Taylor Hicks Call Superman, Jim

Taylor Hicks’ Fanatics in Fandom – the ladies who pound the fonts over at Chills – once again have faced down the evils of speculation, battled internal strife, and finally have risen champagne cork ready to celebrate the most important issue in their lives: Taylor Hicks. It’s been a real Comedy of Errors again, something that would make Mr. Shakespeare likely laugh out loud. I know I have.

This episode of the Fanatic Dramedy opened with Act One, the announcement of Taylor Hicks’ compilation CD hitting amazon.com and other markets. Then, “poof” that CD just went and vanished, sans explanation from the market. Next came those pesky “speculative bloggers” to ask questions, to wonder, hailing in the Second Act.

It doesn’t take much in the land of Taylor Hicks’ fans to get them all upside down and panties showing – this little bungle in the internet jungle proved to be a stressful situation for the delicate Fanatics. Of course, coping mechanisms as they are, the Fanatics rallied in the usual format; like cornered beasties, they gathered, asses together and fangs to the forefront, gnashing at anyone and anything remotely considered a threat to their tenuous hold on sanity and reality. The Third Act of our play focused on the lack of communication from the subject in question, Taylor Hicks.

Naturally any inquiries to Taylor Hicks’ motives, thoughts, actions or lack thereof are going to be met with considerable concern. I mean do you question why God does what he does? I think not. Much ado about nothing ensued with back and forth jibes and innuendoes bantering back and forth among the Taylor Hicks’ bloggers. Act three winds to a close with a new blogger on the scene…or are they ‘new’?

This week’s Taylor Hicks Comedy of Errors goes into Act Four with the announcement that “Early Works” isn’t completely in the bargain bins after all. Rather Taylor Hicks has inked a deal with Target, an “exclusive” type of marketing plan. Sighs of relief echoed around the internet resounding from their keyboards, evidenced by their happy, self congratulatory postings. Virtual Champagne buckets filled, corks a virtually flying, wrapping to another “all’s well that ends well”. Sighing or rather typing in relief, the Fanatics have weathered the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune. Act Four doesn’t end on that note alone, it seems that in their midst has always been a hero, a savior guaranteed to make things all well and safe in their land. All along this Hero has been there, they’ve just been rushing in and out of phone booths. Act Four ends with these words, “LOL I change clothes in a phone booth”.

My take, instead let’s call Chill “Jim” for short.
“You don’t tug on Superman’s Cape
You don’t spit into the wind
You don’t pull the mask off the old lone ranger
And you don’t mess around with Jim.”

On the other hand, I just keep asking those questions, like “Where Are You Going?”

I’m know where I’m going – California.

Taylor Hicks Nails Target

Taylor Hicks dropped the bomb on me this week. It seems Taylor Hicks’ has an exclusive deal with marketing his new compilation CD, “Early Works” and Target.

Yes, Taylor Hicks baby, you turned me out:

video c/o yakayakayaka
Mr. Hicks sending out that bullet into the Blue Sky. Let’s see where the metal falls.

In the locust wind comes a rattle and hum
Jacob wrestled the angel and the angel was overcome
Plant a demon seed, you raise a flower of fire

Taylor Hicks Vs The Devil’s Advocate

Taylor Hicks, for a brief time, had his “Early Works” CD on the market at numerous locations for pre-release sales. One location, amazon.com, has dropped the CD and has refunded monies paid to purchasers. No word from Taylor’s group what happened there, although there were some fans who created theories published as facts to compensate for any authentic news. (It sold out according to them.)

Best Buy still has the Taylor Hicks “Early Works” CD but continues to state the release date as August 19th; from what I’ve read in ‘TaylorLand’, it’s been bumped up to August 12th. You’d think the PR guys with Taylor Hicks would have that changed, but like everything else in the land of this man, all must remain without explanation.

