3 'Idol' finalists bask in adoration of hometown fans
Lifestyles & Culture
Everywhere they go, "American Idol" contestants attract a crowd of admirers, well-wishers, gushy handmade signs and screams fit for a vintage Beatle. But when it comes to feting finalists, home is where the "I (heart) you" is.
In what's become an annual "Idol" rite of passage, the remaining three contestants _ David Archuleta, Syesha Mercado and David Cook _ headed to their respective hometowns Friday for a dose of family and the inevitably intense local rah-rah routine, showing just how stirred up communities get when one of their own shines on TV's biggest stage.
Children are pulled from school. Elected officials make grand declarations. Pro sports teams clear the national-anthem calendar. Motorcades roll.
In Murray, Utah, Archuleta was greeted by the same sound that reaches the "Idol" stage every time he steps on it: screaming girls.
There was no shortage of caterwauling Friday. Thousands of people greeted him at Murray High School, where he is a junior, while thousands more gathered for a glimpse at The Gateway, a Salt Lake City mall.
Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman declared "David Archuleta Day" and asked Murray High to "kindly excuse" some of the teen's absences over the past few months.
At the school football stadium, many people wore T-shirts that read, "I Voted For David Archuleta."
"This is the biggest thing ever for Murray," said 12-year-old Marnie Hartbrecht. She and two friends explained how they get together as often as possible to watch the show and vote for the 17-year-old, lining up about seven cell phones for maximum effect.
They trio held a sign that said: "I (heart) you David." Another group held a sign above their heads that read: "Future wife (s)" _ with arrows pointing to each.
Earlier in the day, Archuleta appeared for an interview at the Salt Lake City Fox affiliate, KSTU-TV. "Wow," the pint-sized crooner exclaimed as he took stock of the cheerleading squad outside his stretch limousine.
Later Friday, cheers for Archuletta echoed throughout EnergySolutions Arena from the moment he stepped onto the basketball court to sing the national anthem before the Utah Jazz hosted the Los Angeles Lakers in an NBA playoff game.
In Bradenton, Fla., about halfway between St. Petersburg and Sarasota, hundreds of fans _ including schoolchildren who were bused in by the dozen _ awaited the arrival of Mercado. Manatee County Commissioner Gwen Brown whipped the crowd into a frenzy by setting a few things straight: Most important, she said, Mercado belongs to Manatee County _ not Sarasota, as her hometown is listed on the show's Web site.
"She is our girl," Brown said, asserting that Mercado went to high school at Sarasota's Booker High but lived in the county. "We just loaned her to Sarasota for a few hours a day."
Terra/AP
