Diana DeGarmo in OZ

You may or may not know this about me, but I was a HUGE Diana DeGarmo fan during Season 3. I'm not sure what it was about her but I was really pulling for her to win. Since her 2nd place finish to Fantasia she released her album (which I loved) and has been in various touring theatre productions, including playing Maria in West Side Story (which I saw in NorCal).

I try to keep tabs on my girl and when I saw this YouTube clip, I wanted to share it to make sure her name stays out in the universe. I'm still hoping for her to record a second album (there was a lot of speculation about her going country...) but until then, enjoy her in a new production of show called "OZ, The Musical" (not "The Wizard of Oz" or "Wicked") which is being directed by the guy who did "A Color Purple" on Broadway!

Fantasia!?

Hell to the NO! Why comes, Tay Tay? Why comes?

This recently leaked picture of Fantasia on vacation shows a little more of our Idol than we wanted to see (ok, maybe a lot more!) Why would Fantasia go out and do something like this? Yeesh!

After seeing this, I need to cleanse my palette a little. Where are the shirtless pics of Chris Richardson?

Thanks to lovebscott.com for posting the pics.

Revisionist Idol - Season 3

1. Fantasia Barrino (actual finish, 1st)

2. Diana DeGarmo (2nd)

3. LaToya London (4th): Here's where we start to diverge from the historical record. Many felt she was robbed; I have to admit some degree of satisfaction that she won third place in this poll, displacing Jasmine Trias, whom I couldn't buy as a third-place Idol (she equates to the equally overrated Nikki McKibbin, rather than other, more stellar third-placers such as Kimberley Locke, Vonzell Solomon, Elliott Yamin and Melinda Doolittle. Speaking of Melinda, LaToya seems highly comparable to her and Tamyra Gray -- undeniably excellent singers whose cooler demeanors (as opposed to the more fiery Fantasias and LaKishas) seemed to arouse indifference in the hearts of Idol voters.

4. Jennifer Hudson (7th): Before we started on Season 3, I thought Jennifer might make it all the way to No. 2 based on her subsequent high profile. Indeed, she did very well, but a lot of people were still put off by her personality and unimpressed by her inconsistency. This placing seems pretty close to justice in my book -- she definitely didn't deserve to go out as soon as she did, but Fantasia cleaned her clock on the show. (We'll see what happens in the record marketplace when Jennifer puts her album out.)

5. George Huff (5th): I thought of George as an inferior version of Ruben, but probably more family-friendly. Given more of a shot, Brandon Rogers may have aspired to George's level.

6. Amy Adams (10th)
7. Camile Velasco (9th)
8. Jasmine Trias (3rd): Huge drop from the 2004 result, belated recognition, I like to think, that she was way over her head in finishing third.
9. Jon Peter Lewis (8th)
10. Leah Labelle (12th): I wonder who the most undeserving 12th-place finisher is -- Leah? Vanessa? Or some of the names to come?
11. Matthew Rogers (11th): Ended up matching his actual finishing point. Works for me. A friendly disposition is not enough to make an Idol.
12. John Stevens (6th): Poor Red.

That's my girl!

Diana DeGarmo has always been one of my favorite contestants on American Idol. That big voice coming from such a tiny (white) girl always got me so excited! I'm even one of the few that bought her album, and enjoyed it! Since Idol, Diana has grown into her skin and has been successful on two Broadway shows.

People Magazine recently caught up with her and *WOW*, she looks good:

American Idol Appearance: Season 3 (2004)
How She Did: 2nd place
Diana DeGarmo has kept busy recording an album and starring in the Broadway musical Hairspray. Her latest big accomplishment? Dropping three dress sizes to a size 4!

“The first time I put on size 26 waist jeans, I was jumping around the store,” says DeGarmo, 19, who’s lost the weight by changing her diet (staples include fish and brown rice) and working out four times a week.