American Idol 4 News and Information

[aikenseeker]

Hello Everyone!

This thread will be used from now on for all American Idol news articles and tidbits. Please feel free to post anything that you find here.

[aikenseeker]

A new Diane Austin Article is out!

Please click on the link to find the rest of the article.

Constantine Maroulis -- 'I Think I Love You!

By Dianne Austin

The last time you checked with me on American Idol I was raving about a guy by the name of Mario Vasquez. You know the one: the kid who set a precedent with what he did, which, you can be sure, is something that will most likely not happen again.

It may be that the show is unique because it gives amateur talent a chance at pulling the gold ring for a shot at becoming a star. But first they must agree to take the ride up and down and round and round on the carousel--that slick, Hollywood, TV talent show merry-go-round that gathers momentum each week, with its dangerous centrifugal force that can suddenly cause one to lose their balance. These kids know how easy it is to fall off the decorated pony they’re clinging to. Just ask Nikko Smith.

Sure, they’re taking the ride of their lives, but what do they give up in return? This is speculation on my part—but probably—everything! The show is only four years old and has evolved during that time. One of the things that the producers have probably come to regard as essential is contract considerations within the final twelve. Lord knows what all is involved, but I would bet that talks concerning contract obligations are now introduced early in the proceedings. (Obviously not early enough, considering what happened with Vasquez!)

AI4

[aikenseeker]

Schwag Bag: American Idol
FOX comes through with a handy mat to track Idol progress.

March 16, 2005 - The good folks at FOX, not satisfied with producing the most popular show on television, have given the enthusiast press a way to track it, too. Yes, we're talking about American Idol and no, we do not have the Constantine Maroulis glamour shots you've all been asking about.


Instead, we have some shots of the coolest schwag this side of Into the Blue water wings. It's an American Idol fan's dream come true--a magnetic mat that allows you to track the weekly progress of various Idol hopefuls in the top twelve.

Each of the top contestants-- Jessica Sierra, Vonzell Solomon, Lindsay Cardinale, Nadia Turner, Carrie Underwood, Anthony Fedorov, Mikalah Gordon, Bo Bice, Constantine Maroulis, Anwar Robinson, Scott Savol, and Nikko Smith--have their own magnet. Each week, the magnets will move up the board until one remains. At that time, we will crown the 2005 American Idol.

On an interesting side note, the mat originally shipped with a Mario Vazquez magnet, but it was replaced with a brand new Nikko Smith icon when Vazquez dropped out of the competition.

So why are we sharing this with you? From time to time, we like to give you a glimpse at the cool promotional stuff companies send us that the general public never gets to see. We'll be calling the feature Schwag Bag, so look for it across IGN!

American Idol Schwag Bag

[aikenseeker]

How Broadway Lost Its Voice to 'American Idol'

By BEN BRANTLEY

Published: March 27, 2005

HE three women come from different times, different lands and different wardrobe departments. But since they are all denizens of that quaint provincial theme park called Broadway, the green-skinned witch (hometown: Oz), the pink-cheeked tomboy (hometown: 19th-century Concord, Mass.) and the ethnic rainbow of a waif (hometown: Paris, but now adrift in 21st-century Brooklyn) turn out to share the same voice.

Close your eyes and listen as their larynxes stretch and vibrate with the pain of being an underdog and the joy of being really loud. Bet you can't tell them apart. For that matter, bet you can't distinguish the heroines of the current Broadway musicals "Wicked," "Little Women" and "Brooklyn" from the average female finalist on "American Idol."

When it's time for a big ballad on Broadway these days, theatergoers can pretend they are still in their living rooms, basking in the synthetic adrenaline glow of their favorite TV show.

Give the people what they already have. This reigning philosophy of Broadway has been translated into a multitude of musicals inspired by popular movies and vintage pop songbooks. So why not reality television?

"American Idol" also-rans have been dropped into Broadway replacement casts, including Tamyra Gray ("Bombay Dreams") and Frenchie Davis ("Rent"). "Brooklyn," Mark Schoenfeld and Barri McPherson's gooey fairy tale of street people and pop stardom, actually features a climactic "American Idol"-style sing-off between a pair of crowd-courting divas.

