'AMERICAN IDOL' Ousted but persistent

By DAVE MASON
SCRIPPS HOWARD
John Stevens, the soft-spoken 16-year-old crooner who snapped his fingers during songs like "King of the Road," plans to pursue a music and acting career despite his ouster last week from "American Idol."
On-screen, Stevens received a lot of criticism from the judges.
Off-screen, he received a couple of requests for prom dates. "It's been very flattering," Stevens told reporters during a teleconference.
"I'm grateful for the support and attention I'm getting from fans, especially from the female fans."
The Amherst, N.Y., native said he knows he'll get a lot of attention from the girls when he returns to his high school. But he added that his fan base goes beyond that. "I think I appealed to a wide range of people, including older people."
Although he's no longer on the show, Stevens said he will continue to work toward a movie and recording career and can see himself someday performing with a band in Las Vegas.
For now, Stevens will join the other finalists for a concert tour this summer. Stevens denied that he got threats after he lasted in the competition one week longer than Jennifer Hudson, one of the front-runners in the judges' minds.
"I feel very safe," he said. "There was a joke that was taken out of context."
But Stevens said he did regret Hudson's ouster. "I felt she deserved to be there; I felt guilty about still being there."
Judge Simon Cowell told Stevens during last week's telecast there was no reason for him to feel guilty about his success. And he praised him for taking the judges' criticism well.
Throughout the season, the judges frequently complimented Stevens on being a nice guy but didn't hold back on their critiques.
Last week, judge Randy Jackson told him, "I think you sang three notes correctly," after his performance of a Gloria Estefan song. Cowell, as usual, was more blunt, telling Stevens, "You and Latin music go together like ice cream and onions."