Today, on one blog I read,

“As Taylor enters a new chapter in his career with a brand new CD on a brand new label dropping this Fall, a new national and international tour next year, a compilaton (sic) CD of his pre-Idol days called “Early Works” (out August 12 – details to come shortly), a DVD of his 2007 concert tour,and presently, the star of *Grease* on Broadway, I thought back on the first time Simon Cowell saw Taylor and said he “should be singing backgrounds – not in the forefront”.”

Note, this blogger still trapped in Season Five, American Idol.

She continues with:

“I only hope he walked on the corner of 47th and 7th Avenue in New York City this summer to see Taylor’s 10 story billboard – or better yet – the reactions he’s getting from the 100,000 or so theater-goers he’ll have played to this summer at the Brooks Atkinson Theater.”

Simon Cowell’s a busy man, doubtful he’s prowling New York to check out Taylor’s billboard.

“He recently said in a radio interview that he’s happy to have regained control of his career. This “Grease” gig is probably the best career decision he’s made yet.”

That part was a little confusing since it followed the Simon remark, but she’s talking about Taylor gaining control – I think Cowell’s career is just dandy.

My question is how does she know when this new CD is actually ‘dropping’? There’s not any legitimate information to be found on the exact “when” of it. Heck, the “Early Works” compilation CD seems to be getting all bungled up in it’s own little mire much less think to the future and a new CD. Regarding ‘label’ Taylor Hicks is not signed to a label. He’s marketing the “EW” CD through Vanguard as a distributor. Labels and distributorship are very different. Now if they are talking about the Modern Whomp Records label, that’s something that Mr. Hicks has talked about starting.

Should you be interested in looking up Taylor Hicks’ Modern Whomp Records, all that is available, currently is an image. Record labels notably have websites that include pertinent information about themselves and their products. Take Calvin Ayre as an example and his Bodog Records site – importantly there is contact information, and address information establishing it as an actual physical presence. Googling Modern Whomp Records all the seeker finds is that emblem designed by the Monkbot site owner and past Gray Charles poster, Shelley. Now that’s not to say something might change in the near future. Y’all take heart, now.

Then there’s that pesky DVD promised. I’d have to dust off the cobwebs in my archives to find out when that originally was promised but it was like two years ago, and to be titled, “Whomp at the Warfield”. Taylor Hicks does love his “whomp” word. Well, we have folks still out there with fingers crossed, holding out that we will see that hit the shelves one day. God, I love optimists.

Regarding Taylor Hicks’ new National and International tours that the blogger included in her post, Taylor Hicks has no way in Hell to hold a big National tour much less travel internationally. Who’s funding this tour? (Certainly those Meet and Greets at the Brooks Atkinson not sufficient to do that…) What venues would he fill to capacity to warrant a massive tour and what the Hell does he have to offer (in reality) to establish a National and International Tour? *whispering* Taylor Hicks is not John Mayer, Taylor Hicks is not Chris Martin. People, wake up and smell my Starbucks, or don’t, your prerogative, again, I love optimists.

One other thing folks, fans of this man, let the American Idol shit go, even on this blogger’s site, an image of a hot air balloon with Chris Daughtry’s face on it. She captions, with Daughtry supposedly speaking,“I Know I’m a Poser! I Know I’m a Tool! But I Can’t Stop Licking Clive’s Ass! Yum!” Nice.

The best thing anyone who likes Taylor Hicks can do is stop living in 2006 and join everyone else currently in 2008. Oh, and step through that looking glass people. Some folks seriously resemble that Lewis Carrol story in thought and action. Thank you.

video c/o xavierXreivax

Taylor Hicks, Tell Me Something Good

Taylor Hicks, soon to be released compilation CD, “Early Works” is off amazon.com but nobody panic. “Daddy’s” disk can still can be found for on-line purchase at Best Buy. Yes, I hear you sighing with relief.

Taylor Hicks fans, as a portend of what to come, I’m sure you already have heard there’s a new Modern Whomp in internet land. The image bears a striking resemblance (should read ‘exact’ resemblance) to a logo that Gray Charles once had up on his now invisible site. I think that gal who ran Monkbot either helped design it or did design it. Memory fails me to the exact story. Unfortunately, all that is left from the Gray-days is this cryptic message, “The keeping real of shit matters to some people, but it does not matter to me”. That comment speaks volumes about Gray, especially to those who read him often. (Click image to visit site.)

