The numbers are in: Jordin Sparks is the new American Idol, and the show’s ratings are way down. Is anyone surprised at either outcome? The show this year has included everything from bad karaoke-like performances to unexplained pre-taped “appearances” by members of the music community that served no purpose other than to take the attention away from the competitors.
I’ve got to give it to American Idol: They are the masters of hype. “This is the best finale ever,” crowed Simon. I beg to differ; it was long and painful. I have some words of wisdom for this show (no surprise there), but I will hold those words until later. Let me just say that, for me, there were but two highlights during this year’s finale: Melinda’s performance with gospel royalty Bebe and Cece Winans, and Jordin’s duet with Ruben Studdard. Speaking of Ruben, it was great to see all the former winners on the show, except Fantasia, who is, of course, busy with “The Color Purple.”
American Idol on the ropes?
American Idol has closed the door on another season, and 'The Powers That Be' know they’re in trouble. Not only are the ratings down, but the talent pool seems to be quickly drying up. Before we look back at this past season, if you haven’t recently visited the American Idol homepage, you should do so soon.
You can participate in a poll, requesting fan feedback on aspects of the show that need to be changed. Of course, the bad voting process is not addressed, which is the major modification the show needs. Not only did American Idol lose out to Dancing With the Stars in ratings, but I would be willing to bet money that their tour sales aren’t going well either. Now, on with the show.
Predictable finish
Jordin and Blake’s sing-off was fairly predictable. Blake started off the show by reprising his performance of Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love A Bad Name.” I will agree with the judges that his performance was entertaining; however, beat-boxing is not singing, and it’s not going to sustain a career. Blake’s next performance, Maroon 5’s “She Will Be Loved,” helps to understand why he employs the beat-box. Can you say “mediocre?” “Mediocre” best describes Blake’s singing ability, and that point really comes home on his performance of the songwriting competition winner, “This Is My Now.”
It was painful. He was off-key for most of the song, and it was just awful. Simon said that if we judge him on only two of his performances, he did well. No, you don’t judge him on only two performances; you judge him as the one-dimensional artist that he is. To bring that point home, let’s look at Jordin’s final performances.
She started the night by covering Christina Aguilera’s “Fighter.” Jordin’s performance was both good and bad. It was good because she sounded almost exactly like Christina. Christina is one of the more talented vocalists in the business today, and to be able to emulate her says a lot about Jordin’s abilities; however, because the performance was virtually identical, one would believe that Jordin has yet to find her musical identity, which is no surprise given her age.
Her next song, “Broken Wing” calls for standing behind the mic and belting out the song, which she did without hesitation. Jordin sings “Broken Wing” quite well, though I wouldn’t insult Martina McBride by saying she sang it “better than the original,” as Simon said. Let’s just say she did a great job with the song and leave it at that. Finally, Jordin got her shot at “This Is My Now.” The song suited Jordin better, which was also no surprise. While Jordin sang the heck out of “This Is My Now,” the end result was a very anti-climactic final sing-off and another American Idull finish to the season.
No more Sanjaya's, please
As for the final show, I am trying to figure out why they felt the need to continue to hype that no-singing Sanjaya and, once again, show us “the American Idol crier.” Sanjaya is a complete joke, but the joke is no longer funny. One would think that if the producers are worried enough about the show to post a survey, they would stop with all the foolishness. I figured Joe Perry was making faces like most artists do when they perform, but in retrospect, he was probably tuning up in response to Sanjaya’s horribly off-key singing and shouting.
Judges, please leave the Sanjaya-type singers out of the competition next year. In fact, leave out ALL the male contestants if they sing no better than this group. The standout among the men, far and away, was Phil Stacey. He shined in the group numbers, and the full-length, studio versions of his performances on the show are very good. I strongly believe that Phil has a future, something I can’t say for sure about the remaining men, including Blake.
Looking forward
Chris might possibly have a career if he takes advantage of the skills he does have. While everyone spent the season comparing Chris to Justin Timberlake, he is really more like Adam Levine of Maroon 5. After seeing Maroon 5 on the show, which is a very good band, I have found Chris Richardson’s vocal double. Instead of giving off the fake R&B vibe, why didn’t Chris sing some Maroon 5 songs? I might have actually liked him. It’s very important for an artist to stick with what works. Adam Levine is not a necessarily strong singer, but he has the “package” and a dynamite band, so the vocals work for him. There you go, Chris. He should be paying me for my advice.
