Danny Gokey: Morning Show with Mike and Juliet

Thanks for posting MJ. His voice is wonderful. Some people say his voice gets a little breathy/airy. I remember I felt that way about Archuletta. I hear it a little with him, but I just love his tone.

Performance wasn’t too bad…pretty good, actually.

What’s the first thing he saw in NY? No luggage.
Screw NY…where’s my friggin chit??

Maybe you could make some money on the street with a cup? omg…lmao.

just listened again. Did you notice at the end she hugged him and said “you made me cry.” awwwwww.

Man..his voice is so deep and raspy..love it!

Did I read that Danny wants to be on Dancing With the Stars?

o mj…..that capped photo is hilarious!!! open arms danny….heal us all!!

Did I read that Danny wants to be on Dancing With the Stars?

He said that he didn’t want anything to interfere with his music right now, but if the opportunity came up at the right time, he’s like to do it because Simon said he couldn’t dance and he thinks he can.

Thanks for posting the videos, MJ.

I hate to say this but when I don’t watch and just listen, I really like Danny’s voice better than Kris’s. (if I’m really honest I prefer Adam, both listening and watching over any body else). I do think this was a good interview for Danny and he does have fans as I know some.

Now that it’s all over, I feel bad for being so hard on Gokey. Just listening to that Idolatry interview, the dude was in over his head from the start. I hope he finds his niche, gets on with the grieving process, and does okay for himself.

I hate to say this but when I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t watch and just listen, I really like Dannyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s voice better than Kris. (if Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m really honest I prefer Adam, both listening and watching over almost any body else). I do think this was a good interview for Danny .

The judges seemed to like Danny’s voice better than Kris’s, too. They praised Kris for his risk taking, but Danny always got, “Brilliant, master class, hot vocals, sexy,” etc.

and he does have fans as I know some

Considering he got to top 3, I’m sure you are right.

I thought he looked amazing and was really charming in his tv appearances and I loved that he felt comfortable enough to let that charm through by laughing, joking, smiling…

thanks for posting, mj

why did he need to bring so many glasses with him on his short trip to NY? that’s the only thing that went in my mind. hehe

Thanks very much for posting these MJ

I really enjoyed Danny’s interview and performance on Mike & Juliet. He seemed more relaxed and confident than he was on his first performance on Regis & Kelly. I think he comes across very well in all the tv interviews he’s done since AI.

Watching Danny always makes me cringe a little. I’m a defender but he really is very un self aware. I laughed at the “I want to start my own line of glasses” thing. That said, he looks cute and I like the voice. I’m not making predictions for worldwide domination but I am interested in seeing clips of him from the tour.

Just LOVE that voice! And really like this pared down rendition of WHTM w/piano.

I am getting tired of interviewers asking how many pairs of glasses he owns. BORING question! They don’t ask Adam how many pairs of shoes (or pants or whatever) he owns! It’s just dumb.

And that Fox reporter asking for a hug….awwww. I want my Gokey bear hug, too!

That was a really good performance – much better, I think, than the one he delivered on Idol.

Really good performance. I’ve come to like this guy and I didn’t think I would. I think he’s just socially awkward, I don’t think he has bad intentions. Love the gravelly voice.

20 sets of glasses? we sure Adam is the only gay idol?

I don’t think Danny putting a gospel song on each album will help sell them. Some will like that, but some won’t. I don’t download Gokey, but I remember some saying they didn’t like his preaching in the middle of one of his ITune songs. And please, Danny, do not ruin Dancing with the Stars by going on the show.

I realize since the show is over that many people may have misunderstood Danny Gokey. I didn’t realize how “green” he was as far as professional experience. With that said, that says a lot of for him to have made it to the top 3. I think the judges recognized his “raw” talent. He seems to get better with every interview and live performance. I look forward to seeing him on tour and wish him much success in his post Idol career.

Hmm, I don’t really care for Danny but I have to admit that he has a better voice than Kris. Neither of them compare to Adam though…

He always looks constipated. But yes, when you only listen to his singing he is quite good, as long as the song is w/in his range.

