Chii
Oct 1 2005, 07:54 PM
i was poking around yahoo news and when i saw this headline i was like 
...her life seems so depressing 
QUOTE
NEW YORK - "American Idol" winner Fantasia Barrino reveals in her memoirs that she is functionally illiterate and had to fake her way through some scripted portions the televised talent show, which she won in 2004.
"You're illiterate to just about everything. You don't want to misspell," Fantasia told ABC's "20/20." "So that, for me, kept me in a box and I didn't, wouldn't come out."
The 21-year-old R&B singer says she's signed record deals and contracts that she didn't read and couldn't understand. But the hardest part, she said, is not being able to read to Zion, her 4-year-old daughter.
"That hurts really bad," she said, adding that she is now learning to read with tutors.
In her memoir, "Life is Not a Fairy Tale," which she dictated to a freelance writer, Fantasia also said she was raped in the ninth grade by a classmate. She says the boy was disciplined, but she blamed herself for the attack.
She dropped out of high school that year and became an unwed mother at 17.
yummy_delight
Oct 1 2005, 07:57 PM
Oh, that's terrible. I hope she learns to read soon. If bad people are in charge of her contract, they could take advantage of her.
I'm glad she won American Idol. She's been through so much, and she really deserves it.
..:loveee.NuTTii
Oct 1 2005, 08:00 PM
Her life does seem depressing.
At least she's learing to read now. That's got to be scary, signing papers and not knowing what they say. Not being able to read to her daughter.
Gigi
Oct 1 2005, 08:00 PM
I just read that! Coolios.
Anyway, I hope she has some trustworthy people on her side so she doesn't get tricked and cheated.
5ayuri
Oct 1 2005, 08:02 PM
Aww..that's sad. =(
I would hate not being able to read to my daughter.
And raped?
Well yeah it's good that she won American Idol.
sandy_lumpy_shore
Oct 1 2005, 08:05 PM
^what happened to toni braxton?
nerdpride11
Oct 1 2005, 08:30 PM
that's quite shocking. but at least she has proven to the masses that she can get through her obstacles and gain success. It's quite inspirational when you think about it, right?
mzkandi
Oct 1 2005, 08:56 PM
Wow that's sad. I'm sorry to read about her being rape. I'm glad that she is learning to read though.
ParanoidAndroid
Oct 1 2005, 09:24 PM
That's terrible... but to be heartless, sounds like a publicity stunt
xcaitlinx
Oct 1 2005, 10:54 PM
That really sucks. you would never know that she was illiterate from the show. hopfully now she will learn how to read and write.
stephinika
Oct 1 2005, 10:56 PM
wow, thats surprising. its good she's learning now though at least.
AngryBaby
Oct 1 2005, 11:11 PM
fantasia stupid
kidding!
misoshiru
Oct 2 2005, 12:08 AM
wow. that's surprising. but yeah, it's good that she's learning, and i hope she doesn't get cheated of her money.
Nugget
Oct 2 2005, 12:22 AM
Aw, that's horrible. Althought I didn't want her to win American Idol and don't like her, I still feel bad. Being raped in ninth grade? Wow. She has been through a lot and I wish the best for her.
EmmalieV
Oct 2 2005, 01:31 AM
Wow , being in a buisness that involves papers and such is hard to deal with when your illiterate , i wouldnt have guessed it.
PreludeTears
Oct 2 2005, 01:33 AM
wait but how did she make it to high school.
withour reading?
simx
Oct 2 2005, 03:54 AM
That sucks
mocassinsx29
Oct 2 2005, 09:07 AM
QUOTE(yummy_delight @ Oct 1 2005, 7:57 PM)
I'm glad she won American Idol. She's been through so much, and she really deserves it. I think the only people who deserves winning American Idol are the people who can actually sing...
But she has been through a lot and since she won, she can sing, so good for Fantasia.
racoons > you
Oct 2 2005, 09:15 AM
^
wel, i agree, but genally, mostof the peo-pel who reach the finals of american idol CAN sing, so out of a group of talented people, its nice to root for the underdog
i like her
danielle_x3
Oct 2 2005, 11:15 AM
wow, she's been through a lot. i hope she learns how to read soon
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