As for the women, I expect both LaKisha and Melinda will have careers. LaKisha still needs to tone down her wardrobe, but she sounded fabulous in the group number with Gladys Knight. Melinda displayed strong gospel ability, but with her talent, she is not limited to that genre. I was almost as shocked to see two incredible gospel singers on this show as I was to see Prince last year, for different reasons. Melinda really sparkled on “Hold Up The Light,” and the reason is obvious. For those who don’t know, Melinda is a devout Christian, and she sings back up on the original version of this song. The show could not have chosen better celebrities for her performance. The Winans are a well-known, incredibly talented gospel family, and Melinda fit right in.
Year-end advice for American Idol
Now, it’s time for my year-end advice for American Idol. First, leave out the canned performances. Unless they want to sign up as mentors, these celebs can and should peddle their wares elsewhere. This show is supposed to be about the young people who are competing, and the show did this group a disservice by removing that focus. Second, make the voting more fair. Stop the unlimited voting, as it really serves no purpose other than to show who is most popular not who is the better vocalist. Thank God that at least one of the better vocalists won this year. Last and most important, stop lying to the American public.
There is no way this season received any of the vote totals Ryan spewed from the big stage. My sister voted faithfully each week, and she reveals that she got through to Jordin—the winner—by 9:30 p.m. While we both had to turn to text messages to vote for Elliott Yamin last year and could never get through to vote for Ruben Studdard the year he won, she had absolutely no trouble voting for Melinda and Jordin this season—ever. Sixty-three million votes my patootie.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Access Hollywood | Life After 'Idol:' Finalists Visit Access Hollywood | Celebrity and Hollywood News Access Hollywood
Access Hollywood | Life After 'Idol:' Finalists Visit Access Hollywood | Celebrity and Hollywood News Access Hollywood
Life After 'Idol:' Finalists Visit Access Hollywood
LOS ANGELES (May 29, 2007) -- Following her "Idol" coronation, Jordin Sparks made an exclusive stop by the Access Hollywood stage to show off her winning vocal chops.
And what's the only thing better than one exclusive visit? How about eight of them all at once, as eight of "American Idol's" final 10 visited the Access stage to chat about life in the spotlight and their new found fame.
"It was a year ago and nobody knew who you were," Access' Shaun Robinson joked with the group.
"Five months ago," Melinda Doolittle joking corrected her.
One thing is for sure – everyone knows them now! But the top eight apparently still aren’t used to seeing themselves on camera, as they took every opportunity to ham it up on our set before the interview began, with Sanjaya Malakar smothering LaKisha Jones with kisses.
"Sanjaya you kiss me one more time and I'm gonna beat you down," she smiled.
In that regard, it looks like LaKisha stands alone, because plenty of girls are clamoring for smooches from Sanjaya.
"It's very awkward sometimes though because you're walking down the street and someone will be like, 'Hey Sanjaya! How you doing?' and I'm just like 'Hi,'" he told Shaun.
"It's weird because I thought Sanjaya was the most non-popular person on the show," Chris Richardson joked, getting a big laugh from the rest of the group.
But no doubt, with his luscious locks Sanjaya was the stand out of this "Idol" season – even if it wasn't for typical reasons.
But how did all of the controversy impact the musical Malakar?
"I was just focusing on what I had to do each week because that's what you have to do," he told Shaun. "You can't get distracted by that stuff."
So did his fellow contestants feel all of the attention helped Sanjaya stick around a little longer than he would have otherwise?
"I think the press certainly helped Sanjaya get votes, but I also think he deserved it," Phil Stacey said.
"He stuck through it too," Chris Richardson added. "Especially being his age and having so many people just coming down on him, he still would come in with a smile every single day."
But in a bizarre twist, "Idol's" most talked about commodity might not even be who he says he is!
In a popular video on YouTube last week, Sanjaya claims his name is Bill Vendall, a 25-year-old grad student who's been playing the role of "Sanjaya" as an art project.
Shaun asked Sanjaya about the video.
"Okay, you wanna explain that?" Shaun asked him.
"I was having fun and then people believed that I was actually Bill Vendall," he laughed. "I'm not Bill Vendall!"
As it turns out, the bizarre hoax was actually commissioned by Will Ferrell for his Web site FunnyOrDie.com.
Ok, all gags aside – it's time to talk business as the "Idols" are gearing up for their big summer tour.
"It's gonna rock," Richardson said.
"Now the pressure is off – we're not competing for anything anymore," LaKisha noted.
No pressure… and no judges.
So who do the "Idols" think received the worst slam from the always candid Simon Cowell?
