Former Reality Show Contestants

FC-----Thanks for the this morning. The visual is priceless!!!

Hey, that really is how I think it will go!

But yes Abrahammy, give us the who, what, where and when!


ETA: Another big year for Carrie at The CMAs! Congrats Carrie! She looked gorgeous too.

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And GSers are over there talking about how it's a common kind of gig for minor celebrities.

Do they know that Marie Osmond is now a bigger name than his? Once someone has a delusion, and they know if that delusion is no longer there, they have nothing to hold onto, they will continue to make excuses so outlandish that they can't even stop to think about it for a second or they'll weep uncontrollably.

The El Camino is crushed and in a junk heap. They're all just scrunched down and are saying what a nice view it is from way up there.

I have no idea of the details, but picturing FC's scenario is awesome. HOWEVER, I cannot BELIEVE that with all the "women of a certain age" at Bingo, you forgot...drumroll please...THE EYEFUCK!!!!

That's because I blocked it out of my memory GE!! Too scary!

I just came from Rawkhands and read some of his posts brought over from GS about what his plans are for next year I will be amazed if even half of the things he says he is going to do actually happen

I am not going to comment on it over there anymore. I would be happy if these dreams came to light, but it doesn't mean they will. He's back to discussing his "plans" when what he really has is stuff that he'd like to see happen if all the stars align in just the right way - he'd LIKE to be the opening act for another tour, he'd LIKE to create a play that becomes a NYC hit or a touring play... but that does not mean it will happen.

I was vocal about being disappointed with the whole Bingo calling insanity, and lo and behold he showed up to fuss at naysayers and tell the faithful what he was dreaming about.

I think I'd still LIKE for him to get that big break and have a stable career - I like the performer, if not the man - but it's not looking too good at the moment. In 2007, he gave us very specific plans - Idol Commentary on the Yahoo channel, Brel, Bold and the Beautiful, album - that indicated somebody else had bought into the idea of him being a performer, and they all came to pass. Now it all sounds like project that he is having to generate himself, and he gives this disclaimer:

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greekboy wrote:
first half of year:
-play band shows on the road as much as possible
-set up a regular NYC show

2nd half:
-be in a road show
-play band shows as well

THIS is just regarding the general question of tour/road

AS ALWAYS this is subject to change.

A single goes and things change...

ya know a pilot happens...things change.

etc

So I think there's a lot of hope and a lot of dreaming and not a lot of ink on the dotted line.

I can't say that over there anymore. He reads it and he knows who I am, so I guess the GS Cassandra has finally been completely silenced.

Ah... did somebody mention that Clay Aiken just won $300,000 on Are You Smarter than a Fifth Grader, will be singing for skaters on Christmas Day, and will be appearing in Spamalot?

Multiple fandoms is a good thing.

Yes, thank god for Clay and his successes and achievements both as a performer and a humanitarian!

That is exactly the way I see Abrahammy. Hopes and dreams. If it all works out for him that's great. I just hope his fans are smart enough to realize that a lot of what he talked about probably will not happen.

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I just hope his fans are smart enough to realize that a lot of what he talked about probably will not happen.

You're kidding, right? His "fans" are happy over him calling Bingo and saying what a great career move it is and whenever he talks, they grab giant spoons so they may scoop up more of his...uh...and swallow it, because to admit he's a total and complete dismal failure is to admit the "haters" were right and that the man they've been following like he's Jesus is really not at all worth it.

Abrahammy, I'd like to ask you a question. First I want to say that I do like you and admire you, so please believe me when I say that this question has no malice or sarcasm behind it (despite the malice and sarcasm exhibited above to the ones who I feel have abandoned all rational thought).

You're still a fan of his and want to support him (the performer and the man) after what he's said to you on a personal level. I'm curious as to why.

