// BEGIN editorial data var i = 0; var IdolSmackdown = new Array(); IdolSmackdown.ID = "IdolSmackdown"; IdolSmackdown.ID_WB = 16489532; IdolSmackdown.sPubDate = "1/5/2007 10:29:59 PM GMT"; IdolSmackdown.navsectionID = "3032449" IdolSmackdown.appFmt = 2; IdolSmackdown.itemsPerPage = 1; IdolSmackdown.appWidth = 460; IdolSmackdown.appHeader = ""; IdolSmackdown.appNavStyle = 3; IdolSmackdown.appLayout = 3; IdolSmackdown.copyMargin = 9; IdolSmackdown[i++] = new Array("","Kelly Clarkson, season-one winner","","http://msnbcmedia3.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/z_Projects_in_progress/_Ent/American_Idol/061217_ent_app_Idol_clarkson.vsmall.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "198", "119", "", "", "", "", ""); IdolSmackdown[i-1].body = "
Kelly Clarkson proves that what it really takes to escape the \"Idol\" image is patience. Just after her 2002 victory, in which she played the powerful sweetheart card, Kelly sat still for the release of her first single, the contractually required treacle \"A Moment Like This.\" Like most winners' first singles, it was essentially a hymn to the glory of winning \"American Idol.\" In 2003, Kelly put out her first album, \"Thankful,\" endured an appearance in the bomb \"From Justin To Kelly,\" and waited. In late 2004, more than two years after she got the break that was supposed to bring instant success, Kelly finally released \"Breakaway,\" her enormously successful sophomore album featuring the durable, infectious \"Since U Been Gone.\" Now preparing her third album, Kelly has just about shaken the \"Idol\" stigma without much of a break in her ubiquity. And in doing so, she's drawn a map for others to follow, if they're willing to wait. And wait."; IdolSmackdown[i++] = new Array("","Justin Guarini, season-one runner-up","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/z_Projects_in_progress/_Ent/American_Idol/061217_ent_app_Idol_guarini.vsmall.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "198", "119", "", "", "", "", ""); IdolSmackdown[i-1].body = "
These days, \"From Justin To Kelly\" is not only the title of a movie flop. It's shorthand for \"from one end of the spectrum to the other.\" While Kelly Clarkson has made herself a pop phenomenon, her runner-up has become something of a punch line. Justin's first album failed to make a dent in the popular consciousness, and his next effort, a jazz album, did no better. Justin was, in many ways, a larger phenomenon than Kelly through most of the first season, and he was unquestionably the first water-cooler name the show ever produced. From his first audition, he dominated the discussion until just before Kelly beat him out. Given the momentum he should have had, his lack of success since then proves that pop success is, at least in part, a game of chance."; IdolSmackdown[i++] = new Array("","Ruben Studdard, season-two winner","","http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/z_Projects_in_progress/_Ent/American_Idol/061217_ent_app_Idol_studdard.vsmall.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "198", "119", "", "", "", "", ""); IdolSmackdown[i-1].body = "
Ruben actually won the second season of \"Idol,\" though you may remember it as The Season Of Aiken. With three albums down -- two R&B and one gospel -- Ruben hasn't had the success of Kelly, Carrie, or Clay, but he's slowly building a good career for himself, and at least hasn't done anything tremendously embarrassing (see: Justin Guarini). Ruben's victory was, of course, muted by controversy fueled by fans who did not believe it was possible for Clay to lose, but since then, Ruben has continued to sing well. His significant weight loss can only help him stand up to the demanding performance schedule of any successful artist, and the slow build was, after all, what worked for Kelly.
"; IdolSmackdown[i++] = new Array("","Clay Aiken, season-two runner-up","","http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/z_Projects_in_progress/_Ent/American_Idol/061217_ent_app_Idol_aiken.vsmall.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "198", "119", "", "", "", "", ""); IdolSmackdown[i-1].body = "
The not-so-secret secret of \"American Idol\" is that while it's nominally aimed at teenagers, most of the music is pure adult contemporary, and Clay Aiken emerged from the show as a classic and carefully packaged adult contemporary icon. His first regular album was successful, his Christmas album even more so. He makes a boatload of money playing to his unerringly adoring audiences, many of whom follow him from show to show and couldn't care less whether he is savaged by critics, as he was for his most recent album of romantic covers. Furthermore, he's managed to keep himself in the spotlight via a series of gossipy semi-scandals he claims to try to avoid. Naysayers see Clay as a latter-day Wayne Newton -- lounge Vegas for the under-20 crowd -- but Newton, like cheese-tastic icons since time immemorial, laughed all the way to the bank. Not being a workable songwriter means Clay will never be Barry Manilow, but certainly Pat Boone is a possibility."; IdolSmackdown[i++] = new Array("","Fantasia Barrino, season-three winner","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/z_Projects_in_progress/_Ent/American_Idol/061217_ent_app_Idol_Barrino.vsmall.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "198", "119", "", "", "", "", ""); IdolSmackdown[i-1].body = "
You know you've made it when Lifetime makes your inspirational story into a movie in which you play yourself, as happened to Fantasia in August 2006. Working within a season rich in talented women (including LaToya London and the now-famous Jennifer Hudson), Fantasia managed to stand out, and her rendition of \"Summertime\" will probably never be displaced as one of the finest performances the show has ever had. Her first album, which included the obligatory \"I Believe,\" her finale song, was successful, but before the release of her second album in late 2006, she ditched her \"Idol\"-affiliated managers, just as several others have done. While she has yet to hit huge, Fantasia is an artist who, one senses, has not yet had the opportunity to do very many of the projects she would have chosen. What becomes of her will depend on the quality of her choices, but she will always have that movie about herself, and not everyone can say that."; IdolSmackdown[i++] = new Array("","Diana DeGarmo, season-three runner-up","","http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/z_Projects_in_progress/_Ent/American_Idol/061217_ent_app_Idol_DeGarmo.vsmall.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "198", "119", "", "", "", "", ""); IdolSmackdown[i-1].body = "
Diana was outgunned when she went up against Fantasia in the third-season finale. She appeared to be a gifted but overly coached kid, similar to what might come out of too many childhood talent shows. Diana didn't always seem to have a handle on the emotional side of performing, in spite of her obvious natural talent. While Diana did put an album out, she found true success when she landed on Broadway in the musical \"Hairspray\" and earning consistently excellent reviews for her supporting role. She has found herself what could be a long-term home by embracing what many who watch \"Idol\" already know: this isn't about real popular music. If it were, it wouldn't be about Elton John and Diane Warren. What it's about is theater kids from high school being given a great big stage.