From the looks of things, as indications stood last week, Taylor Hicks might be about to bust wide with something new. Tell me, tell me, Taylor Hicks, tell me something good.

That Taylor Hicks, he’s a real life Man of Mystery.

video c/o nocturnussx
You all behave out there.

Idol Fans on Safari

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

flashback provided by gkkaul7

Taylor Hicks Says, Dan’s the Man

Taylor Hicks has entered into a program with Consider it Dan. This is a travel outfitter for special events and concert packages. Dan Berkowitz, owner and operator has a great deal of experience in putting together specialty packages for entertainers and special interest groups.

Considering venturing to New York City to see Taylor Hicks? This trip package is billed on the site as ‘a weekend to remember’ with two tickets to “Grease”, an autographed playbill and a private Meet and Greet in a private group setting. You also will be receiving two nights’ accommodations at the Grand Hyatt Hotel in Midtown Manhattan.

Now on its own, the hotel would run about 576.00 for two nights. Tickets to the show can be obtained for $150.00, Rear Mezzanine, $165.00, Front Mezzanine and $175.00, for Orchestra seating.

I worked in the travel industry for about ten years, I specialized in wholesale packages for a mass variety of destinations that included most of Mexico, parts of Europe, Hawaii and ski resorts in the U.S. It was fun, exciting and I saw a part of the world for free, after all the participants in the packages, air carriers, hotels, rental cars, motorcoaches (fancy name for a bus) and other vendors all wanted me to see what great products they had to offer. I also did work on the side organizing family vacations and group educational tours. My job was to make their trips go as smoothly as possible, down to the last mile and pit stop. It was great fun, but a lot of work.

I’m sure Dan, with his wholesale arrangements, obtains a much better rate than the average Joe on the street, but all in all considering what it would cost you, the fan, to make these arrangements on your own, Dan’s offering you a reasonable rate with the bonus of meeting Mr. Hicks. That’s meeting Mr. Hicks without the mass of screaming fans pushing and shoving you. I hate the screaming fan pushing and shoving scenes, don’t you?

Now I’m not a big proponent of paying to meet a celebrity no matter who they are, but this deal offers you an opportunity to stay at a fabulous hotel in a great location as well as score tickets to the show. You also will have Mr. Berkowitz overlooking the details, assuring everything is taken care of for you. He has a positive reputation as a tour operator.

Information on prices and details on the inclusions can be found on the website, you can click HERE. Regarding how you get to New York, fly, drive, boat up the coast, take Greyhound; that’s up to you.

Led Zeppelin-Travelling Riverside Blues(the ’90 music video)

video c/o kilu 1971
kilu gives us this little gem of information:
“Travelling Riverside Blues” is a blues song written and recorded in Dallas, Texas by legendary bluesman Robert Johnson. Johnson’s June 20, 1937 recording has a typical 12 bar blues structure, played on a single guitar tuned to open G, with a slide. It was first released on the 1961 compilation LP King of the Delta Blues Singers. The song has proved popular with more recent blues musicians.

Judging “Daddy”

The Chicago Tribune web edition has an oxymoron hovering on-line in their feature titled, “We Don’t Judge”. Thing is, that’s exactly what they’re doing.

Taylor Hicks once again, as seen numerous times in the on-line rag-mags, is hung up to be pummeled like a virtual punching bag. Like witnessed on many of the on-line ‘news’ sites, Taylor Hicks is having his name thrown in like a virtual paperwad into the Loser’s Can. The winning example, in this piece, “Grammy-winning Carrie Underwood”.

