Never an idle moment
And you think you’ve had a crazy year.
Give this whirlwind a whirl: In six months you’ve gone from unknown college dropout to ubiquitous music star, headlining arenas across the U.S.
Americans by the tens of millions handed you a first-place finish on the country’s most popular television program, and more than 20,000 lined the streets for a hometown victory parade.
Overall, 2009 has been a big, surreal blur for “American Idol” champ Kris Allen.
The 24-year-old singer-guitarist is leading the 2009 finalists, including runner-up Adam Lambert, on the latest “American Idols Live!” tour.
“It’s not the easiest thing in the world,” concedes Allen, who married his longtime girlfriend last September. “There’s not a whole lot of sleep, and you’re not on any kind of schedule. You arrive in some places at 5 or 6 in the morning, then some places at 1 or 2 – it’s always different.
“But every night is totally worth it. The shows are what we do this for.”
Chris Daughtry warned him about that. “Get as much sleep as you can,” was the leading advice from the 2006 finalist, one of several “Idol” alums on Allen’s quick-dial list.
“People have said that once you get onto the show and make it that far, you’re in this kind of fraternity, and as weird as that is, it’s true,” says Allen. “We all have each other’s back.”
Allen’s “Idol” victory was a surprise of sorts, as the low-key, small-town Arkansan bested the swaggering Lambert.
He’s still soaking it all in, enjoying the rush of fame. And while he hasn’t tired of the media vortex just yet, a few of the question topics are starting to become overly familiar.
His relationship with Lambert is wonderful, thanks for asking; his favorite judge was Paula Abdul; and yes, his wife is doing just great with it all.
Allen figures the focus will be back on the music by Thanksgiving, when he and Lambert will have each released CDs. Writing and recording sessions are getting squeezed in between tour dates.
Amid it all, he says he has learned to control the jitters that once came with stepping into the spotlight.
“It’s all become clockwork,” Allen says. “Every show is different, but we know what’s going on.”
Then he laughs: “We’re not forgetting the words anymore.”
The birthday bunch
Country singer Kitty Wells is 90. Actor Bill Daily (“I Dream of Jeannie,” “The Bob Newhart Show”) is 82. Actor/politician Ben Jones (“The Dukes of Hazzard”) is 68. Actress Peggy Lipton is 62. Comedian Lewis Black is 61. Actor Michael Chiklis is 46. Actress Michael Michele (“ER” ) is 43. Actress Cameron Diaz is 37. TV personality Lisa Ling is 36.