Showing posts with label American Idol. Show all posts
Showing posts with label American Idol. Show all posts
For Pure Fun, Relaxation And Excercise, I Choose Mountain Bike Riding
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Crystal Mountain Ski Vacations
This is rough terrain, and there is little offered to beginners as far as the ease of the trails go. But lessons are available, as well as rentals for ski’s and other equipment. At Crystal Mountain, there are more than 2300 acres and fifty trails, making this the largest ski area in the state of Washington. There are ten lifts available: 2 high speed six passenger lifts, 2 high speed quads, 2 triple chairs, 3 double chairs, and 1 children’s surface lift.
The season runs from the middle of November to the middle of April, when the most snow fall is experienced. There are several places to choose for lodging, meals, and nightly entertainment, but the biggest attraction is the skiing, of course.
The Crystal Mountain Express Buss service runs on weekends from the middle of December to the middle of March. You will be picked up from your lodge and dropped off at the base plaza – where you can begin a full day of fun on the slopes. After a day of skiing, you should definitely head over to East Peak Massage & Fitness to take advantage of the hot tub, sauna, showers and even the game room. Massages are also available, with a reservation.
If your kids aren’t quite ready for the black diamond trails – but you are – you can register them in the Kid’s Club. The Kid’s Club is open from 8am to 4pm each day for children aged four to eleven years old. The kid’s aged 4 – 11 will be supervised while they ski on a ‘kid appropriate’ slope, and snowboarding is also available for children aged 7 – 11 years old. Your child will have fun, while being supervised and taught. The cost of the care includes a four hour lesson, a lift ticket, lunch, and supervision. Rental equipment is available for the kids for an additional fee.
Everyone has fun at Crystal Mountain. It is a great place for a family vacation, but again, the slopes are more for intermediate skiers and expert skiers – although beginners will have fun as well. Just use good sense, and avoid trails that you don’t feel like your ready for.
Cool sites:
Butt-mountain: Life In A Steppe Climate
If you were to sit in my living room and look out the picture window, you would see an enormous mountain that is about one-half mile from my front door. I have named it "Butt-mountain" for the butt-like rock formation that sits on its top. Butt-mountain, you would no doubt observe, is covered with yellowish, hay-like vegetation with a sparse sprinkling of small green shrubs. It is stark. It makes one wonder what sort of toxic waste disaster took place to make Butt-mountain look so, well, dead.
Further observation would reveal that farmers send their cattle up there to graze, which leaves you wondering what they find to eat up there.
Butt-mountain is not alone.
All of Guanajuato is pretty much like Butt-mountain: dry, shrubs everywhere, cactus, and yellowish hay-like grass. The reason for this is that the town to which my wife and I moved from Kansas City (the land of hideous weather) resides in what is sometimes referred to as a "Steppe Climate".
A Steppe Climate is one in which evaporation exceeds precipitation. Note that this is a generalization because technically the entire state of Guanajuato has three types of climates: semi-dry, temperate, and semi-warm.
The city of Guanajuato is located right along the dividing line between the "temperate semi-humid" and the "semi-warm, sub-humid" regions. So we get a little of both of the two sub-climates. Thus, we get dry, shrubs, cactus, and yellowish, hay-like grass in our little neck of the Mexican woods.
This is essentially a mountain-like desert without the blowing sand. In addition, we do have the rainy season that transforms the topography into a luscious carpet of greenery so that those poor cattle on my Butt-mountain can have something real to eat. The state does have some regions of temperate climate.
"In general this climate is intermediate in terms of temperature (mesothermal). The plant types which commonly grow in it are oak forests, oak-pine forests, pine forests, chaparral and grazing land. It appears in six variants, covering 20% of the total area and unevenly distributed. The least humid climate is found chiefly in the southeast, in the municipalities of Apaseo, Jerécuaro and Yuriria."
What all of this meant to me at the time of our move was that at last I had found an environment in which the symptoms of my chronic illness would stabilize. And, indeed, they have. If you are afflicted with any sort of illness that reacts to constantly shifting weather patterns, then this type of climate is just what the doctor ordered.
I suffer from Fibromyalgia Syndrome. This pain and fatigue disorder lays me low when the weather constantly changes. When we lived in Kansas City, the land of weather torture, I was always in pain--it was unrelenting. I spent untold days in bed from being too tired to get out of it.
This Land of Eternal Springtime (as it is sometimes called) is perfect for people who are "weather-vanes".
I have two friends are afflicted with illnesses that are also reactive to sudden and frequent weather changes. They report that they cannot get out of bed, suffer from unrelenting pain, and are miserable in the United States. One moved to our little community while one stayed in America. The one here has seen marked improvement. She is more active and can get around better. The other one is just as miserable as we all were when we lived in the United States.
"Mexico has some of the best climate in the world! It's located just far enough north in latitude to avoid the extreme heat and humidity that most countries have that are located closer to the equator. Yet it is far enough south to avoid the harsh winters that can hit much of the United States and Canada."
Some Nice sites list:
Who Really Wins at American Idol?
If you have ever stopped and watched the show, you have no doubt noticed that there are several people who manage to be extremely successful without actually winning the show. With this in mind, how is it possible for people to ultimately be successful if they do not win? Yet at the same time, there are several people who are capable of winning the show but yet never manage to find ultimate success. The horrible reality is most people are not capable of finding true success on the show.
With so many people trying out for American Idol each year it is extremely important to locate the best talent in the country. At times, this can be really easy to do, however on other occasions it can be much more complicated as people struggle to determine which contestants are really best. With a large number of contestants, there are plenty of opportunities to learn exactly what it is that you are looking for in a musician. Nevertheless, while we as viewers are afforded the ability to truly select what we want for the American Idol, it is much harder for the contestants to determine what they need to do to be truly successful.
For many idols, the dream of being truly successful is extremely hard to actually fulfill. For other contestants it is something that is extremely easy to accomplish. For example, contestants such as Chris Daughtry are capable of pulling the audience into their performances, which can make it extremely easy to go on to a truly successful recording contract. As you have no doubt noticed, there are several former American Idol contestants who have been faced with extremely bad commercial success after winning the show.
One of the best examples of this is the small size of the careers of winners like Fantasia, Taylor Hicks and even Ruben Studdard. While artists like Carrie Underwood, Jordin Sparks and even Kelly Clarkson have gone onto astronomical success. The newest winner, David Cook is just getting started after winning and it is unclear just how successful he will really be. With a truly great appeal it is possible that he can go onto become the next Carrie Underwood, but he could turn out to be the next Taylor Hicks instead.
Regardless of which end of the spectrum each contestant falls, there is nothing at all that guarantees success. Of course, the show itself always takes pride on ensuring that at least the winner is offered a recording contract, however much beyond this is left to the actual contestant and the type of music that they select to pick out. Many people might think that each of the winners will go onto huge success, but as prior indications have shown, this is sometimes far from the actual truth.
For the contestants who are lucky enough to find total success it is a great accomplishment. However, it is very important that the other contestants not be ruled out as well. There are often times when the contestants who do not actually win the show go on to be much better commercial success than the actual winners. Just take a look at Season 5; while Taylor Hicks was the actual winner, Chris Daughtry has been much more successful. This could even lead you to question whom ultimate won the show, while Taylor walked away with the number one position, Chris has walked away with awards, more money and much more commercial success.
Watching each contestant develop into someone that you are actually interested in watching grow professionally can be a lot of fun. There are several times when it is lots of fun to watch the underdeveloped contestants grow into actual artists. With plenty of opportunities to prove themselves, American Idol does allow plenty of great artists a perfect springboard for their musical career, how they choose to use their springboard varies, but after being sent home as a 4th place contestant I’m sure Chris Daughtry would agree that winning the actual contest is not all that matters.
With so many people trying out for American Idol each year it is extremely important to locate the best talent in the country. At times, this can be really easy to do, however on other occasions it can be much more complicated as people struggle to determine which contestants are really best. With a large number of contestants, there are plenty of opportunities to learn exactly what it is that you are looking for in a musician. Nevertheless, while we as viewers are afforded the ability to truly select what we want for the American Idol, it is much harder for the contestants to determine what they need to do to be truly successful.
For many idols, the dream of being truly successful is extremely hard to actually fulfill. For other contestants it is something that is extremely easy to accomplish. For example, contestants such as Chris Daughtry are capable of pulling the audience into their performances, which can make it extremely easy to go on to a truly successful recording contract. As you have no doubt noticed, there are several former American Idol contestants who have been faced with extremely bad commercial success after winning the show.
One of the best examples of this is the small size of the careers of winners like Fantasia, Taylor Hicks and even Ruben Studdard. While artists like Carrie Underwood, Jordin Sparks and even Kelly Clarkson have gone onto astronomical success. The newest winner, David Cook is just getting started after winning and it is unclear just how successful he will really be. With a truly great appeal it is possible that he can go onto become the next Carrie Underwood, but he could turn out to be the next Taylor Hicks instead.
