Bikini girl Katrina Darrell says she's not 'just some fluke in a bikini'

Katrina Darrell, 20, famously known for making out with Ryan Seacrest in a bikini during her “American Idol” audition, didn’t make it past Hollywood week. Few are surprised, including Darrell, who’s nevertheless nothing but optimistic for what’s coming next. (In her case, that means offers from Playboy, FHM and some stint in Las Vegas.) She’s also already accumulated more than 4,100 friends on MySpace.

So even though the Chino Hills, Calif., girl blogged Wednesday that she was “bummed” and “rather pissed at FOX for the editing they did” of the episode in which she was eliminated, she says she’s over it. In a telephone chat this morning, Darrell tried to explain her bikini decision, what really happened during the group auditions, why she believes Simon Cowell is a big fan and why she just feels sorry for Kara.

Tell us about the bikini.
It was 110 degrees in Phoenix! We were staying in a hotel and it was so hot inside, and then the contestants were going to have to stand in these lines for 15 hours. I had heard people were standing even up to 18 hours. I thought if it takes that long at least I’ll be tan.

And that was really the only reason?
Yeah, it was spontaneous. It wasn’t preplanned at all. I woke up in the morning and just decided to wear it. My mom thought I was crazy.

Did she try to stop you from wearing it?
She said, ‘I don’t know if you should wear that’ and I said, ‘No, it’ll be OK.’ When we got there I was real nice to people. I think it’s how you carry yourself too. If I wore a bikini and just trying to be like, ‘I’m so sexy’ and mean to everyone, I think you’d get a negative reaction from that. But if I’m nice person and I explain why I did it, I think people would see that it’s all in good fun. I didn’t think that it would be so controversial, but I guess it is.

What does your mom think about everything that’s happened?
She’s been laughing; she thinks it’s funny. You know, I did runway modeling in my bikini so it’s nothing that she hasn’t seen before. I did runway for Ed Hardy, I’ve walked with Tyrese and Eva Pigford from 'America’s Next Top Model.' I’ve done a lot of runway.

How do you think you’ve been portrayed on the show?
It’s actually pretty funny. The bikini was wild and crazy and they played 'Barbie Girl' when I walked. You know, that’s my personality though, I’m out there and friendly and just fun, you know? It’s all in good fun.

You blogged otherwise. I mean, you’re aware there is some backlash? That they portrayed you as somewhat of a villain during Hollywood week? Partly to blame for three out of the four girls in your group getting eliminated?
I’m not the villain. I think that part of the portrayal is false. Honestly, with a reality show they don’t give you enough time to get to know a person or really even hear me sing fully. I only sang one line, even in the first audition. So they haven’t heard my voice to my best ability. And they haven’t gotten to know my personality or really get to know me. So all that’s seen is the crazy stuff I’ve done. So, whatever, we’ll let it roll. Hopefully America will see a lot more of me.

What really happened with the group? What didn’t we see?
There was a lot more rehearsal time that I did with the group than what was shown.

Why do you think it still didn’t work then?
Let me tell you about their personalities. One of them was like a hippie chick who didn’t wear shoes anywhere, which is fine, whatever. But she was always smoking. We could never find her. She was on cigarette breaks the entire time. We were always like, ‘Where is Rose? Where is Rose?’ She wasn’t even practicing. Then there was this other girl, the one who made it through. She was nice and she was good, but she was a minor and her mom was like overlooking us 24/7, pulling her aside. It was stage mom to the fullest. Then we had this other girl who was like a prima donna telling us she had the best voice. So I was dealing with all these personalities and I was just so tired. Had it been a solo audition and had I been able to sleep I would totally have been fine.

What happened between you and Kara?
I think it’s sad that she’s so insecure, I do. I tried really hard to be nice to her. We do have a lot in common and we could have been really good friends.

What kinds of things do you think you have in common with her?
I’m a songwriter as well. And I actually really liked her song 'Taking Chances' by Celine Dion, that’s one of my favorite songs. And you know we’re both brunette, we’re around the same size and we’re in the same industry. I just think that we would get along better than we did. But she, you know, her claws came out.

Which of your new opportunities excite you the most?
The singing ones because, at most, I’m a singer. And then, second, modeling and my clothing equally. And acting too. I’ve been acting since I was younger. I’ve done a lot of commercials. I did a Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen movie. I mean I’ve been in the business a really long time. I home-schooled my entire life. I gave up my childhood for this. It’s not like I’m just some fluke in a bikini that’s trying to ride out my 15 minutes of fame, you know? I’ve paid my dues. If the bikini got my foot in the door, then so be it.

