By Meg Hodson
American Idol and FOX covered my expenses for a trip behind-the-scenes to Hollywood Week of Season XIV. All opinions, photos, and gushy thoughts remain my own.
I've been a fan of music for a long time. My memories of music go back to sharing my Carpenters' record in preschool and playing it on the turntable in class. Elton John was one of my other favorites as a young child. In grade school, teen pop stars like Shaun Cassidy and Andy Gibb made me giddy with excitement. Duran Duran was my ultimate band in high school and I attended more concerts than I can count in college.
You get the idea....I love music! That love has continued until today. I am such a F-A-N. Just for fun, I pulled up the definition of "fan" from Wikipedia:
"A fan, sometimes also called aficionado or supporter, is a person who is enthusiastically devoted to something, such as a band, a sports team, a book or entertainer."
It's pretty great when you can say you are a true fan of someone or something. In the past year, I have had the amazing pleasure of being part of the IdolTweethearts. American Idol sent myself and some other influential ladies almost a year ago to experience Hollywood Week for Season XIII. I have always been a big fan of American Idol, so combining that with a little behind-the-scenes access seemed like the perfect combination. And it was (you can read some of my posts from the past year here).
Do you know how I know I am still a true fan? One of those exciting trip opportunities came a few weeks ago when myself and 2 other IdolTweethearts were asked to return for Hollywood Week for Season XIV. I jumped up and down; I heard myself say "eek!" out loud. Yep, a big fan.
As I entered the stunning and ornate Orpheum Theater in Los Angeles, I felt the zsa-zsa-zsu. What's that, you ask? Well, Carrie Bradshaw said it best: it's that "butterflies in your stomach" feeling when you love someone or something. Between the twinkling lights on stage and buzz of producers, it's almost other-worldly as I take it all in.
What makes American Idol unique for fans is you are reborn every year. With a new set of contestants, a new set of singers with dreams, you have a new group to become attached to. There is a new Idol just for you.
Oh yes, and then there are the judges. When Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez, Harry Connick, Jr., and Ryan Seacrest enter the room, I take pause. I still get a little starstruck. Okay, a lot. I suppose I am getting a bit more comfortable with each successive trip. But I'd like to think I will still have that zsa-zsa-zsu forever.
