An Interview With Author Debra Poneman And Idol Gina Glocksen About Chicken Soup For The American Idol Soul

I had the opportunity to spend some time talking with Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul author Debra Poneman. In a complete surprise she also brought along one of the genuine articles, an actual American Idol, Gina Glocksen.

Debra, can you tell us a little about yourself?

In 1981 I founded Yes to Success Seminars ™, Inc. This is the seminar that launched the careers of many top transformational leaders including Deepak Chopra, Janet Attwood (The Passion Test) and Marci Shimoff (Happy for No Reason). The Yes to Success seminar provides a system for uncovering your true purpose and then gives you the tools you need to realize that purpose - as well as the knowledge of how to live each and every day of your journey joyfully and profoundly. I've also given hundreds of keynote speeches for businesses, associations and professional organizations across the country, penned a syndicated newspaper column on principles of success and have appeared on hundreds of radio and TV talk shows.

However, my greatest achievement is that I took off 19 years from my career to be a full time mom! Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul is my first venture back into the world of writing. I spent 6 months interviewing and then working on their stories with top 10 Idols from every season, behind-the-scenes crew members, fans and judges to co-author this book that has brought together the #1 show in television history and the #1 non-fiction book series in publishing history.

The Chicken Soup series is one of the great book franchise successes of the last decade. How did you become involved with this organization? And a follow up, where did you get the idea of featuring American Idol?

Well, actually, it was because of my son.

When Daniel was 10, he started watching American Idol Season One. He was totally transfixed by this show, which was unusual because we're not a big TV family. One day he said, "Mom you have to watch this with me. You would love it." And I'm thinking, "Oh please, anything but that, don't make me watch a talent show." But being the consummate mother I am, and really appreciating a way I could spend time with my son, I put on a smile and said, "Great Daniel, I'd just love to watch this talent show with you." It took me two shows before I was a full-fledged AI fanatic. And of course we went to the American Idol Live concert that summer.

The next season — the big Clay/Ruben year — my husband and daughter joined us each week to watch the show and then the whole family went to the concert the next summer (twice!). And all along I would say to my kids, "I'm going to get to know those Idols personally. I'm going to do something with them. I don't know what it is, but I'm absolutely sure of it."

Also during Season Two I discover that my dear friend and colleague, Marci Shimoff, author of Chicken Soup for the Women's Soul and Chicken Soup for the Mother's Soul and currently the best-selling author of Happy for no Reason, was also a closet Idoloholic and we start e-mailing back and forth our own weekly reviews of every show complete with editorials… "Clay is going to win because he is the boy next door. There is no way that you can't love him."..."If Jennifer gets voted off, I am never watching again."…."What was up with Carrie's hair??" We just thought our editorials were so brilliant that one day we said, "We should really publish this stuff," and then simultaneously exclaimed, "Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul!" And as they say, the rest is history.

As I understand it you spent some time on the road with the Idols? This must have been a lot of fun. Can you tell us a little about it?

Actually, the only time I was with the Idols was last season. I was back stage for several days interviewing the top 10 Season 6 finalists as well as the crew including their make-up artist, stage manager, vocal coaches, wardrobe stylist, musical director, producers and director. It was a lot of fun – especially being there for the taping of the shows.

But what I enjoyed most about it was discovering that these contestants were not just okay people with great voices, they were amazing people with great voices. As I say in the introduction to the book…. "In the process of bringing their stories to you, we have discovered what most have suspected — that these are not just talented singers, but extraordinary human beings who touch our lives not only by the beauty of their voices, but by the depth of their souls." There's a reason why America falls in love with them and it goes beyond the talent. I think we have good instincts about who these people really are and we vote our hearts - being with them verified that America has chosen the right top 10 every season!