What kind of offers have you gotten?
Today I just went on 'Good Day LA' and I sang for the panel there and they were all really nice and they said I sang really good and they invited me to come back and that meant a lot to me because I love Jillian [Reynolds]. So that was pretty cool. I’m excited. I did 'Extra,' and 'Access Hollywood' and 'Inside Edition.'

I’ve been getting a lot of offers, like a Vegas event. Different photo shoots. There was a magazine from England that called and wanted to do a big spread. FHM, Playboy, just a whole bunch of magazines. Some producers have called. I can’t really do anything right now because I’m under contract with Fox, so as soon as I’m free, or hopefully Simon [Cowell] will sign me. He has a management company and that would be really cool to have him pick me up and be the next Leona Lewis or something.

You really think Simon would sign you?
Yes! And it would be amazing.

Why do you think that?
When I watched the episode where I was eliminated, his comment was ‘She’s going to go far.’ And he said I had a beautiful voice, and he said, ‘That’s what I love about her.’ And just comments like that, I think there’s something behind them. I would love to work with him again.

-- Denise Martin

Related:
'American Idol's' Ryan Seacrest confronts bikini girl

Photo: Fox

Comments

[Em]

I respect Katrina for the work she has done to get to this point, if that indeed is true. But when I'm reading this I have to wonder what reality she lives in. I mean, this articles shows no personal insight or depth... does she really think that she was a nice contestant as she argues here?! What planet is she on? This can be typical for home schooled children, so maybe her lack of social exposure has hurt her.

[Major Angst Girl]

LOL...simon cowell is in the business of selling records. To sell records there has to be something about you that people like enough to buy your record. Simon is not about to sign someone that is almost universally hated by potential record buyers. She's just too delusional to realize that she advanced on idol for the same reason someone invites a clown to a birthday party, she's just a novelty to gawk at. The public's memory is short and the next novelty is just around the corner.

[E]

Em, don't generalize homeschoolers like that. Even if you could assume most were socially backwards (which is still wrong), most aren't shallow by any means. If anything, being homeschooled gives a person a lot of time to themselves, so that should create MORE opportunities for personal growth and insight. On top of that, what homeschoolers have you been dealing with?! Almost anyone who has had experience with this would tell you, homeschoolers can be some of the NICEST people you will ever talk to, even if some are a little awkward. I was homeschooled until the 10th grade, and I have never lacked social skills and the ability to make friends. I was never the 'awkward kid' and to be honest, I knew a lot of homeschooled kids, and only a handful of them could have been labeled as such.

Katrina is in an entirely different situation, and her life has revolved around her from a young age. THAT is the defining factor in her personal growth and insight (or lack thereof).

[David]

Katrina is awesome! She was the solo reason I followed American Idol the first few episodes. There are hundreds of pictures of her here, including a funny article about her ex-boyfriend versus Ryan Seacrest.

http://www.mykatrinadarrell.com

[ADAM]

hey katrina darrell i like you a lot baby 15 so you are so hot and sexy i just what to kiss you so sos sos so much and do you have a phone and gif it to me ok and i will me ther for you ok baby and you sing so hot and you was so good ok just love you so and i get vaver mad a bont that you get remoev from a amacin idel ok but go on my picturetrail.com/adam_costello ok bey baby

[zoom99]

and here's the sad part. Katrina can actually sing pretty well. I'm not saying she's the best, or Kelly Clarkson, but then most stars that sell well aren't as good as her. And I'm not saying she's just barely passable as a singer. Given the opportunity to go through, she was capable of delivering some good performances. It's too bad she let the shallow, bikini image take over, or that she was selfish. Funny thing is that most people won't take her seriously now that she did that. Especially the female audience which will be put off by her, and are naturally catty any way. They assume she needed the bikini to get through. Her excuse was that it was so hot, she decided to wear one. Maybe it's true. Maybe she knew she looked good, so did that. And for any one that will tell me I'm tone deaf, go screw your self. I've recorded singers for years and am not tone deaf. She can sing. But not to say she wasn't very nice in group. She was a bit selfish. So I guess it's for the best. I'd say she goofed her self up.

[Chai]

A contestant who depends on a bikini instead of her voice in a singing competition is telling you that she can't sing. Kara demonstrated to BK how to sing with feeling. BK didn't get it.

[Kevin Bailey]

She's NOT a good singer. She's an average singer, at best. And perhaps as stupid and socially inept as any person I've seen on Idol. Quite pathetic, she.

[connie]

Her voice was OK but there was no emotion or stage presence (other than posturing). Her performance was flat. Also, she didn't connect with any of her team members or seem to care about anyone other than herself...she didn't even look any of them in the face. She seems in her own self-absorbed world. I believe Simon's comments were sarcasm..."that's what I like about her" was a negative comment, I think, meant to be funny.

[Anonymous]

I can't believe she doesn't understand that Simon was being sarcastic.