This isn't a guy who's just a cad (aka Charlie Sheen) who's hurt some starlets and left a string of broken hearts and cheated on his wife, etc., etc (aka rich people you and I will never know and can nurse a broken heart with a shopping spree at Fred Segal). This is a guy who not only attacks his fans on a personal level, but attacked YOU personally to the point where he's literally silenced you from making any honest critique of his career or performances in a public forum.. Now, I understand about not liking the behavior of a certain performer, but enjoying his performances. I have a few of those myself, but to me this is an entirely different situation.

So, I guess I have a problem with the word "support". Not like "despite all he's done, he still fascinates me and I feel the need to watch him" but you've specifically used the word "support" in relation to him. Maybe I have a different definition of that word, but I see it as very specifically pertaining to the person.

I hope I haven't offended you, but I keep thinking it and I know you are honest to a fault, so my curiosity got the better of me and I figured I'd just ask you, knowing you'd give an honest and thoughtful answer.

Well, I would love to read the answer to that one myself!

I've said before, I would forgive Clay a lot, but if he were rude and abusive to the fans who are so loving and supportive of him - well, my love affair with him would be sooooooooooooo over!! But since he is so amazing to his fans he has my heart in the palm of his tender and caring hand.

The love affair between Con and the diehards is a hard one to figure out. Sort of like the wives out there that take all sorts of abuse who not only never leave, but blame themselves for the behavior. In fact, I have seen a lot of GSer blame the fans for his pissy rants.

The Bingo info!

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MEET CONSTANTINE MAROULIS

ONEIDA BINGO IDOL
MEET CONSTANTINE MAROULIS on Friday, Dec. 28!
Former American Idol Contestant and The Bold & The Beautiful Soap Star, Constantine Maroulis, is coming to Oneida Bingo! Everyone 18 and older is welcome to attend this free event.

Event Schedule
3pm-4:30pm, Autograph Signing (Photos available while supplies last.)

4:30pm-5pm, Question & Answer Session

5pm-6pm, Bingo Idol Championship

6pm-6:10pm, Constantine Maroulis will be the Bingo Caller

Complete details/rules availabe at Oneida Bingo.

WOW FC! Thanks for locating the info. That's very awesome of you. I just...when I've made fun of him and his career in the past, there's no WAY I would have ever predicted it would get to the point where he's calling BINGO. I predicted lounge singer very early on, but never BINGO caller.

FC, not only do I agree with you, but I have made the SAME EXACT analogy in the past about someone staying in an abusive relationship and making excuses for the man.

Second, I have also said that it boggles my mind when someone they called a comrade the day before, a sister, who they showered love upon by the bucketfuls, could come into this supposedly caring supportive environment, give an honest (not hateful or mean-spirited) critique of a performance and first be lambasted by the performer who's a spoiled baby and can't deal with the truth, and then by her supposed sisters who bash her over the head and call her a hater and say that she provoked his outburst. That women can do this to other women over a man who is so totally not worth it, hurts me AS A WOMAN. This man has done nothing to deserve the level of devotion the die-hards bestow upon him. Nothing except put them down and make disgusting comments and we won't even talk about what he's said about overweight women. Oy.

Long after my run-in with Constantine I was told with certainty on GS that I deserved what I got because I had been dry humping Athan.

LOLOLOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lunacy.

Bingo.

I hope his diehard fans do go to the bingo game.

Oh NO! Don't let Aerwin know you humped Athan!!! She used to like him more than Con!

I wonder if there will be video of Bingo Calling? I might watch that one and see if I was right about how he does it

Hey Athan put the nail in the coffin for me when he asked for gifts and gave his size!! Remember that? RUDE!
I am sure the Karma Police will get me but Lord I am LMAO about the Bingo.

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Abrahammy, I'd like to ask you a question. First I want to say that I do like you and admire you, so please believe me when I say that this question has no malice or sarcasm behind it (despite the malice and sarcasm exhibited above to the ones who I feel have abandoned all rational thought).

You're still a fan of his and want to support him (the performer and the man) after what he's said to you on a personal level. I'm curious as to why.

I hope I haven't offended you, but I keep thinking it and I know you are honest to a fault, so my curiosity got the better of me and I figured I'd just ask you, knowing you'd give an honest and thoughtful answer.

