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'American Idol' losers are winning big
(Agencies)
Updated: 2004-05-11 10:31 Acidic tongue-lashings from "American
Idol" judge Simon Cowell could deflate anyone’s musical aspirations, but
many "Idol" losers are finding that second-chance success isn't a bad
consolation prize.
Women cling to
William Hung after his performance of 'She Bangs' at a volleyball game at
the University of California at Berkeley. | As the third season of Fox's hugely successful reality contest gears up for
the May 26 finale, numerous former contestants — some dishonorably discharged —
are signing major record deals, appearing on television and singing on Broadway.
The show "has gotten the public captivated," said Geoff Mayfield, director of
charts for the Billboard music-industry magazine. "I think that the viewers feel
an investment in ‘American Idol.’ Now, I kind of take it as a matter of course
that this is an event that sells music."
And jump-starts careers:
William Hung, the laughingstock of the third season, already has an album
out. The 31-year-old engineering student performs comical covers of popular
tunes by R. Kelly, Elton John, The Beach Boys, Enrique Iglesias and, of course,
the Ricky Martin numbers that made him infamous.
In its first week, the CD cracked Billboard's Top 40, selling more than
38,000 copies. The self-proclaimed "Real American Idol" has appeared on
everything from "The Today Show" to "The Tonight Show," and even sang at a
nationally televised NBA game. On May 15 he's scheduled to share the same stage
as Jessica Simpson, Lenny Kravitz, OutKast and Janet Jackson at the Wango Tango
Music Festival at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, Calif.
Although Hung's popularity is based on his awfulness, "you can't blame a
person for taking an opportunity," said season two finalist Kimberley Locke.
"That’s why we all do it."
Locke just released her debut album, "One Love," on Curb Records, home of
country superstars Tim McGraw, Wynnona Judd and LeAnn Rimes.
She admits that "Idol" has accelerated her career. "For the rest of my life
I’ll have to talk about ‘American Idol,’ which is a good thing because I’m proud
to have been a part of the show," she said.
RJ Helton, the top-five finalist from season one, released his debut album,
the Christian-oriented "Real Life," on B Rite/Zomba last month. The Latin
crooner is managed by Beyonce’s father, Matthew Knowles.
"Just because we didn’t win the show doesn’t mean that we didn’t think we
were going to continue, by any means," Helton said.
Idols take the stage
Former child star Marque Lynche, who got the boot on February 10, recently
joined the off-Broadway musical “Fame On 42nd Street,” based on the popular
1980s film and television show.
"The reason that I got ‘Fame’ was because (the producers) saw me on the show
and they said (I) was perfect for this role," said Lynch, 23, who was seen as a
child on the "All New Mickey Mouse Club" alongside Britney Spears and Justin
Timberlake. "It did give me a platform to kind of be a quasi-celebrity and go in
with a little bit of a name. So it makes it a little bit easier to do what I
do."
Other contestants taking on theatrical gigs include Vanessa Olivarez from
season one, currently playing the lead in the Toronto version of the hit
Broadway musical "Hairspray," and season two semifinalist Trenyce, who recently
wrapped a national tour with “Not A Day Goes By,” based on the best-selling E.
Lynn Harris novel.
And then there’s Frenchie Davis — clearly Ruben and Clay’s biggest
competition from season two. The voluptuous vocal powerhouse, bounced after her
pictures surfaced on an adult web site, is on board for another run in the
Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway musical “Rent” this summer. She recently
performed a leading role in the touring company of the legendary musical
“Dreamgirls,” and she’s negotiating a record deal.
Despite all the hype, "Idol" does have plenty of detractors who decry the way
it churns out ready-made pop confections.
"I think that it’s an interesting little way of creating, I don’t want to say
stars, but creating people who can be within the record business at this time
when nobody is buying records," laments Rolling Stone critic and contributing
editor Toure. "But this is not the way of creating lasting stars."
But it’s a foot in the door, which is all today’s hopefuls are asking for.
"We were all after one common goal and that was to do what we loved to do,’
Helton said. " 'American Idol’ helped us out and gave us the extra
boost."
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