Regardless of which end of the spectrum each contestant falls, there is nothing at all that guarantees success. Of course, the show itself always takes pride on ensuring that at least the winner is offered a recording contract, however much beyond this is left to the actual contestant and the type of music that they select to pick out. Many people might think that each of the winners will go onto huge success, but as prior indications have shown, this is sometimes far from the actual truth.
For the contestants who are lucky enough to find total success it is a great accomplishment. However, it is very important that the other contestants not be ruled out as well. There are often times when the contestants who do not actually win the show go on to be much better commercial success than the actual winners. Just take a look at Season 5; while Taylor Hicks was the actual winner, Chris Daughtry has been much more successful. This could even lead you to question whom ultimate won the show, while Taylor walked away with the number one position, Chris has walked away with awards, more money and much more commercial success.
Watching each contestant develop into someone that you are actually interested in watching grow professionally can be a lot of fun. There are several times when it is lots of fun to watch the underdeveloped contestants grow into actual artists. With plenty of opportunities to prove themselves, American Idol does allow plenty of great artists a perfect springboard for their musical career, how they choose to use their springboard varies, but after being sent home as a 4th place contestant I’m sure Chris Daughtry would agree that winning the actual contest is not all that matters.
Signed, Sealed, And Delivered: From Chicken Soup For The American Idol Soul
Excerpt from Sanjaya Malakar
Top 10, Season 6
Singing is everything to me and my sister. It's in our blood and in our souls.
The first time I remember performing was during an assembly when I was four. I sang, "I'm a Little Teapot." But my mom told me that I really preferred doing Fred Astaire dance moves and singing songs like, "Steppin' Out with My Baby." I guess I have an old soul. When you're hardly out of diapers, you usually prefer songs from Barney. I preferred songs from Singin' in the Rain. My mom said she thought maybe I was the incarnation of Fred Astaire.
I was never like everyone else in school either. I wasn't much of a student; I preferred to entertain. My second-grade teacher moved my desk outside the classroom because I would spontaneously burst into song and distract the other kids. She thought that if she put me where I could still hear her, but I didn't have an audience, I might be able to learn something. I don't think it worked, because school is still not my thing. If my sister gets a B, she feels like she's failed; if I get a C, I think, Wow, cool. I passed.
When I was eight we moved to Kauai, and my mom put us into Children's Theater. My first show was Oliver! and my second was Bugsy Malone. I played Fizzy the janitor. I had a solo, and every night when I would hit the high note, I would receive a standing ovation. You've gotta love that more than social studies.
At first, my mom didn't want me to audition for Idol. She thought I wasn't ready and that I should wait a year. I couldn't understand why; she'd always been so supportive of me, but I realize now that she somehow knew that once I stepped into the world of American Idol, I would never be able to just walk through a shopping mall or go to a concert or do any of those normal things ever again.
Before our first audition, while we were in the big arena, two ladies on the American Idol staff asked Shyamali and me if we were brother and sister. We told them we were, but we didn't audition together or make a big we're-brother-and-sister deal. We even had someone in line between us.
I didn't make it through the first round but my sister did. I love Shyamali so much and was so happy for her. I believe that there's a master plan, and I thought that my making it through just wasn't part of it.
Then the strangest thing happened.
Shyamali went in for her second audition with the executive producer, Nigel Lythgoe. When he put her through, he said, "So it looks like you're going to be in competition with your brother."
"No," she said. "Sanjaya got cut."
Nigel looked confused for a moment and then called over his assistant.
After asking her some questions, he said, "What? Well, find him!"
Apparently, those ladies who had seen us in the arena had told him, "When you audition the Indian girl, she comes with a brother."
So I went in and sang for Nigel.
"You have to work on your stage presence," he said, "but I'm going to let you through."
I stood there in shock for a second and then ran out to tell my sister. We were ecstatic.
When I sang in front of Paula, Simon, and Randy, they asked who I thought was a better singer.
"Shyamali," I answered honestly. They said they thought she was the better performer, but I was the better singer. I still disagree. I have a more powerful voice, but my sister has this smooth, sultry jazz voice. She sings perfectly.
It was hard in Hollywood when I got through and my sister didn't, but I know that she'll be a star. She'll just get there in a different way — and I'll do everything in my power to help make that happen.
Throughout my journey on Idol, there have been a lot of ups and downs, triumphs and disappointments. But the hardest part has been the judges' comments. Nobody likes to hear, "You're horrible," or, "You look like a bush baby." Getting that kind of criticism night after night, week after week, could wear anybody down.
I decided that I wasn't going to let it get to me. Instead of taking their words to heart, I took the constructive criticism and left the rest. I just wouldn't put the negative things in my head. At a certain point I decided, I'm going to do this for myself and the audience. I'm not even going to try to get the judges' votes. I'm just going to be myself and hope America likes me.
I think America does. And that's good for a lot of reasons.
My mom says it's good because I don't represent the black community or the white community — but rather the brown community — which includes pretty much the majority of the people in the world. I think it's good for people to see someone like me. It's good for people in more isolated communities to feel like they know, and like, someone who is different from anyone they've ever met in their real lives.
And then there’s my name. Sanjaya is Sanskrit, and the vibrational quality is supposed to bring to the person who speaks it the love and protection of the universe. So even when people say, "Sanjaya stinks; he should go home," they're drawing a good and positive vibration to themselves.
Who knows, I might even be making a difference for people on some higher level. I like that thought.
And one other thing . . . Stevie Wonder is my role model. He never let his apparent "disability" get in the way of his success, and he has always stayed true to himself in his life and his music. I wish I could have sung Stevie Wonder on the show, but the judges said it was too big for me. I think if I sang "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" they would have liked it — but it's cool. I have a long career ahead of me, and I know that someday, somewhere, I'll get to sing some Stevie. I think maybe I'll wear my pony hawk when I do.
(Reprinted with permission from Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul: Stories from the Idols and their Fans that Open Your Heart and Make Your Soul Sing).
(Note to iSnare Editor: Our client Debra Poneman is author of the book Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul. The book contains first person accounts of the hit TV show from contestants, fans and behind the scenes crew members. The piece above is from one of the contestants, Sanjaya. We have Debra's permission to offer these excerpts from her book to iSnare.)
Top 10, Season 6
Singing is everything to me and my sister. It's in our blood and in our souls.
The first time I remember performing was during an assembly when I was four. I sang, "I'm a Little Teapot." But my mom told me that I really preferred doing Fred Astaire dance moves and singing songs like, "Steppin' Out with My Baby." I guess I have an old soul. When you're hardly out of diapers, you usually prefer songs from Barney. I preferred songs from Singin' in the Rain. My mom said she thought maybe I was the incarnation of Fred Astaire.
I was never like everyone else in school either. I wasn't much of a student; I preferred to entertain. My second-grade teacher moved my desk outside the classroom because I would spontaneously burst into song and distract the other kids. She thought that if she put me where I could still hear her, but I didn't have an audience, I might be able to learn something. I don't think it worked, because school is still not my thing. If my sister gets a B, she feels like she's failed; if I get a C, I think, Wow, cool. I passed.
When I was eight we moved to Kauai, and my mom put us into Children's Theater. My first show was Oliver! and my second was Bugsy Malone. I played Fizzy the janitor. I had a solo, and every night when I would hit the high note, I would receive a standing ovation. You've gotta love that more than social studies.
At first, my mom didn't want me to audition for Idol. She thought I wasn't ready and that I should wait a year. I couldn't understand why; she'd always been so supportive of me, but I realize now that she somehow knew that once I stepped into the world of American Idol, I would never be able to just walk through a shopping mall or go to a concert or do any of those normal things ever again.
Before our first audition, while we were in the big arena, two ladies on the American Idol staff asked Shyamali and me if we were brother and sister. We told them we were, but we didn't audition together or make a big we're-brother-and-sister deal. We even had someone in line between us.
I didn't make it through the first round but my sister did. I love Shyamali so much and was so happy for her. I believe that there's a master plan, and I thought that my making it through just wasn't part of it.
Then the strangest thing happened.
Shyamali went in for her second audition with the executive producer, Nigel Lythgoe. When he put her through, he said, "So it looks like you're going to be in competition with your brother."
"No," she said. "Sanjaya got cut."
Nigel looked confused for a moment and then called over his assistant.
After asking her some questions, he said, "What? Well, find him!"
Apparently, those ladies who had seen us in the arena had told him, "When you audition the Indian girl, she comes with a brother."
So I went in and sang for Nigel.
"You have to work on your stage presence," he said, "but I'm going to let you through."
I stood there in shock for a second and then ran out to tell my sister. We were ecstatic.
When I sang in front of Paula, Simon, and Randy, they asked who I thought was a better singer.
"Shyamali," I answered honestly. They said they thought she was the better performer, but I was the better singer. I still disagree. I have a more powerful voice, but my sister has this smooth, sultry jazz voice. She sings perfectly.
It was hard in Hollywood when I got through and my sister didn't, but I know that she'll be a star. She'll just get there in a different way — and I'll do everything in my power to help make that happen.
