My recent trip to American Idol during Hollywood Week to get a sneak peek backstage and a preview of the premiere was a-m-a-z-i-n-g. No surprise, right? We were warmly welcome by the production staff. During the early session of our trip when we saw a screening of the season premiere, we were cautioned that there were no guarantees that we would get the chance to meet the judges, due to the full schedule of Hollywood Week.
On the big day, we were escorted to the Dolby Theatre and treated to a fantastic lunch. We waited patiently, yet anxiously, for our backstage tour. But as we waited, in walked this guy:
What followed was a nearly 30 minute chat and Q&A with Harry Connick, Jr. that was unexpected and exciting.. I have met a few famous people before, but Harry Connick, Jr. might be the most famous. I'm backstage at the Dolby Theatre, a thrill in and of itself. But then I get to meet Harry? I mean, I've been a fan since I read about him in "Elle" Magazine and on that buzz alone, I was compelled to buy his debut album, "20".
He openly spoke about a wide range of topics, but most of them related to music and American Idol. So, what's the dish? Here's my top ten of things you might not know:
1. He's got biceps. Well, let's start with what's the most important surprising fact. It's widely accepted that Harry is a cutie with a capital "C". Little did I know he's been working out. And yes, I'm working on finding out who makes his white tees.
2. He likes to spin his wedding ring on his finger and gush about his wife. A fellow Idoltweetheart asked how his wife dealt with the "girls" he is constantly surrounded by. He quickly quipped back with "Have you seen my wife? She's the strongest woman I know." He followed this up with a twirl of his wedding ring, stating that "I worked really hard to get this. It's gonna stay there. You're gonna have to pry it off my finger". Sorry ladies, he is definitely taken.
3. He never actually lived on his own in New Orleans. He grew up in New Orleans, but as an adult, only has gone back there to visit and stay with his Dad. He spoke fondly of his father. And he's a big New Orleans Saints fan!
4. He's taking his job as an Idol judge very seriously. And we are so happy about this! It's not that I ever strongly disliked previous judges on the show, but there was a level of professionalism and expertise that was not being displayed by prior judges. According to Harry, Idol is a show you can root for. He noted that American Idol is a show that creates the next big music superstar; that's a huge responsibility and he's not taking it lightly.
5. He's pretty much exactly the same off screen as he appears onscreen. I've always loved Harry Connick, Jr. He has always been perceived by me as a genuine musician and celebrity. Meeting him confirmed his gracious and truthful nature. I was nervous as I asked him how he balanced celebrity life and family life so well. He keeps his family grounded.
6. He loves selfies! Being a part of this group of social media mavens, the Idoltweethearts, of course we were snapping pictures like true paparazzi. When asked if he would take selfies with us, he quickly said "yes". I kid you not, everyone in that room that wanted to got a shot with Harry Connick, Jr.
7. He likes social media. Harry is relatively new to being active on social media. And he is one of those celebrities that really is the one that is doing the tweeting! Fingers crossed he will enjoy this post and share the love.
8. Word on the street is the talent is B-I-G. Harry shared with us the level of talent that we can expect this season....and it's big. He admitted to us that there's at least 10 people that can win! The talent that came out was huge and really good singers, across many singing genres, had to be cut.
9. It's American Idol, Not American Singer. American Idol is a great talent show that you can root for. Harry agrees that it is a great piece of family entertainment, and he is going to be a big reason for the show's shift back to safe entertainment. When analyzing the singers, Harry doesn't want to hear the back story on the contestants. He wants to hear the singing and gauge the performance. You can be a good singer, but not have the charisma it takes to become a superstar. Sometimes constructive criticism is needed. It sounds like Harry is going to bring a perfect balance of critique and humor needed on the show.
10. Do you need a 10th reason? Not really. Just know that American Idol is back to it's roots of solid entertainment and the judges, with the addition of Harry Connick, Jr., will critique accordingly.
Season 13 premieres this Wednesday, January 15th.
