The Bert Show — "Vault: Finalist On American Idol"

Date: November 11, 2025
Host: The Bert Show Cast (Bert, Kristin, Abby, Cassie, Tommy, et al.)
Special Guest: Paris Bennett (American Idol Finalist)

Episode Overview

This episode is a nostalgic "vault" edition of The Bert Show, featuring a lively and heartfelt interview with Paris Bennett, a then-17-year-old finalist on American Idol. The conversation dives into Paris's unique talent, her family’s musical legacy, life in Los Angeles as a contestant, and her resolve to stay authentic amid rising fame and public comparisons to Fantasia Barrino. The friendly, upbeat, and candid tone brings out Paris's humor, humility, and gratitude for her musical journey.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Paris’s Age and Vocal Maturity

• Hosts express disbelief at Paris's age, given the maturity of her voice.

  • [02:01] Host: “Now we were all convinced that Paris isn't 17 with a voice like that. She's 34 years old and they’re gonna find her out… Paris, can you confirm that I am 17 years old?”
  • [02:17] Paris: “I don't know where that comes from, but it's just a gift from God. But I am 17 now.”

• Paris talks about people underestimating her before hearing her sing.

  • [03:01] Paris: “Everybody's like, she's Mickey Mouse… but you know what? It holds in a big gift. So I don't care.”

Life as a Young Contestant in Los Angeles

• Paris shares that her mother is her guardian in LA, as required for minors.

  • [03:26] Paris: “No, my mommy's with me.”
  • [03:31] Paris: “They do [require a guardian for those under 18].”

• Adjusting to LA culture—missing Southern staples like Waffle House and sweet tea.

  • [03:43] Paris: “The only thing about LA I have to say. They don’t have a Waffle House… or sweet tea.”

Handling Pressure and Nerves on American Idol

• Hosts praise Paris’s composure in front of judges and on national TV.
  • [04:18] Host: “You have been so composed on that show… Are you more nervous than you let on?”
  • [04:36] Paris: “I'm never nervous. I just put it in God's hands and let him do what it is that he does… Not a lot of people can say that they've been in the top 24 or now the top 20… treat it like it’s your last.”

Musical Training and Influences

• Paris recounts her early start in music.

  • [05:17] Paris: “I started singing when I was about four and that was in church at my great grandfather's church in Rockford, Illinois.”
  • [05:37] “The 1996 Olympics, I sang there.”

• Musical development influenced by her talented family—mother, grandmother, great aunt.

  • [06:47] Paris on comparisons to Fantasia: “I have something so big that can't be compared to another because it's from me and it's from my heart…”

On Being Compared to Fantasia and Embracing Her Uniqueness

• Paris views Fantasia comparisons as a compliment but emphasizes her individuality.

  • [07:03] Paris: “…Fantasia is a big—I am a big fan of hers rather. But really I have something so big that can't be compared to another because it's from me and it's from my heart.”
  • [07:42] “When you see me do Gladys Knight and I was skipping across the stage. I wasn't dancing, I was shouting because I was happy to be there…”

• Church upbringing influences her stage presence.

  • [07:55] “If every chance I get to thank God in a dance, I’m going to do that dance…”

Music Runs in the Family: The Bennett-Brown Legacy

• Discussion of her family’s musical pedigree:

  • [08:56] Paris: “My mom and my grandma and my great and my great aunt… they were all in the group Sounds of Blackness.”
  • [09:08] “My grandma Ann is now a solo singer and my mother is coming out with an album as well.”
  • [09:46] “Randy Jackson knows my grandmother.”

• Paris insists her familial ties did not give her an unfair advantage.

  • [09:58] Paris: “I waited in the line like everyone else. I went in that room by myself and I got judged by myself… Simon's not my grandma's favorite, you know what I mean?”

American Idol Contestant Dynamics and Vegas Odds

• Hosts mention Vegas odds placing Paris in the top three.

  • [10:56] Co-host: “Odds makers in Vegas already putting Paris… one of the top three, right?”

• Lighthearted banter about fellow contestant Taylor, whom the hosts gently tease about his age.

  • [11:14] Host: “Taylor's like the 75 year old dude that's… right? He's the guy with all the gray hair.”
  • [11:40] Paris: “But he does have great soul and he has great personality, though… he's a very, very, very, very sweet person and like just down to earth.”

• Humorous moment about Taylor's energetic performances:

  • [11:58] Host: “When he performs, I feel like there should be a paramedic somewhere really, really close by because it looks to me like dude’s going into a seizure…”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Paris on spirituality and nerves:
  • [04:38] “I just put it in God's hands and let him do what it is that he does.”
• Paris on individuality:
  • [07:15] “I have something so big that can't be compared to another because it's from me and it's from my heart.”
• Paris on family influence:
  • [08:17] “You have influences, right, in your household rather than looking for them on TV… I like the Gladys Knights and Aretha Franklins and the Tina Turner's and the only person I've seen so far that's given me that is Fantasia.”
• Paris humorously on LA:
  • [03:43] “The only thing about LA I have to say. They don't have a Waffle House… and they don't have sweet tea either.”
• Hosts on Taylor’s stage presence:
  • [11:58] “When he performs, I feel like there should be a paramedic somewhere really, really close by…”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:34] Paris sings a snippet of “Can’t Fight the Moonlight.”
• [02:01-02:17] Paris confirms her age and discusses her voice.
• [03:21-03:55] Life in LA, missing Southern comforts.
• [04:18-04:38] Discussion about nerves and Paris’s spiritual approach.
• [05:17-05:37] Paris’s early start and major performances.
• [06:47-07:55] Responding to Fantasia comparisons; discussion of faith and authenticity.
• [08:56-09:46] Family’s music legacy; clarifying no unfair advantage.
• [10:56-11:40] Vegas odds and friendly banter about other Idol finalists.

Final Thoughts

This vault episode offers an authentic, uplifting, and funny look back at a young Paris Bennett’s American Idol journey. Paris shines through as grounded, humble, and fiercely proud of both her Southern roots and her unique musical gift—a gift shaped by family, faith, and fearless performances. The Bert Show’s warm and playful questioning brings out both her lightheartedness and inner resolve, making the episode a feel-good slice of early-2000s Idol nostalgia.

Useful for listeners who missed the episode, this recap captures Paris’s personality, her musical journey, the supportive-yet-humorous dynamic of The Bert Show, and the heartfelt moments that defined the interview.