Idol finalist DeGarmo returns to Snellville as hometown hero

<p>American Idol finalist Diana DeGarmo was presented a key to her hometown Thursday, and for the big day pink was the color of choice _ even for the mayor.</p><p>Snellville mayor Jerry Oberholtzer said he had to do some quick shopping to find a suitable pink tie for Thursday's homecoming as DeGarmo returned to Snellville one day after becoming one of the three finalists on the popular Fox TV singing talent show.</p><p>Oberholtzer proclaimed Thursday as Diana DeGarmo Day and named the 16-year-old singer Mayor for the Day. Hundreds of fans and friends, many wearing pink T-shirts which proclaimed DeGarmo to be "Snellville's American Idol," packed the social hall at Snellville United Methodist Church to welcome their hometown hero.</p><p>DeGarmo, who was accompanied by a producer and film crew from the TV show, arrived in Atlanta at 5 a.m. on the red-eye flight from Los Angeles.</p><p>"Snellville, we have come a long way," DeGarmo told the cheering crowd.</p><p>DeGarmo said "This is amazing." and had to gather her emotions before singing an a cappella version of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow."</p><p>While continuing her classwork as a junior at Shiloh High on a correspondence basis, DeGarmo has spent most of the last two months in Los Angeles. "Finals are coming up and I'm dreading them," she said, adding she was "trying to teach Algebra II to myself."</p><p>DeGarmo has progressed from a longshot in the early rounds of the show to being the judges' pick of the week this week.</p><p>"I miss sweet tea and Snellville and southern talk," she said.</p><p>Judge Simon Cowell had previously said he thought DeGarmo was too young to win the competition, but he said Tuesday night "I'm gonna take that back." Another judge, Paula Abdul, told DeGarmo "This was your week," and DeGarmo was the first contestant to be told Wednesday night that she had advanced to next week's show.</p><p>While the judges expected DeGarmo to survive, they did not expect La Toya London to be eliminated. London had been cast as a favorite, but instead she and another strong contender, Fantasia Barrino, were at the bottom of this week's votes.</p><p>"I was surprised, honestly," DeGarmo said Thursday. "We all were. You never know what people are going to vote on. People vote on different things. Some people might vote on the way your hair looks."</p><p>One of three _ DeGarmo, Barrino or Jasmine Trias _ will be eliminated next week, leaving two finalists.</p><p>Some observers now may label DeGarmo as a favorite, but earlier in the competition Barrino and London were cast by Cowell as the top contenders.</p><p>"There's tons of press and tons of opinion," DeGarmo said. "We do take them in but we figure as long as we're still in the competition, that's OK. I know certain people have favorites. You have to take it in stride as long as you're in the competition."</p><p>DeGarmo has been boosted by a strong grass-roots campaign in Snellville and Gwinnett County. Classmates at Shiloh High began distributing fliers at restaurants and on pizza boxes and selling T-shirts at school, encouraging fans to vote early and often for DeGarmo.</p><p>Vangie Sellers, 9, said she "had to keep trying" in order to vote three times Tuesday night. "My friend called 60 times," said Sellers, who was wearing a pink T-shirt and carrying a DeGarmo sign while waiting for the young star to arrive at Snellville City Hall in a white stretch limo.</p><p>Sellers' father, Cecil Sellers, said his business has made about 600 signs that have been posted in yards and in front of businesses in the town.</p><p>Many businesses and churches have used their marquees to post their own messages of congratulations to DeGarmo.</p><p>The sign in front of Shiloh United Methodist Church read "Way to Go Diana. God Bless You." Other signs around town carried such messages as "You go girl."</p><p>"It's so great for the city," Oberholtzer said. "It's been really exciting. It has just exploded. The way she talks up the city, you couldn't ask for anything better."</p><p>Asked if he believes any other American Idol candidate has enjoyed similarly strong hometown support, Oberholtzer said "I hope not. It's now not only Snellville but it's Gwinnett County and Georgia and the Southeast."</p><p>Oberholtzer said the voting campaign has jammed the phone lines in the city.</p><p>"We have a lot of people calling on cell phones and land lines who can't get through," Oberholtzer said. "I had people tell me they got through every 10th time. There are only so many calls that can come out of this calling district at one time."</p><p>DeGarmo said she is aware she has so much support in her hometown.</p><p>"You guys have done so much," she said. "I couldn't ask for anything else."</p>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2004/5/169093