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« The Great American Idol Blog
Brooke White: Surviving Idol
Brooke White and Ryan Seacrest by Ray Mickshaw/Fox
After a tearful exit from the Idol competition at the edge of its final frontier, Brooke White is nothing but grateful for the experience she had on the show, and knows that she's a survivor.
Speaking to press Thursday, White confided that she'd had her bags packed for two weeks before she was actually voted off the show Wednesday night. But when she woke up Wednesday morning, she said, she knew that it was her final day. "Weird, I know" she admitted, but somehow, she was right. On Tuesday, she took to the piano and the guitar for two Neil Diamond songs, the first of which, "I'm a Believer," Simon deemed "a nightmare." Despite the fact that White recovered nicely for her second song, "I Am, I Said," it wasn't enough to save her another week. "Boom, it hit me" she says of the moment of truth. "This is over." Racing her through her mind as the tears ran down her cheeks was "the fear of going back into the real world, and what does the future hold?" She told reporters, "I hoped so much that I could have been stronger. I'm an emotional girl and I'm passionate, and that came through on the stage."
In the aftermath, White reflected on the previous weeks of performances and how she managed her own, very public vulnerability and confidence issues. White also conceded that, in a certain way, getting the Idol ax was a relief. Her self-confidence issues, for example, "escalated at times ... [and] at other times I felt like I had a better handle on it." And in this last week, the preparation for two songs and instruments was a lot to tackle. Given the deep emotions that surfaced for her throughout — and the pressure that goes with it — White said, "in that sense, it does feel kind of good to be done with that, but I was welcoming the challenge as well."
Apparently, though, White wasn't the only one under pressure this week, which made her all the more understanding of other show issues Commenting on Paula Abdul's uncomfortable Tuesday gaffe, White reminded us that it is, after all, live TV, and that, regardless of verbal trip-ups, Paula's a "good-hearted woman."
Yet, even under the pressure, White rose to the challenge, lasting longer, it seemed, than even she expected. The voting was something she knew was out of her hands. "You never know what's going to happen, you take what you can get," she said. Plus, the Michael Johns effect didn't help matters. "Ever since Michael Johns went home," White said, "there's been this question in my mind, like, 'how long do I get?'" She added, though, that "you only have so much control in this situation."
One of the things out of White's hands was her gender. The Idol boys definitely attract a big following, something that was not lost on Carly Smithson, who commented on such following her exit, or no Brooke, who could see the popularity disparity in the daily mail deliveries. The boys, she said, get "great, humungous" piles of fan mail daily — leaps and bounds bigger than the couple of letters each of the girls receive. "Oh, to be a boy this year!" she joked. Of course, she gives the girls props, but there was no doubt that the charm-talent combo among the remaining male contestants isn't a factor in their longevity.
Throughout all her ups and downs, however, White had strong support from her own fans, family and husband, who vowed not to cut his hair until she was off the show. Praising him Thursday, she said, "He's a very laid-back fellow with great perspective, I've been very fortunate to find a guy who can hang with me through this." White also cited her Mormon faith -- Idol finalist David Archuleta is also a Mormon -- as a source of solace. White, however, brushed off any deeper link between Idol success and Mormonism, speaking more in personal terms. "It's just part of my life," she said. "It brought me a lot of peace throughout the competition."
If White had continued in the contest, we might have seen songs by Fleetwood Mac, James Taylor or Joni Mitchell — possibilities we'll have to wait for when she releases the album she hopes to make. In the meantime, though, White is digesting the Idol experience. She said, "It's been quite a ride." — Anna Dimond
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May 1, 2008 2:32 PM
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In my estimation, this is the weakest AI ever. My suggestion? I think the program ought to take a year's hiatus. Just maybe the producer and director could put some more time into developing a new outlook, maybe new judges, and do away with the televised audition process, which is sad to say the least, and just serves to cater to the "nutcases". Let the judges pick the top 40-50, and then let the TV audience choose. It would help become less of a popularity contest if the judges "marks" would be added in to the phone-in vote .. like DWTS.
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May 1, 2008 2:39 PM
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Brooke - I'm anxiously awaiting that album, girl!!!
xoxoxox
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May 1, 2008 6:33 PM
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I think Syesha should have gone before Carly and Brooke. Syesha should be the next to go, then Jason.