It's a valid question and I thought it deserved a thoughtful answer, so I slept on it. First of all, understand that I appreciate the very obvious effort to be as kind and tactful as possible in the phrasing of your question. I am not at all offended; indeed, given your very obvious impatience with most of Greekboy's fans, I think you've gone out of your way to be gracious here.

Why do I support this idiot?

Well, I think the evolution of the answer to that question has many different stages depending on the timeframe, so I'll go through them all.

1. When it first began, I thought he was very attractive, and when he burst into the top 12 with a rendition of You Make Me So Very Happy that was VERY much better than anything he had done in the semis (and I love that song anyway) I was smitten. It certainly helped that he turned out to be a theatre rat who had ties to most of my favorite plays ever.

2. As you know, in the spring of 2006, I became very much aware that Constantine's professional reality did not match all the delusions that were swirling around in GS, and furthermore, I realized that I was one of very few people who understood that the TV show and recording contract were at least in serious jeopardy. That's when I went to the Heathers to see if they had more accurate information - and indeed, they did. I learned a lot of unpleasant things about his character then, although the rumors were already swirling. However, ultimately I left the Heathers - and here is where I hope I do not offend YOU, Greeneyes - because I was offended by some of the very direct personal attacks on individual confans (including some of my friends). It's one thing to dislike the guy and think his fans in general are sheep. It's another thing to harrass individual people. About the same time, he announced specific, concrete plans that had some basis in actual reality and my biggest problem with him was resolved. He began to do what he said he was going to do.

3. From fall of last year through the summer, I was a fan of a man I knew well to be a serious jerk because... it was fun! Greekfest last year was an incredible blast and I had a terrific time. Then he was in one of my favorite plays of all time - Jacques Brel - and it became a fantastic opportunity for me to give myself a rare and wonderful adventure to New York. It was special, it was memorable, I will treasure the memory forever - and I thought he was VERY good in the show, although Robert was the star of the thing. So I got confirmation that Constantine was actually talented and COULD be spurred to do good work. Then we were all hopeful about the Bold and the Beautiful and the album, so that was fun, too.

He was also being nice to me at the time. This was around the phase that I got my nickname Abrahdeuce. I was on his radar and it seemed to be fairly positive - not really a friendship, but like a positive acquaintance.

4. Recently - well, the album did come out, and I do actually like about 2/3 of it, which unfortunately is a much higher ratio than my reaction to Taylor's album... or sadly, Clay's.


At this point, he was rude on a regular basis and I... I was used to it, but mostly I found the whole thing bizarre. It seemed unreal that we were all bickering on a personal level with the guy who electrified an entire nation with an excellent and surprising rendition of BoRhap...Why would he bother? I have been aware for a long time that MOST of my favorite performers are people I probably would not like much personally; by all accounts John Lennon, for example, was a terrible and unstable man, Jim Carrey is borderline insane, even Bill Cosby has been accused of some really terrible stuff. And all those rumors swirling about Clay - not the ones where he's gay, but the ones where he's pissy, spoiled and difficult. And there's a lot of performers who seem to be very NICE people, but it doesn't mean I particularly like their performances.

I usually enjoy Constantine on stage. He does not have to be my friend.

Ever since he and I had that little argument, however, I've felt weird. It's not that he's a jerk; I am used to that. It's unsettling that he knows and recognizes me and regards me as a problem. It's the difference between have a mild altercation with a stranger, quickly forgotten, and having an acquaintance that actively dislikes you. It was unsettling, and that's why I talked to him at the Greek Food Festival; even if I decided to walk away from the fandom, I didn't want to leave in a cloud of resentment, for reasons we have discussed here; it's a poison, and I have several memories I wish to have remain happy.

He was very nice to me there - Austin saw it. She tried unsuccessfully to take a picture.

We will always have Brel. That was my big payoff for being a Confan, and I have no regrets on that score.

