OUTscene Editor
Tonight on American Idol the 12 women perform for the first time, the timing was right to dip into my vault for a non-published interview with one of last seasons Favorites. Enjoy!
This Past August I was honored to be asked back to the Press hour for 2nd straight year (Last year was cool, I interviewed 6 out of the 10 including Kris Allen, Danny Gokey, Matt Giraud, Scott Mcintyre, Megan Joy and Lil Rounds minus Adam and Allison who were unavailable) I was only able to use the Kris Allen piece that was posted on OUTview, and published in the Seattle Gay News. I was so much looking forward to my sit down this year with Gay favorites Crystal Bowersox, Casey James, Aaron Kelly, Siobhan Magnus, Tim Urban and the IDOL himself, Lee Dewyze.
Lee was there but left while we were setting up. So I went with it and chatted with Michael Lynche about fatherhood, Katie Stevens who wants to flee from musical theater for the brights of pop stardom, Andrew Garcia was the most personable and was an easy interview, and they brought me, Siobhan Magnus, who I know from my friend, Greg of Greg In Hollywood, that Siobhan had many Gay fans! When she was eliminated the ratings dropped, and she was the only one I felt comfortable asking if she had a message for her Gay Fans and she did and they were genuine and heartfelt. Before I brought up the subject she looked quite stiff, but once brought her gay following and she truly opened up. That interview alone made the 45 min worth it.
MK: Who was one of your greatest influences, in regards to mentors on the show?
Siobhan: I think one of my favorites was Adam Lambert, just because he was the first mentor they ever had that was a contestant on the show before, and it really helps when you have somebody that actually knows what it’s like, what you’re doing, instead of somebody who’s just trying their best to guess what it’s like, and give you advice based on that.
So that experience really helped you in regards to getting someone who had actually been through that experience.
Definitely.
How was it like working with Ellen?
It was great working with Ellen. What’s cool about her is that she’s just how she seems. She will treat you just like you think she would, based on watching her show, or watching her comedy, or anything like that; as opposed to meeting somebody, you see them on TV, and they’re kind of boring, or kind of mean. Because that happens, too, when you meet people that you look up to. So it was really cool to not be disappointed at all, that she really is just that genuine and kind, and just really sweet. It was a very good – not just comic relief, but for your personal, your emotions and everything, being judged by mean people. Even if she tells you to do your best, she’ll make a joke about it, and you’ll feel a little bit better.
You have a very huge gay following, too. A lot of people find you and Crystal embraced it, or related to it. Do you have any comments or things that you’d want to say to your gay fans?
I just think that it’s great, and it’s amazing to be able to be a positive image, that’s seen by a lot of people. To have a voice, a lot more voice than I ever had before, to be able to raise awareness of being tolerant of all kinds of people, no matter what. I was so blessed growing up, that we didn’t have a lot of material things, but we didn’t need that, because I had such imaginative and loving and accepting parents and family, that we were always taught that it’s OK, if not encouraged, to be yourself and express yourself, by any means. Not everybody is as blessed to be around such amazing tolerance and acceptance. I’m proud to be able to represent something, or be something for people who might be a seeking positive image in somebody who is not afraid to just be themselves. I’d rather
be the person who’s being scrutinized and judged for expressing themselves honestly, than be somebody who’s a little bit further back, in the shadows, just being what they think should be accepted. What fun would that be? If everybody was just the same and just floating by, pretending to be somebody? I wouldn’t be able to do that.
Watch the Full Interview below!
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