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CNN Sunday Morning
'Idol' Worship
Aired December 21, 2003 - 07:48 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.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, a big year for Clay Aiken. He has gone from American Idol runner-up to multi platinum artist. And now, college graduate. You have to look closely to pick him out of the crowd, but Aiken was there to get his bachelor's degree in special education. There was some controversy when some parents were afraid Claymaniacs would grab all the tickets to the event. But for Aiken, the day was just another feather in his cap.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLAY AIKEN, IDOL GRADUATE: It's one of those things that I worked hard for, for a long time before the whole celebrity thing happened. And so it's neat to be able to come back and finish something that I started.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLEBS: Neat, indeed. Aiken may not have won the Idol title, but he is beating winner Ruben Studdard where it counts in record sales. Studdard's debut album ended up the week at number one, selling nearly 200,000 fewer copies than Aiken's debut.
Well, does all this Idol worship seem a bit silly? Idol shows have popped up in 14 countries, including Poland and South Africa. But what about the original? That was in Britain where they just crowned their new champion.
Gary Cattrell reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the winner of Pop Idol 2003 is...
GARY CATTRELL, ITV NEWS CORRESPONDENT: 20,00 contestants to just two. And then there was one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ...Michelle.
CATTRELL: (Unintelligible) Scotland beat England, favorite the underdog.
(SINGING)
CATTRELL: So why, Michelle?
SIMON COWELL, JUDGE: I think if you weren't in the final, it would have been quite boring. You've broken the norm.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She's got a really good voice. So she got (unintelligible).
CATTRELL: ...one of the judges says he hopes those who voted keep showing their support.
NEIL FOX, POP IDOL JUDGE: It's very easy to phone and pick the phone up. It takes a lot more effort to go down to your record shop and actually physically buy the record or buy the album.
CATTRELL: Michelle's supporters in Glasgow and millions nationwide have followed the search for Pop Idol 2003.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Even the prime minister was talking about Pop Idol tonight.
TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: It's been the regular family viewing, I have to say.
CATTRELL: At the start of it all six months ago, Michelle made a promise.
MICHELLE: I will do this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Off you go.
MICHELLE: Thank you.
CATTRELL: And she did, gaining the majority of the 10.26 million votes.
MICHELLE: Thank you. And for everyone who said I couldn't do it, well...
Gary Cattrell, ITV News.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
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 December 21, 2003 - 07:48 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: Well, a big year for Clay Aiken. He has gone from American Idol runner-up to multi platinum artist. And now, college graduate. You have to look closely to pick him out of the crowd, but Aiken was there to get his bachelor's degree in special education. There was some controversy when some parents were afraid Claymaniacs would grab all the tickets to the event. But for Aiken, the day was just another feather in his cap.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
CLAY AIKEN, IDOL GRADUATE: It's one of those things that I worked hard for, for a long time before the whole celebrity thing happened. And so it's neat to be able to come back and finish something that I started.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
CALLEBS: Neat, indeed. Aiken may not have won the Idol title, but he is beating winner Ruben Studdard where it counts in record sales. Studdard's debut album ended up the week at number one, selling nearly 200,000 fewer copies than Aiken's debut.
Well, does all this Idol worship seem a bit silly? Idol shows have popped up in 14 countries, including Poland and South Africa. But what about the original? That was in Britain where they just crowned their new champion.
Gary Cattrell reports.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: And the winner of Pop Idol 2003 is...
GARY CATTRELL, ITV NEWS CORRESPONDENT: 20,00 contestants to just two. And then there was one.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: ...Michelle.
CATTRELL: (Unintelligible) Scotland beat England, favorite the underdog.
(SINGING)
CATTRELL: So why, Michelle?
SIMON COWELL, JUDGE: I think if you weren't in the final, it would have been quite boring. You've broken the norm.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: She's got a really good voice. So she got (unintelligible).
CATTRELL: ...one of the judges says he hopes those who voted keep showing their support.
NEIL FOX, POP IDOL JUDGE: It's very easy to phone and pick the phone up. It takes a lot more effort to go down to your record shop and actually physically buy the record or buy the album.
CATTRELL: Michelle's supporters in Glasgow and millions nationwide have followed the search for Pop Idol 2003.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Even the prime minister was talking about Pop Idol tonight.
TONY BLAIR, BRITISH PRIME MINISTER: It's been the regular family viewing, I have to say.
CATTRELL: At the start of it all six months ago, Michelle made a promise.
MICHELLE: I will do this.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Off you go.
MICHELLE: Thank you.
CATTRELL: And she did, gaining the majority of the 10.26 million votes.
MICHELLE: Thank you. And for everyone who said I couldn't do it, well...
Gary Cattrell, ITV News.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
