American Idol’s Haley Would Have Been A Choir Girl

Posted Apr 12, 2007 by Walt Belcher

Updated Apr 12, 2007 at 02:06 PM

If Haley Scarnato had not been voted off “American Idol” she planned to wear a choir robe and “be fully clothed” next week.

The 24-year-old singer from San Antonio may have been joking during a telephone news conference today but that was her response after numerous questions about wearing short shorts during the competition.

“I didn’t think it was going to be that distracting,” she said. “They are just shorts. It is was it is.”

Early on during the competition the judges seemed to like her legs. But eventually snippy Simon Cowell said “I think you have a very good tactic at the moment Haley, wear the least amount of clothes as possible.  Because, and look I’ll be honest with you, you can’t do well in this competition based on your voice because there are much better singers.”

In Thursday’s interview session she said his comments “hurt a little” but “you have to brush it off and go on.”

“You can’t please everybody,” she said. “I didn’t go shorter or wear less clothes”

She said that when she first wore the shorts she got a “good vibe” from the judges and the fans. “I did not want to lose it,” she said.

“It’s just legs and I’m OK with it now,” she continued. “If I had come back next week I would have worn a choir robe.”

She said she just tried to do the best she could. And wearing playful sexy clothes is who she is.

  She said that when she performs she does what fits the song. If something has a funky vibe she struts to that beat, she said.

“It’s who I am and I like to have fun with a song” she said.

  Haley is planning a wedding which has been postponed from a Nov. 10 date because of the “American Idol” tour.  Beyond that tour, she is hoping for a recording deal.

She said she won’t sing at her own wedding.

Of the celebrity guests she said “Lulu was amazing” and she loved Jennifer Lopez.

She said that she wasn’t aware that showing her legs had become an issue with fans (flamed by media coverage) because the contestants are isolated from outside information.

“Since Hollywood week when I showed my midrift I tried to stay true to who I am,” she said. “I have fun dressing up and playing the part for every theme week. On the Latin week, there was more of a sexier vibe but I don’t think I wore less clothes than before.”

As for Sanjaya Malakar, the teen singer with questionable talent, Haley said it doesn’t bother her that she got voted off and he stayed on.

“He has a great personality and a great energy backstage and on stage. And he did a great job last week,” she said. “I root for him and all the other contestants.”