All right, so listen up, people. (Kyria, don't read on if you want to maintain the illusion that I am worthy of your friendship. Please. I beg of you.)
I have been keeping something from most of you, and I haven't been too keen on coming out about it for fear that you would ridicule me and taunt me and not want me to sit at your cool kidz lunch table anymore — and that, my friends, would be more than I could bear. But if I can't to mine own self be true, then I won't be able to look myself or William Shakespeare (speaking of cool kidz) in the eye. And as much as I could quite possibly live with my own ridicule, I could not go on living knowing that William Shakespeare was disappointed in me.
So here's the deal: Not only have I been watching American Idol this season despite telling myself, at the end of last season, that there was no way I was going to ruin my Tuesday and Wednesday nights with it anymore ... and not only have I been watching it with a devotion and ferocity unparalleled to another other season thus far, but ... well ... I have developed a deep love for two of its contestants: Bo Bice and Constantine Maroulis. (Note to those who do not watch and who now hate me for watching: Constantine is not a contestant anymore. He left last week, in what is regarded as the most shocking and WRONG elimination EVERRR.)
So when I learned that Constantine was going to be a guest on today's Live With Regis and Kelly, I knew I had to be there. And rather than retype the circumstances of today's adventure, let me just cut and paste from a comment I left over at rickey.org, with notes just for YOU (because I respect YOU) in brackets:
I haven't seen either of today's shows [Constantine was on both Ellen and Live With Regis and Kelly] yet, but, true to my word, I *did* go to ABC this morning to get in the Regis/Kelly standby line. I got there just before 7:00, but already there was a long line of both ticketholders and standbys. Eventually they separated the line into two, and a little later handed out standby numbers up to #55. I juuust missed getting a standby number by FIVE, but as it turned out, many of the people who got a standby number didn't even get to go in anyway.
Lawrence Zarian (sp.?), the Regis/Kelly "Fashion Guy", tried to get me in. He'd thought I was a stylist for Banana Republic, whom he was supposed to meet for a makeover segment on today's show. (Aside: He told me I was "delicious", and we wound up talking quite a bit later. Cool guy. And also very good-looking!) Unfortunately (again!), the show was PACKED today, so even *he* couldn't get me in.
When I first got in line, I asked this little pack of women in front of me if they were there to see Constantine too, and they said -- GET THIS, PEOPLE! -- "Who's that??" I tried not to punch them in the face. I told them anyway. Bah to them!
Later, when I was talking to Lawrence Zarian, I told him about that, and suggested that everyone in the standby line should have to pass a little TEST: if they don't know who the guests are on that day's show, they have to forfeit their place in line. He LOVED that idea. He and I talked about Constantine for a bit (and also about Bo).
I waited on the corner until the show was over, and then, at around 10:05 or so, I saw the crowd of people at the garage entrance of ABC start to murmur and move, and it was then that CONSTANTINE CAME OUT. I dashed over with my camera, positioned myself among all the others (including many "real" photographers, who actually moved aside to let me in), and started snapping away. I think I got quite a few great shots (they're still on my camera and I have to download them now), and will post them on my website sometime this afternoon! I may have even gotten a shot of his BUTT. Ahem. [For some reason this shot did not appear on my camera. Perhaps my camera was shy? Also note: I did not want to use the word ASS on the other person's website; hence, the use of the word BUTT, which I do not use in real life.]
He seemed SO nice. Very humble, very low-key, very accommodating. Some people were asking for autographs and for photos with him, and he obliged EVERYONE. He thanked everyone and seemed VERY genuine. I was impressed (to say the least).
He then got into a black car with several people, and I walked down the block, back to the corner where I'd stood for the majority of the morning. Then ... HIS CAR STOPPED RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME. The back window was down on the driver's side, but he was on the other side so I couldn't see him without squatting down and looking like an idiot. So I just contented myself with a slight view of his arm and the knowledge that he could probably see ME standing there, pretending to be all cool and not at all the crazed fan I felt like.
And now I'm going to watch him on Regis/Kelly and Ellen, both of which I recorded.
I'm actually very happy I didn't get in to the show, because I wouldn't have been able to take pictures the way I did after the show. The audience let out much later (they were pre-taping Wednesday's J. Lo segment), so I wouldn't have been out on the street to get the street shots I got.
Oh, happy day! Happy happy day!
*swoon*
*faint*
*pant*[My god, I'm revolting.]
You may begin loathing me now.
Or you may continue reading, and check out a few of the photos I took:
No, the girl is not I. Don't get excited thinking I'm taking advantage
of my own giddiness to finally show a photo of myself! As if!
