By Staff
Leada Gore, Editor
There's a saying in football called "home cooking." It refers to a referee who helps out the home team, say letting a call go their way, to avoid the wrath of the partisan crowd. The term can also apply to our favorites in any competition, as in "root, root, root for the home team."
It's the same reason I want Miss Alabama to win Miss America, even if I haven't watched the pageant in years.
So, I guess you could say my American Idol choices are all about home cooking, because if you're from Alabama you will likely get my vote.
It all started with former American Idol contestant Reuben Studdard. Studdard and I graduated from the same high school and had the same choir teacher. Obviously, he paid more attention to the vocal lessons than I did, as he can sing and I can't.
Then, when I heard another Alabamian, Bo Bice, was doing well in the contest, I had to throw my support behind him as well. And, like Reuben, I had some connections with him. Bo lives in Helena and I used to live pretty close to there. Then I learned Bo's family lives in Somerville, a small town right outside Hartselle. From a story we did with his family, I learned his grandmother made all his clothes for the show.
That sealed the deal. Anyone who uses their grandmother as their costumer for a national television show has got to be a great guy.
And so my support (OK, fanatical support) of Bo began. I watched his performances and then phoned in as many votes as I could. I spread the gospel, too. Soon, my mother became a Bo-liever.
"I made some fliers and hung them up at work reminding people to vote for Bo," she said in one of our pre-American Idol phone calls. We don't talk after the show, obviously, since our phones are tied up voting.
Bo has introduced mom to an entire new form of music. Her idea of rock and roll is Neil Sedaka or Buddy Holly, not the Allman Brothers or Lynyrd Skynyrd.
"I really liked that song he sang last night," she said a couple of weeks ago. "I like it when he sings those rock and roll songs."
The song was "Freebird," a rock classic. It was all new to Mom, though, and, as far as she's concerned, Bo's version is the only one.
Mom and I are even making plans to attend the American Idol concert tour when it rolls through Birmingham this summer. I hope Mom doesn't run up on stage and hug Bo or try to introduce him to my sister, though neither are out of the realm of possibility.
So, if I may wrap up my commercial, I hope you all do support the home team in the coming weeks. Bo needs our support and Alabama needs a second American Idol. After all, it may be the closest brush with fame I will ever have.