I was perusing through AI fansites to check out news about the show, and the contestants as well. I came across a board where some people were discussing how Simon ‘disses’ Taylor; how he thought he just won because he had gray hair, someone also mentioned that Simon also said a while back in another interview that some people just got by on the show by using a catchphrase or something to that effect. One forumer said that the remark may have referred to Taylor since he constantly mentions “Soul Patrol!” after each performance when he was on the show.

I don’t take the reactions derogatory to Taylor or to us, for that matter. What I don’t get is why this kind of mentality is still being tossed around; it’s almost a year since Taylor won, and yet people still can’t shake the fact that Taylor won fair and square; without any reason whatsoever, just the MAIN FACT that he is the next great American singer.

Let me count the ways: First one, a few weeks after the competition, speculations surfaced that the voting was rigged; calls for Chris went to Kat and so instead of Kat going home on top 4 week, it was Chris. Second, it was also highly speculated that Taylor had the “Southern” vote going for him during the finale with Kat; implying that if had he been from anywhere but Birmingham, Katharine or even Chris (some people still can’t get over him being voted off) would have been the ones left. Elliott was a good singer, but he did not have enough charisma or stage presence for him to be in the finale. It was even the expectations of everyone on the Idol production; Katharine and Chris SHOULD have been on the finale, NOT TAYLOR; that much was clear as evidenced by an episode of an “Idol”-inspired documentary. Third, during week one of the auditions for AI6, one contestant had gum in her mouth and when she asked where to put it, Simon told the girl to “stick it to Taylor’s face or something”; fueling other fanbases to take advantage of downplaying Taylor again. Fourth, Oprah had Simon on his show a few days before the premiere of AI6 and told Ms. Winfrey that Taylor only won because of his premature gray hair. The statement coincided with the growing anticipation of the Soul Patrol for a single to be released from the album. Again, feeding the flames for other people to further put Taylor down.

I am so exasperated and frustrated that it has been eight months since Taylor won and people still can’t seem to accept that fact! I know that I shouldn’t be writing about this anymore, because of the fact that Taylor’s happy now, getting to go cross country on a tour bus all his own, delivering the music that was once confined to the small venues he played to a larger, far more open audience, performing for his fans, etc., and I am happy for him, I truly am, and people are gonna have opinions about him, good and bad.

But can anyone blame me for being protective of him? I hope no one will. Because as any dedicated fan out there, I only want the best for my dear, dear Taylor, and that includes me defending him on situations where I feel he’s being put down for no valid reason at all. I remember somebody say that we shouldn’t put other artists down just to glorify our favorite. And it’s true.

Taylor wouldn’t have taken the free ticket to go to Las Vegas if he knew he was just gonna make a fool of himself in front of millions of people. He looked silly enough, with his hair at his age, but no, he went and sang his heart out to Randy, Paula and Simon. The first two were impressed, but Cowell wasn’t. By the time Cowell uttered his prediction that he wouldn’t last, America was already madly in love with the gray haired future phenom. He had charisma, presence, and mostly, he could definitely belt it out with the best of ‘em. And bested him he did.

And now that he’s here, ready to take on the world, I just hope that people would give him a chance. I mean, he’s given the break he needed, now he just needs for his music and talented to be accepted as it is. Not because he won a talent competition, but because he is a passionate and dedicated musician, eager to get his music to be heard by the world.

Hope you can forgive a reckless woman like me for reading too much Taylor stuff and reacting like a three-year old girl.

Tags: Taylor Hicks, American Idol, Birmingham, Alabama