Throughout my journey on Idol, there have been a lot of ups and downs, triumphs and disappointments. But the hardest part has been the judges' comments. Nobody likes to hear, "You're horrible," or, "You look like a bush baby." Getting that kind of criticism night after night, week after week, could wear anybody down.
I decided that I wasn't going to let it get to me. Instead of taking their words to heart, I took the constructive criticism and left the rest. I just wouldn't put the negative things in my head. At a certain point I decided, I'm going to do this for myself and the audience. I'm not even going to try to get the judges' votes. I'm just going to be myself and hope America likes me.
I think America does. And that's good for a lot of reasons.
My mom says it's good because I don't represent the black community or the white community — but rather the brown community — which includes pretty much the majority of the people in the world. I think it's good for people to see someone like me. It's good for people in more isolated communities to feel like they know, and like, someone who is different from anyone they've ever met in their real lives.
And then there’s my name. Sanjaya is Sanskrit, and the vibrational quality is supposed to bring to the person who speaks it the love and protection of the universe. So even when people say, "Sanjaya stinks; he should go home," they're drawing a good and positive vibration to themselves.
Who knows, I might even be making a difference for people on some higher level. I like that thought.
And one other thing . . . Stevie Wonder is my role model. He never let his apparent "disability" get in the way of his success, and he has always stayed true to himself in his life and his music. I wish I could have sung Stevie Wonder on the show, but the judges said it was too big for me. I think if I sang "Signed, Sealed, Delivered" they would have liked it — but it's cool. I have a long career ahead of me, and I know that someday, somewhere, I'll get to sing some Stevie. I think maybe I'll wear my pony hawk when I do.
(Reprinted with permission from Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul: Stories from the Idols and their Fans that Open Your Heart and Make Your Soul Sing).
(Note to iSnare Editor: Our client Debra Poneman is author of the book Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul. The book contains first person accounts of the hit TV show from contestants, fans and behind the scenes crew members. The piece above is from one of the contestants, Sanjaya. We have Debra's permission to offer these excerpts from her book to iSnare.)
Vote For The Worst Changing American Idol Forever
Anyone familiar with American Idol and that is just about anyone who is not living underneath a rock is familiar with the staying power of Sanjaya Malakar. The seventeen year old has become famous for his ability to stay in the talent contest although he possesses the weakest singing voice, thanks to campaigns from websites like Vote for the Worst, and the backing of media powerhouse Howard Stern.
The grassroots campaign to keep the mediocre singer within the contest have increased the popularity of the show with stories running in popular celebrity weeklies such as Star Magazine and the National Enquirer, and scores of stories on television. According to the show, they received their highest number of votes this season, 33 million, probably due in part to the Malakar controversy.
Simon Cowell, usually the most truthful of the judges has vowed to quit if the young singer wins. In fact most of us will lose if Malakar actually wins, because I cannot think of anyone who would actually buy an album created by the creaking voiced crooner.
The present controversy does shed some light on the weakness of the American Idol system. While it was the premise for Americans to vote for the person they felt was most talented, those with less than altruistic motives can affect the results of the show if they have a big enough following. Perhaps it is time that the creators of American Idol address this by making some much needed changes on how the contest winner is chosen.
Another fan favorite show, Dancing with the Stars, allows both the audience and judges to have a say so in the outcome of the show which should equal the playing field for contestants. However, this too does have its problems as the celebrities with the biggest fan bases sometimes seem to garner the lions share of votes. In the past season country singer Sarah Evans continued to plod along week after week even though she was by far the least talented of the performers, at least in the dancing department. A large contingency of country music fans tuned in to vote for her every single week and she only left the contest after issues in her personal life arose.
Though the system is flawed, there is a much better chance of getting a better winner when both judges and fans have a say in the outcome. Contestants who have large fan bases, or get large amounts of sympathy votes cannot guarantee an overall win. The same thing can be said for a contestant who just does not seem to strike the fancy of the judges, and can be sent packing prematurely though they deserve to stay and compete.
Judges are after all people and they will of course have their favorites. Dancing with the Stars message boards have been lit up with the prospect that the judges have been much too kind to former NBA star Clyde Drexler though his dancing has improved very little since the onset of the season. The voters of course can take him to task and can create a level playing field. The same can be said for American Idol.
It is doubtful that many would have remembered Sanjaya Malakar after this season of American Idol. However, now he will either be known as the face of the person that killed Idol, or the reason that the rules were chanced. Either way, Malakar has helped to change the television show American Idol forever.
The grassroots campaign to keep the mediocre singer within the contest have increased the popularity of the show with stories running in popular celebrity weeklies such as Star Magazine and the National Enquirer, and scores of stories on television. According to the show, they received their highest number of votes this season, 33 million, probably due in part to the Malakar controversy.
Simon Cowell, usually the most truthful of the judges has vowed to quit if the young singer wins. In fact most of us will lose if Malakar actually wins, because I cannot think of anyone who would actually buy an album created by the creaking voiced crooner.
The present controversy does shed some light on the weakness of the American Idol system. While it was the premise for Americans to vote for the person they felt was most talented, those with less than altruistic motives can affect the results of the show if they have a big enough following. Perhaps it is time that the creators of American Idol address this by making some much needed changes on how the contest winner is chosen.
Another fan favorite show, Dancing with the Stars, allows both the audience and judges to have a say so in the outcome of the show which should equal the playing field for contestants. However, this too does have its problems as the celebrities with the biggest fan bases sometimes seem to garner the lions share of votes. In the past season country singer Sarah Evans continued to plod along week after week even though she was by far the least talented of the performers, at least in the dancing department. A large contingency of country music fans tuned in to vote for her every single week and she only left the contest after issues in her personal life arose.
Though the system is flawed, there is a much better chance of getting a better winner when both judges and fans have a say in the outcome. Contestants who have large fan bases, or get large amounts of sympathy votes cannot guarantee an overall win. The same thing can be said for a contestant who just does not seem to strike the fancy of the judges, and can be sent packing prematurely though they deserve to stay and compete.
Judges are after all people and they will of course have their favorites. Dancing with the Stars message boards have been lit up with the prospect that the judges have been much too kind to former NBA star Clyde Drexler though his dancing has improved very little since the onset of the season. The voters of course can take him to task and can create a level playing field. The same can be said for American Idol.
It is doubtful that many would have remembered Sanjaya Malakar after this season of American Idol. However, now he will either be known as the face of the person that killed Idol, or the reason that the rules were chanced. Either way, Malakar has helped to change the television show American Idol forever.
American Idol Do Not Vote For The Worst
The premise of a show like American Idol is to find the best singers in the country and let them go toe to toe in a karaoke style contest in which viewers of the show vote and have a say in the outcome every week. The show has been popular since the first season, and former idols winners and losers for that matter have gone on to achieve great success. Former loser Jennifer Hudson recently won an Academy Award, and season one winner Kelly Clarkson is a best selling artist and Grammy Award winner.
Recently their has been a call to arms to vote for the worst, which at this point happens to be Sanjaya Malakar, a moppet haired guy with no discernable singing talent. This is of course a fine mess and there are a few problems with voting for the worst:
Motivation
The self proclaimed king of all media, Howard Stern, is requesting that his listeners vote for the worst contestant, the aforementioned Malakar. There should be someone questioning the motivation of Stern. Is her completely bored, after earning a truck load of money after switching to satellite radio? Rumor has it that that the company may be going out of business and perhaps Stern wanted some listeners to trickle over after the controversy.
Another company, website Vote for the Worst is trying to make a name by piggybacking on the success of American Idol. There is of course tons of information on what they perceive to be the problem of American Idol, the unfair practices of the judging process on how contestants are picked and moved on throughout the contest.
The fact that there are t shirts with the logo of the company being sold begs the question of whether or not their reasons are altruistic. They make the argument that they care about the great contestants being passed over for a myriad of reasons. I wonder if they are donating their profits to this undiscovered talent.
Ruining American Idol
While voting for the worst contestant may seem like fun at first, it can have long term effects on American Idol. Maybe Stern wants to see how much muscle he actually has to see if he can actually get his legions of fans to follow his edict and determine the outcome of the American Idol race. If it holds perhaps Stern can put his evil genius to good use and help elect the next president in 2008. Yet Idol will be ruined in the process.
Viewers like to look at A.I. in the beginning of the season to see the misfits and delusional people who think they may actually have some form of singing talent. However, we all know that we could not look at a series of terrible singers all season long. Viewers will begin to tune out in droves if the only option is to tune in week after week to see only the most mediocre of contestants. Not to mention the unfairness of booting legitimate singers such as Stephanie Edwards. They deserve their time to shine as well and are being robbed of the chance by a cruel grassroots campaign.
Singers like Sanjaya Malakar and Antonella Barber belong between the pages of Star Magazine and the National Enquirer in their Where are They Now section. In the meantime, tune out Stern and the opportunists from the website Vote for the Worst. Let them hawk their merchandise elsewhere or by piggybacking on hard work of someone else.