"Haley," Chris Sligh quickly answered, drawing a laugh from Scarnato. "It was when he was like, 'I can't even remember your name.'"
But apparently Haley isn't the only one who Simon couldn't remember.
"Don't take it too hard," Phil Stacey added. "He came up to me at the finale and said, 'Chris, how have you been doing?'"
Life After 'Idol:' Finalists Visit Access Hollywood
LOS ANGELES (May 29, 2007) -- Following her "Idol" coronation, Jordin Sparks made an exclusive stop by the Access Hollywood stage to show off her winning vocal chops.
And what's the only thing better than one exclusive visit? How about eight of them all at once, as eight of "American Idol's" final 10 visited the Access stage to chat about life in the spotlight and their new found fame.
"It was a year ago and nobody knew who you were," Access' Shaun Robinson joked with the group.
"Five months ago," Melinda Doolittle joking corrected her.
One thing is for sure – everyone knows them now! But the top eight apparently still aren’t used to seeing themselves on camera, as they took every opportunity to ham it up on our set before the interview began, with Sanjaya Malakar smothering LaKisha Jones with kisses.
"Sanjaya you kiss me one more time and I'm gonna beat you down," she smiled.
In that regard, it looks like LaKisha stands alone, because plenty of girls are clamoring for smooches from Sanjaya.
"It's very awkward sometimes though because you're walking down the street and someone will be like, 'Hey Sanjaya! How you doing?' and I'm just like 'Hi,'" he told Shaun.
"It's weird because I thought Sanjaya was the most non-popular person on the show," Chris Richardson joked, getting a big laugh from the rest of the group.
But no doubt, with his luscious locks Sanjaya was the stand out of this "Idol" season – even if it wasn't for typical reasons.
But how did all of the controversy impact the musical Malakar?
"I was just focusing on what I had to do each week because that's what you have to do," he told Shaun. "You can't get distracted by that stuff."
So did his fellow contestants feel all of the attention helped Sanjaya stick around a little longer than he would have otherwise?
"I think the press certainly helped Sanjaya get votes, but I also think he deserved it," Phil Stacey said.
"He stuck through it too," Chris Richardson added. "Especially being his age and having so many people just coming down on him, he still would come in with a smile every single day."
But in a bizarre twist, "Idol's" most talked about commodity might not even be who he says he is!
In a popular video on YouTube last week, Sanjaya claims his name is Bill Vendall, a 25-year-old grad student who's been playing the role of "Sanjaya" as an art project.
Shaun asked Sanjaya about the video.
"Okay, you wanna explain that?" Shaun asked him.
"I was having fun and then people believed that I was actually Bill Vendall," he laughed. "I'm not Bill Vendall!"
As it turns out, the bizarre hoax was actually commissioned by Will Ferrell for his Web site FunnyOrDie.com.
Ok, all gags aside – it's time to talk business as the "Idols" are gearing up for their big summer tour.
"It's gonna rock," Richardson said.
"Now the pressure is off – we're not competing for anything anymore," LaKisha noted.
No pressure… and no judges.
So who do the "Idols" think received the worst slam from the always candid Simon Cowell?
"Haley," Chris Sligh quickly answered, drawing a laugh from Scarnato. "It was when he was like, 'I can't even remember your name.'"
But apparently Haley isn't the only one who Simon couldn't remember.
"Don't take it too hard," Phil Stacey added. "He came up to me at the finale and said, 'Chris, how have you been doing?'"
Is Rosie O’Donnell vying to be the next ‘American Idol’?
March 6: South Nyack’s Rosie O’Donnell discusses “American Idol,” which hasn’t had a Lower Hudson Valley resident make the Top 24 since the previous season. On “The View,” the full-figured O’Donnell says “Idol” is “weight-ist” in light of producers’ lenient treatment of the lean Antonella Barba versus its quick disposal of the plus-sized Frenchie Davis.
April 25: O’Donnell, who later is named the country’s sixth-most charitable celebrity, announces she’ll be leaving “The View”; the announcement comes mere hours before the first “Idol Gives Back” charity episode airs.
May 22: On her blog, O’Donnell posts herself singing along with a remix of Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab.” Later that day, “Idol” contestants sing for the last time before producers voters pick a champ.
May 23: O’Donnell and Elisabeth Hasselbeck get into an epic 10-minute argument on “The View.” Another epic battle comes to an end later that day, when Jordin Sparks becomes the new “American Idol”—and inspires singers nationwide to audition for Season 7.
May 25: O’Donnell quits “The View.” Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this.