But such examples are superficial, the equivalent of a matron who piles hip-hop accessories on top of her St. John's suit. The tentacles of the "American Idol" sensibility actually reach much deeper, into the very throat of the American musical, and may change forever the way Broadway sings. This is not a happy prognosis.

The style of vocalizing that is rewarded on "American Idol" - by its panel of on-air judges and by the television audience that votes on the winners - is both intensely emotional and oddly impersonal. The accent is on abstract feelings, usually embodied by people of stunning ordinariness, than on particular character. Quivering vibrato, curlicued melisma, notes held past the vanishing point: the favorite technical tricks of "Idol" contestants are often like screams divorced from the pain or ecstasy that inspired them.

The Broadway musical has always had its share of big-voiced belters, from Ethel Merman to Patti LuPone. But they have usually belonged to the tradition of Broadway as a temple to magnified idiosyncrasies, to performers for whom song is an extension of individuality. Which is why when Simon Cowell, the most notoriously harsh of "American Idol's" judges, describes a contestant as "too Broadway," it is meant as a withering dismissal. Carol Channing, Robert Preston, Jerry Orbach and Gwen Verdon wouldn't stand a chance in the court of Cowell. And if they were starting out today, they probably wouldn't stand a chance in Broadway musicals either.

Like the Olympics telecasts, "American Idol" celebrates stamina, will power and gymnastic agility. The most successful contestants take an athletic approach to a melody. They hoist, hold and balance notes like barbells in a weight-lifting exhibition. And the audience claps and hoots instinctively every time such muscle-flexing occurs.

That same Pavlovian reaction is now being elicited on Broadway as well. Eruptions of note-bending have joined the hallowed list of performance tricks guaranteed to inspire applause: precision tap dancing, Rockette-style line kicks, handsprings, successive pirouettes and indignant one-liners that are followed by the slamming of doors.

At the performance I attended of the new musical "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels," , the audience greeted each number with subdued warmth, though the show's stars, John Lithgow and Norbert Leo Butz, were working hard to put over the songs with style and character. Finally, in a self-addressed valentine that is the show's last number, Mr. Butz claimed his "American Idol" moment with one musically stretched-out phrase: "I think we still deserve a ha-a-a-a-nd ..." I suspect that the composer David Yazbek intended the moment to be comic. All the same, the audience roared with approval . It was what they had been waiting for.

How Broadway Lost Its Voice to American Idol

[aikenseeker]

Local 'idol' comes home to cheering crowd
By Heather Crain
 
PONCHATOULA -- Even though the stage was slightly smaller than what Lindsey Cardinale has been used to since appearing on "American Idol," the local star gave a huge heartwarming speech before hundreds of screaming hometown fans.

Unable to sing because of a binding contract with FOX, the 20-year-old top 12 "American Idol" finalist said many "thank yous" to her local entourage Saturday night after the Toast 'n' Jam to the Arts event.

Cardinale, who was eliminated from the hit reality show last week, was escorted through town by the Ponchatoula Police Department in a limousine before being taken to a small stage across from City Hall.

"I don't know where to begin," the girl said, while choking back tears. "I don't think that this many people will be at my first concert.

"I just want to say thank you obviously, and I wouldn't be here today had it not been for every single one of you." she continued. "And I will always remember you, and I will love you forever. And I'll tell you one thing, L.A. was fun, but it is nothing like Ponchatoula."

Thunderous applause and cheers erupted from the crowd as Cardinale spoke.

Among her fans were Joe and Delores Vanderlinden of Ponchatoula.

"She's worked so hard," Delores said. "It's the least we could do is come out and show her support. She's still a winner no matter what."

As for her early elimination, the Vanderlindens expressed their disappointment.

"I thought a couple of the other people should have been booted off," Delores said. "I won't say who. But I thought she did really well."
 
Paula Singer of Ponchaotula, who met Cardinale last year at the Strawberry Festival, was also in attendance.

"She's just a real sweetheart," Singer said. "She's got a beautiful voice. It was disappointing to see her go last week, and I voted about a 125 times. But I think she's going to go further."

Several city and parish officials joined the local singer on stage presenting her with numerous keepsakes including a key to the city, flowers and certificates.

"I don't know if it took me going to 'American Idol' to realize how wonderful my state is and how wonderful my hometown is," Cardinale said. "And if that's the lesson learned, then so be it."

