Idol Chatter

When we host a NEWSWEEK roundtable (say, for the Oscars or the Emmys), we do it in person, and with the doors locked so the stars can't escape. We tried that for our first American Idol roundtable, but unlike George Clooney, Anne Hathaway and Brad Pitt, the Idols are so busy that they couldn't coordinate their schedules. So this time around, we hosted our first phone roundtable, inviting four of the show's winners (Fantasia, Ruben Studdard, Taylor Hicks and Jordin Sparks) and two of the most popular finalists (David Archuleta and Kellie Pickler). Archuleta called in early—from London—and it became clear that the Idolers are like old pals. Studdard complained that he wanted to play golf with Hicks but he had to perform instead. Hicks made dinner plans with Pickler and said he was going to pop up on her tour to play harmonica. "You've got my number," she said. "Just call me." The youngsters, Archuleta and Sparks, Twittered all through our 90-minute chat. And Fantasia—well, let's just say we wish we could have had her in a locked room. Excerpts:

Setoodeh: Where is everybody?
Fantasia: I'm in Atlanta. I'm going home to my daughter. I'm on the highway.

I hope you're not driving.
Fantasia: I am driving. I like to drive.
Studdard: You in that pretty red car, girl?
Fantasia: No, I'm in my black car.
Hicks: Fantasia, you're not breaking the law as you're talking to us?
Fantasia: I'm pulling over at the Arby's.
Studdard: I'm in Virginia Beach, and I just put my wife on the plane. I'm traveling with [the musical] Ain't Misbehavin'. Thank the lord, it will be over May 17.
Sparks: I'm in L.A. right now. Just preparing for my Idol appearance. And I worked out for two hours this morning.
Archuleta: I'm in England. I'm a supporting act for a group called McFly.
Fantasia: Oh, that's big. Congratulations, Dave.
Hicks: What time is it [there]?
Archuleta: It's, like, 8.
Hicks: Is that morning or night?
Studdard: Is your room small, man?
Archuleta: Yeah. Pretty much. What's funny is that when I went to the other people's rooms the other band's members and their rooms are all bigger than mine.
Sparks: What?!
Archuleta: That's OK, though. It's not like that much bigger. And it's not like I'm here anyway. I just sleep here. And Twitter.
Hicks: I'm in Costa Mesa, Calif. My run is through June of 2010 for Grease. My recordThe Distance is out, and my new single, "Seven Mile Breakdown," is being released in a few days.
Pickler: I am finally off the road. But only for the day. I got to sleep in my own bed in Nashville, so that was good. I'm lying in bed right now, with my dog. That's the man in my life.
Studdard: Kellie, how does it feel to be the prettiest girl in country music?
Pickler: Yeah, right!
Archuleta: Jordin, guess what? I was looking around the stores today, and in H&M they were playing "Young and in Love."
Sparks: It's still weird to hear myself. I didn't realize how far music's reach was until I got to go to London and Australia, and people were singing my music.

Do you all have many fans overseas?
Hicks: I don't know if you guys have traveled to Southeast Asia; they love Idol. Like the Philippines, Malaysia. I did a tour in Southeast Asia for about a month. They were tripping out. They were asking about y'all. They keep up with Idol and the contestants religiously, even in India. They're big fans of the show. I was actually in Jakarta doing Asian Idol, which is like the Asian version of American Idol.
Studdard: Somebody's Idol tour went over there. Fantasia? Is Fantasia still on?

Fantasia, are you still on the line?
[Silence.]
Pickler: She's driving.
Hicks: She went to Arby's. She got the five for $5 at Arby's.

If you had to name one singer who influenced you the most, who would you pick?
Pickler: I would have to say for me it was Dolly Parton. She's the reason why I fell in love with country music. I think she's such an incredible singer and songwriter. I really admire her work and attitude. She carries herself with grace, and she's really set an example for anyone going into the entertainment world. She's been ripped apart in the press and pulled in every which direction, but she's always handled it with such grace.
Hicks: Hey, Kellie, do you get free tickets to Dollywood?
Pickler: I've still never been! Maybe we can have an Idol reunion at Dollywood.
Archuleta: Right now, I have Kirk Franklin on my mind. He's definitely one of the people that have had a major influence [on me]. He has a concert tonight here. But I can't see it because it's already on right now. He really introduced the soulful side, the emotional side of music that had a huge impact on me.
Hicks: I'd have to say Ray Charles. Personally, he taught me a voice can transcend the boundaries of genres of music. You can listen to Ray, and you can hear the modern sounds of country and western and jazz and swing. He just taught me to have your own voice and to be able to emote emotion, where it's blues or gospel or country.
Studdard: I would have to say Fred Hammond. I've been a fan of his since I was probably 6 years old. He's the only person I get onstage with to this day and get nervous.
Sparks: It's really hard to say just one. But my earliest memory of somebody I listened to all the time was a Christian artist named Crystal Lewis. I remember seeing her in concert in church when I was 10. My mom played her cassettes since I was born. She was so small, but she had such a powerful voice coming out of her. And then eventually, my dad played Whitney [Houston] and Mariah [Carey]. And my mom played me Heart and Pat Benatar.

Do you have any of the other Idols on your iPods?
Studdard: I have everybody.
Sparks: I do, too.
Studdard: I think I have some of Archuleta's stuff from when they performed on the show. When you did "The Long and Winding Road," dog. You killed that.
Archuleta: Thanks.
Studdard: But that's the last compliment you're going to get from me, little brother.
Pickler: I'm the only one who doesn't listen to an iPod.
Hicks: What do you listen to, the radio?
Pickler: I still buy CDs. I'm not into the whole downloading on iTunes. I like to go and buy the CD, so I can see who wrote the songs.

I want to ask you all about the idea of fame in the Internet age. Do any of you YouTube yourselves?
Sparks: I can't do it.
Studdard: All the time. People have camera phones everywhere now. You never know what could be traveling around the Internet with your face on it.
Pickler: I don't even want to know.
Archuleta: I hate seeing myself. I haven't even watched half the shows I've been on. When people play clips during interviews, I'm like, "Please turn it off."
Studdard: I look at mine to see how I can improve my performances. 
Sparks: I guess I do sometimes. There are some that I watch and I'll say, "I look so stupid."
Pickler: I think you are your biggest critic.

I thought Simon Cowell was your biggest critic.
Archuleta: No. He doesn't even come close.

Do you ever read about yourselves online?
Hicks: Sometimes. Not all the time, though. I think it's best if you stay away from that monster.
Pickler: When I was first on Idol, I was so fascinated by the whole thing. You want to see what people are saying about you. Everybody's biggest fear is fear of rejection—we want to be loved. I could read 100 nice comments—"Ah, she was great" or "I loved her hair." And then I could read one negative comment, and that's the only thing I'm going to remember.
Sparks: Oh, my gosh. I'm so horrible. I'm Twittering right now.
Archuleta: It's addicting.