"; IdolSmackdown[i++] = new Array("","Carrie Underwood, season-four winner","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/z_Projects_in_progress/_Ent/American_Idol/061217_ent_app_Idol_Underwood.vsmall.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "198", "119", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); IdolSmackdown[i-1].body = "
One of the purest transfers of \"Idol\" success to chart success, Carrie Underwood became enormously popular by continuing to do after \"Idol\" exactly what she did to win it. Riding the success of the head-scratching driver's-education fable \"Jesus, Take The Wheel,\" Carrie started winning accolades right off the bat, picking up an armload of video, music, and artist awards for her first album. Some believe that \"Idol\" contestants have a built-in advantage if they're country singers, they're from the south, they're female, they're young, or they sing Christian music. Carrie has every one of these advantages, and it shows. Now reportedly dating Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, Carrie is on her way to being everything the show made her look like she could be. She may not have delivered any surprises, but America will never be able to claim it didn't get what it voted for."; IdolSmackdown[i++] = new Array("","Bo Bice, season-four runner-up","","http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/z_Projects_in_progress/_Ent/American_Idol/061217_ent_app_Idol_Bice.vsmall.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "198", "119", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); IdolSmackdown[i-1].body = "
The scoop on Bo during the fourth season was that he was special because he was a bona fide \"rocker,\" but what Bo really brought to \"Idol\" was an adult male whose appeal was not basically adolescent. He lost out to the Carrie Underwood machine that looks in retrospect to have been unstoppable, but after a few major missteps (remember how he dressed during \"For the Love of Money\"?), Bo gave the show one of its few moments of legitimate joy when he performed with Lynyrd Skynyrd during the finale. Since the show, Bo has gotten married and had a baby, but his first album, while certainly no flop, came and went without the impact he might have hoped for. Furthermore, he's had chronic health problems that have interfered with his touring opportunities. Should Bo get healthy, it will be interesting to see whether the notoriously short attention spans of \"Idol\" watchers will be waiting for him."; IdolSmackdown[i++] = new Array("","Taylor Hicks, season-five winner","","http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/z_Projects_in_progress/_Ent/American_Idol/061217_ent_app_Idol_hicks.vsmall.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "198", "119", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); IdolSmackdown[i-1].body = "
Taylor dominated his season, earning consistent praise and building an underdog story based on his graying looks and the fact that Simon never wanted to let him past the first audition. Despite the fact that he eventually triumphed, he's unfortunate enough to be the winner of a season in which practically everybody got a record deal, which has unavoidably distracted fans. Not only did Katharine get one, but half the season's finalists seem to be putting out records, many of which beat Taylor's to store shelves. The album \"Taylor Hicks\" arrived in mid-December to less than a roar of excitement, and it was invariably compared to the surprisingly successful CD put out by Chris Daughtry's new band (he calls the band \"Daughtry,\" in case you were wondering). Taylor's strength lies in blues and soul singing, which creates tension not only with the \"Idol\" image of squeaky-clean pop, but with the cloying \"Soul Patrol\" of fans he can't seem to help greeting by name. His challenge will be to control his persona and the \"Idol\" factor and see what his singing can actually do."; IdolSmackdown[i++] = new Array("","Katharine McPhee, season-five runner-up","","http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/z_Projects_in_progress/_Ent/American_Idol/061217_ent_app_Idol_mcphee.vsmall.jpg","","", "", "", "", "", "right", "", "", "198", "119", "#000000", "", "", "", ""); IdolSmackdown[i-1].body = "
Those who remember Katharine McPhee as a perky, Broadway-friendly, highly trained warbler getting props from Andrea Bocelli will be very surprised at the cover of her upcoming album, on which she sits facing the camera and coyly pushes a sweater dress down between her broadly spread legs. Apparently, Katharine has concluded that her toothy renditions of \"Think\" and \"Somewhere Over The Rainbow\" weren't enough, and she needed a drastically different image. Since \"Idol,\" Katharine has gotten a lot of press from talking about an eating disorder, has frequently shown up in magazines with her boyfriend, and has missed a number of appearances -- many on the \"Idol\" tour -- due to illness. She's lost a lot of momentum since the end of the show, but it remains to be seen whether the drastic marketing makeover will get her album off to a flying start or leave her existing fans completely baffled."; // END editorial data