April 25: O’Donnell, who later is named the country’s sixth-most charitable celebrity, announces she’ll be leaving “The View”; the announcement comes mere hours before the first “Idol Gives Back” charity episode airs.
May 22: On her blog, O’Donnell posts herself singing along with a remix of Amy Winehouse’s “Rehab.” Later that day, “Idol” contestants sing for the last time before producers voters pick a champ.
May 23: O’Donnell and Elisabeth Hasselbeck get into an epic 10-minute argument on “The View.” Another epic battle comes to an end later that day, when Jordin Sparks becomes the new “American Idol”—and inspires singers nationwide to audition for Season 7.
May 25: O’Donnell quits “The View.” Some people wait a lifetime for a moment like this.
'American Idol' Recap: Christians a Definite Presence
Looking back at this year’s season of “American Idol,” one thing is quite clear: Christians had a very definite presence on the popular TV talent contest.
The most obvious proof is this year’s winner, Jordin Sparks, who took home the “Idol” crown last week. She has been on the Christian music scene for some time, and will become a positive role model for other Christians out there.
“I want them (non-believers) to know that God loves them, Jesus died for them, and that God has a plan for their life,” explained Sparks in her online e-profile at the Gospel Music Association (GMA) website prior to the competition. “I want them to see and hear that being a Christian and singing about it isn't weird!”
Sparks, 17, has strong ties to the GMA. In 2004, she competed in the GMA Music in the Rockies – a showcase event for aspiring, often unsigned, songwriters and artists in the Christian music industry – and was the Overall Spotlight Winner at the 2004 GMA Academy in Washington, D.C., a feat which she listed on her online “Idol” profile as her “proudest moment in life so far.”
The recent champion has even traveled as a singer with popular artist Michael W. Smith on his Christmastime tour, and listed “God” as the first person she would thank if she won “Idol,” among several other contestants.
Besides Sparks, half of the singers on this summer’s “Idol” tour – five out of ten – have Christian roots.
Third place vocalist Melinda Doolittle was a backup singer in Nashville, hometown to a majority of Christian artists, for some time, and was labeled as this year’s best singer by many critics. She also attended Belmont University – the largest Christian university in Tennessee.
When asked what her personal goals in life were, she responded, “To represent Christ well and do everything 150 percent.”
Other Christian top ten finalists included Chris Sligh, Phil Stacey, and LaKisha Jones, who have all voiced their Christian foundations.
Stacey is a minister of music at First Coast Christian in Jacksonville, Fla., as well as a student at Liberty University – an independent fine arts Baptist university located in Lynchburg, Va.
Sligh, who had several people support his faith early in the competition, also serves as a music minister at his home Seacoast Church in Greenville, S.C., and, like Sparks, had competed in the GMA Music in the Rockies where he took home a first place award. The South Carolina native has even announced plans to move into a Christian music career.
"He's not going to back away from the fact that he's a Christian," said Chris Surratt, pastor of the Sligh’s church, in the Associated Press. "He's going to let that shine through in what he does."
Sligh is also the son of missionaries and attended two Christian universities in the past: Bob Jones University and North Greenville University.
Rounding out the five Christians is LaKisha Jones, who although does not have professional ties to Christian music, has explained how she honed her singing voice from growing up in the church.
Even non-competitors have had a significant impact on this year’s contest. “This Is My Now” was chosen as the winning song for the “American Idol” songwriter competition and was performed by both Sparks and fellow finalist Blake Lewis in the finale. It, too, was composed by two Christian composers: veteran Christian artist and songwriter Scott Krippayne and his pastor Jeff Peabody.
Famous gospel artists, BeBe and CeCe Winans, also had a reunion performance with Doolittle, their former backup singer, during a rendition of "Hold Up the Light" in Wednesday’s finale.
After all the success and fame that comes from “Idol,” it will be interesting to see how each of the Christian finalists will hold onto their faith.
The most obvious proof is this year’s winner, Jordin Sparks, who took home the “Idol” crown last week. She has been on the Christian music scene for some time, and will become a positive role model for other Christians out there.
“I want them (non-believers) to know that God loves them, Jesus died for them, and that God has a plan for their life,” explained Sparks in her online e-profile at the Gospel Music Association (GMA) website prior to the competition. “I want them to see and hear that being a Christian and singing about it isn't weird!”
Sparks, 17, has strong ties to the GMA. In 2004, she competed in the GMA Music in the Rockies – a showcase event for aspiring, often unsigned, songwriters and artists in the Christian music industry – and was the Overall Spotlight Winner at the 2004 GMA Academy in Washington, D.C., a feat which she listed on her online “Idol” profile as her “proudest moment in life so far.”
