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CNN Live Today

Contestant Pool on 'American Idol' Dwindles to Two

Aired September 03, 2002 - 10:43   ET

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


DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: The contestant pool on the popular "American Idol" show dwindles down to two. Viewers have watched contestants progress. They have voted religiously on every episode, and are expected to tune in as Justin and Kelly compete to see who the will become the new "American Idol," I guess the first "American Idol." Part one of two-part season finale begins tonight in Los Angeles.
And our Kendis Gibson had a chance to do what many people in America would like to do. You sat down and Justin and Kelly in New York.

KENDIS GIBSON, CNN CORRESPONDENT: I sat down with them a couple of days ago in New York. And I've got to tell you, for a couple of kids who have never been through this...

KAGAN: A couple of kids. How old are you? Come on.

GIBSON: They at the ripe old age of 20, 23, three years younger than me, but you know, for a couple of kids who are dealing with a lot of pressure, seen by millions of people every night, they really are dealing with this pretty well. They have become household names, Kelly and Justin. Think about it for a second, a few months ago, just two, they were among two in 10, 000 lining up for a show nobody had even head of.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

KELLY CLARKSON, "AMERICAN IDOL" FINALIST: I didn't even know what "American Idol" was. My friend actually was the one that filed all the papers, and I just signed my signature and showed up.

I just moved back home that day, and she was like, tryout for this thing, so I went and i tried out, and I didn't even know what it was.

GIBSON: Did you ever think from that point you would end up here?

CLARKSON: No.

JUSTIN GUARINI, "AMERICAN IDOL" FINALIST: I didn't know what to expect. I was the 125th person in line at 5:30 in the morning, didn't get into the building until quarter of 9:00, didn't audition until quarter of 2:00, then had to wait an hour to see if I would be called back.

GIBSON: Trying to get everybody to love you.

GUARINI: It's not like, hey, I'm just performing. I really want to be -- you know, I want to be real. I want to be touchable.

CLARKSON: I'm very comfortable somehow on stage. I don't know why. But because I see other people that get kind of nervous. And I'm like, oh, I'm so glad that's not me.

GUARINI: I forget that I'm singing and being beamed into, you know, millions of homes.

You're happy. You're having a great time.

CLARKSON: We get oh there and people don't know our names, and we don't have a CD. We are not established artists, and to have everybody know your name is very weird.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: America has eliminated you tonight.

CLARKSON: Very possible. I hope for the best for me too. Either way, it's going to be great. So we are very supportive of each other. So whoever wins, wins.

GUARINI: If my career ended after this show, like if it just today end, if I go away somewhere, I would feel success, because I have gotten to live a dream. I have gotten perform and do what I love in front of millions of people, and that's it for me, you know, that's OK.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

GIBSON: And the finals are tonight. But one of the things about Justin that have really caught a lot of folks attention is...

KAGAN: His hair. Big hair, something I can appreciate.

GIBSON: Me too.

KAGAN: If I don't blow dry may hair, I look just like Justin.

GIBSON: I have that problem, too, on those bad humidity days. But you know, it's sort of like a cross between. Let's see, we tried to ask -- sort of like a cross between, would say, his hairs-- you know, we have the wrong video right now, but it's like a cross between, I don't know a number of different characters. Say perhaps, Carrot Top the comedian, who they're supposed to see there.

KAGAN: There you go.

GIBSON: No? What do you think, Daryn? Or...

KAGAN: He is cuter than Carrot Top, I will tell you that.

GIBSON: He is cuter than Carrot Top. But what about this guy, like Sideshow Bob from "The Simpsons."

KAGAN: That's very nice.

GIBSON: Well, it's getting out there. But I actually did ask Justin about his hair.

KAGAN: You did?

GIBSON: And here's what he had to say about the quaff.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GUARINI: Maybe I'm indulging a little, in now having this thing on top of my head, you know. But it's just a part of me, a part of the -- I enjoy it. And I don't have any intention -- this is as big as it's going to get, I will tell you that much.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIBSON: So there you have it. Now it will be a two-night event. Of course the winner gets a $1 million recording contract. And we will be hearing their names for several years, no doubt about that.

KAGAN: Hopefully that they'll do well. You and I got in this very heated debate when we were both in New York City last week, Justin or Kelly.

GIBSON: I still think it's going to be Justin, because all of the little teeny boppers are going to call in. It's still early enough they can call in, and Justin will pull it off. Kelly has a better voice, but Justin has the overall thing. The mojo.

KAGAN: Kendis Gibson, thank you so much.

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