Despite taking harsh criticism from celebrity judge Simon Cowell, Cardinale shared with fans that he hugged her after Wednesday night's performance and told her she was the first performer to exit with class and style.

Agnes Cardinale, the girl's mother, also took the stage singing her daughter's praises.

"I have always been a proud mother, but I guess the biggest night for me was on Wednesday when she was the lady that she is after taking four weeks of bashing from Simon ... she went out with style and class, and I couldn't be any more proud than if she won the title.

"I never shed a tear because my heart is full for her," Agnes said. "She did a class act job when she exited. And again thanks to every one of you, Lindsey is the top 12 'American Idol,' but she'll always be our No. 1."

She also thanked Dr. Ted Hudspeth, organizer of the Jam 'n' Toast for the Arts, for coordinating such events for aspiring performers. Cardinale has been involved as a singer with the event since it's inception five years ago.

"It's things like our Toast 'n' Jam that allows our young talent to express and be able to show the town and now America what they have," Agnes said.

Lindsay Carslile Visits hometown

[aikenseeker]

Local 'idol' comes home to cheering crowd
By Heather Crain
 
PONCHATOULA -- Even though the stage was slightly smaller than what Lindsey Cardinale has been used to since appearing on "American Idol," the local star gave a huge heartwarming speech before hundreds of screaming hometown fans.

Unable to sing because of a binding contract with FOX, the 20-year-old top 12 "American Idol" finalist said many "thank yous" to her local entourage Saturday night after the Toast 'n' Jam to the Arts event.

Cardinale, who was eliminated from the hit reality show last week, was escorted through town by the Ponchatoula Police Department in a limousine before being taken to a small stage across from City Hall.

"I don't know where to begin," the girl said, while choking back tears. "I don't think that this many people will be at my first concert.

"I just want to say thank you obviously, and I wouldn't be here today had it not been for every single one of you." she continued. "And I will always remember you, and I will love you forever. And I'll tell you one thing, L.A. was fun, but it is nothing like Ponchatoula."

Thunderous applause and cheers erupted from the crowd as Cardinale spoke.

Among her fans were Joe and Delores Vanderlinden of Ponchatoula.

"She's worked so hard," Delores said. "It's the least we could do is come out and show her support. She's still a winner no matter what."

As for her early elimination, the Vanderlindens expressed their disappointment.

"I thought a couple of the other people should have been booted off," Delores said. "I won't say who. But I thought she did really well."

 
 
Paula Singer of Ponchaotula, who met Cardinale last year at the Strawberry Festival, was also in attendance.

"She's just a real sweetheart," Singer said. "She's got a beautiful voice. It was disappointing to see her go last week, and I voted about a 125 times. But I think she's going to go further."

Several city and parish officials joined the local singer on stage presenting her with numerous keepsakes including a key to the city, flowers and certificates.

"I don't know if it took me going to 'American Idol' to realize how wonderful my state is and how wonderful my hometown is," Cardinale said. "And if that's the lesson learned, then so be it."

Despite taking harsh criticism from celebrity judge Simon Cowell, Cardinale shared with fans that he hugged her after Wednesday night's performance and told her she was the first performer to exit with class and style.

Agnes Cardinale, the girl's mother, also took the stage singing her daughter's praises.

"I have always been a proud mother, but I guess the biggest night for me was on Wednesday when she was the lady that she is after taking four weeks of bashing from Simon ... she went out with style and class, and I couldn't be any more proud than if she won the title.

"I never shed a tear because my heart is full for her," Agnes said. "She did a class act job when she exited. And again thanks to every one of you, Lindsey is the top 12 'American Idol,' but she'll always be our No. 1."

She also thanked Dr. Ted Hudspeth, organizer of the Jam 'n' Toast for the Arts, for coordinating such events for aspiring performers. Cardinale has been involved as a singer with the event since it's inception five years ago.

"It's things like our Toast 'n' Jam that allows our young talent to express and be able to show the town and now America what they have," Agnes said.

Last updated: Mar 21, 2005 - 17:20:38 EST

Lindsay Carslile Visits hometown

[aikenseeker]

Saturday, March 26, 2005


Hackers are going for gold


By Richard J. Dalton Jr. / Newsday

The world of hacking was once just a nasty, geeky, online version of "American Idol" -- young adults competing to gain recognition. But lately they've been trying to gain money, security professionals said.