Recently their has been a call to arms to vote for the worst, which at this point happens to be Sanjaya Malakar, a moppet haired guy with no discernable singing talent. This is of course a fine mess and there are a few problems with voting for the worst:
Motivation
The self proclaimed king of all media, Howard Stern, is requesting that his listeners vote for the worst contestant, the aforementioned Malakar. There should be someone questioning the motivation of Stern. Is her completely bored, after earning a truck load of money after switching to satellite radio? Rumor has it that that the company may be going out of business and perhaps Stern wanted some listeners to trickle over after the controversy.
Another company, website Vote for the Worst is trying to make a name by piggybacking on the success of American Idol. There is of course tons of information on what they perceive to be the problem of American Idol, the unfair practices of the judging process on how contestants are picked and moved on throughout the contest.
The fact that there are t shirts with the logo of the company being sold begs the question of whether or not their reasons are altruistic. They make the argument that they care about the great contestants being passed over for a myriad of reasons. I wonder if they are donating their profits to this undiscovered talent.
Ruining American Idol
While voting for the worst contestant may seem like fun at first, it can have long term effects on American Idol. Maybe Stern wants to see how much muscle he actually has to see if he can actually get his legions of fans to follow his edict and determine the outcome of the American Idol race. If it holds perhaps Stern can put his evil genius to good use and help elect the next president in 2008. Yet Idol will be ruined in the process.
Viewers like to look at A.I. in the beginning of the season to see the misfits and delusional people who think they may actually have some form of singing talent. However, we all know that we could not look at a series of terrible singers all season long. Viewers will begin to tune out in droves if the only option is to tune in week after week to see only the most mediocre of contestants. Not to mention the unfairness of booting legitimate singers such as Stephanie Edwards. They deserve their time to shine as well and are being robbed of the chance by a cruel grassroots campaign.
Singers like Sanjaya Malakar and Antonella Barber belong between the pages of Star Magazine and the National Enquirer in their Where are They Now section. In the meantime, tune out Stern and the opportunists from the website Vote for the Worst. Let them hawk their merchandise elsewhere or by piggybacking on hard work of someone else.
Dating Advice: What American Idol Can Teach Us about Attracting Women
When used correctly, arrogance can be an amazing tool to help you attract women. When you’re slightly arrogant, females want to find a redeeming softer side to you. If you're too arrogant or rude you will blow your chances.
Let's look at Simon Cowell for a minute. When we first saw Simon on American Idol our first instinct was to hate the guy. We all said, "What an arrogant bastard". Now us guys thought that and probably never gave it a second thought, but women around the world starting digging deeper. They thought, "There's got to be something more to this guy". Then as the season went on Simon began to give credit where credit was do. What began to happen was incredible. Whenever Simon gave a compliment, the audience and all of America (particularly women) began to cheer like crazy. Why did this happen? The reason is because people were so excited to see that redeeming quality they were searching for shine through. They knew there was some good in this guy. They found themselves wanting to like him. Randy Jackson who never played the mysterious, arrogant role at all didn't get nearly the same response when he gave kudos to a contestant.
The key is to balance this confident arrogance with a sweet, vulnerable side. You can actually create a pattern with women where they'll start being nice to you and doing all kinds of favors for you just to see that redeeming side of you peek through. It's an amazing thing to watch when it's done right. Personally I hate the idea of playing the arrogant role because I'm genuinely a nice, humble guy but it really works so I do it anyway. It even annoys me that women react well to this kind of attitude but unfortunately it's a fact of life.
Remember not to be mean for the sake of being mean. I wouldn't go as far as Simon, who actually crossed the line sometimes and became mean. Remember - you don't have months and months on a TV show to redeem yourself like he does so you can't afford to go as far with it as he has. But done properly, arrogance can really work for you.
A simple way you can begin to create the kind of dynamic that Simon does is to start calling girls out on things. Start "breaking her chops" in a playful way. When they are being lazy, call them lazy. If you don't like her outfit, say, "I'm not really feeling that. You should wear something else". Please don't take this as a cue to go out and be MEAN to women. Instead it's a cue to go out and be HONEST with women. Her behavior will actually begin to cater to making you happy and she’ll start working hard to bring the complimentary side out of you.
Let's look at Simon Cowell for a minute. When we first saw Simon on American Idol our first instinct was to hate the guy. We all said, "What an arrogant bastard". Now us guys thought that and probably never gave it a second thought, but women around the world starting digging deeper. They thought, "There's got to be something more to this guy". Then as the season went on Simon began to give credit where credit was do. What began to happen was incredible. Whenever Simon gave a compliment, the audience and all of America (particularly women) began to cheer like crazy. Why did this happen? The reason is because people were so excited to see that redeeming quality they were searching for shine through. They knew there was some good in this guy. They found themselves wanting to like him. Randy Jackson who never played the mysterious, arrogant role at all didn't get nearly the same response when he gave kudos to a contestant.
The key is to balance this confident arrogance with a sweet, vulnerable side. You can actually create a pattern with women where they'll start being nice to you and doing all kinds of favors for you just to see that redeeming side of you peek through. It's an amazing thing to watch when it's done right. Personally I hate the idea of playing the arrogant role because I'm genuinely a nice, humble guy but it really works so I do it anyway. It even annoys me that women react well to this kind of attitude but unfortunately it's a fact of life.
Remember not to be mean for the sake of being mean. I wouldn't go as far as Simon, who actually crossed the line sometimes and became mean. Remember - you don't have months and months on a TV show to redeem yourself like he does so you can't afford to go as far with it as he has. But done properly, arrogance can really work for you.
A simple way you can begin to create the kind of dynamic that Simon does is to start calling girls out on things. Start "breaking her chops" in a playful way. When they are being lazy, call them lazy. If you don't like her outfit, say, "I'm not really feeling that. You should wear something else". Please don't take this as a cue to go out and be MEAN to women. Instead it's a cue to go out and be HONEST with women. Her behavior will actually begin to cater to making you happy and she’ll start working hard to bring the complimentary side out of you.
American Idol
Most households across America know that the trio of names – Simon, Randy and Paula, are the judges for the famed show American Idol. People tune in just to see if Paula and Simon can actually agree on something that happens or if they’re swatting at each other with annoyed looks on their faces. While some people love to watch it for the actual purpose of the show – to find talent and name that talented individual the next American Idol, others tune in just for the entertainment. Some singers almost appear to have been planted on the show as a cruel joke. Viewers love to watch Ryan Seacrest attempt to create dramatic moments and crack jokes to Simon. Whatever their reason for watching each week, it has been proven that people will continue to tune in weekly – almost as if it is an addiction.
The American Idol auditions are always good for some entertainment. Although some wannabes slip through the cracks just to get their few seconds of shame and fame, people will admit that watching the auditions can be a real treat. And every single year, hundreds of thousands of talented individuals stand in line for hours and hours just to have their few second shot at making it onto the show. Of course, more hopeful individuals walk out with rejection slips instead of moving forward. Still, American Idol has become a craze that just hasn’t faded out yet. It doesn’t matter that a few of the previous winners have disappeared off the planet, the few that have gone on to instant success have made viewers even more curious about the upcoming seasons. The craze has prompted American Idol T-shirts and stickers, notebooks, games and even a movie about two of the first season’s contestants. Whatever companies can create to cash in on the craze, they’re pushing to sell.
Towards the end of the American Idol season, the competition heats up. There are weeks that it will be on television three times in one week. There are devoted viewers who won’t miss a single moment of their favorite show but there are viewers who start to lose interest at that point. The last few seasons have had some shocking eliminations that have prompted some viewers to swear that they’ll never watch American Idol again. However, the ratings and the number so votes is always on the rise. Either those viewers still watch despite the controversy or more people are always tuning in. No matter which way you look at it, the American Idol craze is still far from being over. Each season will promise to be better than the last and more controversy is bound to surface. Isn’t that what being an American Idol is all about?
The American Idol auditions are always good for some entertainment. Although some wannabes slip through the cracks just to get their few seconds of shame and fame, people will admit that watching the auditions can be a real treat. And every single year, hundreds of thousands of talented individuals stand in line for hours and hours just to have their few second shot at making it onto the show. Of course, more hopeful individuals walk out with rejection slips instead of moving forward. Still, American Idol has become a craze that just hasn’t faded out yet. It doesn’t matter that a few of the previous winners have disappeared off the planet, the few that have gone on to instant success have made viewers even more curious about the upcoming seasons. The craze has prompted American Idol T-shirts and stickers, notebooks, games and even a movie about two of the first season’s contestants. Whatever companies can create to cash in on the craze, they’re pushing to sell.
Towards the end of the American Idol season, the competition heats up. There are weeks that it will be on television three times in one week. There are devoted viewers who won’t miss a single moment of their favorite show but there are viewers who start to lose interest at that point. The last few seasons have had some shocking eliminations that have prompted some viewers to swear that they’ll never watch American Idol again. However, the ratings and the number so votes is always on the rise. Either those viewers still watch despite the controversy or more people are always tuning in. No matter which way you look at it, the American Idol craze is still far from being over. Each season will promise to be better than the last and more controversy is bound to surface. Isn’t that what being an American Idol is all about?
