By Karu F. Daniels, AOL Black Voices
To hell with Antonella Barba, Frenchie Davis is going for hers.
For the past couple of weeks, the vocal powerhouse has been embroiled -- for the lack of a better term -- in a new 'American Idol' scandal. Davis was disqualified from the popular television talent competition in 2003 when show producers brought to light that she posed topless for an adult website years earlier.
Barba, a new contestant for this season's competition, is the 20-year-old New Jersey native who has become the center of media scuttlebutt since sexually suggestive photos of her surfaced on the Internet.
Since then, a barrage of mainstream media have weighed in on the scandal (including Bill O'Reilly), while show producers refused to acknowledge it -- as they did so unceremoniously in Davis's case.
Rosie O'Donnell, the outspoken ringleader of the ABC daily gabfest 'The View' -- after just going through a nasty media battle with reality TV and real estate titan Donald Trump -- threw down the gauntlet and called a spade a spade during the March 6 telecast.
"I think it's racist. I do," said O'Donnell, adding in reference to Davis, "I think it's because she's black."
Whoa!!!
We all know the powerful institution of racism has become a taboo subject in the mainstream media -- especially when it comes to topical morning TV. But O'Donnell's eyebrow raising comments brought the heat to the FOX show, which seems to always be marred in controversy -- while remaining a ratings juggernaut.
To add to the frenzy, Los Angeles-based community activist Najee Ali staged an "Anti American Idol Rally" outside of the Kodak Theatre (where the show is broadcast live), earlier this week, to protest the show's "double standards."
In the meantime, Davis -- who conducted a handful of television interviews this week about the controversy -- was crowned as having the "Best Week Ever," on the popular VH1 show of the same name offering slapstick commentary on current events in pop culture.
"I just heard that," Davis chuckled about the unusual honor, earlier tonight. "That is hilarious."
The BV Newswire caught up with the Los Angeles native in between breaks during tonight's performance of the hit Broadway show, 'Rent,' at New York's Nederlander Theatre.
"I don't particularly care for the circumstances but it's making me wonder if I want to be in the limelight," she said about the new media attention. "You know, this is what I love to do, this is my talent, but all of the stuff that comes along with it, I'm beginning to wonder if it's worth it."
I SAY: "Well, the good thing is they didn't have to kick the girl off the show, as we suspected because she kind of did herself in." (The brunette beauty was cast off during Thursday's elimination process.)
AND FRENCHIE IS JUST SITTING UP THERE GIGGLING AND RESPONDING: 'Ummmm, Hmmmm."
When prodded for a verbal reaction to Barba and her long overdue ouster, Davis diplomatically stated: "I'm not making any more comments about that. I'm done."
Oh okay.
"I've said all I need to and I don't want to come across to my fans like I'm complaining or whatever ... so I'm done speaking on that."
When asked if she thinks whether or not the negative media attention played a hand in the show, Davis admitted that the question was hard to answer especially considering the fact that she doesn't even watch the show anymore. "So I can't comment on that either," she quipped.
With thirty more credits to go in order to matriculate her undergraduate degree from Howard University (majoring in Theater), Davis did reveal that she is looking forward to leaving the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning musical on May 24, after four years of playing a pivotal role in the evolving cast.
"I'm not willing to be miserable for a steady paycheck," she explained. "I've been in 'Rent' for four years. We do two shows on Saturday, two shows on Sunday, we work on the holidays, and we do shows on Christmas, on Thanksgiving, all year around. I have not spent the holidays with my family in over four years."
Before the Barba scandal ensued, Davis has been toiling at her craft. She signed a record deal with Warner Bros. Records with a desire to record a rock/soul fusion project. She also auditioned for parts in Aaron McGruder's wildly popular animated series 'The Boondocks' and for the role of Effie Melody White in the movie version of 'Dreamgirls.' (Her critically acclaimed turn in a national version of the show's revival is the stuff entertainment legends are made of. See clip here.)
So maybe being in the radar will be more of a blessing than a curse this go round for the woman legally known as Franchell Davis?
Pondering the thought, she said: "But even being on the radar, these people cast who they want. And it's not always the girl with the most talent and it's not always who theoretically more deserving. Its just who you know or what they are looking for. But I continue to go for what I know and pursue the opportunities that will work for me."
Check out Frenchie Davis belting out 'And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going' at a recent club engagement.
Always one to display humility, Davis, who turns 28 on May 7, said she is still grateful for the outpouring of recent support from her fans and notables such as Reverend Al Sharpton, and O'Donnell. "I need to reach out to her and thank her for supporting a sister because I think she is great and I love that she's not afraid to voice her opinion. "
"I can totally understand why her and other people look at this and say what they say," she continued. "I think there are people who did disagree with the race issue but still agree that something unfair happened here. So it was interesting, it was very interesting to get the feedback. Even if people were playing devil's advocate in the situation, they were still very respectful and that was great."
1. i agree with rosie. it is racial. even though the contestants on the show say the show isn't raciest. they mis the whole point-yes there are black contestants, but it just seems strange that a black females was aked to leave and a white girl wasn't. they made all kinds of reasons for her staying..priviate photos etc. and frenchie was paid for her photos. well better to be paid than just be a slut. why would you take such photos for someone so young and who had them. if it was a friend-then they weren't one. did she pass them out like candy? she just showed what she was.
p.a.jones at 12:47AM on Mar 11th 2007