"We've seen a definite trend toward monetary gain," said Oliver Friedrichs, senior manager at Symantec Security Response.

From July through December, 54 percent of the top 50 malicious programs sought to steal confidential information, often financial data, up from 44 percent from the previous six months, security software company Symantec Corp. reported.

"This is easy white-collar crime," said Steven Sundermeier, a vice president at security software company Central Command .

The semiautomatic weapon for online criminals: bots, short for robots, a combination of worms, which are self-propagating viruses, and trojans, malicious software secretly installed on a PC.

Hackers covertly install bots on insecure computers and remotely control the PCs. Though bots aren't new, they're increasingly used for criminal purposes, experts said.

Criminals scour the infected PCs for credit card numbers and banking passwords and may steal a person's identity. They can install adware -- software that launches money-making ads -- log keystrokes and turn on a PC's video camera.

One bot Symantec found could receive commands from the hacker via e-mail. Numerous others hijack PCs and use them to send spam. Another bot uses a seized PC to send e-mails to lure people to a replica of a Web site under the hacker's control, routing entered passwords and other sensitive information to the hacker.

Some hackers even sell bots that resist anti-virus protection for $20 to $1,000 to organized crime groups and other hackers, according to TruSecure, a security software company.

As anti-virus companies release vaccinations, hackers craftily tweak their techniques. Symantec found 6,000 new variants of the top three bots in the last half of 2004, nearly 11 times the number from the same period the previous year.

Hackers connect the bots into a network of up to hundreds of thousands of bots, which they can use to overwhelm Web sites with requests, making the sites inaccessible and demanding "protection money."

"They basically say to the online gambling sites 'If you don't pay a certain amount of money we will send our bot army against you,'" said Johannes Ullrich, chief technology officer at the SANS Institute.

It's difficult to trace the crimes to hackers because infected PCs in homes and workplaces do the dirty work, security specialists said.

"An 80-year-old grandma who is just online innocently chatting or e-mailing grandsons or granddaughters may download and execute one of these bots," Sundermeier said. "If any trace routing is done, it comes back to her machine."

Hackers and American Idol

[clay_fan_20]

Schwag Bag: American Idol
FOX comes through with a handy mat to track Idol progress.

March 16, 2005 - The good folks at FOX, not satisfied with producing the most popular show on television, have given the enthusiast press a way to track it, too. Yes, we're talking about American Idol and no, we do not have the Constantine Maroulis glamour shots you've all been asking about.


Instead, we have some shots of the coolest schwag this side of Into the Blue water wings. It's an American Idol fan's dream come true--a magnetic mat that allows you to track the weekly progress of various Idol hopefuls in the top twelve.

Each of the top contestants-- Jessica Sierra, Vonzell Solomon, Lindsay Cardinale, Nadia Turner, Carrie Underwood, Anthony Fedorov, Mikalah Gordon, Bo Bice, Constantine Maroulis, Anwar Robinson, Scott Savol, and Nikko Smith--have their own magnet. Each week, the magnets will move up the board until one remains. At that time, we will crown the 2005 American Idol.

On an interesting side note, the mat originally shipped with a Mario Vazquez magnet, but it was replaced with a brand new Nikko Smith icon when Vazquez dropped out of the competition.

So why are we sharing this with you? From time to time, we like to give you a glimpse at the cool promotional stuff companies send us that the general public never gets to see. We'll be calling the feature Schwag Bag, so look for it across IGN!

American Idol Schwag Bag

how cool! lol i want one!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Pamela]

Viewers aren't believing the "American Idol" mishap
 
Column like we see 'em
By DAVEEN RAE KURUTZ
Columnist
March 28, 2005

It's all a big conspiracy.
I've been watching "American Idol" since the days of Justin and Kelly. I fell in love with the show listening to Clay's voice, and yelled at the judges when Fantasia won.

I've been following this year's "competition" closely. Every season, the judges seem to have their favorites, just like the fans do. This year, Simon and company seem to be enamored with Anwar Robinson and Nadia Turner. With Robinson's smooth voice and trademark dreadlocks, he's a natural to go far in the competition. Turner, on the other hand, is reminiscent of last season's La Toya London. She has stage presence and some real talent, but there's just something missing. Maybe it's the mohawk that threw me off, but after her Tuesday night performance of Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time," I realized that at no point would I even consider voting for her.

