "A.I." signature song that made her the Idol wannabe to beat.

WORST PERFORMANCE: "Holding Out For a Hero." This ain't no party. This definitely ain't no disco. What's on The WB?

NOW WHAT?: Her still-untitled Arista debut drops Nov. 23, with in-studio assists from Jermaine Dupri and Missy Elliott.

NAME: Diana DeGarmo

HOMETOWN: Snellville, Ga.

AGE: 17

AUDITION CITY: Honolulu

WIN/PLACE/SHOW: 2nd

BEST PERFORMANCE: "Don't Cry Out Loud." Can this girl hold a note, or what? You just knew Jasmine was gone after this one.

WORST PERFORMANCE: "My Heart Will Go On." Iceberg ... right ahead!

NOW WHAT?: Diana releases her still-untitled RCA debut disc in November.

NAME: Jasmine Trias

HOMETOWN: Mililani

AGE: 17

AUDITION CITY: Honolulu

WIN/PLACE/SHOW: 3rd (final bow: 5/19/04)

BEST PERFORMANCE: "Inseparable." Admit it. You thought Jasmine had a chance at winning the whole darn thing after this early stunner.

WORST PERFORMANCE: "Breathe." Blasting any of Jasmine's "A.I." performances in this town is like using the "L" word to describe UH's football season thus far. You simply don't do it in public if you enjoy breathing without a respirator. Plus, isn't there some kind of state law against bashing anything Jasmine did on "A.I."?

NOW WHAT?: You've seen her in the anti-drugs TV spot; next up, another nonsinging role in Edgy Lee's "Life or Meth — Hawai'i's Youth," airing Dec. 7 on the tube.

NAME: La Toya London

HOMETOWN: Oakland, Calif.

AGE: 25

AUDITION CITY: Los Angeles

WIN/ PLACE/ SHOW: 4th (final bow: 5/12/04)

BEST PERFORMANCE: "Somewhere." Where La Toya's oft-times "what's-cooler-than-being-cold" technical perfection actually worked in her favor.

WORST PERFORMANCE: "Ain't Goin' Down Til' the Sun Comes Up." Not the worst performance on country night — Hi, Camile! — but not the best either.

NOW WHAT?: In August, La Toya told a Lancaster, Pa., newspaper she was mulling record deals. She also plans to continue her pre-Idol real-estate license course and study dance.

NAME: George Huff

HOMETOWN: New Orleans

AGE: 22

AUDITION CITY: Houston

WIN/ PLACE/ SHOW: 5th (final bow: 5/5/04)

BEST PERFORMANCE: "Take Me to the Pilot." Who knew the man responsible for "Little Jeannie" had this much soul?

WORST PERFORMANCE: "Trying to Get the Feeling Again." And failing miserably.

NOW WHAT?: George signed with gospel label Word Entertainment's urban music division in August.

NAME: John Stevens

HOMETOWN: East Amherst, N.Y.

AGE: 17

AUDITION CITY: New York City.

WIN/PLACE/SHOW: 6th (final bow: 4/28/04)

BEST PERFORMANCE: "King of the Road." The teenage crooner's most memorable performance ... that didn't make us wince, that is.

WORST PERFORMANCE: "Crocodile Rock." I remember when rock was young, too. Thing is, I don't remember it being this awful.

NOW WHAT?: John signed with Warner Bros. label Maverick in August; his debut disc is scheduled for an early 2005 release.

NAME: Jennifer Hudson

HOMETOWN: Chicago

AGE: 22

AUDITION CITY: Atlanta

WIN/PLACE/SHOW: 7th (final bow: 4/21)

BEST PERFORMANCE: "Weekend in New England." So good, it almost made Barry Manilow look like a genius. Almost.

WORST PERFORMANCE: "Heatwave." And only because the wild-eyed, husky-voiced Jen was so all over the stage on this one I was afraid she might jump out of the Sony and eat my takeout.

NOW WHAT?: Jennifer was set to join the cast of a one-night-only all-star concert of "Hair" on Broadway earlier this month. She also is fielding other theater offers.

NAME: Jon Peter Lewis

HOMETOWN: Rexburg, Idaho

AGE: 24

AUDITION CITY: Honolulu

WIN/PLACE/SHOW: 8th (final bow: 4/15/04)

BEST PERFORMANCE: "A Little Less Conversation." Easy, boy. We don't want Elvis to roll over in his grave AND contact his attorneys.

WORST PERFORMANCE: "Rocket Man." I think it's gonna be a long, long time til' I forgive America for giving "JPL" another week to murder perfectly good pop songs.

NOW WHAT?: Though no one's signed him up yet, guitarist/songwriter Jon Peter told a Salt Lake City newspaper that he was writing and recording demos. He'll headline the Idaho Falls Youth Arts Centre's StarMaker Xtravaganza Talent Show Oct. 16.

NAME: Camile Velasco

HOMETOWN: Ha'iku, Maui

AGE: 19

AUDITION CITY: Honolulu

WIN/PLACE/SHOW: 9th (final bow: 4/7/04)

BEST PERFORMANCE: "For Once in My Life." Finally ... finally ready to compete, but too off-key (or "pitchy" in Randy Jackson-speak) and too late to save her from call-in oblivion.

WORST PERFORMANCE: "Desperado." But weren't those home videos fabulous?

NOW WHAT?: Weighing recording options; will appear, in 2005, at Mom and Dad's International House of Pancakes opening at a still-to-be ID'd site on O'ahu.

NAME: Amy Adams

HOMETOWN: Bakersfield, Calif.

AGE: 24

AUDITION CITY: Atlanta, Ga.

WIN/PLACE/SHOW: 10th (final bow: 3/31/04)

BEST PERFORMANCE: "The Power of Love." Amy was no Celine Dion, but ... Hey wait, I like that thought. No Celine Dion!

WORST PERFORMANCE: "Dancing in the Street." Something smelled funky on Motown night and it wasn't the Funk Brothers.

NOW WHAT?: Ask her for me.