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CNN Saturday Morning News

Interview With Julia Demato

Aired June 14, 2003 - 09:11   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.


HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: A few weeks ago, Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken were vying for the title of "American Idol." Now they're competing in CD sales on Amazon.com's latest list of top sellers. Aiken's rendition of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" ranks number two. You remember, we saw that then, it was an incredible performance, if you were an "American Idol" watcher.
THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Yes.

COLLINS: With Studdard's "Flying Without Wings," a few behind it.

Last year's stars are also doing well. Kelly Clarkson's new CD, "Thankful," is 25th right now.

So other former contestants from the show are also carving out their careers, that's for sure.

ROBERTS: Yes, they certainly are. Julia Demato finished 10th in the recent competition. She's in Atlanta today, participating in an event from "Meow TV." That's a new program which premiered on Oxygen in May.

Julia, we welcome you.

JULIA DEMATO, "AMERICAN IDOL" FINALIST: Hi.

ROBERTS: Thanks for being here.

DEMATO: Thanks for having me.

ROBERTS: So what's the experience been like for you, now that we're several weeks -- the show's over, Ruben's the big winner -- but you guys are still making your careers?

DEMATO: Yes. I mean, we're going on tour this summer. That's very exciting. Going to 41 cities across the United States.

ROBERTS: Wow.

COLLINS: Is that all?

DEMATO: Yes.

COLLINS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...

DEMATO: That's it. In two months.

COLLINS: Yes, you know, that's the question that comes to mind to me, anyway, right off the bat, is, watching from the very beginning, when you guys were doing the auditions, and then every week, everything that happened, and the stress level, and all that. Talk about what that was like as far as physically, not just emotionally, but physically. Was is just exhausting?

DEMATO: Yes, it was. And it didn't hit me until I got home. And then I was -- I looked back and I was, like, How did I do it? But it was grueling.

COLLINS: How do you maintain your voice throughout all of that too?

ROBERTS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

DEMATO: Lots of vitamins and rest.

ROBERTS: Now, in the beginning of the series, there was a little spark between you and Kimberly Caldwell. You guys were in the singing group together...

COLLINS: She's going to love talking about this.

ROBERTS: ... I had to get to this.

(CROSSTALK)

DEMATO: Always come to that.

ROBERTS: But did they make it look as if there was tension between you two?

DEMATO: Yes.

ROBERTS: I mean, some creative editing? Or really was there? Because your sister, I think, took her to task. Right?

DEMATO: Yes. There was...

ROBERTS: Aha, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) what's going on.

DEMATO: ... a little bit of tension. But I think it's all in the competition, you know, and then we're very much alike, so we kind of clashed, but it -- We became really good friends out of it.

ROBERTS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Mildred, right? (UNINTELLIGIBLE) became good friends, yes.

DEMATO: Yes, we did. And it was true, we really are good friends.

COLLINS: You know, one thing that I find interesting, I was reading some of the material. And you have never had any sort of training whatsoever. DEMATO: No.

COLLINS: Did you think you could go this far? I mean, were you kind of surprised with yourself?

DEMATO: You know, it's weird. I went into the competition thinking I would make it to the 10th spot. And it's just ironic that I made it to the 10th and then got voted off. So, I don't know, something was just telling me to go for it.

COLLINS: What's it all about? I mean, is it about talent? Or is it about personality, or is it about...

DEMATO: I think once it got to the top 10, it was kind of like a popularity contest, because they kind of make us into characters. And the power of editing is...

ROBERTS: Strong thing.

DEMATO: ... you know -- yes, strong thing. So...

COLLINS: I got one last quick question. Because now I'm completely and totally absorbed by "American Idol Juniors."

DEMATO: Oh, yes.

COLLINS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...

DEMATO: My niece was on it.

COLLINS: Oh, really?

DEMATO: Yes, Danielle Demato.

ROBERTS: You can do it in the family here, huh?

DEMATO: She made it to the semifinals.

COLLINS: Oh, great. Do you think it's a good idea for kids?

DEMATO: Yes. I mean, I don't think it's going to be as grueling as what we went through. I hope not, but absolutely...

ROBERTS: There's no Simon there to kind of beat them down.

DEMATO: No.

ROBERTS: Take them and (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...

COLLINS: They're all nice people.

DEMATO: Yes, yes.

ROBERTS: All right, (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...

DEMATO: Which is good. ROBERTS: Good luck with the new venture.

DEMATO: Thank you very much.

ROBERTS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) as well. You can see it on your T- shirt there.

DEMATO: Yes.

ROBERTS: And we'll be looking for that coming up.

COLLINS: Thanks, Julia.

DEMATO: Thanks.

ROBERTS: Julia Demato, thanks very much for joining us.