And what I loved most about spending time with the support crew is that I discovered that their lives paralleled the lives of the Idols. What I mean is that they also came from tough backgrounds and none of them had their success handed to them on a silver platter and they too were living their dreams. They're really the American Idols of their respective professions – you can't win a bigger pot than doing your thing for the #1 show in television history. They each tell their stories in the book. It's very inspiring.

Many of the stories in Chicken Soup are very moving and thought provoking, was it a difficult task to select the stories for inclusion?

In regard to the Idol's stories, any Idol who wanted a story included was welcomed. The difficult part was choosing which story to choose!! For example, Jasmine Trias shared an amazing story about a young man with cerebral palsy who lived in a group home outside of Las Vegas. He loved Jasmine so much that he carried an album of photos of her on the tray of his wheel chair and would show them to anyone who was willing to look. He also wore a t-shirt that read "Jasmine’s #1 Fan." She surprised him when she appeared in Vegas and arranged for him to attend her concert and come back stage. I cried when she told me the story. Then she tells me another story of a woman who had been in a coma for quite some time and she literally came out of the coma when she heard an angel singing to her. It turned out that her granddaughter was watching American Idol and Jasmine was singing. She believes that Jasmine saved her life. How do you choose when you can only have one story?

I understand you have brought along a special guest, can you do the introductions?

Yes, this is Gina Glocksen who came in at #9 on Season 6.

Hi, Gina thank you for taking part. Can you tell us a little about yourself and your involvement with American Idol?

Actually, I completely tell my story in the book but to give you the short version… My passion obviously was singing. I've been singing in front of people all of my life and started getting serious about it around 15 years old, but my day job was as a dental assistant. I auditioned 2nd season and didn't even make it past the first round and was told, I wasn't what they were looking for.

So I didn't audition for season 3 or 4 but watched religiously and thought, not what they're looking for? What do they have that I don't? How in any way is that girl different than me? So when Season 5 rolled around I decided that I didn't want to suck saliva the rest of my life so I auditioned again and made it all the way to Hollywood Week. When I was doing my final audition that would have gotten me into the top 40, I forgot my words — which is an instant good-bye.

I was so stressed that I said I would never do that again but when season 6 rolled around my boyfriend Joe, who, by the way, is now my fiancé - he proposed to me on stage at the Idol's Live tour in Chicago - said, "Gina, I have a feeling that this is your year." So I went to LA hoping the judge (which is one of the producers) that you have to get past before you get to Paula, Simon and Randy would remember me and he did. I didn't even make it past the first round. They told me that I just brought back the same thing I did last year.

Most sane people would have given up but I wasn't going to let anyone tell me that I couldn't follow my dream. And the next week I was off to the auditions in Memphis. And the rest is history. Not only was I in the top 10 but I'm one of the new co-hosts this year on American Idol Extra.

It wasn't until I read Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul that I really started to get an idea of the magnitude of the program, yet it also seems to be very much a 'family' environment. Do you socialize off set?

Gina: I'm incredibly close to the people from my season. I mean we lived in small apartments and then for 14 hour days backstage together for at least a month or more depending on when you got kicked off and then in 2 buses for another three months on tour. Did we socialize? We didn't really see anybody but each other!! Fortunately in my season everyone got along great. I've heard stories that there was conflict in other seasons but we are all really close and I think we'll always stay that way.

Debra: Something I noticed when I interviewed the backstage crew is how much affection they have for one another. I never heard one crew member ever say a bad word about another. They just expressed respect and admiration for their colleagues. Idol is really like a well-oiled machine. What also struck me is how much the crew members all genuinely care about the Idols and how heartbroken they are when each gets voted off. Mezhgan Hussainy who is the Idol's makeup artist, and by the way, has an amazing story in the book about how her family escaped from Afghanistan, told me that when Charlie Grigsby got voted off on Season 2, everyone loved him so much that the air backstage was worse than a funeral. She said that she couldn't even speak to anyone that night. She had to just go home, she was so devastated.

A question for fun. I'll mention no names, but one of the judges has a bit of a reputation for his candid remarks. Is this just an 'on camera' persona?

