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An "Idol" Eligibility Scandal?
Another American Idol hopeful may have sung his last note on the talent search.
Jose "Sway" Penala wowed the judges with his rendition of Luther Vandross' "Superstar" at the San Francisco auditions, earning himself a pass to Hollywood. However, according to realitytvmagazine.com, Penala, 27, may have been in violation of the competition's strict eligibility rules at the time of his tryout last summer.
The American Idol rules state that contestants can not have be signed to any current recording or talent management contracts in order to be eligible for the show. Prior contracts, on the other hand, are permissible, as long as they are no longer in effect at the time the contestant auditions.
Speculation exists that Penala was signed to E-Real Records with his band, 6th Day, at the time he auditioned for the show last August.
In September, the band released a CD titled Forever Starts Today via the site brownjungle.com, where it can be purchased for $11.99. Around the time of the album's release, a Filipino newspaper reported that Penala was still a member of 6th Day and that the band was performing mall shows in Manila.
However, another member of 6th Day has come forward claiming that Penala never signed a contract with E-Real Records and that he cut ties with the band and its management when he decided to audition for American Idol.
Fox has not commented on Penala's situation and it is not known what action, if any, will be taken against him.
Controversy aside, the fledgling singer has already earned himself a dedicated network of supporters, as well as his very own fansite, www.josepenala.com, which offers music samples, photos and a biography of the "star in the making."
Meanwhile, as seems to be the trend on Idol, the criminal record of another contestant has been unearthed. According to TMZ.com, Halicia Thompson has been arrested a number of times and twice convicted of crimes.
In 1998, Thompson was arrested and convicted of criminal trespass following a confrontation with a waitress in a restaurant. Three months later she was arrested again and convicted of disorderly conduct.
The singer told TMZ.com that she has since improved her relationship with the police, and has even enrolled in a criminal justice college. "I broke down and joined them," she said.
Thompson and Penala aren't the only Idol contestants coping with the downsides of their newfound fame.
Last week, Fox "uninvited" twin brothers Terrell and Derrell Brittenum from the competition after reports surfaced that they were wanted on identity theft and fraud charges.
The fifth season of the talent quest continues to attract an enormous audience, with 35 million viewers tuning in for Tuesday's two-hour episode, making the show easily the weeks' most-watched. Wednesday's episode trailed only slightly behind, with 32.4 million viewers--good for a second place finish.
Ratings for the show are already up 15 percent over last season. Tuesday marks the final audition episode before the next round of the competition begins.
Source: AP
Jose "Sway" Penala wowed the judges with his rendition of Luther Vandross' "Superstar" at the San Francisco auditions, earning himself a pass to Hollywood. However, according to realitytvmagazine.com, Penala, 27, may have been in violation of the competition's strict eligibility rules at the time of his tryout last summer.
The American Idol rules state that contestants can not have be signed to any current recording or talent management contracts in order to be eligible for the show. Prior contracts, on the other hand, are permissible, as long as they are no longer in effect at the time the contestant auditions.
Speculation exists that Penala was signed to E-Real Records with his band, 6th Day, at the time he auditioned for the show last August.
In September, the band released a CD titled Forever Starts Today via the site brownjungle.com, where it can be purchased for $11.99. Around the time of the album's release, a Filipino newspaper reported that Penala was still a member of 6th Day and that the band was performing mall shows in Manila.
However, another member of 6th Day has come forward claiming that Penala never signed a contract with E-Real Records and that he cut ties with the band and its management when he decided to audition for American Idol.
Fox has not commented on Penala's situation and it is not known what action, if any, will be taken against him.
Controversy aside, the fledgling singer has already earned himself a dedicated network of supporters, as well as his very own fansite, www.josepenala.com, which offers music samples, photos and a biography of the "star in the making."
Meanwhile, as seems to be the trend on Idol, the criminal record of another contestant has been unearthed. According to TMZ.com, Halicia Thompson has been arrested a number of times and twice convicted of crimes.
In 1998, Thompson was arrested and convicted of criminal trespass following a confrontation with a waitress in a restaurant. Three months later she was arrested again and convicted of disorderly conduct.
The singer told TMZ.com that she has since improved her relationship with the police, and has even enrolled in a criminal justice college. "I broke down and joined them," she said.
Thompson and Penala aren't the only Idol contestants coping with the downsides of their newfound fame.
Last week, Fox "uninvited" twin brothers Terrell and Derrell Brittenum from the competition after reports surfaced that they were wanted on identity theft and fraud charges.
The fifth season of the talent quest continues to attract an enormous audience, with 35 million viewers tuning in for Tuesday's two-hour episode, making the show easily the weeks' most-watched. Wednesday's episode trailed only slightly behind, with 32.4 million viewers--good for a second place finish.
Ratings for the show are already up 15 percent over last season. Tuesday marks the final audition episode before the next round of the competition begins.
Source: AP