“I Get Knocked Down” Chumbawamba (Arlo, this one’s for you.)

video brought to you by illegal999
That video reminded me of my morning. I wake up to make coffee, had to open a new can. I open the can and out whooshed the coffee, exploding right into my face. I wandered into my pantry for the creamer, brushing the grinds out of my eyes. We had just bought a 6-pack of the stuff, all bound up in some of the most resilient plastic wrap available. I hadn’t thought to bring scissors so used my fingers to stretch the plastic. Thinking it wide enough to get out one of the containers, I pull and the bloody thing explodes. Yep. Into my face, all over my hair, pajamas. It’s in the nooks and crannies of the shelves around it and the items on the shelves, the floor and into the cat food bowl. I was a walking coffee with creamer. Darling Man walked in on me and laughed until he cried.

Okay, maybe I did not get knocked down, or knocked out, but it took me an hour to make coffee.

The chicagotribune.com mentions several Idols by name, you know, to get those Google alert hits. They omit one of the fan favorites and big on-line draw, Jason Castro, so I’ll insert his name here. The blurb’s focus instead, aimed at the much hyped contestants, Carly Smithson and Michael Johns, who finished prior to Castro. Naturally, runner-up David Archuleta and winner David Cook rounded out the paragraph. (See, I can do it too.)

Really if this chicagotribune.com knew their Karaoke contest, Chris Daughtry would have made a more knifing comparison. After all, the battle between the Taylor Hicks and Chris Daughtry fan bases, in some cases, still carries on, trapped in time, like the Hatfields and McCoys.

Taylor Hicks “forgettable”? That’s a rather ill-timed selection of words. Taylor Hicks has been receiving a respectable amount of positive media attention the past few months since he began his Broadway appearance in “Grease”. Mr. Hicks also was included in the PBS special, “Capitol Fourth”. He’s been seen on CNN as well as FOX news segments for his work on Broadway and his “Early Works” CD that is coming out in August. He’s also making the entertainment interview circuit in MTV interviews to talk about his new body of work promised to be issued this Fall.

The chicagotribune.com piece does get one thing right – phrasing the show as “Television’s biggest karaoke contest” – and I liked their idea for audience members to vote the Idols off the tour as it goes on. Interesting, and it could make going to see one of the concerts much more fun; I can imagine the audience acting more like attendees to a WWE match.

Some of the more passionate members of Taylor Hicks’ fanbase have already began gathering on the site to post their support and smack down the chicagotribune.com site.

Apparently some folks are remembering Taylor Hicks. Heads up chicagotribune.com, Taylor Hicks hasn’t been completely lost and forgotten.
“Everything’s not lost” Coldplay

video c/o Andersoncounce2
Lyrics:
When I counted up my demons.
So there was one for every day.
with the good ones on my shoulders,
I drove the other ones away.

So if you ever feel neglected,
If you think that all is lost,
I’ll be counting up my demons, yeah,
Hoping everything’s not lost.

When you thought that it was over,
You could feel it all around,
And everybody’s out to get you,
Don’t you let it drag you down.

‘Cause if you ever feel neglected,
And if you think that all is lost,
I’ll be counting up my demons, yeah.
Hoping everything’s not lost

If you ever feel neglected,
If you think that all is lost,
I’ll be counting up my demons, yeah,
Hoping everything’s not lost.

Somebody Switch on the LiteBright

It was inevitable. The Taylor Hicks fan site once named after his ‘ex-girlfriend’ has decided they once again hate me. Chill and the gals have – since they’re having a melt down of sorts, perhaps shut me out. Chill use to work that ploy in the past when the Muckies are having at me so I can’t reply. It’s something that she must have learned in Bully 101. Woe is me.

Taylor Hicks fan, BrightLite, on top of being somewhat ditsy has reading impairment. I’m also always fascinated at her complete inability to spell the simplest words correctly. Well, ‘if you can’t do, then teach’, isn’t that how that phrase goes? After all LiteBright is some sort of school teacher. Yes, I’d want my kid under her instruction.

Poor little LiteBright went into full spiral melt down after hearing about my post I had written that morning. I have just a portion of her rambling non-paragraphical nonsensical ravings focusing around her erroneous interpretation of my posting. Since she misread the post, it seems she’s been afflicted with sort of green with envy goob, it’s dripping from her long and pointed nose.

