The American Idol Attraction at Disney World, Orlando, Florida, is throwing its Grand Opening this weekend. Much fanfare to ensue as members of note creating the show behind this attraction, such as Simon Fuller and cast mates, Paula Abdul and Ryan Seacrest make the parade on February 12th. You won’t be seeing Simon Cowell, apparently in London overseeing yet another one of his many shows, and Randy won’t be representing the Dawg House. Who knows where he is. Almost forgot, no Kara either.
Featured cast aiding in the promotion of this new Disney feature, past winners Jordin Sparks, David Cook, Ruben Studdard, Fantasia Barrino, Carrie Underwood, and of course, my Mack Daddy, Taylor Hicks. Funtastically exciting for me – past IDOL BLUES subjects, Sanjaya Malakar and Jason Castro will be there waving to the crowd. Also on parade, beautiful Bo Bice, accompanied by Bucky Covington, Diane DeGarmo, Melinda (got new record out) Doolittle, Josh Gracin, Justin Guarini, Michael Johns, LaKisha Jones, Kimberley Locke, Mandisa, Syesha, Chris Cligh, Carly Smithson, Phil Stacey, Brooke White, and Ace Young. Noticeably absent, Chris Daughtry. Must be touring obligations or… something.
Obviously this is working in many directions regarding promotions. Everyone in attendance to receive some attention, the show gaining publicity and of course Disney’s banking on making even more cash. Anyone holding Disney stock these days?
The Money Song – Mary Poppings/(1:09)Monty Python
The other evening the television was on – my youngest kiddo grabbed my attention away from my book I was reading to point out to me, “Look! Jason Castro’s on a commercial!”. I had seen commercial spots with the group of folks promoting “I am Second”, a Christian theology organization during which Castro had a few seconds worth of face time, but this particular commercial was all Jason.
I grabbed the laptop to check out the iamsecond.com website to give it a look, it’s a phrase I’ve been seeing splashed on billboards in and around Dallas. Fitting I guess, Jason Castro, with his outspoken religious affiliation is selected to have a spot of his own.
This ‘I am Second’ group is Plano-based e3 Partners Ministry. The group’s goal in establishing this multimillion-dollar media campaign is to promote God as the source of a shared, purposeful life. The initiative backed by the well–funded Christian organization is planned for a three year campaign. So far it has been attracting, besides Jason Castro, professional athletes, other Hollywood celebrities as well as over a couple of hundred thousand Web site hits from around the globe.
Nathan Sheets, a VP of e3 Partners Ministry has said, “We are training people to take advantage of advertising that will help them live lives of intention. I Am Second is a mind-set to live out authentic, transparent lives.”
Now I’ll admit, I don’t attend church, have not found anything particularly redeeming in organized religion of any kind. Past experiences have not been particularly uplifting. I’ve found most churches I’ve attended to be run by the same sort of folks I avoid as much as possible in life, folks intent on telling me how to think, what to think and how to act. Again, just my personal past experiences.
I found it draining, the times as I sat through a few Sundays in one of God’s houses, finding the intent behind the message ultimately directed more at my bank account than my salvation. Call me cynical. I’ve attended Baptist churches, Catholic services, Methodist (I found them to be the most laid back), Lutheran, Shul/synagogue, (our family heritage – maternal grandparents spoke Yiddish, originally Jewish) and Mormon church. I’m not knocking religion per se – if it helps you get through your life, great. Certainly there are millions who have found relief in attending and being a part of a religious denomination and being involved in church groups and activities.
I’m not one of those God haters either, I’m not an Atheist who thinks the Bible is all one big fairy tale. One more thing before you jump to conclusions, I do believe in a Higher Power, I’m just not a believer you can only find that in an organized religion under a man-made roof. I think acts speak louder than words, how you life more important. You see, I know several people who I have to interact with on a regular basis who attend services every week, even do missionary work, but can be real assholes outside of those walls of their churches.
My negativity does not lie in my lack of belief in Something, rather a lack of faith in the humanity behind the walls containing the theology. Don’t get me started on world wars over the very thing that is suppose to save our souls and uplift we homo sapiens to a higher plane.
Returning to the topic of “I am Second” and Jason Castro – within his fan base there seems to be a huge number of folks claiming religious ties and religious fervor. So many claim he’s helped them to find ‘The Way’, etc. If that is really true and he’s helped those folks, then he’s doing something of what he’s talking about. I know there’s some negativity towards certain issues in the Castro camp, but I am of the opinion Jason possesses a true heart, he means what he says, he’s not in this just for the dime.
vid c/o winnpoober
While some fans sing his praises for inspiring them, regarding religion, there are those who may be taking their adoration of Castro just a hair left of center. Likely not atypical of many of the folks who regularly tune into Idol – they bend that word, “Idol” toward a whole new connotation. Thinking about it as a separate issue, perhaps it is just something instilled in humanity since we emerged from the caves in the hills and walked upright, (oh no, I’m talking evolution!) the need to transfer emotions, put that word “faith” into something we want to look up to or seek to help save us from ourselves. After all consider, we elected Barack Obama along that same line of thought. It’s a fine line in this world, walking between faith, truth, trust and sanity.
