Idol producer responds to Antonella's naughty photos

by Liz Finn-Arnold, posted Feb 26th 2007 12:34PM
Antonella BarbaJersey's own Antonella Barba may not win American Idol this year, but she's already become a household name, earning fame (or is it infamy?) thanks to a seemingly endless supply of naughty, naked, and nasty photographs (that become nastier by the day) appearing all over the internet.

According to Entertainment Weekly, Idol producer Nigel Lythgoe hasn't seen any of the photographs, and only became aware of the "sexualy explicit shots" from EW. Lythgoe responded, ''It's sad, isn't it, that your best friends are the ones that come forward with information that will go to Smoking Gun or put your photographs on the web?''

The EW article did not mention whether or not Idol's producers are considering booting Antonella, who performed only marginally during the first week of competition. In Season Two, Frenchie Davis was disqualified from Idol after her topless photos appeared online. While Frenchie posed for a porn website to earn money for college, Antonella apparently just likes taking lots of personal keepsake photos of herself on the toilet, grabbing her girlfriends' boobs, and engaging in sex acts.

I may be old, but not too old to remember college, so I'm not completely shocked by Antonella's hijinks (as I've already discussed here). I just wonder why young people feel the need to capture every moment -- good, bad, and toilet-related -- on film or digital memory stick. I have a feeling, though, that today's parents may ultimately be responsible. Since the day most of today's youth were born, we've videotaped, photographed, and recorded their every move. It's no wonder, they continue to be fascinated with their own images and bowel movements.

The world is changing, folks, In the past parents could ignore the fact that their kids did naughty things. What we didn't see, couldn't hurt us. Right? With the proliferation of cellphone cameras and MySpace pages, parents can no longer bury their heads in the sand. College kids have sex. Disqualifying Antonella from the competition won't really change that fact.

All of this has really given me a lot to think about as a parent. My kids are young, so I still have time to sit them down and convince them that they should NEVER, EVER take photographs that they wouldn't want their mom, dad, or the entire world to see should they someday become famous.

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ERIS

First off, I thought Frenchy could sing and would vote her over Antonella anytime. But bottom line is that Frenchy's pictures were for profit on a website before AI and Antonella's came out after AI and not for profit. It was probably better for Frenchy anyway cause then she wasn't trapped under the contract of AI and she could move on like others that were voted off like Chris Daughtry. So, let's stop crying over spilt milk. Neither one was going to win so does it really matter when they left?
Just my opinion

March 10 2007 at 10:05 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Ms Williams

I think that she sholud be voted OFF, just because of the pics,either way u look at it they are still wrong, it does not matter who she posed for , they are still out here for the public to see. She need to ask herself HOW did they get out? She need to check her boy-friend. Now fair is fair she needs to go. I would not want My daughter to look up to her as a Idol in taking off her clothes. What else wolud she be wiling to do ? If you think like a freak soon or later you will become one.
Frenchie Davis has talent and that was what she should have been judge on. The little white girl will be booted anyway because she can't sing, she is ok but she's not an Idol.
And I am White, just in case people wants to know

March 08 2007 at 2:54 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
JB

Well, actually I think she looks pretty cute on that toilet. I sure could never look that good sitting on the potty...I wish I did! You Go Girl! No, seriously tho' her pics are not that bad, she is very photogenic. Besides, it's a singing contest, not Miss America. I do not agree, she cannot be compared to Frenchie who got booted off for being on an Internet porn site, that woman was paid for it. These are not professional photos of Antonella, not do they imply that she posed for money. But they do show that she is very photogenic. Maybe she won't win idol, she does have much better competitors for singing. But, my guess is she will go into modeling or acting. She definitely has talent. Let's face it kids, this isn't a church talent show, it's a singing competition. She just got free publicity, and it's very good publicity that will send her career into outer space.

March 04 2007 at 12:01 AM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Branny

Lots of Antonella's pics at http://www.barba.in

March 02 2007 at 8:41 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
sb

i think she should have been voted off shes not good at all. Shes not all that either there are plenty of jersey girls who look better then she does. why all the fuss over this girl amazes me. I think this is just what she wanted all along too bad she cannot get the attention by keeping your clothes on. that says something to me. think about it

March 02 2007 at 7:03 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
larry Morris

IF, She hadn't taken the pictures:
there would be nothing to talk about
there would be nothing for the snitch to tell
the media would have none of this to report and keep going.
She for sure wouldn't be getting all of the press she's getting.
But then all of this stuff helps. Madonna, Cher and Vanasa Williams are prime examples of what can happen.

March 02 2007 at 3:30 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
darlene

I don't think it's the fact of her having the sexual photos but the issue lies in the fact of the history of American Idol kicking Frenchie Davis off the show in the past. Now, if you get rid of one person for something and another person does something like that then the same rules should apply.

However, Antonella photos did appear to have been done in privacy and not for the public. So that does somewhat matter unless someone else knows something I don't know.

March 02 2007 at 2:25 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
Lisa

The pictures had nothing to do with if Antonella
went home or not. The girl cant sing at all to save her life. She should have been voted off this week but im sure next week after she sings she will be voted off. There are way to many good singers on there and she isnt one of them at all.

March 02 2007 at 2:12 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply
darlene

I believe according to past practice on American Idol when the gave Frenchie Davis the boot they should do the same thing with Antonella

March 02 2007 at 2:05 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply

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