He's going to be in the Metroplex on November 17, and I'm debating whether or not to go - not because I don't want to see him sing; I do. I would enjoy that performance. However, I am worried that he saw my reaction to Bingo calling and might be offended again. I just don't want him to see me and say something rude. I really wish I was still anonymous and I wish he'd stayed off the boards. Mostly, I wish we could praise him when he earns it and call a spade a spade when he misses, because when we praise every damned thing whether it's good or not then the praise for real accomplishments is very much cheapened, and he's actually capable of good stuff.

For the record, Constantine actually has a lot of fans at Greek Speak who pretty much understand the score and realize he's a jerk; like me, they enjoy the performances, and some of them REALLY like Jim Boggia and the FA Band. They have just been a little less vocal about pointing out problems, but my pm box is sometimes interesting. I Am Not Alone.

I think you did a good job summarizing at least one of the phases I've gone through:

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Not like "despite all he's done, he still fascinates me and I feel the need to watch him"

As of last winter, that's where I was. Now... I don't know. I don't know if it's loyalty or habit kicking in, or if I really am done, now that it's clear that hope for his career is going the way of respect for the man.

My biggest problem with him calling Bingo isn't that he's calling Bingo; it's that it's not part of a package that also includes singing. At the Greek Food Festival he did a cooking demonstration, and I took that as just a playful attempt to join into the atmosphere of the place before he settled down to his real business. A lot of entertainers do that - participate in the goofy preliminaries before they do their actual work.

It probably helped that he is actually Greek. It was a cultural observance. But when the Bingo calling IS his real business at a venue, and he does not sing... why would he do that? Is it not the singing that would sell the album?

Clay is extremely helpful at the moment. I still have a fandom. Fandoms are fun, and Clay is kind of busy at the moment. Sanjaya, bless him, I don't expect much from.

Two extremes: Constantine Maroulis, a complete jerk for whom I have very little personal sympathy left, but I think he's got a lot of (wasted) raw talent.

Sanjaya Malakar: an adorable kid for whom I have ENORMOUS personal sympathy, but I don't think he's probably talented enough to make much of a splash.

Ah, Clay Aiken. Talented man with a lot of personal virtues. Don't ever get close enough for me to see the warts, OK?

Good and well thought out post abrahammy. IF you really want to go to Bend, even though it's small, you could probably just sit in the back and he won't see you. He really only wants to see those who adore him anyway.

I really doubt that he is holding a grudge against you and even if he were he wouldn't do anything about it publicly. He would be more likely to pm you then to call you out at Bend. ALSO, who would look like more of a fool if he started yelling at you - you or HIM?

If he could be civil to me while we're in an elevator although I have actually called him and written two of his friends about his abysmal lying and cruel behavior to my friend, I think you're fine.

And it's he who has the problem, it's not YOU.

Wow. Abrahammy. This is why I really do like and admire you. I appreciate that you not only weren't offended, but gave a provocative and thoughtful answer.

I am sorry if I offended certain people personally when I was at the Heathers. I really did get caught up. I tried to limit it to people who were mean and bitchy and I didn't like when I was a thriving member of GS, crazy people who came on with different personalities (like the one who called KC's work), and people who I generally thought went so far over the deep end and attacked others (like you) for just being realistic. However, I do understand that I probably offended some very nice people who were just a fan of a man who personally disgusts me.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, no matter how much we think we want it, nobody should get so close to his fans, that he goes on his own board and calls people out individually for merely stating an opinion. General messages to everyone about what they're up to and giving his fans extras (like maybe holding a contest for front-row seats or tickets for an event he's having) is a good way to keep your fanbase loyal and show you're a nice guy (hey, even if you're really not such a nice guy). If he at least did that for the fans who have stuck by him, even when all he's doing is calling BINGO, that would be something. Even to me. At least then I could say, "well, he does reward his die-hard fans". As it is, all they get for their efforts is abuse. Like FC said, I feel they're in a relationship with an abuser and blame themselves for his inexcusable behavior.

