On May 7, 2009 I wrote:
Thoughts aren't real until you invite them out of your body...
Thursday 05-07-2009 9:25am ET
Kris Allen, a seemingly squeaky clean, softly spoken musical politician from Middle America is two steps short from port.
Rather than stand on a tree stump and preach his greatness, Mr. Allen has chosen to sit with his followers and through being humble he’s become accepted. Although there’s tremendous competition waiting for his next decision, American Idol will not serve as his chosen place of war.
From where we sit, Kris doesn’t appear to have the eye of the tiger capable of slaying the two giants Goliath…instead, he holds what many spend their lives searching for, a single opportunity of knowing the way to daily separate a gift from talent.
Kris Allen sits in the top three because America needs a hero.
Be it the power of incredibly expensive research based on how can we make this country start believing in itself again or producers trying to kick start an engine that hasn’t run in almost two years…surprisingly, America has received several under dog heroes in the past few weeks; Comedian Joan Rivers pulled off a surprising win over a poker professional on Donald Trump’s Celebrity Apprentice, a twenty three year old long haired technical school student named Danny landed the top spot on Hells Kitchen, Olympic Gymnast Shawn Johnson stunned the world of dance with an unforgettable twist on Dancing with the Stars and now Kris Allen has officially tamed the absolutely impressive Adam Lambert.
Might I add Cleveland on Family Guy now how his own spin off show too.
Is this Revenge of the Nerds VII? Hardly! Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp treaded the fine lines of success by becoming the voice of a wandering nation. Their lyrics speak the street. Born in the USA isn’t a national anthem, it deals with the tragic conditions of east coast workers that millions could relate with while allowing them enough space to recreate their visions of success. Mellencamp’s newest collection embraces these modern economic conditions in ways that make waves on the doorsteps of decision makers and those who finance them.
As a people we’re tired of the stories dealing with athletes who’ve slammed steroids into their systems to compete and yet we fail to locate the compassion for the homerun slamming, basketball dunking, touchdown scorers who faced a silenced career due to team owners, managers and their sponsors who put so much pressure on them they became objects of disaster.
The Big Business world is no different. A recently released study showcases a truth you’ll never read on the homepage of any newspaper: 41% of today’s work force told a white lie on their resume to land the next big gig…from unattended schools and degrees to associations with high ranking people without proper employment at the company…the cheap extra dip of ink has been linked to Berkley, Radio Shack and beyond. Every profession has short cuts and this steroid is landing on the desks of those doing the hiring and firing.
The most recent forty cent rise in gas prices landed Kris Allen at number one. Just as much as being the plumber’s son put professional wrestler Dusty Rhodes in the legends circle. For twenty years Corporate America has spent so much money trying to be perfect they’ve elected to cheapen the product by sending jobs to other countries in the way of saving face.
It’s time for the common man to make a point.
Gone aren’t the moments when a simple poet like Dylan can step up to a microphone and speak a badly out of tune language then stopping to fall witness to his echo reaching nearly fifty years deep into the next chapters. Gone aren’t the single moments of discovery that lead a lawnmower engine builder locked in a shack behind the house toward a less fuel injected future. Gone aren’t the writers who weren’t hired by newspapers to report the stories because they’ve located blogging sites that allow them to paint the curves and darkness of a state out of money but not a mind out of ideas.
Yes! Kris Allen did say, “This belongs to Adam!” Yes! He didn’t jump for joy like a Price is Right Showcase winner. Yes! He did vocally crack the night before during a song that wasn’t written for him but was forced to sing it in the way 165% of us are ordered to do our jobs or there’s the door. No fancy makeup, no rock star dress code, no earring, nose ring or painted political message on his chest Kris did what he does best: He was Kris. And that’s the new face of America!
Be you…
There’s always going to be someone better. When that occurs you creative make up paths that utilize each others talents so the process doesn’t end up back in the hands of a CEO’s ambition to take over the world without properly running for The White House.
Master Todd Harris constantly grinds into our growing martial artist heads, “There are three guarantees on the paths to which you daily discover, life, death and everything in between.”
To which I reply, no matter how gut wrenching or victorious today is or was…the sun will rise again tomorrow and you must figure out a way to make a physical difference or in the silence you hear the means of other madness will falter the origin of every dream you held tightly from coming true.
Be you Mrs. Always busy with barely enough time to cook the rice exactly the way the box says to. Be you Mr. I fear for my job everyday so I race home to hide in my backyard because it’s the only place someone isn’t telling you what to do. Be you newly graduated senior who wasn’t blessed with a scholarship but you’ve elected to work third shift because getting to the top shouldn’t be suddenly dropped in your unprepared lap. Be you! Be You! Be You!
Without you…there’s silence. Lean far away from that shape of art.
arroecollins@clearchannel.com
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