Reasons to Watch American Idol
With several seasons of American Idol already over and completed and the ratings starting to go downhill there are numerous questions about why exactly people tune into the show. The truth of the matter is that everyone often has different reasons for tuning in. Whether you are interested in watching the show because you have a love of music or a different reason there is likely something that you will find enjoyable.
If most people are downright honest with themselves, they will usually admit that one of the major reasons is to see exactly what Simon will say. This is rather sad truthfully, but we are a cruel world. We tend to enjoy watching someone else be ripped to shreds while we sit on the comfort of our couch and happily admit we are happy that it is not us being criticized like that. However, in reality while some may hate on Simon Cowell badly, he really does know what he is talking about. Plus, he hates those who show up and merely play around with the competition.
Looking past Simon and trying to focus on the less evil reasons to watch the show is seeing how each of the contestants tends to evolve. Each week and they stand around in terror on the stage hoping they are safe they breathe a sigh of relief and go back to work improving. This allows them to grow substantially from their very first audition up until the day that someone actually wins the competition. If you have ever watched the show from the very beginning up until the end you have no doubt noticed that there is a significant difference. It just shows and proves to people hat it really is possible to improve and get better.
For those who are strictly watching the show for entertainment purposes you have to admit that they do get some awesome guest stars to work with the contestants. Jennifer Lopez, Dolly Parton, and so many more have all graced the stage to work with the contestants to improve but also to perform. This is a fabulous way to check out some of the newest material that the stars have to offer, but also see what they have to say about your favorite contestant. Nevertheless, you can also see how each contestant handles the songs of the week as well.
For those moments when you are just feeling relaxed and peaceful it can be fun to sit around and watch the jokes that occur. After all the cheesy Ford commercials, the banter between the judges and even the occasional attitude from a contestant is all perfectly coordinated to ensure the perfect entertainment event. Looking at the show as something that is 100% serious is usually disappointing but you are sure to find someone that you want to root for.
Another reason to watch; let us face it, everyone on that stage started as an underdog at some point. Well except for half of the season seven contestants who were already seasoned professionals. It is a lot of fun to see these underdogs who would normally never stand a chance in Hollywood actually having a chance at a music career. The mere idea of getting a fabulous career like that is incredible and can be described as a dream come true. Watching the contestant that starts out all meek and quite turn into the ultimate American Idol right before your eyes is something that is truly special. Most idols drastically change their appearance during the show, their style changes and they start to be much more confident. In the end, you are spending all of your time rooting for them and running to the phone to vote as soon as the polls open.
While this might seem like a strange set of reasons to watch American Idol you have to admit that somewhere deep inside your heart, you fit into these reasons and methods as well. Which reason is yours for watching is always a secret, but you are likely to have a few of your own. The reasons rarely matter, but what does matter is watching someone be crowned the American Idol and knowing that you were a part of it.
If most people are downright honest with themselves, they will usually admit that one of the major reasons is to see exactly what Simon will say. This is rather sad truthfully, but we are a cruel world. We tend to enjoy watching someone else be ripped to shreds while we sit on the comfort of our couch and happily admit we are happy that it is not us being criticized like that. However, in reality while some may hate on Simon Cowell badly, he really does know what he is talking about. Plus, he hates those who show up and merely play around with the competition.
Looking past Simon and trying to focus on the less evil reasons to watch the show is seeing how each of the contestants tends to evolve. Each week and they stand around in terror on the stage hoping they are safe they breathe a sigh of relief and go back to work improving. This allows them to grow substantially from their very first audition up until the day that someone actually wins the competition. If you have ever watched the show from the very beginning up until the end you have no doubt noticed that there is a significant difference. It just shows and proves to people hat it really is possible to improve and get better.
For those who are strictly watching the show for entertainment purposes you have to admit that they do get some awesome guest stars to work with the contestants. Jennifer Lopez, Dolly Parton, and so many more have all graced the stage to work with the contestants to improve but also to perform. This is a fabulous way to check out some of the newest material that the stars have to offer, but also see what they have to say about your favorite contestant. Nevertheless, you can also see how each contestant handles the songs of the week as well.
For those moments when you are just feeling relaxed and peaceful it can be fun to sit around and watch the jokes that occur. After all the cheesy Ford commercials, the banter between the judges and even the occasional attitude from a contestant is all perfectly coordinated to ensure the perfect entertainment event. Looking at the show as something that is 100% serious is usually disappointing but you are sure to find someone that you want to root for.
Another reason to watch; let us face it, everyone on that stage started as an underdog at some point. Well except for half of the season seven contestants who were already seasoned professionals. It is a lot of fun to see these underdogs who would normally never stand a chance in Hollywood actually having a chance at a music career. The mere idea of getting a fabulous career like that is incredible and can be described as a dream come true. Watching the contestant that starts out all meek and quite turn into the ultimate American Idol right before your eyes is something that is truly special. Most idols drastically change their appearance during the show, their style changes and they start to be much more confident. In the end, you are spending all of your time rooting for them and running to the phone to vote as soon as the polls open.
While this might seem like a strange set of reasons to watch American Idol you have to admit that somewhere deep inside your heart, you fit into these reasons and methods as well. Which reason is yours for watching is always a secret, but you are likely to have a few of your own. The reasons rarely matter, but what does matter is watching someone be crowned the American Idol and knowing that you were a part of it.
Vote For The Worst On American Idol If You Dare
The television show American Idol is making headlines in the mainstream media as well as celebrity gossip magazines such as Star Magazine and In Touch Weekly concerning a grassroots online campaign for viewers to tune in and vote for the worst candidate who happens to be contestant Sanjaya Malakar.
All over the media people are weighing in with their opinions. Internet message boards and forums have been abuzz with both outrage and support of the campaign started by website Vote for the Worst to vote only for the worst candidate in the karaoke like contest. According to the website owners they began the site to shed light on what they felt was hypocrisy in the amateur talent contest which seems to push those with less than stellar talent along while those with true singing talent get pushed to the wayside.
In defense of American Idol, it seems that the creators of Vote for the Worst seem to forget that the entertainment industry is after all a business. While viewers may become endeared to certain contestants there is a certain indescribable quality necessary in order to become a successful pop artist. While fans defied the practical Simon Cowell and voted for Taylor Hicks, even his fan base the Soul Patrol has not been able to boost his less than great record sales.
In truth the judges of American Idol along with the producers are looking to find someone who is more than a great singer. The person chosen has to have a specific kind of personality, has to be able to command attention to them and dare I say it should be easy on the eyes as well. The idea at the onset is to give a record contract to whoever might be the winner, and that person should be able to sell records.
The reality is that some of the biggest selling artists of today do not necessarily have the greatest singing voices. Yet, singers like Britney Spears, Janet Jackson, Madonna and Jennifer Lopez are able to fill stadiums for concerts and sell millions and millions of copies of their records. It is the responsibility of the judges and producers to find the total package, and angry fans like the creators of Vote for the Worst have an idealistic view of how the contest itself should work.
While most people love singers in this years contest like Melinda Doolittle and Lakisha Jones we all understand that contestants like Jordin Sparks and Blake Lewis would probably make a better idol in terms of sales. Requesting that the people behind American Idol choose people on talent alone would be demanding that the record company contractually bound to bank on a winner whose album would not necessarily result in any significant record sales.
In the likelihood that Sanjaya Malakar should win what happens to American Idol? Sites like Vote for the Worst have done their job; they can pack up and go home. Malakar, a national punch line has to be signed by J Records, the company started by former Arista head Clive Davis. Those that were quick to rush to the phones are unlikely to pay fifteen dollars to listen to an album the lackluster singer has recorded or pay ninety nine cents to download anything produced by him either. To add insult to injury a singer really deserving of the contract is out of luck, and everyone wins, right? Vote for the worst if you dare.
All over the media people are weighing in with their opinions. Internet message boards and forums have been abuzz with both outrage and support of the campaign started by website Vote for the Worst to vote only for the worst candidate in the karaoke like contest. According to the website owners they began the site to shed light on what they felt was hypocrisy in the amateur talent contest which seems to push those with less than stellar talent along while those with true singing talent get pushed to the wayside.
In defense of American Idol, it seems that the creators of Vote for the Worst seem to forget that the entertainment industry is after all a business. While viewers may become endeared to certain contestants there is a certain indescribable quality necessary in order to become a successful pop artist. While fans defied the practical Simon Cowell and voted for Taylor Hicks, even his fan base the Soul Patrol has not been able to boost his less than great record sales.
In truth the judges of American Idol along with the producers are looking to find someone who is more than a great singer. The person chosen has to have a specific kind of personality, has to be able to command attention to them and dare I say it should be easy on the eyes as well. The idea at the onset is to give a record contract to whoever might be the winner, and that person should be able to sell records.
