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Idol Chatter: San Diego's Quiet as a Lambert
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IN MILWAUKEE, Danny Gokey fever is spreading like head lice in a Kindergarten class. Conway, Arkansas, couldn't be more stoked to be hosting Kris Allen — I'd be surprised if the town didn't rename itself "Konway" for the day as a tribute.
But news that Adam Lambert, the guy who elicits a peal of screams each time he appears on the "American Idol" stage, is returning to his home town of San Diego is thus far drawing mere peeps from the local press.
KSWB-TV, Fox 5 in San Diego has no specialized graphics that I could find. Its home page features stories on a fire in a Santa Barbara neighborhood, new airport check-in rules and an Australian man who beat his dog because it ate his burger.
The station's "American Idol" page is similarly silent on Lambert's hometown return, although it does feature a mildly chuckle-inducing "Idol" bingo game.
The local San Diego News Network Web site, however, has some details. According to the site, Adam will be giving at least one radio interview — with Jeff and Jer on Star 94.1, hepcats — and will perform a 10 a.m. concert at his old high school. A high school that SDNN visited. You can watch video of said visit at the end of this post.
According to Star 94.1, there will also be a parade at the high school. Just past the Carls Jr. Uh, fun.
My favorite passage from SDNN's Lambert story, in which many a high school kid was interviewed: "Even though a lot of people think Lambert is gay, no one cares."
Not exactly how I'd phrase that, but, hey, the sentiment's the right one. I think.
» HOW ARE THE other Idolites' home towns responding to their triumphant returns? We check in with coverage of Danny Gokey in Milwaukee and Kris Allen in Conway, Arkansas.
Photo courtesy Fox
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Addison Road
Adam lives in LA for years so techincally LA is his hometown.
By jc , Posted May 7, 2009 2:13 PMHi JC --
Yeah, I'd have thought the big homecoming shebang would happen in L.A., too, but it looks like it's in San Diego instead. It's a little odd that it's not getting the kind of coverage his fellow finalists' trips are receiving, isn't it?
By Greg Barber , Posted May 7, 2009 2:25 PMWell to be fair, San Diego is much bigger than Milwaukee and for sure Conway, so you really can't expect the same reaction/news coverage...
By AJ , Posted May 7, 2009 2:31 PMPerhaps because Hollywood's in CA, and they're just used to all the celebrities. Adam is just another one to them. (Milwaukee and Arkansas are kinda "rural" -- they'll fiesta-size anything!)
By Shin Goon , Posted May 7, 2009 2:57 PMFrom his interviews, he calls LA "home" and "where I'm from" every chance he gets. You get the feeling he's never felt San Diego as home to him and never felt like he belonged there. But hey, the show must go on, and going home two blocks from the studio doesn't quite have the same effect!
By YR , Posted May 7, 2009 3:13 PMI am not surprised by the coverage. Also, San Diego is not Backwater or frigid cold so people have things to do. In Arkansas and Milwaukee more people have time on there hands for the local pig pull and hay baling and idol parades lol
By PhDude , Posted May 7, 2009 4:11 PMKatherine McPhee had the same problem with home town love. BTW, I'm from Milwaukee, there are not pigs in the city, but we are very proud of Danny!
By Tracey , Posted May 7, 2009 4:44 PMKatherine McPhee had the same problem with home town love. BTW, I'm from Milwaukee, there are not pigs in the city, but we are very proud of Danny!
By Tracey , Posted May 7, 2009 4:44 PMThough I no longer live there, I am from Wisconsin and lived in Milwaukee for several years. There is a great deal of local pride, but it is most certainly NOT rural. Sure, there are pigs and cows out in the Wisconsin countryside, but that's NOT Milwaukee. Let that be known.
By Laura , Posted May 7, 2009 9:08 PMThat said, I'm not a Gokey fan, and neither are any of my family or friends back in Wisconsin...but I think they are in the minority, sad to say.
Adam's events seem very thrown together and poorly organized. At mid-day Thursday, the day was only half-planned. There has been no media exposure because noone knew what the plans were. Turns out he's also making an appearance at Sea World/San Diego at 3pm and then at 5pm at Marine Corp Air Station Miramar but that event is only for military personnel and their families and is closed to the public.
By Stephanie , Posted May 8, 2009 6:37 AM