The recent champion has even traveled as a singer with popular artist Michael W. Smith on his Christmastime tour, and listed “God” as the first person she would thank if she won “Idol,” among several other contestants.
Besides Sparks, half of the singers on this summer’s “Idol” tour – five out of ten – have Christian roots.
Third place vocalist Melinda Doolittle was a backup singer in Nashville, hometown to a majority of Christian artists, for some time, and was labeled as this year’s best singer by many critics. She also attended Belmont University – the largest Christian university in Tennessee.
When asked what her personal goals in life were, she responded, “To represent Christ well and do everything 150 percent.”
Other Christian top ten finalists included Chris Sligh, Phil Stacey, and LaKisha Jones, who have all voiced their Christian foundations.
Stacey is a minister of music at First Coast Christian in Jacksonville, Fla., as well as a student at Liberty University – an independent fine arts Baptist university located in Lynchburg, Va.
Sligh, who had several people support his faith early in the competition, also serves as a music minister at his home Seacoast Church in Greenville, S.C., and, like Sparks, had competed in the GMA Music in the Rockies where he took home a first place award. The South Carolina native has even announced plans to move into a Christian music career.
"He's not going to back away from the fact that he's a Christian," said Chris Surratt, pastor of the Sligh’s church, in the Associated Press. "He's going to let that shine through in what he does."
Sligh is also the son of missionaries and attended two Christian universities in the past: Bob Jones University and North Greenville University.
Rounding out the five Christians is LaKisha Jones, who although does not have professional ties to Christian music, has explained how she honed her singing voice from growing up in the church.
Even non-competitors have had a significant impact on this year’s contest. “This Is My Now” was chosen as the winning song for the “American Idol” songwriter competition and was performed by both Sparks and fellow finalist Blake Lewis in the finale. It, too, was composed by two Christian composers: veteran Christian artist and songwriter Scott Krippayne and his pastor Jeff Peabody.
Famous gospel artists, BeBe and CeCe Winans, also had a reunion performance with Doolittle, their former backup singer, during a rendition of "Hold Up the Light" in Wednesday’s finale.
After all the success and fame that comes from “Idol,” it will be interesting to see how each of the Christian finalists will hold onto their faith.
American Idol finalist joins Rent
Grey finished fourth place on Idol and will don latex pants to play the role of dancer-muse Mimi Marquez in Rent, until November 25, at the Nederlander Theatre.
Since American Idol, Gray had a recurring role on the hit television series Boston Public, guest spots on other shows is no stranger to Broadway, making her debut in the Bollywood-themed musical Bombay Dreams.
She also has writing credits for the songs ‘I Believe’ for Idol winner Fantasia Barrino (who is now on Broadway in The Color Purple) and ‘You Thought Wrong’ for first season champion Kelly Clarkson. Gray also appeared in the film The Gospel.
Since American Idol, Gray had a recurring role on the hit television series Boston Public, guest spots on other shows is no stranger to Broadway, making her debut in the Bollywood-themed musical Bombay Dreams.
She also has writing credits for the songs ‘I Believe’ for Idol winner Fantasia Barrino (who is now on Broadway in The Color Purple) and ‘You Thought Wrong’ for first season champion Kelly Clarkson. Gray also appeared in the film The Gospel.
Scot Dario becomes an American idol
He collects Ferraris, flies a helicopter, is married to a Hollywood actress, and has won one of the blue riband events of world motorsport.
And he can walk the streets of his hometown Edinburgh largely unrecognised.
But on Sunday millions of television viewers around the world certainly knew who Dario Franchitti was, as the 34-year-old Scot won the 91st running of America's most prestigious motor race, the Indianapolis 500.
Franchitti's win for the Andretti Green Racing team emulates the success of all-time greats such as Graham Hill and Jim Clark, who also both crossed the Atlantic to triumph at the circuit known as the Brickyard.
Clark is such an inspiration to Franchitti that he has a room in his house set aside specifically for memorabilia of the two-time Formula One world champion.
And Franchitti could have followed his fellow Scot into the world of F1 had he not chosen to move to America 10 years ago, having paid his dues in the lower categories of European competition.
Three-time F1 world champion Sir Jackie Stewart, who twice raced in the Indy 500 himself, knows Franchitti well from those early days.
"I always saw Dario as a top-flight talent," Stewart told BBC Sport.
"In the early 1990s he was a leading force for Paul Stewart Racing, the team I had with my son.
"When he went to the US I was certain he would be a power to be reckoned with over there."
