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Second-season 'American Idol' finalist from Utah to give weekly show update

Great article Carmen. I'm excited to hear more about your experiences. Your amazing and beautiful. Your song "Nothin' Like the Summer" is one of my favorite songs too.

Sorry, I entered "Idol Land" at the end of Season 2, just in time to see Reuben crowned and weep over Clay not making it (so I thought!) So I didn't get to follow Carmen's journey ~ but I am now watching Idol Rewind and hopefully will hear Carmen sing!

Love to hear your take on things girl! You always remain so positive and refreshing!

Nancie, don't worry... you didn't miss much. Carmen gave quite a lackluster performance during her time on the show (which is why she didn't win). The person to keep an eye on now this season for us Utah fans is David Archuleta (from Murray, Utah). Last we saw him he made it on to the Hollywood round and hopefully he'll make the top/final 24 and go on to crack the top 12 or 10. If he does, count on the Utah media to make him their spokesperson/"go to person".

Wow for someone who doesn't like Carmen you sure spend a lot of your time going out of your way to spread negative information about Carmen. Maybe you should just wait until David makes the top 24 and then spend your efforts supporting him.

My guess is people are reading these reviews because they want to hear input about this season, something which contractually David is not allowed to give.

I'd rather hear commentary from either those who won it or who were widely popular (meaning across the country, not just in Utah)... as in Clay Aiken, Melinda Doolittle, Blake Lewis, Chris Daughtry, or Katharine McPhee. Heck I'd even like to hear the insights of Sanjaya (what it was like to put up with all he got from the media... which I found unfair).

Well first off all I'm in North Carolina. So that already throws a kink in your theory. Secondly, Clay Aiken is on Broadway and has not watched the show since season 3. Chris Daughtry hasn't watched the show either and is currently on tour with Bon Jovi, Katharine is filming movies. No clue what the other two are doing, but scheduling plays a part. I'll just copy and paste what I responded on the other story.

Why does she continue to do it so many years after her season? Simply, put she's a well spoken intelligent girl who can provide better insight than most of the other Idol contestants who do not have the same eloquence with words. She went to BYU in the hopes of doing Broadcast Journalism, so obviously this type of thing, is something she enjoys and has proven to be very good at doing.

She keeps a kind of neutrality that is desired in the news industry.

I must say I find it highly hypocritical that you say the media was unfair to Sanjaya, when you are acting the same way in regards to Carmen. Posting as many negative things about her as you can.

But, I'm being honest here... not joking at all... I actually did like Sanjaya more than Carmen.

The only reason FOX 13 and now the Deseret News are still latching on to Carmen is because she's from Utah, if she wasn't you can safely bet they never would have turned to her in the past or now.

You may have liked Sanjaya better than Carmen. Thats your right. The hypocritical part is not in that, but in that you think it wasn't ok for people to bash Sanjaya in the media, and yet its ok for you to bash Carmen.

I would agree with the latter comment, if she were only used for idol reviews in Utah, but she's not. She does work Nationwide. Last time I checked MSNBC wasn't run out of Utah. She's being latched onto outside of the state because as I said before, she's good at what she does. Your own personal feelings about the girl aside, what did she say in the article that frustrated you to the point that you didn't want to hear from her. If you can point out anything, maybe I'll understand your critique, but it seems as though you are frustrated about something else and taking it out on Carmen.

What Sanjaya got from the media and people across the country is far worse than anything I've said about Carmen... the level of negativity thrown at him was amazing and shameful at the same time. There were even comedy skits and jokes about him. So what I've said about Carmen doesn't even come close to what he faced. I've actually been quite civil.

Nothing in Carmen's article frustrated me, it's the fact that she's being asked to do a column and interviews with FOX 13 all the time which I dislike. My frustration lies in the media desire to keep turning to her after so many years have passed since she was on the show. I'd like a fresh outlook from another contestant... I'm sure there are others just as articulate as her they can talk to.

I didn't say what you said about Carmen was as bad as what Sanjaya endured. But people who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. That's all I'm saying. I'm not a fan of Sanjaya, but I'm not going to comment on any project he might have in the future trying to detract from his abilities or encourage an interested person to look elsewhere for entertainment.

If Carmen's reviews infuriate you so much and you insist on getting angry with the media outlet, perhaps you should simply stop reading them. I'm not a big fan of Kim Caldwell, but I don't complain that she has a show on TV Guide. I simply choose not to tune in to hear her opinions.

Hi Carmen i just want to let you know that Melinda Doolittle did releases her first single song on i tunes yesterday she amazing. It is a new version for her fan who want more new about her new CD will be release June 2008 and they have a radio show one a month on Melindafan.net who are all the backups of her. Thank you

Hi Melinda Did postponed her album at the end of the summer, she did talk in a interview she will have also a album for the Holiday. New website www.mdstreetteam.com come join us