page_title: Justin Guarini
section_title: American Idol
hierarchical_section_title: Justin Guarini / Career / American Idol
caption_attribution_description: English: Justin leaping down stairs as he sings on the American Idol Tour in Atlanta, Georgia (2002).
context_page_description: Justin Guarini is an American singer, musician, actor, host and record producer, who in 2002 was the runner-up on the first season of American Idol. In 2015, he began appearing in TV commercials as "Lil' Sweet", a character used to advertise the Diet Dr. Pepper soft drink.
context_section_description: Idol judge Simon Cowell praised Guarini's performance in the show's first season, at one early audition telling him "Justin, you know, occasionally you're very privileged when you do a competition like this to hear somebody undiscovered who has a voice like yours", with Guarini ultimately becoming the runner-up to winner Kelly Clarkson in September 2002. Soon after, Guarini signed with American Idol's 19 Management and secured a record deal with RCA. Prior to the American Idol Tour, he was the only contestant asked to appear on The Oprah Winfrey Show, on which Oprah Winfrey told him, "Justin, you have it."
caption: Guarini leaping down stairs as he sings on the American Idol Tour in Atlanta, Georgia (2002)
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