But when Franchitti broke his back in a motorbike accident in Scotland in 2003, the mere prospect of driving again, let alone winning the Indy 500, must have seemed a distant dream.
"He was out of racing for a while after injuring his back in a motorbike accident and some people thought it might have destroyed his entire career," said Stewart.
"So it's great for him to come back and win after people wrote him off."
Franchitti's father George owned a string of ice cream parlours in Scotland before retiring, and now travels the world watching all his son's races.
And despite Franchitti having entered the world of A-grade American celebrity through his marriage to actress and singer Ashley Judd, Stewart said these family ties ensure his feet remain firmly on the ground.
"He's never lost his Scottishness, his accent, or any of his values," he said.
"Dario's very straightforward, he hasn't changed at all with his fame, and becoming a celebrity.
"He enjoys his life fully, is good with his sponsors and presents himself well - he's one of the nicest men I know."
Collecting Ferraris, attending red-carpet premieres and flying your own helicopter are a lifetime away from the junior karting circuit, where the young Franchitti began his racing career.
He worked and won his way up the junior ranks before entering the Formula Vauxhall Lotus championship for Paul Stewart Racing in 1992.
The following year he won the class, and spent the next three years competing in Formula Three and German Touring Cars before trying his luck in American Cart racing in 1997.
One of his few career disappointments occurred in 2000, when he had an unsuccessful try-out with the Jaguar F1 team.
"I think he was good material for F1 but perhaps he had stayed too long in America before making the approach to get a test drive," said Stewart.
"The drive went well, but because of his canniness he spent the morning getting to know the car, not putting in quick laps.
"But there was a mechanical problem which prevented him doing the laps he might have done later, so the laps he did in the morning may not have met the expectation of those in power. He was definitely worthy of more testing.
"The reality of life is that you play with the cards you pick out of the pack. I'm sure he would have preferred some of his success to be in F1 but it was not to be.
"But outside winning the Indy 500, he can be very proud of what he's achieved in his life."
Even before he could walk, motor racing was already part of Franchitti's life.
As a baby, he watched his father drive karts at the West of Scotland Kart Club, and club vice-chairperson Bill McDonald remembers him as a talented youngster.
"He had good equipment and it was always well maintained and well set-up, which comes from the family background," he told BBC Sport.
"The Franchittis have been involved in motorsport for years and that knowledge got funnelled down to the youngsters early on."
Despite being one of the club's most successful graduates, Franchitti is treated the same as anyone else on his frequent return visits - not that he is the sort to complain.
"He just turns up like anyone else and walks about - there are still a lot of people here who know him from his young days," said McDonald.
"He's a gentleman, a very nice guy - he'll not walk past you, he'll stop and talk to the people in the pits. He's certainly not aloof."
His journey from Bathgate to Hollywood has certainly not been without its setbacks and moments of hardship.
But as the victor's garland was put around his neck last Sunday, Dario Franchitti was living proof that sometimes life really does produce a Hollywood ending.
And he can walk the streets of his hometown Edinburgh largely unrecognised.
But on Sunday millions of television viewers around the world certainly knew who Dario Franchitti was, as the 34-year-old Scot won the 91st running of America's most prestigious motor race, the Indianapolis 500.
Franchitti's win for the Andretti Green Racing team emulates the success of all-time greats such as Graham Hill and Jim Clark, who also both crossed the Atlantic to triumph at the circuit known as the Brickyard.
Clark is such an inspiration to Franchitti that he has a room in his house set aside specifically for memorabilia of the two-time Formula One world champion.
And Franchitti could have followed his fellow Scot into the world of F1 had he not chosen to move to America 10 years ago, having paid his dues in the lower categories of European competition.
Three-time F1 world champion Sir Jackie Stewart, who twice raced in the Indy 500 himself, knows Franchitti well from those early days.
"I always saw Dario as a top-flight talent," Stewart told BBC Sport.
"In the early 1990s he was a leading force for Paul Stewart Racing, the team I had with my son.
"When he went to the US I was certain he would be a power to be reckoned with over there."
But when Franchitti broke his back in a motorbike accident in Scotland in 2003, the mere prospect of driving again, let alone winning the Indy 500, must have seemed a distant dream.
"He was out of racing for a while after injuring his back in a motorbike accident and some people thought it might have destroyed his entire career," said Stewart.
"So it's great for him to come back and win after people wrote him off."
Franchitti's father George owned a string of ice cream parlours in Scotland before retiring, and now travels the world watching all his son's races.
