'American Idol' winner on board for 'Grease' at Hershey Theatre - 4/17/10

[Mac]

http://blog.pennlive.com/go/2010/04/amer...board.html

Quote:“I think there is some more exploration in acting for me,” he said. “My plan is to worm my way into Hollywood.”

[TMW]

Southern Cali? Hmmm...my son needs a very long visit from his Mama.

[DeepPurple]

He wants to be part of Hollywood. He's striving for it. He knows the publicity that goes with that and the lack of privacy as well. Yet he is going for more. So I'm thinking he must not be hating on the attention that a celeb gets.
PLEASE don't take this the wrong way but it definatly does not sound like Taylor Hicks is just "all about the music" anymore. Makes me have mixed feelings about it all. He's not just a music man anymore like he made us all believe in the begining. He's tasted fame and he wants more now. He wants to be an all-around entertainer. Which in and of itself is not a bad thing. Just different from what he led his fans to think in the begining. I just pray he doesn't go too Hollywood. Worries me.

Anyway.....just needed to get that off my chest. And I would love to read other's opinions.
So that said then, I do look forward to seeing what else he does. And I do believe that the man has lots of talents to share with the world. It is exciting to see it all. (I'm dying to see him in a hot kissing...at least...scene to see how those lucious lips work on something other than just a harmonica.)
So I'm up for the ride. Should be interesting.

[Wait4it]

I think he wanted it to be all about the music. He wasn't handing us a line back then. Circumstances beyond his control derailed his ideal music career choice and made it necessary for him to branch out. I do not feel misled. Music will always be in his heart and I refuse to believe he will ever stray to far from what he was born to do.

[Mac]

I always looked at "all about the music" as he wanted to be a performer without the bullshit not that he was only going to do music. I was also never "led" anywhere by Taylor. I follow, but am not led. I enjoy the man, period. Yes, he is an amazing musician, and has an amazing musical mind. Would I like it if he spent all his time on music? Of course. But as I've said before, he needs a way to finance his addiction in some way. Making music is not going to pay for making music. I think he should take any opportunity that comes his way. You only live once!

[Speak Out]

Can I ask something serious? Did Taylor ever actually say he was all about the music or is that something the fans projected on him? I honestly don't know.

[Mac]

To be honest Karen, I think it was something a particular person pinned on him. That same person built some of the persona that many fans have clung to, a persona that may not necessarily be fair and accurate.

[Freebird]

Nancy, I like your honesty, and I can relate to what you are saying. I think that Taylor was given a brand new set of circumstances after he won American Idol, and as such, his language about himself has changed as well. Right after the Idol win, he was still in the mindset of being a "working musician" that was going to "bring real music back to fucking pop music". As time and a variety of opportunities have come his way, he now refers to himself as "an entertainer". I notice sometimes that people interpret that as meaning that music is less important, but in my eyes he is not projecting an "either-or" mentality, but is expanding his outlook on his role to include "music and....(fill in the blank -- acting, etc)." I subscribe a little less to the view that he needs to act in order to finance his music; there are many musicians out there who use music to finance their music and I think Taylor could to the same. My opinion is that he has a natural curiousity about all of the possibilities out there and wants to try a variety of different means of entertainment.

So how does that affect me as a fan? Well it gives me a variety of "Taylors" to choose from now. I will be honest and say there are some "Taylors" I will be less interested in, and other "Taylors" more. I have never had any interest in Grease, but am thrilled beyond belief to have gone to some of the shadow shows. I so appreciate his generosity in giving both aspects of himself even when it stretches him thin. And even though this may seem contradictory due to my lack of interest in Grease, I am so excited that it has been such a success for him. I feel like it is entirely possible to cheer him on in whatever decisions he wants to make for himself, while at the same time adopting a "take what you like and leave the rest" stance as a fan. It's freer, it's more fun, I don't have to angst or hold on to every word he says and make him live up to them. It's all good!

Oh, and just as a disclaimer -- all of the above is strictly my own opinion. Your mileage may vary.

[DeepPurple]

Thank you ladies! I liked what all of you said. And it helped put me back on track. That interview where he he said "worm my way into Hollywood" is what threw me for a bit. Kind of misguided my thinking briefly. I have always been for him trying different things. If I like it, great! If not, I won't watch/listen. And I hated the long term commitment to Grease when he first signed for the tour. But I agree it ended up being good for him. It HAS gone on too long though. But it did make him good money and gave him some experience.

I just thought about the fact that him not doing music all the time and trying out other things in other avenues of 'the business' hopfully means we'll get to see him more often. *prays*

I have always believed that music is his first love and always will be. I still believe that. I just need to keep reminding myself when something he may do or say stuns my mind for a bit. lol! Thank y'all for reminding me. That's why I 'said' it here. I knew I could count on ya's. {{{{{THR gals}}}}}