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CNN Live Today

Talk With Father of 'American Idol' Hopeful

Aired July 24, 2002 - 11:47   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: What do you get when you combine the old '80s "Star Search" with "Survivor?" You get Fox's big summer hit "American Idol," 10 kids competing for recording contracts, and one by one, viewers voting them off the show. Let's take a look.

(MUSIC)

So we have some special company watching this clip from last night's show with us. That is Glen Helton, R.J. Helton's father. R.J. is one of finalists. He's a 21-year-old, and he's from right here in the Atlanta area. Mr. Helton and I were having a chance to visit a little bit during the commercial break. He says he used to be know as Glen Helton.

GLEN HELTON, R.J.'S DAD: Now I'm R.J.'s dad.

KAGAN: Which is a great thing to be called. You must be -- how proud of you of your son?

HELTON: Extremely proud. It's R.J. all our lives has touched us in many ways. But for the rest of the world to be touched by R.J., it's very special.

KAGAN: People have been touched by his singing. Of course if he wasn't so talented and done so well, he wouldn't have gone so far. But they'll also be touched to know his story. This is a kid who is very dedicated and has a dream and is going after it. He went to Nashville and had to come home.

HELTON: Right. He is very humble. He tried every opportunity to make it through to the big labels, and it just didn't work out, came back to his day job at the YMCA teaching dance, and saw the audition of the -- commercial for auditions, and was the first in line at 3:30 in the morning, was the first to audition, and made it through all of the cuts here if Atlanta -- 11,000 contestants later, he is one of the final eight.

KAGAN: Could you even dream it would come to this?

HELTON: We're all pinching ourselves. It has just been tremendous experience for my wife, Sue. And Russell and Carin (ph) are out there with R.J. now.

KAGAN: Brother and sister. HELTON: Right.

KAGAN: We were talking also before the break, that I'm just telling you, as a viewer, it is so nerve-wracking to watch. And you are not just watching a live performance and watching with your own kid, but then there are these judges. And the judges have become these characters greater than life. Last night, after R.J. sang "Under the Boardwalk," I was taking notes here, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson actually had some something positive things to say. Paula Abdul said, I can't wait until you are making records and you're this big recording star. And then there is Simon, the mean judge.

We have Simon's comments that he had about R.J. last night, so let's go ahead and listen to those.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, it was good. I have a slight problem, which is, we have to vote -- we have to pass judgment based on everyone left in this competition at the moment. I think you will see two or three performances tonight which are in a different league to you. I think, although it was good, I don't see that as an "American Idol" winning performance.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KAGAN: That's not even the cruelest stuff Simon can say. As a dad, you just must want it reach through the screen and bop that guy.

HELTON: I've thought about it many times. But, my son, R.J., says it best. He thinks that Simon really is a nice guy.

KAGAN: Really, after some of the stuff he said?

HELTON: But -- I have to throw the but in -- he thinks he can be a little bit more American, and we pat each other on the back when someone is on the ground. Let's give constructive criticism and pick them up. That's for the spirit of the kids. They are there for each other. And Simon says they hate each other. That's furthest from the truth. When someone has a bad performance, they are picking each other up, and I think that's the American way, Simon. So, if you're listening.

KAGAN: So there. Did you talk to R.J. last night after his performance?

HELTON: I did.

KAGAN: And how did he feel he did?

HELTON: He felt he did very well. We feel the American audience will support that. We hope tonight will be a positive outcome. And his fans love him. Yesterday, we found out that one girl came all the way from Mexico City just to see R.J. perform. So it has an international appeal as well. KAGAN: You mentioned tonight, there is this 24-hour period that you said is just so nerve-wracking, because at these last eight performers did their songs last night, the national viewing audience got call in, and they are voting somebody off the island, so to speak. We find out tonight at 9:30 p.m. Eastern, and we are keeping our fingers crossed for you and for R.J., but there really are no losers. I mean, he is going to do great.

HELTON: Not at this point. And to come this far out of 11,000 contestants, we're proud, and again, we're touched that R.J. has been able to touch so many people's lives. He is a special kid.

KAGAN: He is. And he is on his way. Congratulations for raising such a great kid. and as I said, we are biased here. We are keeping our fingers crossed for R.J.

HELTON: Atlanta.

KAGAN: Yes, go Atlanta.

Glen Helton, also known as R.J.'s dad, thanks for stopping by.

HELTON: Pleasure. Thank you very much.

KAGAN: Appreciate it.

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