How interesting they could all have such a laugh over something that had not yet been posted. All I had up that previous night were music videos, yet they were somehow reading about it that night and having a good laugh. LiteBright and Taylor Hicks must have looked into her crystal ball or asked that Ouija board. She has mentioned what fun it would be to play Ouija with him. Yes, granted it was a full moon last night – now we see her blossom into a big squawking full Loon.

Check it out, LiteBright says,
“I am certain Sunny that Taylor is “following” you. He is your “Daddy” girl, he is your “old friend” as you say.
In fact he likes you so much, he came HERE last night AFTER reading your blog”

Meanwhile the blog post in question was not posted until that next day…

“… and spent the evening with GF’s here, and laughed his ass off at you. How do I know it was him, because he said so, and I beleive it! lol We could not laugh hard enough or long enough at you.
For crying out loud. Be real girl.
Best advice…get a life and live it. If you can’t get a life, invent one then, but do anything except make a fucking fool of yourself by printing fantasy garbage on a public blog where everyone can read it.”

Well I guess that throws any credibility she was trying for regarding being a spiritual and good human being. I knew that veneer was about a dime deep. Now I’m sure there are some of you who wonder, “Sunny why do you talk to them? Why do you even post things like that look how they will act!” My reply, that’s exactly why I posted that blog – I knew they’d go into a spiral tizzy. I did not reference my Ouija for that information – it’s a no-brainer when it comes to that mentality. They are so amusing.

Since I am locked out, it appears at Chill’s, I’ll put my reply to them here:

“Evening you all stellar individuals. Bright your reading skills are not up to par sweetie. I did not say that picture was Hicks. I did not say that Mr. Hicks was the old friend. Whatcha smoking chica? Pass me some.

That picture referenced Aaron Ruffcorn in my hello to Jeanni reference. That picture is a photo of an old ‘friend’. Clue to who, lie in the previous sentence.

Regarding Mr. Hicks coming to my site, I’d wager you all might really eat a lot of crow should I decide to serve it up. Doesn’t make me special doesn’t make it him, could be anyone at that address.

I’ve been getting hits from that location now for the past few months. No big thing, to me, but I just thought I’d mention it to see the melt down over here. I knew it would happen.

Is it “Daddy”? That’s the ‘mystery’ brought up in the blog.

You all be good.”

Considering how they all want to paint Taylor Hicks as a gentleman, etc… it is something to think about regarding his ‘visiting them’ and ‘laughing his ass off’ at me. Certainly not the behavior of a Southern gentleman. The ladies are so conflicted.

One other point, I made the commentary about Hicks being a “pimp” as a joke regarding the Meet and Greets, I mean for God’s sake, I posted Frank Zappa’s (son actually) “Willie the Pimp” song. Now, because I dared talk about the M&G’s and joked around about it, now I’m accused of running about all over the internet assailing his character and calling him a lot of ugly names. Well, that’s what the good Duckies at Chill’s would have the casual reader think. (?)

Man, talk about blowing things out of proportion. That, my friends, how the Muck Duck quacks. Read the signs folks, read the words. Make up your own minds.

“Signs” Tesla

Lyrics
“And the sign said long haired freaky people need not apply
So I tucked my hair up under my hat and I went in to ask him why
He said you look like a fine upstanding young man, I think you’ll do
So I took off my hat I said imagine that, huh, me working for you
woah!

Sign Sign everywhere a sign
Blocking out the scenery breaking my mind
Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign

And the sign said anybody caught trespassing would be shot on sight
So I jumped on the fence and yelled at the house, Hey! what gives you the right
To put up a fence to keep me out or to keep mother nature in
If God was here, he’d tell you to your face, man you’re some kinda sinner

Sign Sign everywhere a sign
Blocking out the scenery breaking my mind
Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign

Now, hey you Mister! can’t you read, you got to have a shirt and tie to get a seat
You can’t even watch, no you can’t eat, you ain’t suppose to be here
Sign said you got to have a membership card to get inside Uh!