Gina: It's hard to say. We don't ever get to see the judges off camera, so I just have to assume that with "this person," what you see is what you get.

Debra: But I do have to say that several of the Idols I interviewed said that even though "the judge" can be brutal, he is often the first one to jump up on the stage when someone gets voted off and give them a hug and say, "Don't give up."

I really want to thank you for taking time to talk with me. Good Luck in your future endeavors. By : Simon Barrett

My Guardian Angel: From Chicken Soup For The American Idol Soul

Excerpt from Constantine Maroulis
Top 10, Season 4

If I went back to my high school and walked the halls, I'd probably still hear my teacher’s voice calling out to me, "Constantine! You have such talent; don’t waste it!" For some, a teacher like that comes along once in a lifetime. For many, not even once. I now look back and see how lucky I was that she cared about me. Not too many teachers did.

When I was a teenager, I had a lousy attitude and topped it off with bad grades. Deep down, I thought I probably was a good singer, but I didn't have an ounce of confidence in my bones. I'd look in the mirror and see a shy, ugly, geeky kid staring back. And I'd be flat-out terrified if somebody asked me to sing. In fact, I was so scared, there were times when I'd open my mouth and nothing would come out.

I remember the rainy February morning that I walked into her music class. I sat in my chair, half slumped over, thinking that this was gonna be bad. I was chewing gum, figuring I could probably sing and chew at the same time. I mean, I wasn't serious about this singing thing.

The old wooden door opened slowly, and into the classroom walked Mrs. Carol Birdsill. She looked right at me and smiled. I instantly knew that she connected to something inside of me. What it was, I didn't know, but that something whispered, Sit up, shut up, and put out your hand, Constantine. She is holding the missing puzzle piece you're looking for. I threw out my gum.

She was a round, jolly woman with big white hair. I loved to watch her sit at her piano and sing her heart out. She was the kindest, sweetest, and probably the most talented woman I had ever met. I loved everything about her, but more importantly, she loved everything about me.

For the first time in my life, someone believed in my talent. With Mrs. Birdsill, I didn't have to say a word — she knew how much I struggled to let my inner voice out. She saw my anguish, and she never gave up on me. Her goal was not only to get me to sing, but more importantly, to get me to believe I could sing. She also happened to be the musical director for our high-school plays and wanted me to be in them.

One day, she took me aside, looked me in the eye, and said, "You have real talent. Just stop the nonsense and focus! First of all, you have to start doing better in school. Secondly, I know this is something you could pursue professionally some day. I believe in you, Constantine." She gave it to me straight, but it just didn't sink in fast enough. She tried so hard to get to me, but I remained slightly out of her reach. It was just a lot easier hanging out with my friends than facing my fears.

The surprise of my life came when Mrs. Birdsill picked me to be the music teacher for the day. It might not sound like a big deal, but it was. In fact, it was considered a school honor — my first. I was so proud and excited.

The day before my big teaching day dawned, the principal called me down to his office during music class. I thought he probably needed to talk to me about the procedures for the next day. I walked in and he said, "Sit down, Constantine."

My knees knocked as I tried to center myself in the enormous mahogany chair in front of his desk.

"Constantine," he said, "you've done very well in Mrs. Birdsill's class, and it's a great privilege to be chosen as the music teacher for the day. Unfortunately, your other grades are not worthy, and I can't allow you to accept this honor." I sat there motionless as his words went through me like a blade of ice. I was devastated. I had failed again, and I took it out on the one person who meant the most to me.

I fought back my tears as I went to her class, picked up my books, and walked out, never looking back. I had made my decision: I'm not going to try out for her shows. They're for losers.

I remember the day before the school's big show — the show I belonged in, and the one I knew Mrs. Birdsill wanted me in so badly. I peeked into the auditorium and saw her hard at work with actors, singers, and band members. I walked home slowly that day with an awful, empty feeling inside.

