the buzz log
My Name is Barba
When a name reaches critical mass in Search, the rules of spelling take wing and fly out the window. This phenomenon manifests itself in transposed letters, odd homophones, and other off-the-wall variations. We've seen the heightened margin of error-plagued searches on everyone from Britney Spears to Nostradamus. "American Idol" contestant and digital camera aficionado Antonella Barba is just the latest victim of massive spelling slipups.
Her first name has been a struggle, give or take an "l." People have tried Antonelli (the masculine form?), Atonell, Anatella, Antella, and Antinella. We can't decide which is our favorite—Antonia, with its shades of Willa Cather—or the Royal-flavored "american idol antoinette."
"Barba" has also tripped up many an eager searcher. The most common—and understandable—misspelling has been "Barbara" or "Barbra." Other surname incarnations have been more evocative than the scandal itself.
How do you (mis)spell Barba? Let us count the ways...
- Antonella Barb
- Antonella Barbera
- Antonella Barbo
- Antonella Barber
- Antonella Babra
- American Idol Barbie
- Antonella Bar
- Antonella Barbaro
Filed under: American Idol, Spelling, Antonella Barba
Idol Watch: Barba Blows Up
As regular as swallows making their way back to San Juan Capistrano, the return of "American Idol" to the nation's airwaves always portends a contestant scandal. Thanks to aspiring starlet Antonella Barba, this year's installment of Idol has already locked down the scandalous element. The comely brunette with the shaky voice is doing her part to ensure this season won't be scandal-free.
After she secured her spot on the Idol stage, searches soared after a series of mildly racy photos hit the Web. The embarrassing pics (including one of her on the toilet!) were mostly innocuous, but they sparked searches on the fresh-faced vocalist.
Putting the brouhaha behind her, fans stuck with beautiful Barba after she butchered an Aerosmith tune in her first night on Idol's main stage. Either she's built a serious fan base or the folks at votefortheworst.com continue to play their cruel joke on the viewing public.
But after squeaking by the first cut, a new and more damaging set of Barba snaps stormed the Web. The photos show Barba (or someone who looks a lot like her) performing intimate acts and of course, searchers just had to see them. Queries on "antonella barba pictures," "antonella barba hot," and "antonella barba idol" all soared. Searches we can't discuss in polite company also took off as curious folks got specific.
Will the second series of naughty photos lead to her ouster from the show? Even if she gets the boot and is relegated to soft-core infamy, she's already made a name for herself in Buzz.
Filed under: TV, Reality TV, American Idol, Antonella Barba
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what's the buzz?
A subject's buzz score is the percentage of Yahoo! users searching for that subject on a given day, multiplied by a constant to make the number easier to read. Weekly leaders are the subjects with the greatest average buzz score for a given week.
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