The reality is that some of the biggest selling artists of today do not necessarily have the greatest singing voices. Yet, singers like Britney Spears, Janet Jackson, Madonna and Jennifer Lopez are able to fill stadiums for concerts and sell millions and millions of copies of their records. It is the responsibility of the judges and producers to find the total package, and angry fans like the creators of Vote for the Worst have an idealistic view of how the contest itself should work.
While most people love singers in this years contest like Melinda Doolittle and Lakisha Jones we all understand that contestants like Jordin Sparks and Blake Lewis would probably make a better idol in terms of sales. Requesting that the people behind American Idol choose people on talent alone would be demanding that the record company contractually bound to bank on a winner whose album would not necessarily result in any significant record sales.
In the likelihood that Sanjaya Malakar should win what happens to American Idol? Sites like Vote for the Worst have done their job; they can pack up and go home. Malakar, a national punch line has to be signed by J Records, the company started by former Arista head Clive Davis. Those that were quick to rush to the phones are unlikely to pay fifteen dollars to listen to an album the lackluster singer has recorded or pay ninety nine cents to download anything produced by him either. To add insult to injury a singer really deserving of the contract is out of luck, and everyone wins, right? Vote for the worst if you dare.
Tylee: From Chicken Soup For The American Idol Soul
Excerpt from Nikki McKibbin
Top 10, Season
The 2002 American Idols Live! tour was coming to an end. One of our last cities was Seattle, and as always, we were backstage after the performance mingling with fans at what is called a meet-and-greet. I don't know why, but whenever there were little children at the meet-and-greets, they always gravitated toward me. Seattle was no different.
Tylee was the cutest little girl I'd ever seen, with her tan corduroy overalls and little bald head from her chemotherapy. Her big brother, Tre, and her mom were with her. She was only five years old and already a huge Idol fan.
From the minute she walked into the meet-and-greet room, she didn't leave my side. She hugged me and kissed me as we drew pictures together. Whatever her disease was it had to be serious, but despite it, she was such a perky and happy little girl.
Although I'm usually tired by the time the meet-and-greets are done, I was sad when this one ended because I had to say good-bye to Tylee.
With the tour over, I headed back to Dallas and looked forward to spending some time just chilling and being with my four-year-old son, Tristen. I'd hardly seen him over the last three months.
Just as I was starting to settle in and get some semblance of normalcy back into my life, the phone rang.
"Nikki McKibbin, please."
"That would be me."
"This is the Make-A-Wish Foundation®. There is a little girl you met on the American Idols Live! tour who was just given a chance to make a wish. She said that her wish was to spend a day with you. Her name is Tylee, and we don't know if you remember her, but we'd be very appreciative if you could make her wish come true."
"Of course, I remember her," I said. "How could I forget her? She was so adorable."
"If you want to fulfill her wish, you need to get on a plane to Seattle tomorrow. She's not expected to live through the weekend."
She's not expected to live through the weekend? I thought. No, that can't be true!
My mom and grandma pitched in to help me get ready. On the way to the airport that Saturday morning, I stopped and bought pants that matched Tylee's tan corduroy overalls.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation® set up our meeting in a hotel suite not far from Tylee’s hospital. I don't know who was more exited when I walked in—her or me. Tylee's mom, dad, brother, stepmom, and grandmother were all there.
I almost didn't recognize Tylee when I saw her. Some of her hair had grown back, and she was all dressed up in the cutest little pink frilly dress. Pink must have been her favorite color since she also clutched a pink Beanie Baby teddy bear in her hand that she never put down.
"She carries it day and night," her parents told me.
We talked and laughed and took lots of pictures and videos. We even ate hot dogs together. She showed me a little book she had made called Nikki Notes that contained the photos we had taken together at the meet-and-greet. She had me write in it.
After a while, Tylee wasn't feeling well, so she took a nap, and her grandmother and I went shopping. I knew she loved Barbies and teddy bears, so I bought her a new Barbie comforter sleeping bag, Barbie pillow, and a teddy bear. I signed them all, "Tylee, I love you."
When we got back to the hotel, she was awake and feeling a little better, so she sat on my lap and we went through her Nikki Notes again. At one point I gave her a little tickle and she laughed, so I gave her another tickle, and she jumped off my lap and we ran around the room playing tickle tag.
Her parents and grandparents were overwhelmed with emotion. They said they hadn't seen Tylee have the strength to play like that for as long as they could remember. They said they felt like it was the best day of her life.
As we were saying our good-byes, Tylee went over to her mother and whispered something in her ear. Her mom blinked back her tears and said, "Oh course, honey, if that's what you want to do."
Tylee came over and gave me her pink teddy bear, the one she carried with her night and day.
The rain pounded the roof of my cab as I rode to catch my flight home.
Tylee lived a few more weeks.
(Reprinted with permission from Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul: Stories from the Idols and their Fans that Open Your Heart and Make Your Soul Sing).
Top 10, Season
The 2002 American Idols Live! tour was coming to an end. One of our last cities was Seattle, and as always, we were backstage after the performance mingling with fans at what is called a meet-and-greet. I don't know why, but whenever there were little children at the meet-and-greets, they always gravitated toward me. Seattle was no different.
Tylee was the cutest little girl I'd ever seen, with her tan corduroy overalls and little bald head from her chemotherapy. Her big brother, Tre, and her mom were with her. She was only five years old and already a huge Idol fan.
From the minute she walked into the meet-and-greet room, she didn't leave my side. She hugged me and kissed me as we drew pictures together. Whatever her disease was it had to be serious, but despite it, she was such a perky and happy little girl.
Although I'm usually tired by the time the meet-and-greets are done, I was sad when this one ended because I had to say good-bye to Tylee.
With the tour over, I headed back to Dallas and looked forward to spending some time just chilling and being with my four-year-old son, Tristen. I'd hardly seen him over the last three months.
Just as I was starting to settle in and get some semblance of normalcy back into my life, the phone rang.
"Nikki McKibbin, please."
"That would be me."
"This is the Make-A-Wish Foundation®. There is a little girl you met on the American Idols Live! tour who was just given a chance to make a wish. She said that her wish was to spend a day with you. Her name is Tylee, and we don't know if you remember her, but we'd be very appreciative if you could make her wish come true."
"Of course, I remember her," I said. "How could I forget her? She was so adorable."
"If you want to fulfill her wish, you need to get on a plane to Seattle tomorrow. She's not expected to live through the weekend."
She's not expected to live through the weekend? I thought. No, that can't be true!
My mom and grandma pitched in to help me get ready. On the way to the airport that Saturday morning, I stopped and bought pants that matched Tylee's tan corduroy overalls.
The Make-A-Wish Foundation® set up our meeting in a hotel suite not far from Tylee’s hospital. I don't know who was more exited when I walked in—her or me. Tylee's mom, dad, brother, stepmom, and grandmother were all there.
I almost didn't recognize Tylee when I saw her. Some of her hair had grown back, and she was all dressed up in the cutest little pink frilly dress. Pink must have been her favorite color since she also clutched a pink Beanie Baby teddy bear in her hand that she never put down.
"She carries it day and night," her parents told me.
We talked and laughed and took lots of pictures and videos. We even ate hot dogs together. She showed me a little book she had made called Nikki Notes that contained the photos we had taken together at the meet-and-greet. She had me write in it.
After a while, Tylee wasn't feeling well, so she took a nap, and her grandmother and I went shopping. I knew she loved Barbies and teddy bears, so I bought her a new Barbie comforter sleeping bag, Barbie pillow, and a teddy bear. I signed them all, "Tylee, I love you."
When we got back to the hotel, she was awake and feeling a little better, so she sat on my lap and we went through her Nikki Notes again. At one point I gave her a little tickle and she laughed, so I gave her another tickle, and she jumped off my lap and we ran around the room playing tickle tag.
Her parents and grandparents were overwhelmed with emotion. They said they hadn't seen Tylee have the strength to play like that for as long as they could remember. They said they felt like it was the best day of her life.
As we were saying our good-byes, Tylee went over to her mother and whispered something in her ear. Her mom blinked back her tears and said, "Oh course, honey, if that's what you want to do."
Tylee came over and gave me her pink teddy bear, the one she carried with her night and day.
The rain pounded the roof of my cab as I rode to catch my flight home.
Tylee lived a few more weeks.
(Reprinted with permission from Chicken Soup for the American Idol Soul: Stories from the Idols and their Fans that Open Your Heart and Make Your Soul Sing).
Dating Advice: What American Idol Can Teach Us about Attracting Women
When used correctly, arrogance can be an amazing tool to help you attract women. When you’re slightly arrogant, females want to find a redeeming softer side to you. If you're too arrogant or rude you will blow your chances.
Let's look at Simon Cowell for a minute. When we first saw Simon on American Idol our first instinct was to hate the guy. We all said, "What an arrogant bastard". Now us guys thought that and probably never gave it a second thought, but women around the world starting digging deeper. They thought, "There's got to be something more to this guy". Then as the season went on Simon began to give credit where credit was do. What began to happen was incredible. Whenever Simon gave a compliment, the audience and all of America (particularly women) began to cheer like crazy. Why did this happen? The reason is because people were so excited to see that redeeming quality they were searching for shine through. They knew there was some good in this guy. They found themselves wanting to like him. Randy Jackson who never played the mysterious, arrogant role at all didn't get nearly the same response when he gave kudos to a contestant.