When I got to my house, I went into the kitchen and threw my books across the floor just as the phone rang. I didn't feel much like talking to anyone, but I picked up the phone and unenthusiastically said hello. The chilling words that came across the phone line left me frozen. "Constantine?! Oh, my God, Constantine, Mrs. Birdsill just died!"

I threw the phone and, as it smashed into the wall, I screamed, "Nooooo! Please, come back. Please!" I wept — my God, I wept. I felt like I had lost my guardian angel, the one who had been sent to help me believe in myself.
My pain was so great that I thought it would never leave. But my lack of will to turn my life around was greater . . . until exactly one year to the day after Mrs. Birdsill's death.

The opening day of our school's annual play was upon us once again — and, once again, I wasn't a part of it. Just as I had done the year before, I peeked into the auditorium, and this time the absence of the jolly woman with the big white hair was painfully obvious.

But a strange thing happened later that day. A huge, round, fluffy white owl perched itself on a telephone pole outside and just sat there, motionless, staring at the school. No one knew where it came from. We had never seen an owl in our neighborhood before — and didn't they just come out in the dark of night?

I went outside and watched that bird for hours. Everyone was talking about it, asking, "Why is it staying there?"

I knew why. That owl had come for me. As I stared at the creature, it stared back, looking right through me, and I felt just like I did when I first walked into Mrs. Birdsill's music room twelve months earlier. The owl took no pity. I fell to my knees and wept — and it just watched me weep. That owl had a message, and in the quiet evening air, I finally heard it, loud and clear.

The next school play was West Side Story, and although I was terrified, I auditioned. I found the strength to overcome my fear when I heard Mrs. Birdsill's voice inside me, saying, I believe in you, Constantine. You can do this.

I got the part.

I worked harder than I had ever worked at anything in my life, and when the curtain went up on opening night, I sang my best, knowing my guardian angel was right by my side. As I struggled to find that first note, the missing puzzle piece was finally in place. I not only heard her voice saying, I believe in you, but for the first time ever, I heard my own voice saying, I believe in me. And that's how it all began.

(Reprinted with permission from Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul: Stories from the Idols and their Fans that Open Your Heart and Make Your Soul Sing).

(Note to iSnare Editor: Our client Debra Poneman is author of the book Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul. The book contains first person accounts of the hit TV show from contestants, fans and behind the scenes crew members. The piece above is from one of the contestants, Constantine Maroulis. We have Debra's permission to offer these excerpts from her book to iSnare.)

Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, American Idol, Nashville Star – Who Really Wins?

In the highly competitive world of the music industry, it is never wise to sail alone. Equipping yourself with the necessary tools can ensure safe passage through the often rough and shark infested waters of the music business, and lead the aspiring musician straight to musical success. Putting on a show is important; learning the business is imperative.

Most artists concentrate solely on the creative aspects of their career and typically are unaware and/or unprepared for the business and marketing side of the music industry. When aspiring musicians put their careers in the hands of others, it’s essential that they know the business before jumping headfirst into shows like American Idol.

While winning big is the main goal for everyone who auditions for these types of shows, do the contestants really win big? Or are they pushed into contracts that basically equate to indentured servitude and a total loss of both their creative freedom and control of their music career in exchange for stardom?

With dreams of sugar plums in their heads…actually large contracts, tours that span the globe, adulation of the world and screaming fans ringing in their ears, these music hopefuls sign away their lives and often their careers with stiff contracts that are not in their favor.

It’s has often been said that unless we learn from history, we are doomed to repeat it. Aspiring hopefuls need to learn from those who have already been there. A few of the legendary bands they can learn from are: It’s a Beautiful Day, Joe Cocker, The Dixie Chicks and TLC. Each of these bands has learned the hard way what happens when you give up control of your career without knowing the business side.

As stated, although dreams of stardom loom through the minds of contestant hopefuls, who is still around from the American Idol or Nashville Star winners? Kelly Clarkson is the only real winner in music.