I agree that Danny has a better voice than Kris and so do Adam and Allison.

better: superior to another (of the same class or set or kind) in excellence or quality or desirability or suitability

voice: the distinctive quality or pitch or condition of a person’s speech

I think that comparisons between two distinct voices should be classified as different not neccessarily better. A person’s voice may be more melodius, or have a greater range, or their enunciation may be clearer, or the strength of their voice may be broader. When a voice is used for singing then the comparison should probably not have undo emphasis placed on the mechanics of the voice but on the technical abilities of the voice. At that time things like phrasing, and breathing patterns, and ability to sustain notes, to hit a note clearly, to move effortlessly from one note to another…these things should be taken into account.

Favoring one voice over another for me is purely subjective. I really like deep rich hit the bottom note bass voices as well as really high ethreal tenor voices. I also like singers that know what to do with their voices, and also show how to use those voices to get the best out of the notes and the words.

To get to the top 5 or 6 on Idol, yup you need a good voice, but even more you need to know how to take the voice you have and use it to its best advantage. Not all of the the idols knew how to do that.

I thought that Danny did a good job in these interviews. I think that he came off as sweet and charming. I really enjoyed the Good Day New York. And I also think that he has much better voice than Kris does. I prefer his singing to Krisà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s.

I agree with Lizzy. Danny is much more “green” than I realized. Since he was the oldest, it seemed he should have been more seasoned and savvy. I think he has a really nice voice and I hope he gets to work with someone that will help him channel his strengths and talents into a great CD. I think that Adam and Kris were so charming, that Danny’s funny/nice side didn’t really stand out.

I don’t view Danny as green, I think he just doesn’t match the artistry that Kris and Adam had. I think Danny has an okay singing voice, I just don’t think he has the package.

I forced myself to watch the entire interview with Slezak and I think there were many times he was lying. Eye contact is a great way to tell if a person is telling the truth and many times in the interview he couldn’t make eye contact. When he was stating he didn’t know many songs, later in the interview it sounded like he did know some of those songs. I think Danny knows exactly what he is doing.

He came across pretty good in this interview with Juliet, but she asked him easy questions.

I honestly don’t think he has what it takes to succeed in the music industry.

Poor Danny. I dont hate on him. As a matter of fact, I think he has a nice voice. Time will tell where he goes from here.

I’m sure that idolatry interview was awkward as all get out considering how badly he was bashed by them during the season. Slezak handled it like a pro though.

I forced myself to watch the entire interview with Slezak and I think there were many times he was lying. Eye contact is a great way to tell if a person is telling the truth and many times in the interview he couldnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t make eye contact

I think that he was really nervous around Michael Slezak, because of all of the bashing that he has gotten from Idolatry this season. They said some pretty harsh stuff about him and attacked him personally. I don’t think that his behavior was due to him lying a lot in the interview.

I think that he was just nervous around Michael and that contributed to him acting awkward and rambling on a lot, in the interview.

He wasn’t like that in other interviews, that he did in New York, including interviews that asked some of the same questions that Michael asked.

I think that he might have felt like he was being scruntized/analyzed and he was having a bit of a time getting through the interview.

He says that he likes to overanalyze stuff, and that all of the negative comments that he has received did have an effect on him.

He was getting interviewed by someone who had bashed him a lot throughout this season. I don’t think that he was that comfortable in the Idolatry interview.

But I commend him for showing up and being classy about it, considering all of the negative stuff that Idolatry said about him this season.

I think Danny sounds like a likeable guy. Maybe somewhat socially awkward, but,he seems to be growing. Still don’t care for his singing, but, he did an ok job.

“What hurts the most… is being so close”

how ironic those lyrics are considering his finish!

Tess — sure taste in music/voice is subjective, so are lots of things… beauty, taste in foods, etc.

“I think that comparisons between two distinct voices should be classified as different not neccessarily better.”

Really?? Does that mean that Celine doesn’t have a better voice than me?? You made my day…

I think Danny should have made it to the final 2 over Kris. He has a better singing voice than Kris and so do Allison and Adam and Anoop and Matt. It should have been an Adam/Allison or Danny/Adam final.

