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Access Atlanta > American Idol Buzz > Archives > 2006 > July > 21
Friday, July 21, 2006
7/22: Bush to meet Idols
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
How big a deal is “American Idol”? George W. Bush is trying to latch onto the phenomenon:
Here’s the link
President Bush is about to come face-to-face with the one man who has his voting record beat.
Bush plans to host “American Idol” Taylor Hicks and the other Top 10 finalists next Friday in the Oval Office. It will be the first time contestants from the hit television show have been invited to meet the president.
The meeting is scheduled for July 28, when the performers were scheduled to be in Washington for their “American Idols Live” show at the Verizon Center. Hicks has a personal connection inside the White House: Susan Whitson, Laura Bush’s press secretary, taught him 9th grade English at Hoover High School in Birmingham, Ala.
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7/21: Mandisa {hearts) Ruben
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
God, the publicists for the “Idols Live” tour are incredibly arrogant. Naturally, they can afford to be since the tour is sold out almost everywhere and advance promotion isn’t all that necessary.
The publicists a few weeks ago said they’d get me one of the Idol finalists to do an advancer before the August 3 date. Typically, I get some advance notice and I know who I’m talking to. Last year, I requested Nadia and I got her. Plus I had time to prepare questions. This year, well, at 3:15 p.m., the publicist, some guy named Adam, called and said he’d have Mandisa for me in TWO minutes.
Yes, I had two minutes to prepare for a talk with Mandisa, who I’ve spoken to before and for that reason, she was not on the top of my list. For pure local angle, I would have preferred Paris. For entertainment, Kellie would have sufficed. For articulate, heartfelt thoughts, Elliott would be perfect. But from the “Idols” tour folks’ attitudes, beggars can’t be choosers. And Mandisa’s a sweetheart. So at 3:17 p.m., Adam called back and gave me seven minutes. Suddenly, Mandisa was there on the phone. I had to wing it and sorry it’s not more scintillating. Here’s nearly all of it:
AJC: How’s the concerts been so far? You’ve been out two weeks?
Almost three weeks. It’s great. I’m having a great time.
AJC: How are they treating you?
We are treated really great. I’ve never been treated this good.
AJC: How’s bus life?
We don’t spend a whole lot of time on the bus. I’ve been on tour where we’ve lived on the bus. We go and stay in hotels.
AJC: Not Motel 6s?
No. It’s four-star hotels. They really are spoiling us.
AJC: How many songs do you sing?
I sing two songs and a duet. We’ve got a girl’s medley, then the group finale.
AJC: What do you do backstage?
I start out the show. I do my thing. Then I can chill for a long time. We’ll often be there watching movies, hanging out, just playing games.
AJC: What have you seen so far?
I brought movies I’ve seen before, introducing them to my friends. Lisa [Tucker] loves watching with me. Chick flicks. She cries and she can’t get a hold of herself. I enjoy watching her watch movies.
AJC: Specifically, what are some flicks you’ve watched?
“The Other Sister.” We’ve watched “Crash,” “The Wedding Planner.” “Hitch.”
AJC: Do you have weddings on your mind?
Did you know I dedicate one of my songs “If I Was Your Woman” to Ruben [Studdard]?
AJC: Yup. I just interviewed him last Saturday and told him that!
What did he say?
AJC: He was surprised, flattered. He didn’t say he wanted to get married though. Then again, you haven’t met each other.
I’m willing to take it slow Ruben!
AJC: How are you going to go about meeting him?
I don’t know when I’m going ot meet him. We’re going to Birmingham. Who knows if he’s going to be there? We were in New York and we ran into Carrie Underwood. Maybe he’ll be there in Birmingham. I wouldn’t know what to do. I’d probably fall on my face in embarrassment.
AJC: No! He’s got a new album coming out and is doing well. {I then told her about his new diet regime and how psyched he is to get out on the road to promote his new CD.]
I”m trying to give him a little bit of promotion. I’m talking about him in 60 cities!
AJC: How’s the audience reacting?
They’re all very supportive. They think we’d make a cute couple. I have to agree.
AJC: How’s life on the road when it comes to diet and exercise?
The good thing is we have afternoon call times for hte most part. I get up in the morning to exercise. I’m doing the South Beach low carb diet. You can usually find something to eat.
AJC: How long have you been doing it?
Just since the start of hte tour. I needed something that would not make me eat ouf o control.
AJC: How much weight have you lost so far?
I don’t know. I’ve sworn off scales. I’ts less to do with numbers. It’s doing something healthy.
AJC: What exercise do you do?
I love the elliptical trainer. If the hotel doesn’t have one, I use the treadmill. But the elliptical burns two times as many calories as a treadmill!
AJC: How did you go about picking songs for the tour?
They want us to do shows from the [compilation] CD so I do “I’m Every Woman.” Then I think all of us wanted to do songs that come naturally to us. i chose “If I Were Your Woman” by Alicia Keys. That was an easy choice for me. The album I’m going to get off after the tour will be a Christian album. I wanted an album with that kind of message. I also do a duet with Ace, “I’m Your Angel,” the R. Kelly song.
AJC: Who chose the duet pairings?
The people wh put the tour together.
AJC: You and Ace. That’s not one I would have thought of.
I love ace. He’s great. I start out the singing. The girls start squealing when he comes on.
AJC: Are you all missing Kat?
We can’t wait for her to get back.
AJC: Are you looking forward to Atlanta? It’s kind of like a second home for you, right?
It really is. My whole family is there. I can’t wait. I’m so happy we’re going twice. [August 3 and September 12 at Gwinnett]
AJC: Will everybody be able to go?
I’m not sure. The hard thing is we get four tickets per show. At our hometown, we get 10. But I’ve got Nashville and Sacramento. And a lot of people have family here.
AJC: When will you be able to sign to a label?
We’re let off on August 24. And the tour is over September 24.
AJC: So do you have a deal ready to go?
We’ve all got stuff lined up. August 24 is a technicality.
AJC: When will we be able to hear the album?
I’d like to take my time and do it well. I don’t want to come out with a bad quality project. I think early next year would around the time ‘American Idol’ is starting back up and get promotion.
AJC: Any chance you might move to Atlanta?
I think Nashville will be my home for now. But I do spend a lot of time in Georgia.
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