So how do you learn the business and avoid being taken advantage of? You need to learn from others who have been right where you are. From mentors, books and careful guidance. Jaci Rae's The Indie Guide to Music, Marketing and Money has helped start and keep many artists dreams alive.

This book will provide the struggling artist with everything they need to pilot and navigate their own course towards musical victory without American Idol, Nashville Star or other reality based shows. Take if from an insider who knows; learn the business before you put on a show.

American Idol – One Dimensional Doesn’t Work

I for one was not surprised that Chris was voted off last night. I think it is a shame because I believe he was the strongest vocally of the group but his choice of songs Tuesday night was his downfall. Both songs were basically the same in all respects - Rock, loud, beat, with little substance. Where Chris used to shine was when he surprised us with a tender side. Taylor did that and chose songs that showed his personality as well as his versatility. And, of course, Elliot chose songs that showed his tremendous musical skill.

Many people predicted that Kathryn was in trouble and I agreed. But there is something that is “star-quality” about her that a little training will improve. She tries to push her songs to levels that she can’t support right now. Maybe it is nerves or being a little unsure but the quality of her tone is there to buildsongsAnd she radiates in front of the camera more than any that have ever been on American Idol before. Her performance from the floor a week ago showed what she is capable of and she needs to go back to her strength. Maybe rock and roll was the problem but she could have chosen better songs.

What is going to happen from here? It is all going to depend upon song choice and personality. Anyone of the final three can win this thing. Kathryn has been brilliant at times but then she has also been on the hot seat more than any of the remaining contestants. Elliot, in my mind, has the voice. But he has got to do more to show some personality or he will be on his way home. Taylor may not be the strongest vocally, but he the most fun to watch and I think people like that. He is real and he is obviously someone that people relate to.

I personally hated to see any of the final 4 leave the show. In their own way they are all stars and the balance of the talent was fun to watch since you knew it was going to be something special from each one of them. Music is a tough business but with this kind of exposure and the talent that each possesses, they are all going to have stellar careers. That you can count on!
(Jeff Gustafson)

Why We Can't Get Enough American Idol

Copyright 2006 Anthony Palladino

Now we’re well into the final 12. American Idol 2006 is in full swing, and as Randy Jackson says, “we got a hot one, dog.”

As my wife and I sit down to watch it each night, we can’t help but be drawn in. Even my kids, who are 3 and 4 ½ love what they call “the singing show.” Among all of this interest, I am baffled as to why?

Every year, it’s the same format, same motley crue of judges, same Ryan Seacrest. And the banter between Seacrest and Simon Cowell is predictable; we see it coming a mile away. Paula Abdul is always the soft one, commenting on the sexiness of guys like Ace Young, making us wonder who was really telling the truth – her or Cory Clark. Randy Jackson offers his “it was aaaiight,” or “it was pitchy in a few parts.” Or he shouts out to the “dog pound”, requesting their guffales, chortels, and choodles. I am really not sure what Jackson is saying – next year I want a Jackson language decoder key. And Cowell, well, he’s always honest, sometime brutal, and uses the word “appalling” way too often.

I still ask myself why am I – and most every pocket of American demographics – tuned into the show that takes singers with guts, ambition, a bit of talent, and some stage presence and turns them into International Pop Icons?

Well, I’ve thought long and hard about this. And I think it comes down to one thing. Transference: we all see a little of ourselves or the person we wanted to or thought we could have or might have liked to become in one contestant or another. And it gives us the one chance to share in their dreams to be the next American Idol – the next pop icon.

Look at in on several levels.

First diversity, There’s an Idol with whom all of us can relate. We have Ace Young, the young, probably too good looking to be taken seriously as a talented singer, probably better as an actor 25 year old. He must draw the younger and middle aged women. My wife even said,” he’s good looking.” Not able to offer a contradicting viewpoint because I would, of course, be wrong, all I can say is “you know what, you’re right.”