After watching Tuesday's performances, I was surprised. Robinson turned in a low-energy performance that wasn't anything special, proving he is mortal after all. Once everyone was finished, I had a feeling about who would be the bottom three: Robinson, Turner and Barbara Streisand-Fran Fine-wannabe Mikalah Gordon. My votes went to Anthony Fedorov, the 19-year-old cutie from Pennsylvania, Bo Bice and Constantine Maroulis, the two rockers-turned-idols. I was eager to see if Turner would finally get the boot.

But no. Like the 30 million other fans who tuned in to see who was saying good-bye that night, I was greeted by Ryan Seacrest reintroducing each contestant and replaying their performances from the night before. Now granted, I was more than glad to watch Maroulis do his head-banger rendition of David Cassidy's "I Think I Love You," but this was ridiculous!

Turns out, the phone numbers run underneath three contestants' names were incorrect. Not the large-print 1-866-IDOLS-01, nor the number that Seacrest read five or 10 times while some contestants reiterated the number with their fingers. It wasn't even the numbers that were shown during the performances.

No, the number that was incorrect was the one in small print, underneath the IDOLS number at the end of the show. This left the slim possibility that fans who wanted to vote for Gordon would end up casting one for Fedorov, and so on.

So what did Idol's officials do? They decided to hold a re-vote.

Now, I didn't say anything when Ruben Studdard beat out Aiken by a small margin of votes when every Aiken fan I knew couldn't get through, but Ruben supporters could. But this?

Isn't it just a bit interesting that after two of judge Randy Jackson's favorite contestants put forth lackluster performances that there had to be a re-vote?

Even more interesting is the fact that the show was recorded on Monday, and producers "weren't aware" of the problem until Tuesday night.

Now, I don't know if it's just me, but I'm starting to wonder about these "American Idol" people. The contestants that Cowell and Jackson dislike are tossed off the show faster than Ryan Seacrest's talk-show career. It's not America's voice that is heard here -- it's the producers of the show.

Now how is that fair? "American Idol" brings in almost 30 million viewers twice a week, every week, monopolizing the Neilson ratings. The show has taken Fox from a has-been network, specializing in shows that capitalize on the dirtiest of America's laundry, to a ratings contender. The revenue the show generates in advertising is astronomical. Do the producers honestly need to go so far as to manipulate the results of their shows based on whom they think America wants to see?  

Whether or not the "idol malfunction" was deliberate or not, die-hard fans will always have a bit of a doubt in the back of their minds when it comes to the integrity of their beloved show. Will this hinder ratings? Do Americans feel their vote still counts? We'll see next week how many viewers tune in and vote.

As for the final results of that show, Fedorov, Gordon and Turner were in the bottom three, with Fedorov being the last to be told and the first to be relieved. Seacrest asked the judges which of the two ladies they thought deserved a second chance, causing Paula Abdul to abstain and Jackson to endorse Turner.

The loser? You guessed it -- Gordon. Gee, looks like Jackson was right again.

Now if only he would use his power for the forces of good and get rid of that "Seacrest out."

PITT NEWS

[houstonclayfan]

Reported on ET tonight:

''Idol'''s Scott has domestic violence rap sheet. The finalist once roughed up the mother of his child, resulting in a restraining order and court-mandated anger management by Gary Susman
 

RAP SHEET Savol has one
 
No season of American Idol would be complete without The Smoking Gun digging up a rap sheet on a contestant. This time, it's 28-year-old finalist Scott Savol. TSG reports that, on Valentine's Day 2001, the big-voiced balladeer was arrested on a domestic violence rap in his hometown of Shaker Heights, Ohio, with his then-girlfriend, the mother of his infant son, Brandon.

The Smoking Gun found Savol's mug shot and police report, where Shaker Heights police described the breakup of Savol and Michele Martin. Police said Savol, who was moving out, had called her ''vulgar names,'' grabbed her hand, and pulled the engagement ring from her finger, then said he was taking the baby. When she threatened to call 911, he shoved her, grabbed the phone, and threw it at her chest, breaking the phone in the process, the report said. Savol had left by the time police arrived at Martin's house.