I agree with Lizzy. Danny is very “green”. I love his raw talent though. I could listen to this guy sing all day long. I love the raspy tone of his voice and the emotion he expels while singing. If I shed tears while listening to a song, the singer has put enough emotion into it to touch my heart. Danny did that to me a lot this season.

The interview was better than I expected but that’s not saying much. The performance was as usual meh.

I think I’ve come to realize that even when Danny Gokey does sound good and give a good performance, I’ll still hate it. I just don’t like his voice.

But I’ll admit, he gave a good interview.

I think Danny contradicted himself many times in the Slezak interview. He denied knowing the Carrie Underwood song and then a little later he said he knew it. He just looks like he is lying to me.

I think that America got it right with Kris and Adam!

Danny is not green, he has been performing at his church for years. He just doesn’t have the artistry that Kris and Adam have and he knows it. He is just making excuses.

Kris and Adam deserve their position because they proved they are true artists.

Imo, Adam probably has technically the best singing voice of the Top 10, and for that I felt he deserved to win.

For me, Allison and Danny are probably tied for next. I love their husky voices, and even though I recognize Adam’s superior singing technique, I am more drawn to their sounds than Adam’s most of the time anyway.

Kris, to me, is a very average singer, although I do see his abilities in reworking a song and his instrumental talents.

Danny is not green, he has been performing at his church for years. He just doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t have the artistry that Kris and Adam have and he knows it. He is just making excuses.

I don’t think he is “green” to singing. He is just more green than them when it come to working with popular music or other genres outside of gospel/christian music.

I think Danny knew the chorus of some of these very popular songs. Heck, I knew the chorus of “Jesus Take the Wheel” without ever having listened to country or the song all the way through.

I agree with you that Danny felt that he was trying to keep up with Kris and Adam artistically in the end and was not succeeding. I think he didn’t know the songs as well, and struggled with new arrangements. I really don’t think he had had the same amount of practice in these areas.

He even said in an interview the other day something to the effect of “I think you all could see how hard it was for me to keep up as the competition got closer to the end.” He acknowledges that he was behind them in these ways. So no, I don’t think he’s making excuses…I think he’s being honest about his relative abilities at this point in time.

Btw when I say that I feel that it should have been Adam and Allison/Danny in the final, I am not saying that America got it wrong. I would never say that. This is just my personal opinion. America always “gets it right” whether I agree or not.

Adam said he will make a pop/rock/electronica/modern fusion kinda album.

Kris said he will make a singer/songwriter album.

Danny said “my album is gonna have good music, u know, its gonna be music that people like and that they are gonna love”

….so what kinda of music Danny? :ponder_tb:

I think that Danny did a great job in this competition considering his minor experience (church singing is nowhere near commercial experience) compared to the others.
He was really personable in this interview,too. Can’t blame him for being nervous in that awful Slezak EW environment- they are a nasty bunch.
The guy just has an awesome voice/pure talent that shines through, and I look forward to hearing him put out some great music to listen to. Seems like a very selfless individual also with his foundation and all.
Everyone was great this year, but Danny and Allison were the ones whose voice thrilled me when I shut my eyes and listened closely.

à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦.so what kinda of music Danny?

Danny has said on numerous occasions that this is the kind of album he wants:

“I want to mix a soulful album with nice beatsà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬’ nice R&B beats. Beats that get people’s heads moving and mix it with a hint of a Latin flair.”

He likes the Latin because his wife was Puerto Rican and they were into that type of music.

I personally, think he should do the Christian music, at least at first. I think it’s the closest thing to “a sure thing.” And I’d like for him to be successful. (But I don’t like Christian music)

During the competition Danny was criticized as having limited knowledge in secular music, and now he admitted that during the Idolatry interview and he was criticized as lying and making excuses? We can be critical of a contestant’s musical knowledge, but at least make the argument consistent.

I don’t consider Danny’s Idolatry interview a trainwreck as some posters calls it. I think Danny has been very consistent in telling us how he views his AI experience, and what he intends to do after the competition.

