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There’s a controversy brewing over the way American Idol producers are handling the sexy photos of Antonella Barba that are plastered all over the gossip sites. Candidate Frenchie Davis was booted unceremoniously by officials more four years ago after they heard that she posed for nude photos for a paid porn site to “help pay for college.” Since Frenchie is a bigger boned African American woman, people are crying racist over the treatment she was afforded compared to the support offered to Barba.
I could be splitting hairs, but I think it is a bit different and has more to do with the nature of the photos than the physical characteristics of the contestants. Frenchie was paid for her topless photos, she knew what she was doing, and she probaby signed the rights over to the website. Antonella, however slutty her pictures, did not intend them to be for a wide audience. (There were some supposed Antonella Barba blowjob pictures, but these were exposed as another woman.) According to Antonella’s good friend and fellow Idol contestant, Amanda Coluccio, the sexy posed pictures were meant for “one person.” That’s up for debate since many of the pictures involve groups of people, but the fact remains that they were private photos and not paid photos for a porn site.
Frenchie, who is now starring on Broadway in “Rent,” says she doesn’t really think racism is at play but that there was a huge difference between the way she was treated and how producers are standing by Barba. She says she would appreciate some kind of acknowledgment of what she went through and an apology. African American rights groups are calling it racism, though, and are demanding an explanation from American Idol, which refuses to comment:
“We object to having one rule for black contestants and a different rule for white contestants who exhibit the same behavior,” said Najee Ali, community activist and founder of Project Islamic H.O.P.E. Davis said she is bewildered over what’s happened with Barba, 20, of Point Pleasant, New Jersey.
“I don’t necessarily think that (it’s racism), but I can certainly look at this and understand why people would draw that conclusion,” Davis said Tuesday from New York, hours before going on stage in the musical “Rent.”
“I’m not bashing `Idol’ or Antonella. She’s a beautiful girl and she’s young. I think it’s great that she didn’t have to go through what I went through,” said Davis, 27, who suggested that the show’s producers might have learned from how they treated her.
Davis would welcome a public apology from them as “a great start.” But she said she is owed more for “the manner in which I was humiliated and the manner in which Antonella was defended and protected by the same people who humiliated me.”
“Now they need to come to the table and see what we can do to make up” for her treatment, Davis said. She declined to say if she would seek a financial settlement or a record contract or other deal…
In a statement Tuesday, Fox said, “We have never discussed the specifics of why Ms. Davis was eliminated, nor will we now.” The network said it had “no desire to revisit history and sully the reputation of Ms. Davis. She was removed from the show over four years ago and has gone on to a successful performing career.” That achievement has been a salve, of sorts, for Davis.
And of course Rosie O’Donnell has weighed in on the controversy. Despite taking a week of pressure from Asian advocacy groups to get Rosie to apologize for her own unnecessary and racist comments, she is more than willing to call American Idol producers racist and weightist for booting Frenchie while giving Antonella all the chance in the world.
Indeed Antonella is getting more chances than she normallly would without those pictures. She remains in the competition despite mediocre performances.
Written by Celebitchy
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13 Responses to “Did American Idol change the rules for Antonella?”
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I think this is less about the race of the contestent and more about the size. I also think that no matter what the reason for the pictures, Antonella should have been booted. Frenchie was booted for naked pictures, therefore naked pictures should get a contestant booted, no matter their intent. Just because no one paid for the pictures of Antonella doesn’t mean she should get a free pass. Naked is naked, and the producers of the show set up a rule that said naked pictures would get you fired. By not booting Antonella, they’re making themselves look two-faced and sleezy. The skinny hack can stay. The heavy talented one gets the boot.
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Not sure what the fuss is all about. This girl has no remote chance of winning this competition. She will eventually topple. I give her this week. then goodbye toots!
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I still fail to see what’s so terrible about Rosie’s mock Chinese. It’s not as if she knew any real Chinese–how else is she going to pretend to be the Chinese media? English with a bad accent would be worse, methinks.
And yes, I’m Chinese.
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umm. someone should tell the people screaming racist that antonella is not white.
that being said. i agree with celebitchy that this is a different situation. there are people who could be so broke but yet not compromise and do porn to pay there bills. antonella however is young, and these pictures weren’t taken with the intent for everyone in the world to see like this.
shit happens.