Martin initially sought just a restraining order on him, but the next day, she signed a warrant for his arrest. Savol eventually struck a plea deal, accepting a misdemeanor charge of disorderly conduct. He was fined $500, given a year's probation, ordered to take an anger management course, and placed under a protective order for a year at Martin's request.

It's not clear what effect, if any, this information will have on Savol's status as an Idol finalist. Two years ago, Fox and the show's producers booted finalist Corey Clark for failing to disclose to them an arrest for allegedly assaulting his 15-year-old sister, which hadn't come to light during his background check because his name had been misspelled in a police report. (Clark, who police said scuffled with arresting officers, ultimately reached a plea agreement, pleading no contest to a reduced charge of obstructing legal process.)

Did Savol tell Fox about his rap sheet? A network spokesperson declined EW.com's request for comments on Savol. But Savol certainly didn't hint to Idol viewers that he had any skeletons in his closet. In a posting on the Idol website, when asked to name his most embarrassing moment, Savol replied, ''I don't have any.''
 
(Posted:03/31/05)

http://www.ew.com/ew/report/0,6115,1044242_10_0_,00.html

[Misha]

I don't know if we're allowed to make comments in the news area.  But I will say something about this article.

Doesn't surprise me.  Not in the least.

We saw his nature in the Hollywood auditions in the way he treated his "group" and quite honestly... there's just something about his eyes that unnerves me.  Especially when you stop the TV right after Simon made his comment about wanting Scott to be out.  If looks could kill, Simon'd be dead right about now.

I won't say everything I think about him trying to play the "religious" card.  

[stellium]

I think this is being blown totally out of proportion.   Last night before I went to bed, one of the entertainment shows opened this by saying Scott had beaten his girlfriend.   But she states several times in the police report on Smoking Gun that she was not hurt in any way.

It was pleaded down to a misdemeanor,  according to MSNBC this morning,  and he took a year of domestic counseling.    He did not beat her,  she was not injured,  and they worked it out between them later.

Now the couple is talking of getting married,  according to the article I posted here from his hometown paper that interviewed their families.   Scott has participated in raising his son,  because the daycare school when Scott dropped him off and picked him up described what a nice person he was with his boy.  

Why do we have to hold these contestants on American Idol to a higher level of perfection than everyone else?    Young couples fight and break up and make up,  he grabbed her arm when she said she was calling 911,  and he threw the phone at her.   He had just been told he was losing his baby son,  which he stated in his Idol interview was the proudest moment of his life when he was born three weeks before this incident.    It seems some understanding is in order here for a young couple under stress and pressure,  living with her mother.

We can't be puppets to a sensationalist media like Smoking Gun,  when a young man's career is at stake for the rest of his life,  and he has no other arrest record in his life except this one.   If he were an angry, violent person,  there would be by this age,  fights and arrests ,  but there is not.

I hope we can be fair here.   If he didn't tell the producers he was arrested,  he will have to go,  and even if he did,  people won't vote for him now unless Idol decides to have the actual facts made clear.

But I wish for once the public would not jump to conclusions,  condemning him because they don't like his looks.   This isn't that big of deal.

[stellium]

Arrest won't cost 'Idol' finalist
From staff reports
A previous arrest won't cost American Idol finalist Scott Savol his chance to continue in the hit Fox singing competition. Thesmokinggun.com Web site Thursday posted a Shaker Heights, Ohio, police report citing Savol's arrest following a 2001 altercation with the mother of his then-infant son.
Savol, 28, one of nine remaining Idol finalists, had previously told Idol producers of the misdemeanor disorderly conduct conviction that resulted from the incident.

According to a statement issued by Fox and Idol producers Thursday night: "Scott Savol was forthcoming to the American Idol producers and the network regarding his misdemeanor.

After reviewing the facts, in which the charges were reduced to disorderly conduct, we felt that considering Scott's honesty and his remorse, the situation did not warrant his disqualification."