Tomorrow is the big day that Taylor Hicks’ “Early Works” hits the market. Will we see a spark, a light or just some stirring it up? Let me light up a big fat one in celebration, and hope for the best for Taylor Hicks’ CD.
Man, but right now, I’m thinking Bob Marley.
“Stir it up” Bob Marley
While I’m on the Bob Marley track, lest I forget one of my absolute favorite moments from last season’s American Idol, and in honor of “Uncle” Nigel Lythgoe departing the show, how about some gorgeous Jason Castro.
Jason Castro Shot the Sheriff
Castro seemed done with playing their little game. I love a quiet rebel.
As has been seen in the news and on-line, American Idol may have suffered some rating decline this past season, but that “fat lady’s” not singing any odes of goodbye yet.
In the chicagotribune.com review about the recent tour stop in Chicago, the Idol’s are not being painted in exactly rainbow hues, although the reviewer did enjoy Jason Castro’s “Over the Rainbow” performance. The article, “Johns, White Castro grab center stage”, was presented as a special feature submitted by Andy Downing. Mr. Downing, as readers can be seen in the comments section of this feature is feeling the wrath of the show’s fans. This, another example of the level of fervor the fans of American Idol feel toward the hit show. It also indicates why this reality program isn’t going to go off the air anytime in the near future.
Post commentators provide an excellent example of what I see regularly in articles mentioning Taylor Hicks that may have a less than glowing slant. Many of the comments say the same thing in this post regarding supporting the show as you can read Taylor Hicks’ fans post in their attempts to ‘protect’ Mr. Hicks. Just insert “Taylor Hicks” in the place of American Idol and they sound the same.
Evidenced as fan fervor, the usual fan crying out ‘boycott’ and wanting the head of the writer, or at least he be fired. That’s laughable and censorship. Only write what everyone wants to read and never voice your opinion, or off with your head.
“This reveiw is completely ridiculous. Obviously it was from someone that was not at the show. I was at the show and the 2 Davids were both brilliant. The audience was so loud when David Archuleta came out and throughout his set stayed that way and it was the same for David Cook. I enjoyed all the performances and actually bought tickets to go see it again. This article needs to be retracted or at least an apology to all the idols and this writer needs to be replaced–what a bunch of BS and I for one will never read this paper again.”
“What kind of review is this? Obviously , this writer never liked American Idol. This is the worst I’ve come across since the beginning of the tour. He’s either blind or deaf or was not in the concert at all!”
Now I’m not bringing this up to denigrate Mr. Hicks, and I must clarify that point right now since his fans will immediately read into this that I am. What I am pointing out is the criticisms for some of the behavior of his fans has nothing to do with the man and everything to do with that reality show. It’s the avid, naive and accepting viewers that take everything that happens on that program as serious business and real life. Not real life and business for the contestants, no – rather real life as it pertains to them personally. They take this show that airs twice weekly during its seasonal run and make it about them.
Why this phenom? It’s on their televisions in their homes and they’re voting on the contestants, interacting with the show. This carries forward to the on-line portion of this reality show. The internet plays a huge part of the direction the season takes, with the fans sometimes immersing themselves into the reality story lines, on-line. They personalize themselves into the show by creating characters basically, that are a reflection of themselves out in cyberland. They create their groups to hang out together in the form of websites and forums. Often these groups fight against each other as seen with the ridiculous situation around Chris Daughtry vs Taylor Hicks’ fans. Sometimes websites rise up and act as one to attack “certain bloggers” who may write things they don’t agree with or identify with, concerning the object of their affection.
One concern that is just now beginning to pop up is the proximity and the access that some of the more, let’s say adventurous fans, are finding themselves enjoying as they attend the concerts. This testimony written in a forum about their recent concert adventures:
“TOUR BUSES were parked in the hotel parking lot, so we decided to barricade all the entrances (there were like 10 of us and then it eventually grew to like 30) and wait for them to come out… they said they wouldn’t kick us out cause there were so few of us and we can try hunting them down.”
Yep, ‘hunting them down’ – like they’re on some kind of safari. She continues with recounting how the girl’s bus driver gave them better ‘hunting’ information:
but at like 12 we met the girl’s bus driver and she said when the bus starts moving we can just follow them and it’ll lead us to where the idols will be coming out from… we chased it to the “secret” entrance”
Having gained access to the ’secret’ entrance she and her fan pals encountered Carly:
“while carly was signing my thing she’s like “i heard you guys running past our hallway like a million times…and that was just the beginning. there was no fence between us or anything we caught them off guard.”
There are also stories about some fans shooting the Idols with water pistols, and I thought what the hell is that being allowed for – when will those water pistols become just pistols and what sort of non-security is this?
“I heard someone squirted MJ with a water gun before they were rushed unto the buses at that time. Unbelievable.”
(I found a few of these little poster “gems” on Smartie’s site.)
One thought, is 19E, and the PopTart corporation so enamored of the mighty dollar they’d risk a publicized scandal? If one of the contestants were hurt or worse, certainly that would create some killer headlines… Just amazing. Amazingly disturbing on several levels.