As to whether Danny will be successful in the music industry, well we don’t have a crysal ball, only time will tell. When asked by Slazek on what he feels about being dissed by a rock producer, he responded that was a bold statement to say that he would not succeed, and he would work on his music on the belief that he will be successful. I think he answered the question very well.

In another thread someone says Kris needs to outsell Adam etc to justify his win, and a poster responded “I have no idea who will outsell who….as long as Kris can keep on doing what he likes and can keep on putting music out there and doing concerts, I’ll call him successful”.

Well if we can be so reasonable and understanding to the AI winner in assessing what success is, then I don’t think we should be too harsh on the person who came in 3rd, shouldn’t we?

In my opinion the top 3 should have been Kris, Adam and Allison. I think Danny was good enough for the top 4, but he really just didn’t have what it takes to be in the top 2, and this shows in his interviews. He has even said he doesn’t have the music knowledge that Kris and Adam have. If he is admitting to this then maybe he wasn’t quite ready.

I actually think AI was completely unfair to Danny, because they built him up to more that he really could be and he was vunerable at this point in his life. I think he really bought into the hype and he needs to be brought down a notch.

I find it difficult to fathom that Danny didn’t know any music at all outside of church. Was he in church 24/7? That being said, didn’t he say he wants to record soulful music with a tiny infusion of a Latin beat? Something like that… Sounds good, but unless he can write it himself its gonna be hard to come up with. If mainstream music doesn’t work out for him, all is not lost. He could draw quite a crowd on the gospel circuit. But please, Dancing With the Stars? I hope he comes to his senses on that one

Scott would be better at Dancing With the Stars.

I think one of Danny’s major problems is he is too busy trying to answer all the criticism, while Kris and Adam are out there just trying to create music.
Maybe if Danny stopped trying to please everyone he might come across better. He just doesn’t seem genuine.

find it difficult to fathom that Danny didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t know any music at all outside of church. Was he in church 24/7?

Well, I just figure he sang the gospel stuff at church and practiced it during the week (he was the director). Then when on his own time he may have listened regularly to gospel/christian cds and perhaps the latin/salsa type stuff.

I’m sure he had some limited knowledge here and there of other types of music, but if he didn’t listen to the radio, and only listened to the other types of music in his work and on cds, yeah, he would be a bit behind.

I understand this because I know mostly music from the 70s, 80s, and early 90s. I hardly ever listen to the radio because I never like what I hear. I listen to homemade cds made up of the songs that I know and like. So yeah, I can see how he might not be overly familiar with these songs.

I think he grew up fairly sheltered anyway.

After watching this interview, I shudder to think of the PR nightmare that would have resulted had the predicted finals of Adam versus Danny actually happened. It seems that viewers accept Adam and Kris (whether together or apart) as likable in public appearances and interviews, no matter their musical preference, but most do not care for Danny in interviews. Kris and Adam have a great deal of rapport and I doubt whether either could create that with Danny.

I just don’t see the warm fuzzies between Danny and the other contestants. I don’t think they hate him, but I don’t think they really bonded either.

I think one of Dannyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s major problems is he is too busy trying to answer all the criticism, while Kris and Adam are out there just trying to create music.

Well, I don’t think Kris got much hate during the season, as he was a darkhorse. Most didn’t expect him to win. Adam didn’t get the same level of hate as Danny.

I think Danny was criticized mercilously and personally to boot. He had to do this idolatry interview, even though they treated him so terribly throughout the competition. I think naturally he wanted to answer the criticism, not to mention that some of the interview questions directly called for him to answer the criticism.

He just doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t seem genuine.

This is quite the opposite feeling than I get. I can criticize him for being naive or rambling (which he tends to do). But for me, he seems to come across as very genuine.

“After watching this interview, I shudder to think of the PR nightmare that would have resulted had the predicted finals of Adam versus Danny actually happened.”

Now what exactly was wrong with this interview??? I think he came across as relaxed, charming and honest-please inform what was so terrible?
Danny must be quite threatening to some people, in that they feel they need to disparage anything he does, even though he’s not in the final two.