Next let’s look at Mandisa. Yeah, she’s large but the girl can sing. Reminiscent of Aretha Franklin, she has a beautiful smile. We can’t help but be drawn to her.

And Bucky Covington. He’s gotBucky Covingtonnda of southern, kinda Texas swagger. There are no other blonde long haired guys who wear cowboy hats, so yes, he is representing some demographic.

Katharine McPhee has a beautiful voice and smile and is very poised; her talent is obvious. The theater geeks adore her.

Paris Bennett has so many looks that I question if it’s really the same person. She can really put on a show. I really used to think she was cute, but now I think she’s spunky and excited to try to win this thing.

Taylor Hicks’s dance moves are… well, I dancet sure what they are. He’s like Joe Cocker or Bob Seger on too much caffeine or something. He’s kind of an anomaly, but is very likeable and has an appeal.

Elliot Yamin is so close to his mom. The guy wears an insulin pump to battle diabetes on a daily basis. I’m not really a fan, but my heart bleeds for him; I can’t help but respect his dexterity regardless of how he sings. How about Kellie Pickler? What did Simon call her, “a naughty little minx?” And she replied, asking what that was. C’mon, guys 16-40 would like to explain to her in detail. That cute, ditzy, little blonde thing has the younger dads paying attention. Oh, what’s that you ask, “Can she sing??” Really, does it even matter?

We’ve got rockers, represented originally by Chris Daughtry. Sure, Simon wasn’t crazy about Chris’ performance this week. But the guy is intense, and he pulls off the bald thing really well. He’s not entirely classy, but he’s classic – and he rocks.

Idol offers validation and relevance for all of us. The show hosts pop music icons every week. Last year, we had Elton John. Last week, a modern sensation, Shakira and Wyclef Jean. Earlier this year we started off with Stevie Wonder, then to Barry Manilow. Love or hate either of them, they really are legends and truly influenced R&B, pop, soul, and now provide the samples and hooks that keep us jamming on our iPods today. Hearing their songs takes us back to the times when we first heard them – the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s. They create the nostalgia of days and times gone by and transfer us back to the excitement of another era.

American Idol enables us to transfer ourselves to the contestant’s experience. We can live their joy of being on top of the world when they hear the “you are not in the bottom three.” Unfortunately, we share in their disappointment when Seacrest says “this is the end of the road for you.”

We relate to them, their accents, race, style, smile, personality, and talent. For a moment in each song, we transfer ourselves to being onstage with them, sharing in that spotlight. And for a few seconds, through that transference, we are the American Idol, the next Pop Icon. All fears stress, and pain of daily life are gone, and all is right in our world.

That, my friends, is the secret behind the success of American Idol. It provides us each a chance to escape our daily lives, and transform into a star. The American psyche can’t resist the chance to be a star, an American Icon, if even only for a moment.

At the end of a long day, there’s nothing wrong with that.

Is It Okay for Grown Men to Cry?

At first hearing this most men would say no - "I would never cry - real men don't cry!" We are being programmed into believing that crying is for the weak. All the latest shows imply this. Just look at the soap operas and American Idol - the women are always crying like Paula Abdul, but what about their men? Hollywood has found that tough men sell - just look at 50 cent and his new, murderous video game. The real question is is there a time or a circumstance when crying by a man would be acceptable or even expected? This actually isn't just recent. It is also biblical and the greatest man in history even cried and no he's not 50 cent.

In the bible it talks about weeping of men in almost every book. In Jeremiah 48:14 it says "How say ye, We are mighty and strong men for the war? ... 32 O vine of Sibmah, I will weep for thee with the weeping of Jazer." In revelations it is stated in the depiction of hell - "there will be weeping and nashing of teeth." There are numerous references of women weeping and crying in the bible, but there are also references of men crying and they are usually attributed to a great loss - Darius and the deathly sick child, numerous wars and struggles, even surrounding the crucifiction of Jesus. But nowhere does it state that it is wrong for men to weep or cry.