This is some footage from the after-show in Chicago with Jason Castro signing assorted items the fans are shoving at him as they scream into his face. Man, he’s got a lot more patience than I would under those circumstances. A few of the gals are completely losing their minds and emitting this ear piercing shrieks, “Jason, Jason, Jason”. Duct tape time there, chicas.
video c/o BigYear2008
Here is a flashback to the ’80’s for those Idol fans on ’safari’.
“Obsession” Animotion
No, this is not about Jason, he’s wearing what I’d call “beach bum fine”. No, I’m referring to David Cook. Man, Cook best watch out or he’ll make that spread in one of the entertainment Mags about ‘what not to wear’. I’m guessing the ‘rocker’ title might be going to his over-sized cranium.
Don’t misread me here, David Cook was one of my favorites on the past season show. I really appreciated the fact the man loves words, because I’m a big fan of them myself. He’s certainly one of the more intelligent seeming contestants that the reality show has featured.
It’s just well, the scarf thing through the belt loops – that’s just pointless.
Here’s a really potentially brilliant tune written by Jason Castro. Blue-eyes is not only beautiful to look at, he’s creative. Man, listen, he can really sing.
Lyrics: “So Fast” And the flowers are wrinkled, and she, she still don’t understand
Just where a man can go
Tears are no longer fallin’, but what happens when the river dries, and leaves you dyin’ inside
But it’s not her fault, but she, but she can’t go on
Thinkin’ there’s somethin’ that she could’ve done, that she could’ve done
And the song is slowly dyin’
But you went so fast
Why were we, why were we so unkind?
Oh, and now there’s no words to say that will ever change
The way you took your life, with the slip of a finger
And he looks in the mirror
And it’s filled with hate
The enemy has so many times escaped
But it’s not his fault
But he, no he can’t go on
Thinkin’ that things could’ve been different
If he’d have held his tongue
And the song is slowly dyin’
But you went so fast
Why were we, why were we so unkind?
Oh, and now there’s no words to say that will ever change
The way you went, the way you left this world
And the song is slowly dyin’
But you went so fast
Why were we, why were we so unkind?
Oh, and now there’s no words to say that will ever change
The way you took your life, with the slip of a finger
To View the video follow this link to Idol Blues.
Taylor Hicks, if he’d been allowed to play his harmonica or guitar during Season 5 would have conclusively made the other contestants the definition of “moot points”. It is also very possible that his caliber of post-Idol Cd would have been much improved as well with the altered mass public perception of his talents. The “woulda, shoulda coulda” game – I could go on. Certainly there would exist a different view of Taylor Hicks, but then we would have had less entertaining and colorful commentary by Simon Cowell, such as, “Drunk Dad at a wedding”.
Taylor Hicks video,”Here Comes the Sun” by Sunnydey1
Spoilers out today indicate Jason Castro will be performing an Eagle’s tune. It is reported he will be playing his guitar again this week and the judges criticize his playing it twice in a row. Again, this is just spoilers and not confirmed truth since family and close associates are bound by the diabolical 19E to stay mum and are abiding by the rules, so far…
Since the rules have changed and now, instruments allowed, the contestants who can play and feel comfortable playing, shouldn’t consider ‘changing it up’to mean play one week and not the other. Too much of this thought process makes them seem more Organ Grinder Monkey than artist. If the contestant plans in the future, in their career, to play that guitar or keyboard, or whatever instrument they gravitate toward, now is the time to feature that side of them. It provides further identity development in the mass public eye.
The criticism regarding, changing it up, simply manipulative jargon to fool the mass public. Let’s look at the flipside. Contestants that every week stand up and just sing, how about they work to change it up? My words, “So you stood there and sang again, you need to change it up”. Really, so what if they can’t play any instruments, so what if they just want to sing, no interest in strumming the guitar or learning piano? In the spirit of 19E, and this bloody reality show, I’d add, “Grab a tamborine or for heaven’s sake beat a cowbell, something, just change it up”.
Let’s tell Ben Harper, Eddie Veddar to change it up shall we?
Jason Castro who, initially seemed a rather unlikely contestant is showing a likely strong contender status for the long haul this season. Each year I tell myself, I’m not really interested in the show any longer and then someone captures my attention. Season five, Taylor Hicks for his originality, his passion and drive and natural talent. Last year, Sanjaya Malakar. I wrote about him largely because I thought the kid was being completely abused via the media. He showed a great deal of courage and chutzpah, and for that I liked the kid.
Jason Castro is turning up the notch regarding originality. Castro takes it a step further than just having a non-traditional hairstyle. This past week Castro was the first contestant to take the show up on being able to incorporate musical instruments into this season’s performances. Not only did he get up on the Idol stage with millions watching on his first performance to sing, but he did it with grace, style and radiated star power. He stood that stage and performed Lovin’ Spoonfuls, “Daydream Believer” with an ease of conviction that he knows who he is. Castro does not seem to be someone seeking to find themselves, rather he appears to already realize who he is, and what message he wants to bring. I loved the guys’ natural ease and laid-back vibe.
Posted by spinshack 
Posted by spinshack 
Posted by spinshack 
