25 MAY 05: CARRIE'S NATION
CHECOTAH, OK -- We're not far from that OTHER "Lake Eufaula," and find ourselves in the middle of a frenzy. Well, as much as a town of 3,500 people can be in a frenzy with a downtown speed limit of 25 miles per hour....
BLOG SPECIAL EVENT: Checotah, Oklahoma likely will come to a stop in a few hours, to see if native daughter Carrie Underwood will become the fourth "American Idol." But this town is so small, it probably would come to a stop most evenings around 7:00 p.m., anyway.
A giant billboard of Carrie Underwood greets you as you exit Interstate 40, to take the business road into Checotah. Radio commercials wish her well. Signs all over town root her on.... well, ALMOST all over town. The First United Methodist Church seems to realize it's wrong to promote idolatry.
Carrie Underwood watch parties are planned across Eastern Oklahoma for the big American Idol announcement. Checotah plans to have one, of course. And an "after-watch party" is planned until 2:00 a.m. at a Muskogee, Oklahoma nightclub called "The Wild Cowboy." I'm not sure Carrie's even old enough to go to that one.
(Come to think of it, wouldn't a name like "Wild Cowboy" be more fitting for Bo Bice?)
Alabama's Bo Bice is the other finalist for American Idol IV. But it's clear who the Oklahomans like. In fact, the Fox TV station in Oklahoma City made Carrie Underwood the top story Tuesday night -- complete with the phone numbers you could call to vote for her. The numbers for Bice were NOT shown. So much for "fair and balanced" coverage.
The Fox newscast also provided the answer to a lingering Columbus TV question -- whatever happened to WRBL's Jenna Maloney? She was shown in Hollywood, hugging American Idol judge Randy Jackson. So maybe she's filing a resume to replace Paula Abdul next season....
Jenna Maloney is now with a "channel 45" somewhere (Baltimore, I think) -- and she was on the American Idol beat for the "News Central" stations. We do hope she learned a lesson, from breaking her WRBL contract for bogus reasons. But then again, maybe that's why Maloney's doing entertainment stories -- as stars put on acting jobs all the time.
More Blog Special Event updates as conditions warrant....
Your PayPal donations can keep this blog ad-free, independent-minded -- and even pay for my road trip! To make a donation, offer a story tip or comment on this blog, write me - but be warned, I may post a reply.
If you quote from this in public somewhere, please be polite enough to let me know.
© 2003-05 Richard Burkard, All Rights Reserved.
1ST CORRECTION 27 MAY....