American Idol Visits Home

American Idol is down to three contestants this year. I'm not usually such a "rabid" follower of it, but this year our hometown boy, David Archuleta, has been a favorite almost from the outset. Today was his Homecoming Visit, courtesy of the Fox TV network. Footage will be shown on next week's American Idol shows. But even better, I actually went to the festivities. What can I say? I'm 54 going on 15, LOL.

Murray City is nestled in the middle of the Salt Lake Valley. David's Homecoming was held at the Murray High School football field. I parked a few blocks away at the library and walked the few blocks to the school. No traffic jams for me, thank you!!This is one of the many signs around the packed stadium. On the front of the high school was another one, a couple stories tall, of David singing that said "Welcome Home David!" I didn't get a picture of it......... yet!!

Here are a couple of cute junior high school girls who were my buddies as we stood in the stands and cheered.

If you haven't noticed, Murray H.S.'s colors are orange and black (yuk) and they are the Spartans. So there we were, waiting. To entertain us, there were performances by the H.S. Choir, the dance team, the drill team, etc. etc. Then all of a sudden, everyone was looking up and taking pictures. Is it a bird? ..........
No, it's just an airplane with a sign, circling the stadium (advertising by a local Country station. What' s up with that??) There was also a helicopter from one of the TV stations hovering...
And then the first of the screaming started. Whasssup?? It seems a limo (a limo TRUCK) was arriving. Gee, I wonder who that could be?!?!?
Well, no one really knew who it was. Some of the high school girls said David was already on site - that he'd been there all afternoon meeting with friends and practicing his singing. So maybe this was someone else........

FINALLY, the "parade" started. Where I was standing, the little motorcade actually passed us twice - the first time on its circle of the stadium, and then again as they completed the final few feet before alighting at the stage.

Above is Utah Governor Jon Huntsman and the First Lady. Guv's right arm is in a sling. (Must've accidentally gotten between a teeny bopper and David Archuleta!) And then we have Murray's colorful Mayor Snarr. Colorful in more than one way - take a gander at that handlebar moustache! When they show him on TV next week (and they WILL show him), hopefully they'll use a wide-angle lens to capture that handlebar moustache!!!
OMG - and then the SCREAMING!!! Was it the Beatles??? Ooops - wrong generation!!! Well then, it must be David Archuleta!!! Yep. Now, I must explain something here. I was excited, too. So excited, that when I had the PERFECT CLOSE-UP SHOT, my finger hit the picture-taking button. Well, oops, that was the on-off switch. Dang - who designed this #*%@ camera anyway?? I'll catch him next time around.......... Right. Then there was no good shot........ but here's what I did get:That's his mom in the yellow jacket. Any other female would've been lynched!! Here's another young lady who was standing behind me and was kind enough not to drool on me.
So, once David made it to the stage, there were several speakers. Governor Huntsman declared May 9, 2008 as David Archuleta Day. Mayor Snarr read a letter from Paula Abdul - she's picked a Billy Joel song for David to sing next week (no, I can't remember it at the moment). And then David sang!

And as one guy (an OLD guy - at least 30, LOL) said, "He sounds even better in person than he does on TV". And he was right!!! So after David sang 4 songs, I made my way out of the stadium and hoofed it back to my car. By the time I got there, I was 54 again......