And the sign said everybody welcome, come in, kneel down and pray
But when they passed around the plate at the end of it all,
I didn’t have a penny to pay, so I got me a pen and a paper and I made up my own little sign
I said thank you Lord for thinking about me, I’m alive and doing fine

Sign Sign everywhere a sign
Blocking out the scenery breaking my mind
Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign

Sign Sign everywhere a sign
Blocking out the scenery breaking my mind
Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign.”

Taylor Hicks Teething on Broadway: the Magical, Mystery Mega-Star

Taylor Hicks once again holds a “convo” with another MTV reporter. This time it was with Garth Bardsley. By the way, if you’re wonder why MTV is spending so much time with Taylor Hicks lately, well, they’re neighbors. Yes, the glorified offices of MTV, the same folks who had no clue how to spell Gram Parsons’ name, are located right around the corner from the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. Now at least Bardsley spells everything correctly and doesn’t have any names of past or present musical artists to misspell, instead we have this clever cliche; ” American Idol season-five champ Taylor Hicks is cutting his teeth on Broadway.” “Cutting his teeth”? Really.

Readers also learn about Taylor Hicks’ upcoming surprise, apparently Taylor, “spilled the beans” about someone considered as a “megastar” who may be considering recording one of his newly penned tunes. Ever enigmatic, Mr. Hicks wouldn’t spill who this ‘bean’ in question might be but he did drop the gender; apparently it’s a female “megastar”.

Naturally, Taylor Hicks fans are expending time and keyboard strokes contemplating the ‘who’ of the news. Some of the fan exploration of this exciting news (!!!) included, Tina (Turner), “If it was Tina……I would flippin die! I just LOVE her!”, Carrie Underwood, “…some articles regarding Taylor next album will be little country like, hmm, the only mega country i know is Carrie Underwood.”, then that jumped to Celine Dion, “I will die from over excited(sic) if Taylor has a duet with Celine Dion…”.

Other speculation included Reba (McIntire), Dolly (Parton) and Faith Hill. Bonnie Raitt was considered, but this poster added, “I think Bonnie Raitt has a rich blusie sound that would work well with a Taylor tune, but I’m not sure she qualifies as a ‘mega-star’. “Legend” or something perhaps…”. Then the talk switched to Macy Gray and Alicia Keys. Of course Whitney Houston and Christina Aguilera’s names popped up, as well as Sheryl Crow, Kelly Clarkson, and even Beyonce’. What, no Madonna? No Mariah Carey? After all, Carey was a previous ‘guest’ on Idol. I was also surprised Joss Stone wasn’t included, perhaps the “megastar” label not the right moniker for her. Also absent, Amy Winehouse, although with her “rehab” experiences, she’s quite ‘last year’ and has tumbled off the “megastar” charts.

Even though it was written and stated in the MTV interview, this ‘megastar’ was of female persuasion, a speculator on this Taylor Hicks fan site added Maroon 5. That’s a whole group – of guys – sweetie; yet another fan excitedly added she hoped it was Lionel Richie or Stevie Wonder. Once more with feeling, folks, Mr. Hicks mentioned it was with a FEMALE. Add the “fe” and well, these three brilliant pieces of speculation, while entertaining don’t fit. Let me add a cliche’ – the one about the square pegs…

What do all of these names in speculation have in common? A couple of things. The most glaringly being, a lack of cohesiveness regarding concepts into who would work well within Mr. Hicks’ form of music. This opens the door to his fans’ obvious confusion about who he is and what type of sound he intends to embrace. Is Taylor Hicks ‘Pop’, is he blues, is he country? That circles back around to that “Modern Whomp” thing.

The names being thrown into the discussion are for the most part, entertainers who appear weekly in the latest edition of People Magazine or Us, with the exception of Bonnie Raitt and Macy Gray. Naming ‘guys’ and entire bands completely random. (Okay, so maybe they did not read the Beardsley MTV article, and just splashed off of that Soul Patrol diving board into the conversational pool.)

