I am extremely upset.
Why?
Because Danny Noriega got eliminated tonight from American Idol.
To me, this is a big deal. It's freakin' momentous. And I can't stand it. At all.
I loved, and still love, Danny. He was the most charismatic, dynamic, entertaining, lovable, talented contestant to have ever graced that American Idol stage. I could tell from his first performance that he was passionate about singing, and about making a huge difference in a huge pop phenomenon. From first glance, I, as did all of America who tuned in, noticed that Danny was different. He's...well, he's gay. This raised hullabaloo amongst everyone. There has never been, at least as far as I know, at gay contestant on Idol. And then here comes Danny, someone who is so happy to be who he is. That's exactly what I love about him. He knows who he is. He knows he's different and that he doesn't really belong with most others around him, and that's the reason he sings. I loved how, in his interview, he said he wanted to sing so people could relate to him. He wanted people to look up to him. That meant a lot to me, especially since I feel as if I do relate to him and I do look up to him. I relate to him in the sense that I don't really fit in right with most of my peers. Not because I'm gay, because I'm not. Sometimes, I just feel as if I belong somewhere else. Like I just don't get these people. These people just don't get me. Perhaps it's my angst talking, but it's how I feel. And I can truly imagine that that is how Danny feels as well. He's different from most and has experienced so much cruelty and hatred; it's unbelievable. On Youtube, there are these terrible comments on all of his videos. They call him a "fag" and tons of other awful things. He faces so much adversity and rejection from people who don't even know him, people who have no right to judge him. But just because of something he believes in, just because of who he is, he's hated. I don't know if I'm hated for who I am; I hope I'm not. But sometimes, I am the one who hates myself. I feel judged and pathetic because I'm overly sensitive, because of who I am. Because I'm weird or I just don't get something. And Danny. He's hated just for loving and being who he is. That's not fair. He doesn't deserve it. He's really spectacular to me. I look up to him immensely. I wish I had half the audacity and passion that he has in just one strand of his perfect hair. He gets up on that stage, shakes his hips, wears tight pants, flips his gorgeous hair, speaks in his adorable yet feminine way, and just sings like he loves everything about himself. Even though he's totally out there and freaking tons of people out--he loves himself. He knows who he is, as a person and as a singer. And he's not afraid of that. That is so admirable to me. That confidence and personality of his just shines through effortlessly. He seems to have no care in the world about what others think about him. All he cares about is being someone who others like him can really relate to and look up to. If that's all he wanted, he got his wish. I am faithful and loving fan.
I hate American Idol. I'm never watching it again. I'm so upset that the people who are always favored to win, or those who win, are like...the goody two shoes. For example: Kelly Clarkson, Ruben Studdard, Carrie Underwood, and Jordin Sparks. These people are all very talented, but they're also very sweet. Very safe. There's no risk factor to these people. They're all-American. They're normal outside of their singing persona. They played baseball, went to church, had a mom and a dad, were heterosexual. The only winner who I think has challenged and cracked American Idol's "goody-good" image was Fantasia. I was never a fan of hers, but I greatly respect her. Fantasia was someone who was in a minority; someone is often judged by society because of her situation. Because of who she is. She is someone who many people can truly look up to. She was a single mom, struggling to make a living, but was born with a talent and passion to sing. She's not "normal." She's obviously not the goody two-shoes. She's someone who's had to experience downcast eyes and condescending lectures on who she should be and what she did wrong. There are many women out there who are struggling with raising their children by themselves. There are many teenagers out there who get pregnant during high school and suffer from this weight of guilt and judgment. Fantasia is a hero for those girls. She went through the same thing and look at her now--she's lighting up freakin' Broadway and she won American freakin' Idol. Danny didn't win. I think he should have, though many favor David Archuleta. Now, David is an amazing singer. He is so talented and so adorable. He's also so safe. So normal. So terribly cute and innocent and flawless. Danny and Fantasia are FLAWED people. They're broken and lonely and misunderstood and judged and hated. They're real. They have gone through and probably still go through loads of unbelievable crap just because of who they are, who they were freakin' made to be. But most people don't want to accept that. Most of America want to live in this ignorant bliss and acknowledge those who seem untainted by the horrors of reality. They want to live in this bubble world where everything's rabbits and lucky charms and sweet children who do the right thing, live the right way. America can't have gay role models, or single mom role models. That's unheard of. America needs the "best." The "godly." The "societally acceptable." The "politically correct." America doesn't have the balls to just embrace people who are seriously flawed and screwed up. America doesn't want to face this harsh reality of homosexuals and sinners. They want this picture perfect image, an "idol." What's an "idol" anyway? Apparently, an "idol" is something visible, but without substance. I mean, that's what the stupid show is about anyway. Someone who is sweet and nice and good and perfect on what appears to be both the inside and out, who also happens to sing pretty darn well is called an "idol." They're visible, but without substance. There's nothing to them. The funny thing is that the idols, the people we're supposed to look up to and admire, they're always these images of who we would want to be. They look perfect. They're cute and adorable. They're talented and lovable. Why admire someone who you want to be? Admire someone who is just like you. Who you can understand. Who feels how you feel, who's felt what you've felt. Who's been where you've been and seen what you've seen. Someone who understands you. Don't vote for the contestant who's your romantic ideal. Love the contestant who speaks to your heart on a personal level, one who relates to you, one who would really just "get" you. Someone who is flawed like you. Someone who is scared like you. Don't love someone because you want to be them, love someone because you can't help it. Love someone because they're real. Because they're human. Because they're just like you.
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