COLLINS: Nice to meet you. Good luck to you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com







Aired June 14, 2003 - 09:11   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: A few weeks ago, Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken were vying for the title of "American Idol." Now they're competing in CD sales on Amazon.com's latest list of top sellers. Aiken's rendition of "Bridge Over Troubled Water" ranks number two. You remember, we saw that then, it was an incredible performance, if you were an "American Idol" watcher.
THOMAS ROBERTS, CNN ANCHOR: Yes.

COLLINS: With Studdard's "Flying Without Wings," a few behind it.

Last year's stars are also doing well. Kelly Clarkson's new CD, "Thankful," is 25th right now.

So other former contestants from the show are also carving out their careers, that's for sure.

ROBERTS: Yes, they certainly are. Julia Demato finished 10th in the recent competition. She's in Atlanta today, participating in an event from "Meow TV." That's a new program which premiered on Oxygen in May.

Julia, we welcome you.

JULIA DEMATO, "AMERICAN IDOL" FINALIST: Hi.

ROBERTS: Thanks for being here.

DEMATO: Thanks for having me.

ROBERTS: So what's the experience been like for you, now that we're several weeks -- the show's over, Ruben's the big winner -- but you guys are still making your careers?

DEMATO: Yes. I mean, we're going on tour this summer. That's very exciting. Going to 41 cities across the United States.

ROBERTS: Wow.

COLLINS: Is that all?

DEMATO: Yes.

COLLINS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...

DEMATO: That's it. In two months.

COLLINS: Yes, you know, that's the question that comes to mind to me, anyway, right off the bat, is, watching from the very beginning, when you guys were doing the auditions, and then every week, everything that happened, and the stress level, and all that. Talk about what that was like as far as physically, not just emotionally, but physically. Was is just exhausting?

DEMATO: Yes, it was. And it didn't hit me until I got home. And then I was -- I looked back and I was, like, How did I do it? But it was grueling.

COLLINS: How do you maintain your voice throughout all of that too?

ROBERTS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE).

DEMATO: Lots of vitamins and rest.

ROBERTS: Now, in the beginning of the series, there was a little spark between you and Kimberly Caldwell. You guys were in the singing group together...

COLLINS: She's going to love talking about this.

ROBERTS: ... I had to get to this.

(CROSSTALK)

DEMATO: Always come to that.

ROBERTS: But did they make it look as if there was tension between you two?

DEMATO: Yes.

ROBERTS: I mean, some creative editing? Or really was there? Because your sister, I think, took her to task. Right?

DEMATO: Yes. There was...

ROBERTS: Aha, (UNINTELLIGIBLE) what's going on.

DEMATO: ... a little bit of tension. But I think it's all in the competition, you know, and then we're very much alike, so we kind of clashed, but it -- We became really good friends out of it.

ROBERTS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) Mildred, right? (UNINTELLIGIBLE) became good friends, yes.

DEMATO: Yes, we did. And it was true, we really are good friends.

COLLINS: You know, one thing that I find interesting, I was reading some of the material. And you have never had any sort of training whatsoever. DEMATO: No.

COLLINS: Did you think you could go this far? I mean, were you kind of surprised with yourself?

DEMATO: You know, it's weird. I went into the competition thinking I would make it to the 10th spot. And it's just ironic that I made it to the 10th and then got voted off. So, I don't know, something was just telling me to go for it.

COLLINS: What's it all about? I mean, is it about talent? Or is it about personality, or is it about...

DEMATO: I think once it got to the top 10, it was kind of like a popularity contest, because they kind of make us into characters. And the power of editing is...

ROBERTS: Strong thing.

DEMATO: ... you know -- yes, strong thing. So...

COLLINS: I got one last quick question. Because now I'm completely and totally absorbed by "American Idol Juniors."

DEMATO: Oh, yes.

COLLINS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...

DEMATO: My niece was on it.

COLLINS: Oh, really?

DEMATO: Yes, Danielle Demato.

ROBERTS: You can do it in the family here, huh?

DEMATO: She made it to the semifinals.

COLLINS: Oh, great. Do you think it's a good idea for kids?

DEMATO: Yes. I mean, I don't think it's going to be as grueling as what we went through. I hope not, but absolutely...

ROBERTS: There's no Simon there to kind of beat them down.

DEMATO: No.

ROBERTS: Take them and (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...

COLLINS: They're all nice people.

DEMATO: Yes, yes.

ROBERTS: All right, (UNINTELLIGIBLE)...

DEMATO: Which is good. ROBERTS: Good luck with the new venture.

DEMATO: Thank you very much.

ROBERTS: (UNINTELLIGIBLE) as well. You can see it on your T- shirt there.

DEMATO: Yes.

ROBERTS: And we'll be looking for that coming up.

COLLINS: Thanks, Julia.

DEMATO: Thanks.

ROBERTS: Julia Demato, thanks very much for joining us.

COLLINS: Nice to meet you. Good luck to you.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com