I say do it. If you want to be a professional singer , sing every chance you get.

Good choice!! I'm sure you enjoy the experience you are getting now more than you would the stress of AI!! I still think you should try to get some CD's out and about for backup singing -- I bet you would be wonderful at it!!

I will try and put a video clip or something on here if I can get a recording of part of the musical! It is a blast!

And congratulations on the 3 lbs lost, by the way!

Jay

I'm really surprised at the amount of negative responses you got here. If you are actually good (be honest) then you should definitely go for it. If you don't just because you're fat then you're saying that you're not as good as a thin person just because you're fat. Other people thinking this is their own problem but you can't agree with that ever.

If you actually went and got far enough to see the judges then I wouldn't be afraid of Simon Cowell. As you may know, American Idol is based on a British show called Pop Idol. The winner of series 2 was a Scottish girl, Michelle McManus, who is extremely short and weighed about 25 stone. I can't do the maths in my head but there's 14 pounds in a stone. There were constant arguments about her with judges saying she was too fat. She stayed and finally won because the nasty Simon Cowell said that her weight was largely irrelevant when she had a voice like she did.

Go for it and good luck!

A musical this summer? oh **** yes, I want to see that, if you can put it on Youtube! That sounds great, and I hope you'll have much fun, and lots of other opportunities afetr that!

In a sense I agree with Doughnut... what other people think IS their own problem. However, if we think that way then we have to be prepared for our OWN reactions to their crude remarks and be able to laugh at ourselves, even when things "sting" a bit. I always cringe inside a bit when I go out riding my bike or in the pool, etc. because of my weight. But I'm not going to let that stop me nor am I going to allow myself to be overly sensitive and get my feelings hurt by their wise cracks... at least not allow the feelings to take hold when they do creep in. It's not "fair" but in this world -- at least in the US-- it is "reality" that overweight is not acceptable to the culture at large and we ARE going to get snide looks and thoughtless remarks. We can't change the world but we can change our own reactions to it. That was what I meant by saying that if someone is going to something such as AI, better plan to take the heat because you will get it.

I think you got great responses here, Gabi, and you also seem to feel that way, that folks giving their honest opinions helped you make your decision. I just found the thread and was going to chime in with a "go for it" but, as others said, only if you feel you are ready to possibly become a target ... and everyone on that show is a potential target because it really is based, in my opinion, on the entertainment factor of being cruel to people ... but then, that's their decision to go and do it.

Re the weight issue, I noticed this year, which is the first time I've watched more than clips of it now and then, because this year someone from my state was in the finals, that the best and most talented performers (at least they were in my opinion, but I'm not a teen, so ...) were overweight, yet they were treated with respect and even praise for their vocal talent by the "judges" (if that's what one wants to call those three folks). All of these people seem to have done well after they got exposure on the show.

So, I don't think weight should be something that discourages you. Your decision to go on and do your local musical and go about things in a different way seems sensible, but if you want to try out for American Idol at a different time, don't let weight stand in your way ... and as someone said, maybe this is the motivation you need to "get your act together" in that area of your life as well so that you will feel even more confident when and wherever you decide to go with your music.

Don't let anything or anyone stop you from being or doing anything you want to be or do ... if you have weight to lose, lose it, but regardless, do what you want to do in life.

Amarantha, excellent point! Everyone who goes on that show is asking for it. Hey our entire CITY -- and metro area of Seattle... got blasted as they said we were the worst city they had ever been to, etc. But they even had to kind of eventually eat their words, since the winner and second place person... and three in top 7... auditioned here and two were actually FROM here! Icing on the cake was when the winner of the songwriting contest was from Seattle. And don't think we didn't enjoy seeing the "Seattle Sings... Say Sorry Simon" sign on national TV at Blake's victory parade in Bothell. And look how they smeared Sanjaya... but he just laughed it off... all the way to the bank! And the year before Taylor was costantly ragged on... he rolled around in the floor and laughed.

NONE of us are perfect.. we all have things about us we wish we could change and a show like AI is going to find those things and blast people for them. Only we know if we are at a place where we can take the blasting and laugh it off... or it is still too sensitive an area for us.

Well, I was one of the negative response people but not because of Gabi's weight; I just don't have any admiration for that show. I wouldn't try out for it if I were 23 and looked like Britney Spears and sang like Barbra Streisand! I mean, to me it's like if someone wanted to be a serious chef and so they applied to make burgers at McD's. Granted it's popular but....so what.
And yes, I know, it's just my own opinion, and others might genuinely like AI and I know there are some incredible singers who have gone that route, but dang, if I had their talent..... I definitely would have chosen another route to get to my dreams! Anyway, just my little opinion. I am often too "whack-a-mole" when it comes to my opinions.