You may also enjoy two video clips, one of which is more audio than video in that you cannot see Constantine too well but you can hear him say something about a song he was going to sing (MAYBE THIS IS A SCOOP! You may call me "Scoop Brady", please, thank you.) and one of which you will have to tilt your head to the left to view properly, at least for the first part (my heartfelt apologies to those of you wearing neck braces).
Audio-ish clip here.
Other clip here.
Enjoy! Or, if not, feel free to ridicule! Idol mind at all!
P.S. William Shakespeare is proud of me for my honesty. Just keep that in mind.
i am an idiot and i am lead by richard simmons
Offered by: idiot on May 26, 2005 9:33 PMI can't mock you any worse than this: My mother adores Constantine, too. This post reminds me so much of her. My 46 year-old, middle-American mom.
P.S. I like the Ukrainian kid... what's his name, anyway? The one who had the tracheotomy as a child...? Constantine has too much of a butt-chin.
Offered by: Sharyn on May 8, 2005 9:47 PMP.P.S. Could I use the word "cool" any more? Now I'm starting to sound like Constantine! Maybe he's ... RUBBING OFF ON ME! (Ahem.)
Offered by: Jodi on May 5, 2005 10:38 PMP.S. The girl who used my photos for her video, Amy, was really cool about it. She wrote back immediately, and we exchanged a bit of email. Everything is cool now. It's always great when someone turns out to be nice and considerate!
Offered by: Jodi on May 5, 2005 10:37 PMI'm glad you're all diggin' the photos. And THANK YOU, Steph, for telling me about that chick's video. I just sent her a note basically saying "WTF?" but without the "F". 'Cause you all know me ... I NEVER use that word.
Offered by: Jodi on May 5, 2005 7:53 PMJodi, get on wecraveconstantine.com and watch the Wicked Game video. Two of your photos of Connie are in it!
Offered by: Steph on May 5, 2005 7:35 PMOh, Honey, I've already shared my mutual shame with you on this subject. Thank you for revealing yourself to the world! You have paved the way for an entire humiliated throng of secret fans to come out of the American Idol closet.
And if I were one of the "cool kidz" I would have a DVR or Tivo and I would have seen more of this season. I'm afraid that I only know it was a bloody relief when that pitch-oblivious girl was kicked off.
You know, I realize that perhaps I cannot quite appreciate the impressive valor it took for you to out yourself like this, as you are one of the "cool kidz" and I have never been more than a freaky nerd geek. Bless you, Jodi-fame, you are the Rosa Parks of American Idol fans.
Offered by: Kate on May 4, 2005 2:54 PMYou go, girl! I would take the "in the street" with Constantine and the video of the show waiting at home over the seat in the studio any day. I spotted Constantine in the auditions and by the time we could vote in Februray, I got off the sofa and voted once for Bo and 18 times for Constantine... never dreaming that my votes for Constantine would increase each week.. 33 43 110 160 220 ..I was a voting fool for Constantine. I didn't vote last night. I did watch the show. We were cheated out of TWO more songs sung by Constantine.
Hey girl.. you done good. : ) Thanks for sharing.
Offered by: jerzscamp on May 4, 2005 9:57 AMDa hell u all gettin' swetty-thide over that skinyy little white boy, baby?
Saw him once on Idol. I thought he was aiiight ... a lil pitchy off the top but he brought it home, dawg. I felt like he was the one to beat and that I'd cry and hug his momma if he got voted off, but to be perfectly honest with you, it felt like every bad Portugese nightclub I've ever been in. No, really. I'm sorry, it did.
But Scott. Naw, baby, Scott is your man. I can totally see you with Scott. Mrs. Jodi Sabol. Totally.
Offered by: Lucius on May 4, 2005 8:09 AMHey,
Wanted to let you know that my daughter and I were #1 and #2 in the stand by line for Regis and Kelly. We got there at 4:15 in the AM and we did get in, I believe they let in 35 people that day above the amount of ticketholders. We were told after they let us in that there would be another taping after the show for a surprise guest. If we weren't able to stay to 10:30 or 11:00 that we should leave now.
Anyway Con walked onto the set at 9:45, OMG, He was trying to not look up at the audience, I could tell he was trying to compose himself and concentrate on the performance to come. Someone asked him how he was and he looked up and said he was really nervous, then he noticed everyone. He sang so incredibly and I did record (my camera is really little and does video) the whole song and a few other clips of down time. They made him go at 9:55, I assume because of the special guest coming in. That's all I had was ten minutes, didn't get a close up, didn't get an autograph, didn't get to give him the roses and card we had for him. But I got to hear his beautiful voice and see him sway with the mike stand close and personal.
Special guest was J. LO...Mark Anthony hovered in the background..
