JENNIFER HUDSON: Pulling No Punches

  JENNIFER HUDSON: Pulling No Punches

Posted Feb 1st 2007 1:46PM by Karu F. Daniels
Filed under: Entertainment Newswire

By Karu F. Daniels, AOL Black Voices

She may be on the road to Oscar gold, but 'Dreamgirls' star Jennifer Hudson isn't pulling any punches

 

 

 

 

 

The heavyset Chicago native, who is nominated for a Best Supporting Actress trophy at this year's Academy Awards, tells 'Essence' magazine that her experience on the top rated televised talent competition, 'American Idol,' was "abusive."

"On 'American Idol,' you go through this mental thing," she said in a revealing interview with 'Essence' contributor Denene Milner -- to be published in the magazine's March edition.

"You've been abused, misled and brainwashed to believe whatever they want you to think. You become a character ... I just knew I had to sing my way out of it."

"I don't believe in looking back, and I didn't look back."

This is coming from the woman who Simon Cowell lambasted when her version of Barry Manilow's "Weekend in New England" got her booted off the hit show.

"You get one shot ...you ain't never gonna be seen again," he scolded.

Well, as we all know -- she's getting the last laugh and possibly will gain more notoriety than any of the actual winners of 'American Idol.'

"The show couldn't take away my talent," Hudson said.

That's true. Everyone from Oprah Winfrey to BV Buzz columnist Jawn Murray -- who broke the news that Hudson was cast in the starring 'Dreamgirls' role -- is singing her praises every opportunity they can get.

Earlier this week, she appeared on 'Oprah' singing her Oscar nominated song 'Love You I Do.' It was there that she revealed plans to sing during the international telecast, and go into the studio for her J Records debut in March.

Hudson also had words about original 'Dreamgirls' star Jennifer Holliday, who have been making the media rounds about the movie -- and making sure people don't forget her legacy. (The two-time Grammy Award winner and one-time Tony Award winner's original version of the song "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" is etched into music history as a preeminent tour de force.)

"First off, don't let that be the only song you're performing. Pursue other things and don't just limit yourself to that. I don't intend to say, '[OK], I'm going to sing this song for the rest of my life, and this will be the only character that I portrayed.' I'm Jennifer, not Effie. I'm flexible and different and have other dreams and other goals and songs to pursue."

Wow wee.