And despite Franchitti having entered the world of A-grade American celebrity through his marriage to actress and singer Ashley Judd, Stewart said these family ties ensure his feet remain firmly on the ground.
"He's never lost his Scottishness, his accent, or any of his values," he said.
"Dario's very straightforward, he hasn't changed at all with his fame, and becoming a celebrity.
"He enjoys his life fully, is good with his sponsors and presents himself well - he's one of the nicest men I know."
Collecting Ferraris, attending red-carpet premieres and flying your own helicopter are a lifetime away from the junior karting circuit, where the young Franchitti began his racing career.
He worked and won his way up the junior ranks before entering the Formula Vauxhall Lotus championship for Paul Stewart Racing in 1992.
The following year he won the class, and spent the next three years competing in Formula Three and German Touring Cars before trying his luck in American Cart racing in 1997.
One of his few career disappointments occurred in 2000, when he had an unsuccessful try-out with the Jaguar F1 team.
"I think he was good material for F1 but perhaps he had stayed too long in America before making the approach to get a test drive," said Stewart.
"The drive went well, but because of his canniness he spent the morning getting to know the car, not putting in quick laps.
"But there was a mechanical problem which prevented him doing the laps he might have done later, so the laps he did in the morning may not have met the expectation of those in power. He was definitely worthy of more testing.
"The reality of life is that you play with the cards you pick out of the pack. I'm sure he would have preferred some of his success to be in F1 but it was not to be.
"But outside winning the Indy 500, he can be very proud of what he's achieved in his life."
Even before he could walk, motor racing was already part of Franchitti's life.
As a baby, he watched his father drive karts at the West of Scotland Kart Club, and club vice-chairperson Bill McDonald remembers him as a talented youngster.
"He had good equipment and it was always well maintained and well set-up, which comes from the family background," he told BBC Sport.
"The Franchittis have been involved in motorsport for years and that knowledge got funnelled down to the youngsters early on."
Despite being one of the club's most successful graduates, Franchitti is treated the same as anyone else on his frequent return visits - not that he is the sort to complain.
"He just turns up like anyone else and walks about - there are still a lot of people here who know him from his young days," said McDonald.
"He's a gentleman, a very nice guy - he'll not walk past you, he'll stop and talk to the people in the pits. He's certainly not aloof."
His journey from Bathgate to Hollywood has certainly not been without its setbacks and moments of hardship.
But as the victor's garland was put around his neck last Sunday, Dario Franchitti was living proof that sometimes life really does produce a Hollywood ending.
Our first American Idol-free week in what seems like forever
Hey, if you're a fan of the show, bless your soul and enjoy EW's all-Idol issue. But for the rest of us: Hallelujah! If I never have to hear the caterwaul of any of this edition's grotesque excuses for ''pop'' or ''rock'' singing, I will be forever grateful. Ditto the name ''Sanjaya.'' Ditto anything from the mouths of Ryan, Randy, Paula, and — yes, I've even tired of the one person in on the cynical joke of it all — Simon.
2. John Wayne, Dean Martin, and Ricky Nelson in the new two-disc Rio Bravo
(Warner Home Video DVD)
There's a slew of John Wayne movies being released to capitalize on the 100th anniversary of his birth, but this, of course, is the best of them. Director Howard Hawks' 1959 ode to a man's-gotta-do-what-a-man's-gotta-do is simply one of the most purely enjoyable Westerns ever made. Richard Schickel's commentary provides a welcome wealth of production detail and exploration of Hawks' themes. Schickel's only flaw? He doesn't really ''get'' Ricky Nelson — what the teen idol stood for outside of this film, and how good the kid was in it.
3. Ultimate Fighters: Rosie, Elizabeth, and Joy on The View
Hoo, boy, last week's O'Donnell/Hasselbeck donnybrook, provoked by Behar, was far more tense than anything on the entire season 6 of 24...and led to the announcement that Rosie won't be coming back to ride out her contract. Does that make Hasselbeck the winner? No — now she has to contend with a freshly feisty Joy Behar, who won't grab headlines the way Rosie did, but will provide the liberal yin to Elizabeth's conservative yang. I'll stay tuned for a while, if only to hear how Barbara Walters spins this.
4. Father vs. son: Which should you buy?
Loudon Wainwright's Strange Weirdos: Music From and Inspired By the Film Knocked Up (Concord) or Rufus Wainwright's Release the Stars (Geffen)?