Offered by: Leelu on May 4, 2005 2:44 AMGorgeous pictures!!!!! Thanks for posting them!!!!
Offered by: laura on May 3, 2005 9:28 PMOh, what is a girl to do with such good reading and so little time?!
Awesome pictures! However did you take them in mid swoon?
TV, my husband and friends already attempted an intervention. Don't bother. His love is like bad medicine!
Offered by: Steph on May 3, 2005 6:55 PMYes, Constantine has definitely been a major influence on America, if not the world. Flavius Valerius Constantinus was a major influence on the overall view of Christianity.
I'm proud of you for throwing us gentiles a bone.
Offered by: Thomas on May 3, 2005 1:03 PMIt might interest you to know that my 2 daughters (ages 7 & 9) were equally devasted by this travesty. We've been in mourning for a week. Who the HELL is voting for Scott? We've been listening to Constantine clips on the internet to get our fix. We love him too. He's all that and a bag o' chips. No more Idol for us ... I think we're done turning our Tues/Wed nights over to this nonsense.
WHAT IS AMERICA THINKING???
(And then I think, this is the same group of people who elected Bush to a second term. Go figure...)
Offered by: Kim on May 3, 2005 11:32 AMI love you now more than ever.
Offered by: leetsie on May 3, 2005 8:59 AMOkay, two questions, because I have no idea who he is..
1) Does he wear the sunglasses all the time? Because "AWESOME!" if he does.
2) Did you actually pant post-fainting? Because usually the swooning and panting comes first, and the fainting comes last. But I guess if this guy can wear a purple suit, he would be capable of causing someone who has already fainted to pant.
Also, that lady is quite possibly the least "you" person I have ever seen, and I think it's hilarious you had to put that disclaimer there.
Offered by: aaron on May 3, 2005 8:55 AMYou know, Miss Jodi...as if cat puns aren't bad enough, now this Constantine Crush has me really wondering about your current state of mental health. I truly feel that an intervention may be neccessary. Besides, ever since Nadia got kicked off, I have simply refused to watch anymore Idol.
Offered by: TV on May 2, 2005 11:02 PMP.S. You've now gained another 150 new readers from rickey.org. Congratulations!
Offered by: Vendela on May 2, 2005 9:58 PM(Fighting back tears as I type this.) I am so proud of you! (Now sobbing openly with joy that one of us actually got to meet him!)
Offered by: Vendela on May 2, 2005 9:55 PMI can't wait to see what you do for BO!
Offered by: Mrs. Zucker on May 2, 2005 9:10 PMHey Jodi Girl! Just wanted to say thanks again for these awesome photo's! I'm so glad you couldn't get in!
Are you ABSOLUTLY SURE you didn't get a fly away hair of Con's for a DNA sample to clone him?
I'm so very jealous that you were like RIGHT THERE! Oh, you're awesome!
Offered by: jamied on May 2, 2005 7:10 PMLOL Jodi you are soo friggin' funny! I was cracking up the whole time I was reading your little entry. 'God I'm revolting' The entire thing sounds like something that I would think and say. By the way, those pictures are awesome. I was not the biggest Constantine fan but I dunno, he kinda started growing on me the last couple of weeks (since "Bohemian Rhapsody"). I was kinda sad and shocked to see him go too! (I thought he had a couple weeks left at least) And the fact that Scott has advanced further than Constantine is just mind boggling. Anyway, I just wanted to comment that I love your sense of humor and your entry had me laughing so thanks! Chuckle, chuckle!
Offered by: R.C. on May 2, 2005 6:53 PMBeautiful blog (better than mine :P)
Beautiful pictures.
BEAUTIFUL subject!
You got it goin' on, scoop Brady.
:)
Hey, no ridicule here. I never watched AI until I caught Constantine singing "I Think I Love You" and was instantly hooked. We like what we like and there's no shame in that, especially when it comes in such a gorgeous package.
Offered by: gs on May 2, 2005 4:08 PMHey, he looks like Jim Morrison...after 34 years in a Paris grave.
Just remember: he LOST on American Idol.
Ok, I'm jealous. The only celebrity I've ever seen up close was Arnold Palmer. Oh, and I've had sex with Paris Hilton, of course.
Offered by: tim on May 2, 2005 3:59 PMI am green with envy right now!
Offered by: Christine on May 2, 2005 2:45 PMOh my god, I had no idea you were into American Idol! Now that you've "confessed", I'm going to confess too that I've been watching it this year with a major passion and I love Constantine too! He and Bo are the only ones who do it for me. I can't believe Con's off the show now.... I already miss him! Thank you for sharing your story and photos. :-)
Offered by: Lolly on May 2, 2005 1:59 PM