Hey, let me take you into the wayback machine. I was such a big fan of this guy, I went shopping for make-up for him, went and delivered roses and gifts PERSONALLY to the AI offices, CRASHED MY CAR on the way to the AI finale AND CONTINUED ON MY WAY, went up to Athan after the finale and said, "we know who the real winner is, don't we?", and then spent time with Athan after, pumping him for information. (he was nice and gracious, btw, and laughed about being called "Constantine's brother" when a reporter pulled him away).

Once I found out who he really was, it was a very hard and painful fall. I forgave him so much. I didn't even care about the sleeping around. Hey, I joined in with blaming that one lady with the kid, saying it was her fault he was a total ass to her, so I even get the mob mentality. Little did I know this would be the first in a series of him being an ass to someone who's only crime was to be a fan who said something that pissed him off for a minute and he didn't have the class to be a human being. Once I started to hear multitudes of stories, I had to resign myself to the fact that he wasn't worth my time or energy, since he didn't appreciate my efforts anyway. Being a big star with a known face and getting pissy on occasion is one thing. Barely being a celebrity and calling women names and making mean-spirited comments about their physical appearance, calling them out on a PERSONAL level for having an OPINION is something else. For me.

Then there were the people who refused to see reality. Those people made me hate him even more.

So, I had to leave everything about his fandom and it hurt for a bit, but I came away with some terrific friendships, and I wouldn't trade any of my experiences for anything. It was a fun ride while it lasted.

FRAZZ, I think it would be more than hysterical if his die-hards went to hear him say "G-4"! I agree with Abrahammy on that as well. If this was just some business he had to do before he sang, that's one thing, but to JUST be calling BINGO means you've hit the D-List really really hard. Also? Frazz? Shame on you for corrupting these good Greek boys by trying to take a funny picture with them! How dare you! You'll burn in hell for what you did!

I don't have a problem with people who just want to practice their craft and get paid for it so they don't have to take some office job or something. Hell, I just went to see the former guitarist of a huge rock band (who my friend knows personally). She mocked him for the venue he was now playing and how it was still the same old tunes, etc. but I said, "he's getting paid to play guitar and I'm sure that's all that matters to him.". So, if you're making an honest living doing what you love, I have noooooooo problem with that. BINGO has got the be the lowest point for someone who's a singer AND an actor, no?

Austin, I agree that it's his problem AND that he's too much of a wuss (I'm being kind in my language here) to be publicly loud and rude to her at that time, especially if she's not pissing him off at that moment.

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Then there were the people who refused to see reality. Those people made me hate him even more.

See that's me too, it made me despise him more. I give abrahammy props for being honest and answering the question. But for me on a personal level I in no way feel his talent outweighs his assholiness. I jusy don't. He is NOT a star and I feel he has no right to treat any of his loyal fans with disrespect. and he has . Not once not twice but repeatedly. I will admit however that the fandom was tons of fun for me at first. And I've met some ppl that I still chat with now. So all in all that is not too bad of a deal.But I will not and cannot support him in anything. He does not deserve it IMO.

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Then there were the people who refused to see reality. Those people made me hate him even more.

Something I've noticed in AI fandoms, perhaps all fandoms. There are aggressively vigilant ostriches in EVERY fandom. All of them. It doesn't even begin to be only Greekboy. I think the only difference between Constantine's ostriches and everybody elses' is that he interacts with his fans more and gives them more direct information to work with.

Well, in all honesty, I will never really understand how you still support him when he has personally been a dick to you. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with it or anything, just that I myself couldn't support someone who treated me poorly. It just wouldn't be in me.

Oh, and as far as I am concerned a man who puts on a two or more hour show and than goes out to the buses and personally thanks and touches the hand of every.single.one of hundreds of fans after every.single.show, has proven to me that he is not a pissy diva. That is just what gossip bloggers would like to have people think. Clay has had way too many big wigs in the industry talk about how wonderful he is to work with and I believe them and what I see on those fan vids at the buses. I also don't think pissy divas would go stay in tents in war torn countries and take care of poor and sick children while sleeping on the ground with very little food to eat. YMMV and all that...