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May 1, 2008 7:18 PM
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Brooke honey,
You did not deserve to be voted off of American Idol last night. I expected you to be in the Top 2 along with David Cook. All of your performances were amazing and blew me away. I see you as the new Carly Simon, and I hope she will be able to contact you somehow and be your mentor in this crazy world of recording music. Also, the fact that you can play the piano and guitar as well sing is beyond words yet brilliant. Down the road when the going gets tough (and it will) just put on that big smile of yours and always be as pleasant and gracious as you were on this show. You can make any bad day a good one with your talents and just being yourself. Your husband is one lucky guy!Good luck to you, sweetie!!!
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May 1, 2008 11:30 PM
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Brooke should have definitely been in the top two. Can't wait for her album, I've brought every song of hers on itunes. AI needs to restrict the number of calls from each land line/cell phone because it is so unfair that some people can make hundreds of calls while others can't get through once. Other reality shows restrict, AI should follow. They also need to get objective judges.
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May 2, 2008 12:42 AM
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Brooke White is great for the industry, she's beautiful, has a great Carly Simon-esque quality to her, and she's REAL. I think she will be more successful than any of the contestants remaining on the show. That is one lucky man she's married to!
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May 2, 2008 1:48 AM
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She was my favorite this season and I hope she doesn't let the comments about her emotions get to her. Quite frankly, I'm surprised that she's the first contestant to really show how much of a toll the contest takes on them.
I look forward to her first post-AI album.
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May 2, 2008 11:55 AM
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I agree with Joaten....I seriously hope American Idol restricts the number of calls from each landline in future seasons. I think the contestants that the adult audiences prefer get fewer votes because adults aren't going to be dialing and redialing and redialing...unless they're friends or family of the contestants. So the teenybopper contestants go much further than they ought to each season.
Wouldn't you all LOVE to see who the real American Idols were if the votes were recounted that way?
Or does AI want to appear to have a higher viewership by boasting these inflated numbers each week? Maybe they don't have incentive to change.
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May 2, 2008 1:37 PM
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I wish Brooke all the success in the world, but I couldn't imagine her ever making it to the final 2. I think it has been a foregone conclusion since week 3 that David Cook and David Archuleta will be in the final this year. Nobody else has been nearly as consistent week to week as the two of them, and they never seem to be anywhere close to the bottom 2 or 3. David vs. David will happen, as Syesha leaves this week followed by Jason Castro next.
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May 2, 2008 1:58 PM
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Brooke is great but, like most of the other quality performers, the Idol format won't let someone like her win. I gave up voting last year when it became clear that the vote was controlled by 13 year old girls (Sanjaya). Also, Idol is making a ton of side money by featuring songs by older performers that are releasing an album soon, and not on how their music fits the format of the show. They shouldn't use this show to try to breathe life into a has been! Finally, I just have to say how creeped out I am by seeing all of these 30-60 year old women in the audience holding signs or almost feinting over the sight of 17 year old boy!
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May 2, 2008 2:17 PM
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I’d have to agree that this is the least talented bunch of contestants to date. I stopped watching this season a few weeks ago because it didn’t seem like anyone but David Cook was improving! All AI contestants seem talent less compared to the contestants on Nashville Star, and I don’t even like country music!!
To improve AI they need to get rid of Paula, she gives the show a bad name! She always seems either drunk or drugged up, she can’t spit out her words, and she’s always rambling on.
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May 2, 2008 2:40 PM
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My wife and I started watching AI this season once the top 12 were decided. We initially commented that the 12 seemed to be the most talented group in recent years. However, lately, they seem to be going backwards with only David Cook holding his own or improving each week. The others, from about 10 still in it down to this week's shows, seem to be hiding, picking safe songs that don't challenge them, or just plain running scared. Is it because they all realize David Cook is going to win so there's no point in competing? But that is a defeatist attitude; he's not perfect, he can have bad weeks, he could end up vulnerable, he might upset the tweens who do all the voting, etc. So come on people, let's have a competition instead of a coronation! We still want DC to win because he has the most talent and is using it and showing it week after week, but let's not have the other contestants declare the thing over with just yet!
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May 2, 2008 2:52 PM
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