EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW: American Idol Reject Has No Regrets About TV Meltdown
Feb. 18 2010, Published 7:44 a.m. ET
Stubborn American Idol contestant Jessica Furney told RadarOnline.com that she has “no regrets” about her very public meltdown on Tuesday night’s show.
The feisty 21-year-old from Kansas refused to budge when told that she was not being picked for the final 24 at the Hollywood auditions. After reviewing her performance with family and friends at a viewing party in her hometown of Wamego she was even more convinced that she did the right thing by standing up to Simon Cowell and the other judges.
“I have no regrets and I feel pretty good about it to be honest with you,” she told RadarOnline.com. “I felt that I had to speak-up for myself and didn’t just want to walk away without saying anything. I felt the judges were pretty fair to me and Simon has been a lot worse in the past -he didn’t rip into me or anything like that he was totally honest."
Despite seeming dejected during her farewell, questioning Ellen DeGeneres’ concept that the dismissal was not the end of her career, Furney seemed back to her normal self. “I’m definitely not giving up on my dream of pursuing music as a career and the experience has made me stronger.”
Furney – who is a care-giver to her 95-year-old grandmother – had tried out for Idol several times before but this was the first time she had made it to the final audition stage. The music composition student, who works in a coffee shop to help make ends meet, admitted that she does not know if she will try once again in the next series of the popular show.
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“With Simon leaving I’m sure it will be a whole different dynamic next year and I’m really not sure if I would try it again,” she said.
“But I loved the experience despite the fact that I’m upset that I did not make it through to the finals.”
Now simply a viewer, she has already picked her favorite: “Personally, I’m now rooting for Jo Jose Munoz as I think that he is a great singer with a good spirit who would be a worthy American Idol winner.”
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