Does American Idol Open Doors?
Let's See Where Past American Idols Have Landed
American Idol served as a launching pad for some contestants' careers while other Idol contestants never quite saw the same success.
Phoenix, Arizona just celebrated native Jordin Sparks making it into the final 12 contestants on American Idol. The Arizona Republic quoted Sparks' personal trainer, Kris Siegrest, as saying, "This was a big cut. I was relieved that she made it...It's going to open up so many doors for her." But in all honesty, will it?
The American Dream
The show that touts the American dream has been very kind to some contestants while other Idols have disappeared from the national spotlight altogether. There are certainly some idols who experienced overnight success, like Kelly Clarkson and Jennifer Hudson, who otherwise would have toiled through years of Hollywood dues paying.
From Kelly to Stardom
Clarkson won the inaugural season of American Idol and is the most successful Idol yet, proving you just can't beat an original. Her runner up, Justin Guarini, dropped out of sight after Idol. Lately, he's cut his hair and launched a new website schilling a new jazz record, Stranger Things Have Happened. He's also pimping the rather unsuccessful From Justin to Kelly film for the price of $9.98.
Ruben Studdard won the second year and went on to sell not as many albums as his runner up, Clay Aiken. He also became vegetarian and lost some weight.
Claymates and Lifetime TV
Aiken went on to have an intense teen girl following known as "Claymates" while closely guarding his sexuality. He also had a tussle with Regis & Kelly's Kelly Ripa last year because he put his hand over her mouth, a definite no-no with Ripa. Big Mama Rosie O'Donnell jumped to Aiken's defense.
Fantasia Barrino was the season three winner, but where is runner up Diana DeGarmo now? She's acting as Penny Pingleton in Hairspray on Broadway and spent last year fending off a stalker who hacked into her MySpace page. Barrino did her own Lifetime movie, an autobiography called The Fantasia Barrino Story.
Not Everyone Goes Big, But at Least They Don't Go Home
Tamyra Gray, who undoubtedly got kicked off way too soon in the competition that first season, went on to do not much more than write a song for the third season's finalists to sing.
Jasmine Trias is a hit in Asia and will be the MTV News/TRL American Idol correspondent this year.
Underwood Capitalizes on Country's Hot Moment
Carrie Underwood has obviously been a smash country music success, her every single lapped up by the hungry hounds of country radio. She hit at a time when country records are the ones selling best in America so it's safe to say she was exactly the right girl at the right time to make the record she made.
Hicks Vs. Daughtry in Record Sales
Taylor Hicks' record sales have had a rough time, but Chris Daughtry's band Daughtry is selling albums all over the place fueled by a hit single and hot video for It's Not Over on MTV and VH1.
The Fabulous Come-From-Behind Big Star
Jennifer Hudson may not have won the title of American Idol, but she went on to outshine Beyonce in Dreamgirls and then even won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for it. She went from the Idol stage to the world stage by performing at the Oscars. Her hometown even threw a special day for her.
Antonella Barba Pics Becomes Ubiquitous Search Term Online
This season's contestant, Antonella Barba, has already survived and thrived on her nude (or slightly nude) photo scandal. Already speculation of a Playboy spread has hit the Internet. Those now infamous Antonella Barba pics have traveled far and wide on the Internet. Anyone who hasn't seen them must have just gotten out of a convent, incidentally the kind of place that would be great to photograph Barba. Sacrilegious, oh yes. But this is the girl who posed on the World War II Memorial. If she sticks with taking hot pictures in scandalous places, this girl may just have a brand as a model. Besides, her MySpace page says she went to Catholic University of America. (If that is indeed her official MySpace page). The producer of Girls Gone Wild has already come knocking at Barba's door looking for a star.
Take It Easy
Many Idols have taken much simpler routes. They have released gospel albums, gone back to high school, and performed on small stages. A couple Idols have ended up at the Berklee College of Music in Boston, so we're likely to hear from them again. That would be Jon Stevens and Leah LaBelle, who run into each other in the school's halls.
Idol Does Open Doors
Idol comes out to being like anything in life. Those with the natural talent and a hardcore work ethic will make it and do well. It would be impossible for every contestant from each season's top 12 to go on to make hit records and do world tours. If that were the case, that would be 72 American Idols topping the charts! There's just not enough room at the inn. It's hard to predict who will do what, who will flop and who will soar.
So does American Idol open some doors for its stars? Yes. It gives each contestant an amazing opportunity and it becomes what you make of it - again - like anything in life. It's that anything-in-life factor that attracts contestants to Idol year after year, eager to impress and give it their all to make it in the entertainment business.