The key is to balance this confident arrogance with a sweet, vulnerable side. You can actually create a pattern with women where they'll start being nice to you and doing all kinds of favors for you just to see that redeeming side of you peek through. It's an amazing thing to watch when it's done right. Personally I hate the idea of playing the arrogant role because I'm genuinely a nice, humble guy but it really works so I do it anyway. It even annoys me that women react well to this kind of attitude but unfortunately it's a fact of life.
Remember not to be mean for the sake of being mean. I wouldn't go as far as Simon, who actually crossed the line sometimes and became mean. Remember - you don't have months and months on a TV show to redeem yourself like he does so you can't afford to go as far with it as he has. But done properly, arrogance can really work for you.
A simple way you can begin to create the kind of dynamic that Simon does is to start calling girls out on things. Start "breaking her chops" in a playful way. When they are being lazy, call them lazy. If you don't like her outfit, say, "I'm not really feeling that. You should wear something else". Please don't take this as a cue to go out and be MEAN to women. Instead it's a cue to go out and be HONEST with women. Her behavior will actually begin to cater to making you happy and she’ll start working hard to bring the complimentary side out of you.
Let's look at Simon Cowell for a minute. When we first saw Simon on American Idol our first instinct was to hate the guy. We all said, "What an arrogant bastard". Now us guys thought that and probably never gave it a second thought, but women around the world starting digging deeper. They thought, "There's got to be something more to this guy". Then as the season went on Simon began to give credit where credit was do. What began to happen was incredible. Whenever Simon gave a compliment, the audience and all of America (particularly women) began to cheer like crazy. Why did this happen? The reason is because people were so excited to see that redeeming quality they were searching for shine through. They knew there was some good in this guy. They found themselves wanting to like him. Randy Jackson who never played the mysterious, arrogant role at all didn't get nearly the same response when he gave kudos to a contestant.
The key is to balance this confident arrogance with a sweet, vulnerable side. You can actually create a pattern with women where they'll start being nice to you and doing all kinds of favors for you just to see that redeeming side of you peek through. It's an amazing thing to watch when it's done right. Personally I hate the idea of playing the arrogant role because I'm genuinely a nice, humble guy but it really works so I do it anyway. It even annoys me that women react well to this kind of attitude but unfortunately it's a fact of life.
Remember not to be mean for the sake of being mean. I wouldn't go as far as Simon, who actually crossed the line sometimes and became mean. Remember - you don't have months and months on a TV show to redeem yourself like he does so you can't afford to go as far with it as he has. But done properly, arrogance can really work for you.
A simple way you can begin to create the kind of dynamic that Simon does is to start calling girls out on things. Start "breaking her chops" in a playful way. When they are being lazy, call them lazy. If you don't like her outfit, say, "I'm not really feeling that. You should wear something else". Please don't take this as a cue to go out and be MEAN to women. Instead it's a cue to go out and be HONEST with women. Her behavior will actually begin to cater to making you happy and she’ll start working hard to bring the complimentary side out of you.
Antonella Barba: American Idol Sensation
Antonella Barba is currently a contestant on the sixth season of American Idol. At the time of the writing of this article, she is in the top 16.
Barba is 20 years old, was born on November 26, 1986 and is from Point Pleasant, New Jersey. She is a 2004 graduate of Red Bank Catholic High School in Red Bank, New Jersey where she was a member of the school concert choir and a member of the school's doo-wop group.
In addition to singing, her other musical talents include playing the piano and the violin.
Before appearing on American Idol she was a junior at the Catholic University of America in Washington D.C studying architecture, but has had to temporarily withdraw from school to be in California for the show.
Like Clay Aiken's fans during season 2 of American Idol who called themselves the Claymates, Antonella's fans have dubbed themselves the "Fantonellas."
As she performs each week, she can count on support and votes from her fellow students at college who gather in the college's University Center to watch the live episodes that feature her. Antonella also has the unwavering support of her parents, two younger sisters, and younger brother.
She hasn't been without controversy though. First, during Hollywood week tempers flared between Barba and friend Amanda Coluccio (they tried out together.) It started to look a little like the movie "Mean Girls" as Amanda got sick of working on their group performance and instead started hanging out with the male contestants which resulted in Barba getting angry and saying a few "less than complimentary" remarks that the cameras caught and, of course, showed on national television.
Then, several unflattering photos of Barba surfaced on the Internet and were quickly the topic of conversation on websites, in newspapers, on the radio, and on television. The photos that were of Antonella were private photos taken when she was with friends and at parties. The x-rated ones were later found out to be fakes. There has been speculation that an ex-boyfriend first posted the picture.
The American Idol producers officially stated they wouldn't disqualify Antonella from the competition and the judges came out in her defense, most notably Simon Cowell who said the photos were her private business and that people should leave her alone.
Although Antonella has been singing since she was in 6th grade and did well during her auditions for American Idol, her two performances on the show so far have been weak. She has admitted to being very nervous and will need to get those nerves under control if she wants to continue on the show.
She may be avoiding elimination by a popular website that encourages voters to cast their votes for the contestant they think is the worst one in an effort to sabotage the outcome of the show. Currently, Antonella is their choice.
Her life has certainly changed since she became an American Idol contestant. Last summer she was like any other college student on summer break – working a summer job and hanging out with friends and family. Now she says things are "totally surreal…..I was home for a couple of days (a few weeks ago) and I took my sisters out to lunch….and there were people asking for my autograph."
American Idol Season One - Where Are They Now?
If you've watched American Idol in the past, you may be wondering what has happened to the singers from American Idol Season One. Here is a brief look at how some of the more popular contestants have faired:
Top Ten Finalist – Ejay Day
Ejay performed along with the other finalists on the 2002 U.S. American Idol tour. He’s sang at several events for boxing champ Muhammad Ali and assisted in writing Raven-Symone’s song “Pure Love” for her Undeniable album. Currently, Ejay is performing on the cruise ship Explorer of the Seas.
Top Ten Finalist – Jim Verraros
Jim has been active in both music and acting since American Idol ended. Jim recently released his album Rollercoaster, featuring the dance hits “I Want You” and “You’re Getting Crazy.” He starred in the 2004 film Eating Out and is set to reprise his role in Eating Out 2: Sloppy Seconds.
7th Place – Ryan Starr
Despite finishing 7th, Ryan has been one of the busier contestants from Season One. Her single “My Religion” peaked at #7 on the American iTunes Top 100 and she plans to tour in 2006-2007. She made guest appearances on several shows and also appeared in the VH1 show The Surreal Life in 2004. She also starred in the movie Ring of Darkness.
6th Place - Christina Christian
After American Idol, Christina guest starred on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and is now a correspondent for the TV Guide Channel.
5th Place – RJ Helton
RJ Helton made the top 10 as a wildcard choice. RJ signed with Gospo-Centric Records and released an album, Real Life, in 2004, which made the Billboard Christian Top 20.
4th Place – Tamyra Gray
Tamyra had a reoccurring role in Boston Public that allowed her to sing as well. She also guest starred on Half and Half, Las Vegas, Tru Calling, What I Like About You, and All of Us.
She co-wrote and sang duet with winner Kelly Clarkson on “You Thought Wrong.” She appeared on Season Three of American Idol and co-wrote the song “I Believe” which was a number one hit for Fantasia Barrino. She received writing credit for “If You Were Mine” and “The Lover in Me” on Jessica Simpson’s A Public Affair album.
In 2004, she took to the stage with the Broadway show “Bombay Dreams.” She had a supporting role in 2005’s The Gospel and one song on the movie’s soundtrack.
3rd Place – Nikki McKibbin
Nikki signed with 19 Management and RCA Records after her American Idol success, although she is currently under contract with Astral Records. Her single “The Lie” reached #1 on the Idol Waves online radio station.
She has appeared on several reality shows, including Fear Factor and Kill Reality and appeared in the made for television movie The Scorned.
Runner-Up – Justin Guarini
After coming in second, Justin starred in the unsuccessful movie From Justin to Kelly with winner Kelly Clarkson. He secured a deal with 19 Management and RCA, but he had to wait until Kelly’s album was released before he could work on any solo projects. Because of this contractual obligation, he had to refuse a guest role on Friends, a role in The Fast and Furious, and a modeling contract for Tommy Hilfiger.
When his self-titled album did come out nine months after his American Idol success in June 2003, it flopped and he was eventually released from his contracts. His second album Stranger Things Have Happened was released in late 2005.
He appeared on stage in the musical Good Vibrations at Vassar College but declined to accept continue the role. He’s been in several independent films and is involved in many charities such as Support Music Education, Habitat for Humanity, and Children’s World Organization.
