FANTASIA IS NEW 'AMERICAN IDOL' VOTERS SELECT FANTASIA AS NEW 'IDOL'.Byline: David Kronke Television Critic Nineteen-year-old Fantasia Barrino Fantasia Monique Barrino (born June 30 1984), or simply Fantasia, is an American pop, R&B, soul singer and Broadway / television actress who rose to fame as the winner of the third season of the television series American Idol in 2004. of High Point, N.C., reached the high point of her young life Wednesday evening when she was named 2004's ``American Idol'' on the Fox network. Barrino, who began singing at the age of 5 in church with her mother, will receive a record contract and co-headline an ``Idol'' summer tour. She bested Diana DeGarmo Diana Nicole DeGarmo (born June 16, 1987 in Birmingham, Alabama) is an American singer and Broadway actress. She was the second place finalist to winner Fantasia Barrino on the third season of the reality/talent-search television series American Idol , the 16-year-old from Snellville, Ga., whom judge Simon Cowell Simon Cowell (born 7 October, 1959) is a British artist and repertoire ("A&R") executive for Sony BMG in the United Kingdom and a television producer, more commonly known as a judge on television programmes such as Pop Idol, The X Factor, American Idol last week predicted in The New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of Times would win. Host Ryan Seacrest Ryan Seacrest (born December 24, 1974) is an American radio and television personality. Seacrest is also a former children's game show host, who gained prominence as the host of the reality television amateur-search series American Idol. announced that a record 65 million votes were registered after Tuesday night's final competition. The season finale was broadcast from the Kodak Theatre The Kodak Theatre is a live theatre in the Hollywood and Highland retail, dining, and entertainment complex on Hollywood Boulevard and North Highland Avenue in the Hollywood district of Los Angeles. at Hollywood and Highland The Hollywood & Highland Center is an entertainment, retail and hotel complex at Hollywood Boulevard and Highland Avenue in the Hollywood district in Los Angeles. The 387,000 square foot (0 m) , and attended by such celebrities as Ray Romano Raymond Romano (born December 21, 1957 in Queens, New York) is an Emmy Award-winning and Golden Globe-nominated, American actor and comedian best known for his starring role on the sitcom Everybody Loves Raymond. (toting his teenage daughter and a retinue of her friends), Henry Winkler Henry Franklin Winkler (b. October 30, 1945) is a Golden Globe Award-winning American actor, director, producer and author. He is perhaps most famous for his role as Arthur "Fonzie" Fonzarelli on the popular sitcom Happy Days (1974–1984). , Nicole Richie Nicole Camille Richie (born September 21, 1981) is an American socialite, actress, television personality, author, entrepreneur, style icon, model, and singer. The adopted daughter of Lionel Richie, she is known for her role in the reality show The Simple Life and Sharon Osbourne. A tearful Barrino announced she broke a heel off her shoe celebrating onstage; earlier, her necklace had fallen off. ``I worked hard to get to where I'm at,'' she exulted, before performing ``I Believe,'' co-written by former ``Idol'' contestant Tamyra Gray, which was performed by both Barrino and DeGarmo during the final competition on the previous evening. Forty minutes after winning, Barrino, the single mother of a 2-year-old daughter, was still overwhelmed with emotion. ``I can take care of my own child now,'' she said in a TV interview, adding, ``I've shown single moms that if you have a dream - you can do it.'' DeGarmo was gracious in defeat. ``Not only have I grown as a singer and a performer but I've also grown as a person and I owe it all to you (viewers),'' she said, adding of Barrino, ``She's my girl and you will cheer her well.'' Barrino stumbled early in Tuesday's final competition, but rallied with show-stopping performances of ``Summertime'' and ``I Believe,'' which Cowell declared her ``acceptance speech.'' This third season of ``American Idol'' came under fire for its voting system when La Toya London and Jennifer Hudson - largely considered, with Barrino, the most talented of the finalists - were ousted early in the competition. Voters complained of encountering hours of busy signals as they attempted to phone in to vote for their favorite singers. This led some to suggest a racist motive behind the voting, as London and Hudson are both black, but so is Barrino, the winner. On the other hand, fans on the ``Idol'' chat boards took offense that the show's judges - Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul - showered Barrino with praise Tuesday evening while seeming critical or subdued over DeGarmo's performances. After Barrino was named the winner, the overwhelming majority of comments on the show's official message boards supported DeGarmo. One discussion topic read simply, ``Well, that stunk stunk v. A past tense and the past participle of stink. stunk Verb a past of stink stunk stink . I will not watch again.'' One prankster even posted an ``official'' tally of votes 13 minutes before Seacrest announced the winner on TV, but it had DeGarmo winning, 35,927,849 votes to Barrino's 31,876,324, and the page was quickly withdrawn. In a heavily padded two-hour broadcast, Barrino and DeGarmo duetted on ``The Impossible Dream'' with previous ``Idol'' winners Kelly Clarkson and Ruben Studdard; all later performed solo numbers. Former ``Idol'' contestants Clay Aiken and Kimberly Caldwell hosted live screening parties in the finalists' home states. Jennifer Love Hewitt hosted outdoor performances with ``Idol'' contestants from the past season. David Kronke, (818) 713-3638 david.kronke(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- color) Fantasia Barrino reacts as she is applauded by Diana DeGarmo as Barrino is named winner of ``American Idol'' during the live finale Wednesday night. (2 -- color) Competing ``American Idol'' finalists Diana De Garmo, left, and Fantasia Barrino, sing during the show's live finale Wednesday night. Barrino, a single mom, was chosen the winner. Kevork Djansezian/Associated Press |
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