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Something I've noticed in AI fandoms, perhaps all fandoms. There are aggressively vigilant ostriches in EVERY fandom. All of them. It doesn't even begin to be only Greekboy. I think the only difference between Constantine's ostriches and everybody elses' is that he interacts with his fans more and gives them more direct information to work with.

I think the reason I am more affected by these ostriches is because I knew them personally and they have abused people I know personally.

Also, they aren't just reading stuff in National Enquirer. They are getting first-hand accounts from people they loved and trusted right up until the moment they spoke up about not having a good encounter with him. So, yeah, what you said about direct information.

FC, that was the point I was making before. When you're a big star and have people hounding you all day and night for autographs so that you can't even have a meal in peace. When you have 50 people (who work for you) dragging you here and there and everywhere and you've been taking planes, trains and automobiles, yes, it might just take ONE MORE FAN approaching you for you to lose it. As long as these incidents are isolated, it's obvious they caught this person on a bad day. So, maybe a fan pulled a fork out of the star's mouth and demanded an autograph, and the star got pissy and all you hear about is the pissy part.

I think, though, that Abrahammy was just trying to say that there are many reports of stars acting like pissy divas.

What I think we can all agree on is that nobody is just catching greekboy on a bad day or at a bad time. It can be when he's getting paid to meet the fans, for God's sake! He actively seeks out people (like Abrahammy) to unleash his vitriol. Hell, if he doesn't want an honest critique, he needs to stay off of the message boards.

He can't. At this point it's like a drug for him. The ostriches are scared he'll leave because he's the only bright spot in their lives, so they become stepford wives about the whole thing.

So, I do not place Constantine in the same category as huge stars who are occasionally pissy or the star who happens to also be a cad. He is a different breed. A boy who throws tantrums and attacks fans individually. A guy who has called a woman's son a retard and made horrible comments regarding the weight of the fans who adore him and defend him. A man who calls his ex a whore.

If it got out that he visits his own message boards and got pissy with fans individually, he'd be more of a laughing stock than he already is.

Greekboy is a cautionary tale. He will go down in history as a joke. Guaranteed.

Heh. He's not going to go down in history at all. At best somebody might remember that some guy sang BoRhap better than expected; somebody else might remember that there was one guy on AI who used to be in Rent; the most sophisticated might remember that there was another rocker besides Bo that year - but even so, the big AI rocker is now Daughtry and they have both been supplanted.

He won't go down in history as a joke because he hasn't done anything memorable to the mainstream audience in more than two years; One Song Glory does not a legend - or even a legendary trainwreck - make.

I read on GS today that this idiot is now selling - for a dollar - virtual gifts that the girls can post on his facebook site. That's pretty fucking exploitative and it may just be the last nail in the coffin. I'm really disgusted tonight. Jerk. What's scary is that some of these women actually did it.

I fully understand how hard it can be to realize your AI contestant ain't gonna light up the world, but to be this blind after this much after this long... obviously they need to fill a hole in their lives. I am sad for them.

Actually, I'm sad for him, too. He could have a lot going for him, if he made good decisions. There was a lot of raw potential, but I think the character issues have gobbled them up completely now.

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I read on GS today that this idiot is now selling - for a dollar - virtual gifts that the girls can post on his facebook site. That's pretty fucking exploitative and it may just be the last nail in the coffin. I'm really disgusted tonight. Jerk. What's scary is that some of these women actually did it.

You have got to be freakin kidding me! What an ass, And anyone that pays a dollar is an idiot.

OK, I don't even know what facebook is let alone a virtual gift Please explain Is it something like My-Space? Is a virtual gift a picture of something? If so, that seems like a terrible thing to do, but maybe I am wrong?

Only have a second, on my way to work! From what I understand about Facebook, anybody can send a gift to anybody. If I go to some friend's profile it says 'Send a gift to so and so' I don't think HE is soliciting gifts. I could be wrong, but in THIS case he may be innocent.

Do you pay to send a gift to someone?