As far as viewers “accepting” him, I think its pretty obvious they do. American Idol obviously liked him , and he has a huge fan base. The guy made it to #3 out of 100,000 people, so it would be polite to acknowledge his talent, instead of tearing him down-really, what is the motivation behind that?

I just donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t see the warm fuzzies between Danny and the other contestants. I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t think they hate him, but I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t think they really bonded either.

Anoop said his best friends on the show were Danny and Matt. Kris said that Danny was like a brother to him as well as Adam. Matt said that Danny was who he like to goof off with. Allison ALWAYS seems to sit beside Danny and has hugged his arm repeatedly in interviews. Lil said that Danny was a “giver” and that he always made people laugh.

It’s easy to project our own feelings on these contestants. If I don’t like a contestant, then I think others don’t like that person.

I think Danny knew the chorus of some of these very popular songs. Heck, I knew the chorus of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Jesus Take the Wheelà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  without ever having listened to country or the song all the way through.

I agree. I believe that in the Idolatry video Danny mentioned knowing the chorus of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Jesus Take the Wheelà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  and choosing that song, because he was at least familiar with the Chorus of it.

I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t think that he completely knew that whole song before singing it. And I think that this was the case for some of the other songs that he selected, being familiar with the Choruses, but not the whole songs.

Also I agree with you about Kris. There are at least four other people from the top 13 (Anoop, Danny, Matt, and Allison), that I would have rather seen in the finale, instead of Kris. And even more people from the semifinal rounds that I prefer over him (Jessica Langseth, Nathaniel Marshall, Mishavonna Henson, Juà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢Not Joyner, etcà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦)

I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t care for Krisà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s voice. I think that his strengths is his rearranging skills and that he chooses good songs. I will give him credit for IMO having a better version of à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“No Boundariesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  than Adam did, even though I think Adam is the better singer.

I think that Anoop has the best tone, of all of the people from season 8. And I love Anoopà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s voice the most. I love his smooth buttery tone. I also really like Dannyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s husky tone. Allisonà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s has a husky tone as well. And I thought that Mishavonna had a cool husky tone.

Huh, Danny’s getting a bit better at interviews.
That was an easy interview and he answered pretty well, but he needs to get better at the not so easy ones like Slezak. I shared Slezak’s opinion of Danny all season, but I actually liked him a bit more after the Idolatry interview because he came across as a genuinely nice person who is just really naive about the entertainment business and badly needs a publicist.

It seems that viewers accept Adam and Kris (whether together or apart) as likable in public appearances and interviews, no matter their musical preference, but most do not care for Danny in interviews. Kris and Adam have a great deal of rapport and I doubt whether either could create that with Danny.

Obviously, you either didn’t see the Regis & Kelly interview where Danny was warmly welcomed without any bias and he SHONE – they all joked around comfortably or with Juliet (of Mike & Juliet) where she first felt bad that they ran the clip where Adam’s name was announced as the second person to be in the finals and later after he sang, she hugged him and told him his song “made her cry”

The blonde girl on the new york fox station also seemed quite smitten with Danny and requested a hug from him.

Danny’s OK magazing article shows him having fun with the reporter. I don’t know of any other unbiased interviews that Danny has done,so I can only give these examples to show that Danny is not only likeable, but also comes across as downright CHARMING!! :smile2_tb:

If you just get your info from the blogosphere, it’s easy to form a lopsided opinion; in the real world, Danny has LOADS of fans (many of whom might not even know what a blog is) and is beloved to them. And those who don’t know him yet seem to find him just as open and sweet as anyone else.

I really didn’t care who won idol this year, but I really felt that Danny was over-hyped and didn’t deserve it. I feel bad for what he has gone through in this past year, but musically he really didn’t have it. Listening to the judges rave about his mediocre performances really didn’t help either.

He deserved to go with that scream on “Dream On”, but his fans pulled him through. Allison had way more talent than Danny.

I think he will be successful in life, but it will be in a church leading the worship music. I wish him well and hope he succeeds with whatever he does. I know I have no interest in his cd.