[GWENN]

I FIND ABSOLUTELY NO EXCUSE FOR WHAT SCOTT DID.  IF THE WOMAN WAS GOING TO CALL 911, THEN SCOTT DID SOMETHING.  I AM ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS NEVER AN EXCUSE FOR VIOLENCE OF ANY KIND.  TOWARDS ANYONE.  I HAVE BEEN MARRIED FOR OVER 28 YEARS TO A MAN WHO HAS A TEMPER AND HE WOULD NEVER, EVER THROW ANYTHING AT ME OR GRAB  ME IN A VIOLENT WAY.  IT'S CALLED RESPECT.  

AS FAR AS THEM GETTING BACK TOGETHER---WE ALL KNOW THAT SOME WOMEN ALLOW THEMSELVES TO BE ABUSED OVER AND OVER.  IT DOESN'T MAKE IT RIGHT.  IT DOESN'T EXCUSE HIM.  THERE IS SOMETHING IN HIS EYES THAT MANY OF US SEE THAT IS SCARY.  NOW I KNOW WHY.

REMEMBER THAT THIS SHOW IS CALLED AMERICAN IDOL--IDOL--NOT AMERICA'S GOOD SINGER.  AN IDOL IS SOMEONE TO BE ADMIRED OR LOOK UP TO.  I DO NOT THINK THAT SCOTT IS THAT.

BTW--THE ARTICLE ALSO MENTIONS THAT SCOTT HAD OTHER POLICE ISSUES WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER.  NOT GONNA GET INTO THOSE.

GWENN

[cjrmax]

If he were an angry, violent person, there would be by this age, fights and arrests , but there is not.

Unfortunately, this is not true.  Many, many acts of violence go unreported for a variety of reasons - especially instances of domestic violence.  Most "fights" do not result in an arrest.  He could very well be an angry, violent person and not have any other arrests on his record.  It happens all the time.

From the first time I saw Scott he gave me the creeps.  He looks - well, evil.  There is something about his eyes.  They say eyes are the windows to the soul.  Well, what I see in his slitty little eyes is a very dark soul.

That said, if he fulfilled all the requirements of American Idol by disclosing his arrest and there is nothing in the rules of the show that disqualifies a person depending on what the arrest is for, they cannot disqualify him.  If he was forthcoming, as required, then there is nothing they can do.  It was inevitable that it would come out publically and I am sure the producers and Scott knew this.  

I find what he did appalling. He scares the crap out of me and this revelation did not surprise me in any way, shape or form.  I agree with Misha (hi Misha!!   ) about that look he shot Simon!  I remember at the time thinking Simon might want to hire some security!  It gave me chills!  But, rules are rules and if he has followed them, he should not be bounced.  I personally think this week's performance was the reason he should be off the show, but that is another story!

[stellium]

I know you guys have said this before about him,  but I see him as someone who is very sensitive and very proud,  always standing up for what he believes are his rights.    Yes, he has an image problem and his personality is not bright and cheery and compromising or diplomatic,  but underneath there is a man who is a human being and has done some good things in his life.  

He inherited his looks.   The Idol people have seen something in him,  as have the people in his town of Cleveland where he worked as a correctional officer in a prison.

We have a Correctional facility like the one where Scott has been employed, where some of the parents of our students work, so I've been aware at the extensive background checks done on these guards and advisors who work there. He would not have been hired if he had a history of trouble with the law.   They know his background, whether arrest reports were filed or not.   I don't think we should assume the worst because of his looks or one fight with his girlfriend.

This is from the article of his local newspaper inteviews about him last month, from his church pastor and the local people:
******************
"The pastor thinks it's more important for members to be at home, one hand on the cell phone and one hand on the land line, casting their votes.

"We want him to win."

And church members aren't the only ones. Savol's local fan base is big. It includes the inmates at the Cuyahoga County Corrections Center, where he worked as a corrections officer; parents and kids at his son's preschool."
CLEVELAND PLAIN DEALER, CLEVELAND, OHIO; March 16,2005
jwashington@plaind.com, Julie Washington, Reporter

[cjrmax]

In the end, I don't think Scott will win.  I believe this would have been true even if this revelation had never come out.  As much as I have never liked him,. this was the first week I truly thought he was the worst performer.  He should have been voted off this week - and it would have preceeded all this scandal.

Will this arrest record hasten his departure?  Maybe, then again it could just serve to solidify his fan base and keep him around longer than he deserves based on his performances.