Rufus: gorgeous voice, overreaching ambition, mosquito-sized sense of humor. Loudon: scratchy tenor, sneakily large-but-underplayed ambition, best sense of humor in the music biz. I declare Dad the winner by a knockout. His album is a hybrid by Loudon standards — I gather that instrumental versions of some of the tunes here accompany the Knocked Up you'll see in the movie theater, and Loudon, usually a solo author, collaborated on a few songs with his producer Joe Henry, and also covers a couple of Henry's songs. Strange Weirdos is nonetheless top-tier Loudon music. Its fretting about middle-age (''Doin' The Math'') adapts neatly to the movie's anxiety about impending parenthood, and parenthood has always been primo subject matter for Loudon (just ask, um, Rufus, immortalized in more of his dad's songs than he'd probably like). The re-recording of an old Loudon song, ''Lullaby,'' is lovely, and new stuff such as ''You Can't Fail Me Now'' and the title track are superb. Come on: Give the old WASP duffer some record sales.
5. The season finale of House
(Fox, Tues., 9 p.m.)
The best thing about this season of House has been the streamlining of its concept. The writers no longer bother trying to give the families of the mysteriously stricken patients personalities — establishing subsidiary characters just gets in the way of what we tune in for: Hugh Laurie being rude and brilliant. And I appreciate the effort, in the second half of the season, to give more screen time to Robert Sean Leonard's Dr. Wilson; until now, Leonard has managed to convey anguished soulfulness almost solely through line-readings and glances — it's good to see him actually handed a storyline now and then, because he's both witty and moving. Oh, yeah: the finale plot is about Omar Epps' plans to leave the hospital (yawn).
2. John Wayne, Dean Martin, and Ricky Nelson in the new two-disc Rio Bravo
(Warner Home Video DVD)
There's a slew of John Wayne movies being released to capitalize on the 100th anniversary of his birth, but this, of course, is the best of them. Director Howard Hawks' 1959 ode to a man's-gotta-do-what-a-man's-gotta-do is simply one of the most purely enjoyable Westerns ever made. Richard Schickel's commentary provides a welcome wealth of production detail and exploration of Hawks' themes. Schickel's only flaw? He doesn't really ''get'' Ricky Nelson — what the teen idol stood for outside of this film, and how good the kid was in it.
3. Ultimate Fighters: Rosie, Elizabeth, and Joy on The View
Hoo, boy, last week's O'Donnell/Hasselbeck donnybrook, provoked by Behar, was far more tense than anything on the entire season 6 of 24...and led to the announcement that Rosie won't be coming back to ride out her contract. Does that make Hasselbeck the winner? No — now she has to contend with a freshly feisty Joy Behar, who won't grab headlines the way Rosie did, but will provide the liberal yin to Elizabeth's conservative yang. I'll stay tuned for a while, if only to hear how Barbara Walters spins this.
4. Father vs. son: Which should you buy?
Loudon Wainwright's Strange Weirdos: Music From and Inspired By the Film Knocked Up (Concord) or Rufus Wainwright's Release the Stars (Geffen)?
Rufus: gorgeous voice, overreaching ambition, mosquito-sized sense of humor. Loudon: scratchy tenor, sneakily large-but-underplayed ambition, best sense of humor in the music biz. I declare Dad the winner by a knockout. His album is a hybrid by Loudon standards — I gather that instrumental versions of some of the tunes here accompany the Knocked Up you'll see in the movie theater, and Loudon, usually a solo author, collaborated on a few songs with his producer Joe Henry, and also covers a couple of Henry's songs. Strange Weirdos is nonetheless top-tier Loudon music. Its fretting about middle-age (''Doin' The Math'') adapts neatly to the movie's anxiety about impending parenthood, and parenthood has always been primo subject matter for Loudon (just ask, um, Rufus, immortalized in more of his dad's songs than he'd probably like). The re-recording of an old Loudon song, ''Lullaby,'' is lovely, and new stuff such as ''You Can't Fail Me Now'' and the title track are superb. Come on: Give the old WASP duffer some record sales.
5. The season finale of House
(Fox, Tues., 9 p.m.)
The best thing about this season of House has been the streamlining of its concept. The writers no longer bother trying to give the families of the mysteriously stricken patients personalities — establishing subsidiary characters just gets in the way of what we tune in for: Hugh Laurie being rude and brilliant. And I appreciate the effort, in the second half of the season, to give more screen time to Robert Sean Leonard's Dr. Wilson; until now, Leonard has managed to convey anguished soulfulness almost solely through line-readings and glances — it's good to see him actually handed a storyline now and then, because he's both witty and moving. Oh, yeah: the finale plot is about Omar Epps' plans to leave the hospital (yawn).
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