I think both Adam and Kris have had their fair share of criticism. Kris knows there are many people out there that think Adam should be the one there. He just goes out there and promotes his music and his friendship with Adam.
Danny would do himself a favor, by taking a page from their playbook.

I just donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t see the warm fuzzies between Danny and the other contestants. I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t think they hate him, but I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t think they really bonded either.

Who cares? Danny’s success post Idol will have nothing to do with whether or not he got along with anyone else on the show. His success will have to do with his singing.

It was also clear that AI became an arranging show, not a singing show. The best arranger won, not the best singer… in my mind either Danny, Adam or Allison were the best singer depending on your tastes.

That was an easy interview and he answered pretty well, but he needs to get better at the not so easy ones like Slezak

But Danny would probably never have to interview in such a hostile environment again. I don’t really think he did so poorly in the idolatry interview, he just wasn’t comfortable (with good reason), and so therefore was not able to showcase his humor. I actually think Danny is quite a cut up and does have a pleasant personality.

I just donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t see the warm fuzzies between Danny and the other contestants. I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t think they hate him, but I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t think they really bonded either.

From what I have seen he is pretty close to the other contestants. Matt has said that Danny is the person that he is closest too. Anoop says that Danny is one of his closest friends and that he has a big heart. Kris said that Danny is his brother.

Allison seems very close to Danny and so does Michael. I think that Danny is pretty close to the other contestants especially Anoop, Matt, Allison and Michael.

I don’t see Danny in the same light as many of you here. When he talks about the other idols in interviews, he tends to look away. This is an indication that a person is not being sincere.

Maybe he is socially awkward, but to me this is another reason he is not ready to be the American Idol.
I did think he did well on Regis and Kelly, but their interviews are full of fluff.

Do you believe other contestants when they say they are his friends? Although, I agree that the music business isn’t h.s.

Although, I agree that the music business isnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t h.s.

Sorry, what does h.s. mean???

No I don’t believe everything the idols say, but I do believe in their actions. You can just see the bond between Kris and Adam. I know I saw in one episode of idol Danny immitating Matt and I didn’t think it was very nice.
To me body language says it all. Go back and watch the people who do the hugging in the elimination round. I just don’t see the warm fuzzies around Gokey, but I’m not saying my perception is right. It is just my perception, but I think a lot of people hold this perception.

I also think that Gokey had a lot of fans, but I’m not sure if that will be enough to get him to stardom. I just can’t imagine him putting out a great cd, but I really don’t have a clue.

à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“After watching this interview, I shudder to think of the PR nightmare that would have resulted had the predicted finals of Adam versus Danny actually happened.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ 

Dr. G says:
“Now what exactly was wrong with this interview??? I think he came across as relaxed, charming and honest-please inform what was so terrible?
Danny must be quite threatening to some people, in that they feel they need to disparage anything he does, even though heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s not in the final two.”

I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to disparage Danny or his talent at all. I’m sorry it came across that way. I thought all the contestants were very talented this year. I just think that Danny and Adam respond very differently in interviews. Not better or worse, just different. And I don’t think their styles would mesh very well. Case in point is the OK interview about who gets the top bunk on the bus during the tour.

He just doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t seem genuine.

I’m not sure that he’s not genuine…I think he just has no media relations skills. At all. He occasionally says inappropriate things on camera, beats around the bush on issues, and contradicts himself…talks in a lot of circles.

I think that there is a good voice somewhere in there, but it’s painfully obvious that he doesn’t know how to use it. Poor breath control did him in…he hit so many wonky notes I lost count. His phrasing isn’t great, and he really didn’t show much (any?) creativity with song arrangements.

What I think Danny could probably use is some vocal coaching. If he can get some help with how to use his instrument, he could be very good.

I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t see Danny in the same light as many of you here. When he talks about the other idols in interviews, he tends to look away. This is an indication that a person is not being sincere.

Well, on the spur of the moment, I could just find this video. Danny talks about Adam here. I find him to be very genuine, and yes, he is making the all important eye contact.;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s-_HaXwaIdY

I don’t think we can necessarily read too much into the body language of any one interview, and that goes for all of the contestants. I think Kris even said how he couldn’t believe how much every little facial expression was scrutinized…and then he kinda made fun of all of the Danny haters…lol.

