Jersey'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.
The TV Squad Podcast: Vik Sahay of Chuck, Oprah talk, brutal timeslots, and more!
TV Squad Ten: Top Ten ESPN shows from worst to first
Andy Richter: The TV Squad Interview
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
2-26-2007 @ 2:38PM
Marc said...
I think many of the pictures are fake. The toilet ones and the covering the boobs were real, but the porno ones are not.
The girl is getting a raw deal. She shouldn't be there, but only because of her lack of talent.
Reply
2-26-2007 @ 1:16PM
Preston said...
I think that Antonella Barba has shot her credibility to the foot! Why would she pose for naughty photographs on the Internet? How come she didn't notify American Idol's producers about this? She wasn't that good last week on that Aerosmith song. This is a mess right here even in the high-charged excitement of American Idol's competition this week. I find all of this distressing and distracting. Antonella needs to cover her head in complete embarrassment!
Reply
2-26-2007 @ 1:08PM
khia213 said...
I'm sorry, but if Frenchie had to go due to nude pics, so should this chick.
Reply
2-26-2007 @ 1:42PM
Dan Chichian said...
I do not watch this show but I felt I had to ask why did the producers not google each of the contestants after the number became manageable (say 30 contestants)? Even employers google applicants as well as current employees in an effort to determine what kind of person they may or have already hired.
Reply
2-26-2007 @ 1:43PM
JD said...
She didn't pose for PICTURE ON THE INTERNET. She did stuff and when she got her 15 minutes, someone put then on the internet.
Reply
2-26-2007 @ 1:57PM
bgdc said...
Not sure why it matters. Vanessa Williams has a successful singing and acting career even though she posed naked in pictures depicting lesbian sex. Jaime Pressly was a playmate and her career is fine. Kim Basinger did playboy and she has an oscar for god's sake!
Reply
2-26-2007 @ 1:58PM
bgdc said...
And let's not forget Madonna and her Sex book!
Being naked or involved in something erotic prior to career launch doesn't suddenly negate talent.
Reply
2-26-2007 @ 10:08PM
DeadWrong said...
. I'm sorry, but if Frenchie had to go due to nude pics, so should this chick.
Frenchie..HURT my eyes..
Antonella Isn't that bad looking !!
She deserves to continue ..
Reply
2-26-2007 @ 5:13PM
TomB said...
Antonella Barba is a household name? Huh?
Reply
2-26-2007 @ 10:55PM
BG said...
If she had naughty photos she has to go. It is only fair.
Reply
2-26-2007 @ 11:17PM
bgdc said...
Fair? The world's not fair. There's ZERO reason a girl with nude photos can't become a pop star. Madonna proves that.
Reply
2-27-2007 @ 8:58AM
laura said...
That Picture chosen for this post is pretty appropriate given the nature of the "naughty" pictures this girl KNOWINGLY posed for. She is nasty, she isnt an idol and they need to kick her skanky hiney off
Reply
2-27-2007 @ 8:59AM
laura said...
Hello people madonna made the sex book AFTER she became popular there is a diff...besides to this day, she still gets crap for posing sexually with a dog so that book wasnt exactly "safe" promotion
Reply
2-27-2007 @ 10:58AM
Pat Farrar said...
I think Miss Barba will be leaving this week whether the producers act or not. Last year, they did nothing about the girl with the sexy magazine layout, but she was voted off on the next results show. Antonella fans, get your fill on Wednesday night.
Reply
2-27-2007 @ 10:35PM
Dana Clark said...
LEAVE HER ALONE WHO CARE`S ABOUT NUDE PITCHERS SHE NENER DID ANYTHING WRONG TO YOU !!!
Reply
2-27-2007 @ 10:46PM
Mike said...
Leave the poor girl alone so what if she got a little wild and crazy... I think she`s good !!!
Reply
2-28-2007 @ 8:36PM
SMG said...
It is only fair to let her go...Frenchy had to go..and, she was by far a much better singer than GUMMY. Oh, yeah check out the photo with her sitting on the toilet,....move over Mr. Ed...she has bigger gums than you.....give her some hay or apples and take her for a walk away from AI. !!!Melinda Dolittle is the most talented of all. She will win AI! GUMMY good luck doing more porno!
Reply
3-01-2007 @ 7:29AM
Luke said...
bad pictures has nothing to do with singing. thats like saying i cant go to the army because my boots are not polished. no reason why she cant continue.
Reply
3-01-2007 @ 12:21AM
Lorenzo said...
It is nothing less than blatant racism if Idol producers do not treat this girl the same way they treated Frenchie Davis. FOX imposed their moral views on the entire Idol fanbase, denying all the experience of an obvioulsy very talented singer(Frenchie). The same moral sword should be used to excise Anotella from the show for her similar (or worse) indiscretions...PERIOD!
Reply
3-02-2007 @ 11:25AM
Debbi said...
Becoming an idol used to come with some responsibility. Along with selfish indulgence, comes consequences. Antonella will pay one way or another; if she doesn't get kicked off AI, then one day her kids will be asking about her right to bare arms. (Hehe) Here we go again...yet another trashy idol for our kids to look up to. If AI keeps Antonella, they are lowering the bar. Keep the show classy. (I guess Simon gets a pass on that one!)
Reply