Stellium, I admire your ability to see good in him.  You're a better person than I am!  As much as he gives me the creeps I do believe we all are allowed mistakes in our lives and no matter how bad a mistake may be it doesn't mean we are beyond hope and can never turn our lives around.  If it is true this was an isolated incident and he really is a nice guy (which personally I doubt!), then he should not be condemned for this.

In the end, this will not matter.  It won't effect the final results.  It will be yesterday's news in a week.

[stellium]

Yes,  I agree,   I know it doesn't matter for the contest.   I am more concerned with how the public jumps to condemnation so quickly,  when they might have been involved in a fight with someone at sometime in their own lives where their temper rose and maybe someone threw something,  usually the girl throwing something at the guy !

Why are we willing to condemn him for one fight with his girlfriend where he grabbed her arm and threw a telephone, four years ago right after his baby was born and he didn't know if he would ever be able to see him again? This is not violence.

I have long believed the scariest element of this puritanical country we live in is not the gangs, the criminals, the terrorists, as much as ourselves, our hypocrisy, our quickness to judge and condemn, our burning little girls at the stake as witches in the beginning of America because they might be witches. We have never changed.

The scariest thing of all is how a group of people can be manipulated by suggestion, how they gang up and try to tear a person apart at the slightest suggestion of guilt.

Sorry,  I'll get off my soapbox now.    As a schooteacher,  it is one of my strongest push-button issues.

[Pamela]

Posted on the Fox AI Forum:

A Statement from Scott's Aunt

(Scott ~ Bring it home! ~ Aunt Janet):  

This is my 'official' statement regarding the Smoking Gun report that was posted on the Internet today. This is my one and only comment regarding this subject on these message boards. I will not be responding to any posts made in this thread or on this subject.

First and foremost, American Idol was and is fully aware of this incident. Scott was very up front with any information regarding his past - American Idol asked and Scott bared his entire past, keeping nothing hidden from them.

Taken from the Smoking Gun story: "At that point, according to the police report, Savol shoved Martin, pulled a phone from her hand, and then threw it at Martin, striking her in the chest."

Michele states that the phone did not hit her in the chest but the phone hit the wall. When the police came the following day to take pictures, they took a picture of the damage done to the wall. Michele does not remember them taking a picture of anything other than her hand, which did not show any injury.

Taken from the Smoking Gun story: "Martin, then 21, initially said she did not want Savol to be prosecuted, but rather sought a "restraining order on him." The following day, however, she signed a warrant for his arrest."

Taken from the police report: "She also stated that she did not want to prosecute the suspect"

Michele is very adamant about the fact that she did not want Scott prosecuted. She says the police prosecuted Scott without her support. She wrote a letter to the court on Scott's behalf and the charges were then reduced to a misdemeanor.

Scott began working for the Cuyahoga County Department of Corrections in December 2000. When the above incident occured, he immediately informed his superiors who investigated the incident. Scott never heard any more about this incident at work.

In April of 2002 Scott became a State Certified Corrections Officer. In June of 2004 Scott was hired by a security company to work as a security officer.

Scott made a mistake, paid his dues, changed his life for the better and moved on.

My opinion is that in a singing contest, a person should be judged on their singing.  However, the public is supposed to be choosing an "idol" and for whatever that may mean to an individual, Scott's actions, however benign the truth may be, are not those of an "idol." This information will most likely erode Scott's fan base a bit, but I don't think he was going to win the thing anyway so it probably won't make that big of a difference as to when he leaves the show.

I don't see anyone condemning Scott; I see people who didn't like him to start with for various reasons and this is just another one.  I don't see anyone rushing to judgement; I see people with strong feelings about domestic violence, or violence in general.  As for throwing a telephone being violence, I believe that is a subjective call.

I know he's only human; but I can't help but lose respect for anyone who engages in any type of domestic violence. No shades of gray there for me; violence is not acceptable in any shape, form or fashion.  But he does have a lovely voice, nevertheless.  I'm glad he knows he made a mistake, and hope he never repeats it.

[stellium]

I'm so glad to read this family account by his aunt and know that he did not throw the phone at her,  he hit the wall.    And that she refused to do anything to have him prosecuted,  that the police did it on their own.  

Scary that a person can get a police record on such minor things.

It helps us get real and stay in reality,  not some perfect ivory tower kind of thinking.