Ruben Studdard Interview

Very cool, he's into tofu!

Q: Birmingham is about five and a half hours from here. Any plans to come to the Panhandle – Grayton Beach, Seaside or Destin in the near future?

RUBEN: I was just near Destin, in Miramar Beach and Blue Mountain Beach for about four days last week. It was beautiful.


He should have come to the RedBar and sang us some songs. SuperMom, you could have interviewed him less than 4 miles from your house. lol. Funny how we sometimes have to travel across the globe to see our neighbor.

Q: Birmingham is about five and a half hours from here. Any plans to come to the Panhandle ? Grayton Beach, Seaside or Destin in the near future?

RUBEN: I was just near Destin, in Miramar Beach and Blue Mountain Beach for about four days last week. It was beautiful.


He should have come to the RedBar and sang us some songs. SuperMom, you could have interviewed him less than 4 miles from your house. lol. Funny how we sometimes have to travel across the globe to see our neighbor.

Funny you should say that. That is one of the things that got edited out! I was being recorded by AI and I screamed when he said he was here. I said I could have been face to face! I told him to come back and sing his song "Make ya feel Beautiful! You can write him on his myspace and ask him to come! He said he will answer!

I wouldn't dream of asking someone to work on their vacation. He was probably glad to have some space away from all the hoopla, and he likely had the beaches to himself. Truly paradise.

I hope the millions of AI fans don't start following the AI winners to SoWal. I wonder if that other AI winner told Ruben about SoWal.

I hope the millions of AI fans don't start following the AI winners to SoWal. I wonder if that other AI winner told Ruben about SoWal.

being from bham and not knowing about sowal?:scratch:

being from bham and not knowing about sowal?:scratch:

That's right. I forgot Taylor Hicks is from B'ham. I wonder if he and Ruben hang out.

Supermom, you should talk Ruben into joining SoWal.com



This could be his avatar.

That's right. I forgot Taylor Hicks is from B'ham. I wonder if he and Ruben hang out.

Supermom, you should talk Ruben into joining SoWal.com



This could be his avatar.

From what I understand Ruben is far more welcome here than Taylor, but that was a rumor I heard.

That's right. I forgot Taylor Hicks is from B'ham. I wonder if he and Ruben hang out.

Supermom, you should talk Ruben into joining SoWal.com



This could be his avatar.

nice pic! He has a contagious smile!
It was amazing to me he was here and no one saw or recognized him! I wonder if he went to "For the Health of It?"

That's right. I forgot Taylor Hicks is from B'ham. I wonder if he and Ruben hang out.

Supermom, you should talk Ruben into joining SoWal.com



This could be his avatar.

he and taylor at the beach reminds me of the scene in Blue Crush, where the humongous football player takes surfing lessons from one of the girls.

From what I understand Ruben is far more welcome here than Taylor, but that was a rumor I heard.

Do tell. When Taylor was at the RedBar, he had his body guards surrounding him. Didn't seem to laid back, but that was right after he won.

Do tell. When Taylor was at the RedBar, he had his body guards surrounding him. Didn't seem to laid back, but that was right after he won.

Apparently the rumor was that prior to his fame he used to come down here and sing, but acted like he was already a star. That and rumors of drug use, i.e. snowing in Grayton.

EEEK! Hopefully, they were rumors and not true!

Sounds like SuperMom now has reason for another AI interview.

I just like that he is an ALABAMA fan!!!!!

Apparently the rumor was that prior to his fame he used to come down here and sing, but acted like he was already a star. That and rumors of drug use, i.e. snowing in Grayton.

With the name of the show being, American Idol, I'm somewhat surprised that the finalists are not required to pass drug tests. If kids will be looking up to (idolizing) the mega stars, one would think that AI wouldn't want to ruin its image with the chance of getting a Paris Hilton type as the winner. The show would quickly go downhill.

With the name of the show being, American Idol, I'm somewhat surprised that the finalists are not required to pass drug tests. If kids will be looking up to (idolizing) the mega stars, one would think that AI wouldn't want to ruin its image with the chance of getting a Paris Hilton type as the winner. The show would quickly go downhill.

This Idol is not much to look up to these days. So sad.

This Idol is not much to look up to these days. So sad.

Exactly.

