STAR-BULLETIN
Those who want to watch "Idol" with other die-hard fans can gather at Dave & Buster's at 7 tonight, and Eastside Grill at 1035 University Ave. at 7 tonight and 7:30 p.m. tomorrow.
Local voters continue
the double-vote strategy"American Idol" has many
flexing fingers redialing for two
"American Idol": Airs at 7 p.m. today on KHON/Fox
Controversy? What controversy?
In the week leading up to last Tuesday's "American Idol" vote, a concern among supporters of homegrown finalists Camile Velasco and Jasmine Trias was that divided allegiances in Hawaii could weaken both singers' chances of advancing in the nationally televised singing contest.
Both contestants proved they could muster enough support at home as well as across the nation to stay in contention last week. The reason is quite simple. Many Hawaii voters who can't bring themselves to choose between Trias and Velasco will simply place votes for both contestants.
"I don't know why there was all that controversy drummed up," said Reno David, of Mililani, who voted for both Hawaii finalists last week and plans to do the same after tonight's round. "I must've made 60 or 70 calls each. ... I just pressed redial as many times as it would go through. I even used my cell phone."
David also instructed family members to do the same.
"It's fun. Why not give them as many votes as they can get?"
As one who made it past the preliminary auditions to perform for "AI's" celebrity judges the past two years, David understands the pressure the contestants are going through and insists both Hawaii entrants will last a while, in spite of Velasco's tentative performance.
"I feel like (Camile) has a lot of nationwide appeal," he says. "She's pretty, and she has a really different sounding voice. She's very unique. With Jasmine, she's not only really, really good, she has her own style and she knows how to make a song her own. I feel both of them will make it far.
"Most people I know vote for the both of them," David said. "It's such a big deal to have someone from Hawaii on the most talked-about national show that people in Hawaii will support both of them. Honestly, if people from Hawaii stand by them during the next few weeks, I think they can both make the top five together."
While Verizon Hawaii does not have a detailed breakdown of how many calls were placed to each of the phone numbers allotted to supporters of Velasco and Trias last Tuesday, company spokeswoman Ann Nishida said Verizon logged 2.98 million land-line calls to all the "American Idol" numbers combined, more than twice the number of calls made during any of the voting windows this season.
Because of the volume of calls, users might not get an immediate dial tone, which, unlike a busy signal, doesn't require you to hang up and make another call to get through.
"All that means is there's a high concentration of calls coming out of their area," she notes, advising fans to simply hold on.
"Don't hang up, because the system is searching for a vacant line, and each time you click off your clicker, you're going to the back of the line. If you stay on, you should get your dial tone within seconds."
FOX
Will Maui's Camile Velasco survive another round?
BACK TO TOP |
Trias predicted
to crack Top 3
Entry into our "Idol Pursuits" contest is officially closed, and now all you talent scouts out there who entered will just have to wait until the "American Idol" competition ends May 26 to see just how close you came to picking the winners.
Last year, readers did great in picking a Ruben Studdard or Clay Aiken finish, with half going, respectively, with the big guy and the other half pulling for the boyish singer with the big voice.
At least one young woman should be hoping readers strike gold a second time, as Jasmine Trias' name dominates the "top three" lists we asked people to submit.
The other overwhelming favorite is LaToya London, with Fantasia Barrino, Diana DeGarmo and George Huff also pulling in several votes.
Our contest is pitting several family members against each other, with competing lists of favorites.
The Tobita clan -- Lynda, David and 7-year-old Alyssa -- for instance, submitted three separate ballots, but theirs is not a household that would argue over the outcome.
"Everybody has their favorites," Lynda said. "We respect that everybody has different tastes, and with this ("American Idol") contest, you just don't know. I think it's a matter of luck, too."
We wondered whether having two local girls in the finals would cloud judgment, but those who entered our "Idol Pursuits" contest seem unswayed by sentiment. Maui's Camile Velasco's name appeared only a handful of times. Amy Adams, Jennifer Hudson and Matthew Rodgers should worry, too.
We'll be watching to see who gets knocked off next. The competition's not restricted to the tube anymore, as we'll be culling your ballots throughout the elimination process as well! Bwah ha ha!
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