Winner - Kelly Clarkson
The most successful of all the American Idol contestants, Kelly signed with RCA and released two singles. “A Moment Like This” shot to #1 on the Billboard charts. In 2003, she released her debut album, Thankful, that certified double platinum, selling over 2 million copies. Her single “Miss Independent” reached the Billboard Top 10 and earned her a Grammy nomination in 2004.
Her second album, Breakaway, produced four top 10 singles and she won the Grammy award for “Best Female Pop Vocal Performance” and “Best Pop Vocal Album.”
She’s appeared on Saturday Night Live, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and The View and she is scheduled to headline an HBO concert featuring her greatest hits in February of 2007
Top Ten Finalist – Ejay Day
Ejay performed along with the other finalists on the 2002 U.S. American Idol tour. He’s sang at several events for boxing champ Muhammad Ali and assisted in writing Raven-Symone’s song “Pure Love” for her Undeniable album. Currently, Ejay is performing on the cruise ship Explorer of the Seas.
Top Ten Finalist – Jim Verraros
Jim has been active in both music and acting since American Idol ended. Jim recently released his album Rollercoaster, featuring the dance hits “I Want You” and “You’re Getting Crazy.” He starred in the 2004 film Eating Out and is set to reprise his role in Eating Out 2: Sloppy Seconds.
7th Place – Ryan Starr
Despite finishing 7th, Ryan has been one of the busier contestants from Season One. Her single “My Religion” peaked at #7 on the American iTunes Top 100 and she plans to tour in 2006-2007. She made guest appearances on several shows and also appeared in the VH1 show The Surreal Life in 2004. She also starred in the movie Ring of Darkness.
6th Place - Christina Christian
After American Idol, Christina guest starred on CSI: Crime Scene Investigation and is now a correspondent for the TV Guide Channel.
5th Place – RJ Helton
RJ Helton made the top 10 as a wildcard choice. RJ signed with Gospo-Centric Records and released an album, Real Life, in 2004, which made the Billboard Christian Top 20.
4th Place – Tamyra Gray
Tamyra had a reoccurring role in Boston Public that allowed her to sing as well. She also guest starred on Half and Half, Las Vegas, Tru Calling, What I Like About You, and All of Us.
She co-wrote and sang duet with winner Kelly Clarkson on “You Thought Wrong.” She appeared on Season Three of American Idol and co-wrote the song “I Believe” which was a number one hit for Fantasia Barrino. She received writing credit for “If You Were Mine” and “The Lover in Me” on Jessica Simpson’s A Public Affair album.
In 2004, she took to the stage with the Broadway show “Bombay Dreams.” She had a supporting role in 2005’s The Gospel and one song on the movie’s soundtrack.
3rd Place – Nikki McKibbin
Nikki signed with 19 Management and RCA Records after her American Idol success, although she is currently under contract with Astral Records. Her single “The Lie” reached #1 on the Idol Waves online radio station.
She has appeared on several reality shows, including Fear Factor and Kill Reality and appeared in the made for television movie The Scorned.
Runner-Up – Justin Guarini
After coming in second, Justin starred in the unsuccessful movie From Justin to Kelly with winner Kelly Clarkson. He secured a deal with 19 Management and RCA, but he had to wait until Kelly’s album was released before he could work on any solo projects. Because of this contractual obligation, he had to refuse a guest role on Friends, a role in The Fast and Furious, and a modeling contract for Tommy Hilfiger.
When his self-titled album did come out nine months after his American Idol success in June 2003, it flopped and he was eventually released from his contracts. His second album Stranger Things Have Happened was released in late 2005.
He appeared on stage in the musical Good Vibrations at Vassar College but declined to accept continue the role. He’s been in several independent films and is involved in many charities such as Support Music Education, Habitat for Humanity, and Children’s World Organization.
Winner - Kelly Clarkson
The most successful of all the American Idol contestants, Kelly signed with RCA and released two singles. “A Moment Like This” shot to #1 on the Billboard charts. In 2003, she released her debut album, Thankful, that certified double platinum, selling over 2 million copies. Her single “Miss Independent” reached the Billboard Top 10 and earned her a Grammy nomination in 2004.
Her second album, Breakaway, produced four top 10 singles and she won the Grammy award for “Best Female Pop Vocal Performance” and “Best Pop Vocal Album.”
She’s appeared on Saturday Night Live, The Oprah Winfrey Show, and The View and she is scheduled to headline an HBO concert featuring her greatest hits in February of 2007
Antonella Barba: American Idol Sensation
Antonella Barba is currently a contestant on the sixth season of American Idol. At the time of the writing of this article, she is in the top 16.
Barba is 20 years old, was born on November 26, 1986 and is from Point Pleasant, New Jersey. She is a 2004 graduate of Red Bank Catholic High School in Red Bank, New Jersey where she was a member of the school concert choir and a member of the school's doo-wop group.
In addition to singing, her other musical talents include playing the piano and the violin.
Before appearing on American Idol she was a junior at the Catholic University of America in Washington D.C studying architecture, but has had to temporarily withdraw from school to be in California for the show.
Like Clay Aiken's fans during season 2 of American Idol who called themselves the Claymates, Antonella's fans have dubbed themselves the "Fantonellas."
As she performs each week, she can count on support and votes from her fellow students at college who gather in the college's University Center to watch the live episodes that feature her. Antonella also has the unwavering support of her parents, two younger sisters, and younger brother.
She hasn't been without controversy though. First, during Hollywood week tempers flared between Barba and friend Amanda Coluccio (they tried out together.) It started to look a little like the movie "Mean Girls" as Amanda got sick of working on their group performance and instead started hanging out with the male contestants which resulted in Barba getting angry and saying a few "less than complimentary" remarks that the cameras caught and, of course, showed on national television.
Then, several unflattering photos of Barba surfaced on the Internet and were quickly the topic of conversation on websites, in newspapers, on the radio, and on television. The photos that were of Antonella were private photos taken when she was with friends and at parties. The x-rated ones were later found out to be fakes. There has been speculation that an ex-boyfriend first posted the picture.
The American Idol producers officially stated they wouldn't disqualify Antonella from the competition and the judges came out in her defense, most notably Simon Cowell who said the photos were her private business and that people should leave her alone.
Although Antonella has been singing since she was in 6th grade and did well during her auditions for American Idol, her two performances on the show so far have been weak. She has admitted to being very nervous and will need to get those nerves under control if she wants to continue on the show.
She may be avoiding elimination by a popular website that encourages voters to cast their votes for the contestant they think is the worst one in an effort to sabotage the outcome of the show. Currently, Antonella is their choice.
Her life has certainly changed since she became an American Idol contestant. Last summer she was like any other college student on summer break – working a summer job and hanging out with friends and family. Now she says things are "totally surreal…..I was home for a couple of days (a few weeks ago) and I took my sisters out to lunch….and there were people asking for my autograph."
Resources:
Barba is 20 years old, was born on November 26, 1986 and is from Point Pleasant, New Jersey. She is a 2004 graduate of Red Bank Catholic High School in Red Bank, New Jersey where she was a member of the school concert choir and a member of the school's doo-wop group.
In addition to singing, her other musical talents include playing the piano and the violin.
Before appearing on American Idol she was a junior at the Catholic University of America in Washington D.C studying architecture, but has had to temporarily withdraw from school to be in California for the show.
Like Clay Aiken's fans during season 2 of American Idol who called themselves the Claymates, Antonella's fans have dubbed themselves the "Fantonellas."
As she performs each week, she can count on support and votes from her fellow students at college who gather in the college's University Center to watch the live episodes that feature her. Antonella also has the unwavering support of her parents, two younger sisters, and younger brother.
She hasn't been without controversy though. First, during Hollywood week tempers flared between Barba and friend Amanda Coluccio (they tried out together.) It started to look a little like the movie "Mean Girls" as Amanda got sick of working on their group performance and instead started hanging out with the male contestants which resulted in Barba getting angry and saying a few "less than complimentary" remarks that the cameras caught and, of course, showed on national television.
Then, several unflattering photos of Barba surfaced on the Internet and were quickly the topic of conversation on websites, in newspapers, on the radio, and on television. The photos that were of Antonella were private photos taken when she was with friends and at parties. The x-rated ones were later found out to be fakes. There has been speculation that an ex-boyfriend first posted the picture.
The American Idol producers officially stated they wouldn't disqualify Antonella from the competition and the judges came out in her defense, most notably Simon Cowell who said the photos were her private business and that people should leave her alone.
Although Antonella has been singing since she was in 6th grade and did well during her auditions for American Idol, her two performances on the show so far have been weak. She has admitted to being very nervous and will need to get those nerves under control if she wants to continue on the show.
She may be avoiding elimination by a popular website that encourages voters to cast their votes for the contestant they think is the worst one in an effort to sabotage the outcome of the show. Currently, Antonella is their choice.
Her life has certainly changed since she became an American Idol contestant. Last summer she was like any other college student on summer break – working a summer job and hanging out with friends and family. Now she says things are "totally surreal…..I was home for a couple of days (a few weeks ago) and I took my sisters out to lunch….and there were people asking for my autograph."
Resources:
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