It would be interesting to see how Winehouse and Hicks would match up musically but in the MTV piece, there is not a mention of a duo in reference to this song, rather it sounds as if this gal is recording it on her own. Whether it would be included in the next Taylor Hicks’ album along with whatever other tracks he has been working on is also not specified. Still, to have some sort of ‘megastar’ with your song you wrote on the charts, not a bad accomplishment.

Amy Winehouse

Joss Stone

Opinions are Like…?

What is that adage? “Opinions are like assholes, everyone has one.” Most people carry opinions about issues they encounter in daily life. We form opinions about what to watch on television, who to listen to on the radio, what internet sites to crawl over. What to wear, what to buy, how to act.

Regarding what to listen to and how to act seems a nice stopping point for my subject of assholes and opinions. Opinions seem to be a main point of contention among folks who call themselves fans of any given celebrity or singer. There are many individuals that make a killer living out of that – giving out their opinions.

In the world of my wacky little focus group – the American Idol fans and their heros, I have to say it is my Opinion that the fans in the Taylor Hicks fan base must be some of the most vociferous. Vociferous and sometimes vicious.

Opinions are a huge source of conflict and upheaval amoung Taylor Hicks fans to the point that debate even goes on about what really constitutes one, and always if yours is acceptable or correct. If you fall into the unacceptable category because you might not love and adore the man from silver hair to pinky toe you’re branded not a fan and cast out with your Opinions slated as mere ‘hate speech’. In the world of strident fans only positive words and uplifting commentary make you a real fan and save you a spot in the Taylor Hicks fanbase heaven.

You see, according to his ardent fans, expressing your non-fawning and blunt opinions are about as welcome as showing them that area you sit on. They don’t want to hear anything but the highest and most glowing of praises in reference to anything the man might do. It’s not opinions they want – its some sort of strange validation of continuous praise which make them feel all is well in the world. Taylor Hicks has become a real live personalization for them. They take any words that could be misread or misconstrued and work themselves into a lather of righteousness and indignation as if you’d insulted them or one of their real loved ones. It is sweet so many feel intensely about the man, but there are some that take this obsession to the extreme.

One of his fans who runs with the moniker, ‘reader’, a.k.a. 15 Minutes of Fame, will post everything written at all negatively about him on rag mags like Splash on a daily basis. This burgeoning serial killer stalks those they feel cast any pebbles against Taylor Hicks’ name. They bring the term “stalker” to a whole new level, but that’s just my Opinion, I suppose. This is normal behavior to some such as this individual. That would be their Opinion.

I read this little gem of insight recently concerning Mr. Hicks:

To me, an opinion is:

I don’t like that role he took.
I didn’t like his performance.
I didn’t like his song choice or how he sang it.

Which is nothing like:

He’s a loser.
He’s stupid.
He’s pissy.
He needs to do what I say.

See the difference?

Saying someone is a loser, or stupid or pissy are forms of opinions. It may not sound nice, but it is someone’s Opinion. It’s how that particular individual viewed the subject (Taylor Hicks) that day. They may not be descriptive nor hold reasons for the opinions, but yes they are Opinions. Let’s look for a moment at how the word is outlined in the real world.

o·pin·ion

1.	a belief or judgment that rests on grounds insufficient to produce complete certainty.

2.	a personal view, attitude, or appraisal.

3.	the formal expression of a professional judgment: to ask for a second medical opinion.

4.	Law. the formal statement by a judge or court of the reasoning and the principles of law used in reaching a decision of a case.

5.	a judgment or estimate of a person or thing with respect to character, merit, etc.: to forfeit someone’s good opinion.

I think what the writer of that above statement meant – those weren’t expressions that they felt appropriate or liked or held merit. When as you read the Webster’s meaning they are indeed expressions of opinions.

What that individual wrote wasn’t anything factual, merely her Opinion on what made up an Opinion.