SJ, these executives of AI don't give a flip about these no name talents and their pasts. It's the bottom line - the money they generate & we who watch the show and buy the products that are hawked during the breaks.

Thanks to those who gave suggestions for questions. I got some of them answered. The Sun edited a few responses - I was over my limit of words!
http://story.waltonsun.com/article.display.db.php?a=2297

Grayt job Supermom!

You need to write many more articles!

Exactly.

SJ, these executives of AI don't give a flip about these no name talents and their pasts. It's the bottom line - the money they generate & we who watch the show and buy the products that are hawked during the breaks.

I'm not sure that I understand you. Taylor Hicks was a winner of the contest. I bet more Americans have heard of Taylor Hicks than have heard of Mitt Romney. He isn't a no name. After the show ends each season, these top 10 finishers go on to make money for Simon. If you don't think sales matter to him, you haven't been reading about him. Sales will definitely be affected if the public watches a top ten finisher go down the crack pipe, and when a "winner" of the contest finds the door to the rehab house, I guarantee you that his or her sales will decline, along with the profits of Simon. When the public sees enough of that behavior out of the top contestants, they will lose interest in AI, as they see that perhaps the winners should not be idols for today's youth.

Thanks! I am trying to get an interview for the Next Great American Band. Who knew how much I would love Bluegrass!

There are only 4 bands left - they will have the finale next week with the top 3. If I could afford a plane ticket, I would be out there in a heartbeat!
Hopefully, Light of Doom goes home this week, then the remaining three bands are all from Nashville!

I'm not sure that I understand you. Taylor Hicks was a winner of the contest. I bet more Americans have heard of Taylor Hicks than have heard of Mitt Romney. He isn't a no name. After the show ends each season, these top 10 finishers go on to make money for Simon. If you don't think sales matter to him, you haven't been reading about him. Sales will definitely be affected if the public watches a top ten finisher go down the crack pipe, and when a "winner" of the contest finds the door to the rehab house, I guarantee you that his or her sales will decline, along with the profits of Simon. When the public sees enough of that behavior out of the top contestants, they will lose interest in AI, as they see that perhaps the winners should not be idols for today's youth.

I'm sorry, I didn't mean Taylor. My comment was regarding Fox executives and their careless attitude about their programming & callousness regarding the no name contestants. And they probably do some kind of background check on the ones that are in the top 10. Probably why so many of them have "leaks" of shady pasts - - then they're gone in the next few weeks.

The really sad thing is, kids DO idolize those who do drugs or lead very marginal lifestyles. More money for the stars and the executives/producers. Look at Amy Winehouse - nominated for something like 6 Grammys. She has huge talent but is a junkie (supposedly).

And I bet more Americans have heard of Mitt Romney than TH. Sadly, I haven't heard his name mentioned in probably a year. I have nothing against Taylor at all; I was one of his fans.

I'm sorry, I didn't mean Taylor. My comment was regarding Fox executives and their careless attitude about their programming & callousness regarding the no name contestants. And they probably do some kind of background check on the ones that are in the top 10. Probably why so many of them have "leaks" of shady pasts - - then they're gone in the next few weeks.

The really sad thing is, kids DO idolize those who do drugs or lead very marginal lifestyles. More money for the stars and the executives/producers. Look at Amy Winehouse - nominated for something like 6 Grammys. She has huge talent but is a junkie (supposedly).

And I bet more Americans have heard of Mitt Romney than TH. Sadly, I haven't heard his name mentioned in probably a year. I have nothing against Taylor at all; I was one of his fans.

Umm, if the music industry starts drug testing it will dry up faster than our local real estate market. They don't seem to do very good back ground checks, remember a few seasons ago when the two twins suddenly left, and then it turned out they had been arrested?

I agree, but those twins didn't make money by singing in jail, now did they. Seriously, I think AI is so much more than CD sales after stardom. Sure, if Simon discovers some exceptional singers like Carrie Underwood, she will more than pay for a few flops. However, the show itself makes a crap-load of money, and the fans of the show aren't only the record buying public. Many people just watch for the train wrecks, but many others watch because they enjoy seeing real talent being discovered, and they like watching them grow through the performances. Wreck the show with a bunch of druggies in the finally, and you will lose the viewers of the show, and the CD sales will follow closely behind.

Ruben, sorry for messing up your thread.