Charles Grigsby
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TV ClubHouse: Archive: American Idol (FOX): Charles Grigsby

Pagal

Saturday, March 22, 2003 - 02:48 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Found this in the March 31st edition of "People" magazine.

The Road to Recovery
Charles Grigsby almost didn't make the finals, but not because of the vote. On Dec. 3, Grigsby, 24, and sister Jennifer, 29, were driving near their Oberlin, Ohio, home when they were hit by a truck. Initially, "I couldn't even move, " says Grigsby, who has returned to form with twice-weekly physical therapy sessions. Jennifer, who sustained spinal injuries, is confined to a wheel chair, but doctors say she'll walk again. Still, she insisted that Grigsby attend Idol's L.A. competition. When Grigsby returned home after reaching the Top 32, Jennifer "dissolved into tears of happiness," says mom Ramona, 58. "She's so proud of him."

Car54

Saturday, March 22, 2003 - 03:46 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
OMG. I am just shocked....he mentioned his sister but no details. His poor mom.

Boy I hope something nice happens for this kid. He and his family are good people.

Thanks for posting this Pagal!

Puttergirl

Saturday, March 22, 2003 - 04:12 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Its too bad he didn't talk about it on air. The sympathy factor would have taken him farther!!!

Pagal

Saturday, March 22, 2003 - 04:36 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
You're welcome. I really like him and his family. They seeme very caring of each other and down-to-earth.

Walker

Saturday, March 22, 2003 - 05:40 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
i am really sorry to hear about this..i had no idea this had happened..makes me wish that things could have worked out for him on AI..I too wish all the best to he and his family..he appears to be a pretty good guy..god bless him and his family.

Fruitbat

Saturday, March 22, 2003 - 05:54 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
You have to figure that just being in the final 12 opens some doors. This child was not seen at all before this.

Car54

Saturday, March 22, 2003 - 05:58 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Didn't someone say all the finalists do some kind of tour? I am happy that Charles will get to do that.

I am usually not one to latch on to a contestant but the little film of his home, with his sweet mom who is so excited, and his job bagging groceries-where his boss is so excited he had him sing over the PA system...just got me. He had never been out of Ohio before the show.

I really want the best- he seems like a really good kid.

Fruitbat

Saturday, March 22, 2003 - 06:32 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I agree, sweet boy. xxxooo

Llkoolaid

Saturday, March 22, 2003 - 08:38 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
Now I feel like a big "rhymes with itch and starts with B"

Marameko

Monday, March 24, 2003 - 11:28 am EditMoveDeleteIP
I sure hope he gets a stady gig somewhere or at least tours withthe others after the show ends.

Texannie

Monday, March 24, 2003 - 01:40 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I am sorry he got hurt and his sister is in a wheelchair, but imho, he just wasn't all that good. I saw him being interviewed and was sort of suprised to see him taking the attitude of "I've been robbed". He commented that all his friends said he will be remembered as the "contestant that should not have been voted off". I found myself thinking what nice friends he had, but that they weren't very truthful.

Essence

Monday, March 24, 2003 - 02:11 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I agree with his friends. IMHO, there were others who should have gone before him.

Pantageas

Monday, March 24, 2003 - 02:53 pm EditMoveDeleteIP
I don't think Charles could have won, but he did get "voted off" too soon(Vanessa too). Corey and Carmen had worse vocal performances; Julia had worse stage prescence. Charles should have been the 4th to go, Vanessa 5th(based on what we've seen so far).

Grooch

Wednesday, April 09, 2003 - 10:18 am EditMoveDeleteIP
`Idol' contestant has no regrets
24-year-old Oberlin man who was voted off show is thankful for TV exposure and business contacts
By R.D. Heldenfels

Charles Grigsby didn't want to audition for American Idol. Now he's very glad his friends made him do it.

After all, the 24-year-old Oberlin resident could still be working in a grocery store and making demonstration recordings with friends, hoping for a big break.

Instead, he got TV exposure and went farther than most contenders in the talent competition, which continues tonight at 8 on Fox.

He expects to sing the national anthem at an Indians game in May. On Monday, he was calling from New York City, where he was taking part in a tour of shopping malls with other American Idol contestants.

Asked how the mall crowds had reacted, the soft-spoken Grigsby said, ``In-credible. In-credible, man.''

Estimating crowds in the thousands for the appearances, Grigsby said that the mix of performance, Q&A and autograph signing was especially pleasing because he was making even more fans than he had from the TV show.

``People are coming up and saying, `You were not my favorite at first,' '' said Grigsby, who was voted off the show March 19. But after seeing and hearing him in person, those same people liked him even more, Grigsby said. ``That was amazing.''

Other fans thought Grigsby should still be on the show. (So does Grigsby.)

``I'm getting compared to Tamyra (Gray, from the first competition). She was voted off before she should have been,'' he said.

Fans speak out

Support has grown since performer Corey Clark was disqualified a week ago for not fully disclosing the extent of the legal troubles he was facing, Grigsby said.

``I would check the message boards on the Internet and find people trying to create a petition to bring me back,'' said Grigsby, who was followed by Julia DeMato and the disqualified Clark in getting ousted. ``It's a good feeling to know that your fans like you that much.''

Grigsby said he was ``shocked'' at Clark's ouster, which came after two other contestants were booted when information about their pasts came to light.

The show gave him a long, detailed background form to fill out, Grigsby said, one that asked about everything from any criminal record to sexual preference. ``It made me think, wow, they're not playing.... They asked some wild questions.''

When I asked whether the show then checked his answers, Grigsby at first said he had not heard of any checks -- then remembered that the show had looked into whether he had ever signed a recording contract.

Still, when Clark was dumped, Grigsby said he never asked the producers to bring him back.

``I went ahead and rode it out,'' he said.

But he had heard criticism of the show over last week's telecasts, when two hours of prime time were spent teasing the audience about the elimination of another contestant -- even though the producers had decided not to bounce anyone that week.

Many fans were livid. Asked what he had heard during his appearances, Grigsby said, ``Same thing. Same thing.

``The truth of the matter is, American Idol can change anything at any time at the producers' discretion,'' Grigsby said. ``I wasn't too shocked (by last week's stunt). I thought, here they go with another twist.''

Anyone can win

But Grigsby believes the top prize is still up for grabs. He thinks Ruben Studdard, Clay Aiken and Trenyce have the best shot at the final three but finds it hard to root for any one contestant because ``we are like a family. We all bonded with each other.''

Kimberly Caldwell ``is a really, really good friend of mine,'' Grigsby said. ``And the week when Kim Caldwell was in the bottom three, that showed you anybody can go at any time.''

Even Joshua Gracin, the Marine who performed dreadfully a week ago but wasn't close to elimination? Grigsby conceded that Gracin's military connection helped when ``his performance that night was not too good.'' Still, he insisted even Gracin could get eliminated.

As for Grigsby's own show-business future, he said any definite plans are on hold until the show is over. Contestants' activities are restricted while the show is in progress, and even after that he'll have commitments to Idol-related activities.

Still, he said, ``Before I left L.A., I networked so much.'' He has collected contacts in both music and acting for later use. And the Idol commitments don't just benefit the show, he said. ``It'll benefit me in the long run.''


LINK

Hermione69

Wednesday, April 09, 2003 - 10:42 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Nice article, thanks Grooch!

Car54

Wednesday, April 09, 2003 - 11:06 am EditMoveDeleteIP
Good for him. I am so happy this is going well for him. What a nice young man. Thanks Grooch.