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Any time the least bit of a thing happens to black people it’s because someone is racist. Geez, there are so many reasons to hate people, dont limit yourself to race. I’m sure she was hated more for being fat than anything. I agree it doesnt really matter, Barba doesnt have the talent to stay on any longer.
I also dont think Rosie did anything wrong (this time). Any language you arent familiar with is going to sound like the most often used basic tones. Chinese does sound like “ching chong gong” to those who are not used to hearing it. French sounds like sex. Hebrew sounds like you need to clear your throat. And I’m sure English sounds like you have a stick in your ass. When your brain cant decipher the words it just picks out the basic sounds. It’s not racist, it’s just the way it is.
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Nevermind that, she’s posed baring her boobs in a war memorial. A WAR MEMORIAL. That alone should get her ass booted off.
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Yeah, to all the people who are saying it’s a race thing, quit gettin’ your panties in a bunch. Like Jess pointed out, Antonella isn’t “white”, so I doubt that it’s racism, unless the producers are all the same ethnicity as Antonella and they all hate black people. Doesn’t seem very likely. I think it’s weightism, since you don’t see many shows these days that feature heavy people, unless their weight is the butt of jokes. This is, of course, just as bad as racism, but doesn’t get the same kind of attention. I’m sad that Frenchie got kicked off, too. She was GOOD. I just hate it when people try to make everything into a race thing all the time. It’s not ALWAYS about race. Geez…
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Actually, I think Frenchie’s situation was more understandable. She posed topless because she was broke, which wasn’t the best choice, but we’ve all done desperate things. Antonella did it because she is narcisistic, and I just don’t believe that the sheer volume of photos were meant for one person. She thinks she’s hot, and she wanted to show off, in front of a war memorial no less. Simply tacky.
With no intention of starting a flame war, or any intention of caring about AI, Carol, it’s easy to think that the decision was either racist or sizist. Why else the double standard? Frenchie was sure as hell a lot more talented. No one is thrilled to call racism (believe me), but when there has been so much historically, and continues to be, it’s pretty easy to do.
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I guess the attitude of AI is only based over if the pictures can be released in Mass-Media or not. In America, you can watch “Baywatch” for years and never hear a complain but if you see a nipple during a superbowl, it’s a national crisis.
I know the people in the U.S. are fast to drawn the Race Card but I don’t see the need here. The reason why Antonella is not packing right now it’s because her pictures helps to sell the show, period. If Davis had taken “Non-Nude” pictures of herself, you can be sure that the staff of AI would had let it go too.
Pure economics folks: a little sex always sells.
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Er, I’m not entirely sure about this, but Antonella doesn’t really look white.
I don’t think it’s racism or weightism. Narcissistic or not, the nature of Antonella’s photos are different.
But, I actually think it’s because AI has become such a powerhouse that not even a “scandal” like this can pull it down. Four years ago they were probably worried about issues of epic proportion similar to the Superbowl incident and punishment, so they did it to cover their own asses. I don’t think they really have to worry about it anymore.
I don’t watch AI, so I can’t comment on performances or anything, but I think everyone is making a big deal out of nothing.
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A question: why in the world is Antonella “not white?” Isn’t she Italian? And in any case, she looks like she could be — or Latina, or Jewish, or Greek, or maybe Arab . . . is a dark-complexioned member of the Caucasian race. Since when does this make you the same as being black? I don’t understand the comments about this.
Second, there is a HUGE difference between having some racy photos taken of you and then having “friends” or ex-boyfriends post them on the INTERNET for god’s sake (Antonella), and taking a job (posing nude on the internet) that pays you to be naked (Frenchie). The two things are not even close to being the same thing.
It’s like the difference between working in a strip club OR doing a strip-tease for your Significant Other . . . while unbeknownst to you, the neighbors could see you through the window, and thus you just gave a public “show.” Anotnella should not be kicked of AI for her pics.
Finally, it makes me angry that soooo many people are sooooo quick to shout “racism” any time something bad or unfortunate happens to black people and it’s allegedly the “fault” of white people.
This is completely offensive and slanderous bullshit.
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I don’t get why people think it’s okay to be racist if you’re not white? What the hell are you guys talking about? I actually don’t agree that this was about racism, I think Antonella is just more attractive than Frenchie, and like someone else mentioned, AI is using this controversy to get even more ratings, but honestly, racism isn’t limited to whites against blacks. Don’t be so ignorant.
I can’t stand that Antonella, I think she’s a bitch, I hope they boot her ass!
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