In Luke chapter 19:41-42 it states that Christ weeped over Jerusalem. Here is an instance where Christ felt sorrow for the people in Jerusalem and he actually cried for them. Regardless of what requirements we place on manhood today - Jesus Christ was the ultimate man - he was ridiculed and rejected by his pears from early on, had no affinity for worldly goods (even though satan tried many times), was threatened, beaten, spit on, even crucified and he never rescinded. What man today could bare 1/100th of what Jesus bore for all man kind?

If it was okay for Jesus to weep and not just in times of grieving then it must be okay for the rest of mankind to weep or cry. We have seen men cry on September 11, 2001 when the World Trade centers were brought down by terrorists. We have seen men cry in movies like Sixth Sense and on TV shows like Dr. Phil and Oprah. But we do not see them do this in everyday real life. This is because we are programmed to think we will be seen as weak, inferior, etc... Just look at the recent Playstation games our moldable youth are playing - 50 Cent goes on a wild killing spree, Simon puts everyone down including Paula Abdul with zero sympathy on American Idol, and in the Dukes of Hazard laws are broken with reckless abandon and its all okay as Daisy (Jessica Simpson) shows some cleavage and her legs and smiles. It's all over the internet on Yahoo and Google - we are more interested in 50 cent (44 million Google searches) than Jesus Christ (33 million Google searches).

There is something really wrong here. We need to change this as there are times when it is okay for men to cry and they should not be seen as weaker, but as compassionate, faithful, caring, and sorrowful, or in some cases even joyful (one can be happy enough to cry and this is also mentioned in the bible like Joseph's father upon the return of his son). If Jesus Christ, undoubtedly the greatest man to walk the earth (regardless of your religion and faith) can cry and show compassion then grown men can too. Maybe this is why women live longer.

The Sky Falls for American Idol Kevin "Chicken Little" Covais

Kevin Covais, the self proclaimed "nerdy kid", has been voted off the hit show American Idol. Kevin rocketed to popularity when host Ryan Seacrest pointed out his strong resemblance to Disney’s latest animated character, Chicken Little. Seacrest was also fond of teasing the teen about his newly found sex symbol status.

From the first audition to his swan song, his pure and controlled voice never seemed to match the child's body that went with it. Judge Simon Cowell repeatedly told the New York teenager that he didn't have the look to be a star, but America felt differently and managed to keep him in the competition much longer than odds makers expected.

He stirred up a lot of controversy when an anti-Idol website, called Vote For The Worst, encouraged its visitors to vote for Kevin, keeping him in the competition as long as possible just for the fun of seeing him eat up the attention he was getting from fans and the female contestants. The website claims that it has the ability to taint the competition by influencing votes and getting people kicked off the show prematurely, but with Kevin's departure their claims to power hold very little weight. Fox, the station that carries American Idol, has been very outspoken in its complaints about the website.

This week Kevin chose to sing the song, "When I Fall in Love" and while judges Randy and Paula fell in love with Kevin's performance, Simon reserved his love only for Kevin. Saying that he liked the boy, he went on to point out that the song choices Kevin was making and his level of talent set him up to find his biggest fan base in the grandmother set. Perhaps Simon was right, and Kevin was voted off the show because his fans are of an age where they just don't like to put down their knitting needles and power vote.

American Idol is not new to controversy. Remember Corey Clark's claim of an affair with judge Paula Abdul and Frenchie Davis' dismissal when topless pictures surfaced. Unforgettable moments were also provided by UC Berkeley's William Hung's rendition of Ricky Martin's "She Bangs". Hung has gone on to sign a record deal, record three albums, appear in numerous TV shows and commercials, and feature in both documentaries and movies. Not bad for someone who didn't even make it through auditions.

American Idol is in its fifth season. Past winners include Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino, and Carrie Underwood.