Danny was uncomfortable in the Idolatry interview and Slezack has a tendency, it seems to me, to make too much eye contact. I think this could be uncomfortable, especially if you feel that he doesn’t like you.

“It was also clear that AI became an arranging show, not a singing show. The best arranger won, not the best singerà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦ in my mind either Danny, Adam or Allison.”

I see the same thing, but for me it translates as AI is becoming less about the performer and more about the music the person creates. It’s no longer enough to be a leather-lunged diva; you have to put something out there that I will pay to download.

David Cook was a game changer. Now everyone expects a performance with a personal point of view. Coming back to Danny – he could have won in the pre-Cook era when a good voice was the primary requirement. But after singing fifteen songs he left us with no vision for where he will fit into popular music. We are still debating what is album would sound like, or even in what bin it will appear in Walmart. That is not a good place to be post-Idol. Especially for someone who made it to #3.

No I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t believe everything the idols say, but I do believe in their actions. You can just see the bond between Kris and Adam. I know I saw in one episode of idol Danny immitating Matt and I didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t think it was very nice.
To me body language says it all. Go back and watch the people who do the hugging in the elimination round. I just donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t see the warm fuzzies around Gokey, but Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m not saying my perception is right. It is just my perception, but I think a lot of people hold this perception

Yeah, you can’t always believe what people say. However, why would Matt say that he was the closest to Danny. He would have no reason to say that if he didn’t feel it. He could say he liked Danny, but not that he was the closest to him…it just wouldn’t make sense for him to tell that lie.

Not to mention that the contestants said that Danny was the one that started the “Save Matt” chant on the day Matt was saved.

I don’t think it necessarily makes sense for people to not lie. It’s possible to tell a white lie so that the environment will be less hostile and have less tension. Have you heard of anyone dissing the other contestants during like Idol Extra? It’s all so politically correct.

At the end of the day, it’s just whether you believe that person or not.

“I really felt Danny is over-hyped and didn’t deserve it”

Well the competition is over. The position of each contestant of T10 is decided by voting public (in US) through a multiple voting system as designed by AI. It was through this voting system (supposedly to be fair) that Kris was placed 1st, Adam 2nd and Danny 3rd. If you don’t have a problem accepting Kris being the AI winner, why is there a problem for you to accept Danny to come in 3rd? I don’t think we should talk about who deserves to be 1st and who deserves to be 3rd, as that will be personal opinion and yours is as good as mine.

I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t think it necessarily makes sense for people to not lie. Ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s possible to tell a white lie so that the environment will be less hostile and have less tension.

Of course. However, if I want to just keep a less hostile environment by lying about whether I like you or not, I would just say….”so and so is a great guy/gal.” I would not say that “so and so is the person that I am the closest to.”

Does that make sense?

In my mind I think Kris has a great voice along with Adam and Allison. Danny Gokey not so much. I didn’t vote this year and I’m not even that invested, but I really never saw what the judges saw in Gokey. The only reason I watched idol ever is that I like Jason Castro. Many people said he wasn’t the best singer either. To me it all has to do with the presentation of a song, which I think Kris, Adam and Allison all succeeded doing.

I know some here think Danny is great, I’m just saying there are those that don’t. I just think he lacked that special star quality.

If you just get your info from the blogosphere, ità ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s easy to form a lopsided opinion; in the real world, Danny has LOADS of fans (many of whom might not even know what a blog is) and is beloved to them. And those who donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t know him yet seem to find him just as open and sweet as anyone else.

Yup. You can never go by the blogosphere. lol

Danny was loved at my job. A lot of people were upset when he was voted off. He definitely has a market to tap into for his album depending on what direction they go in.

I just canà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t imagine him (Danny) putting out a great cd, but I really donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t have a clue.

Agreed.

Here’s another interview with all of the top 10, minus Adam and Kris. I dont know if it was ever posted here, but the idols seem to get along pretty well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wSpVf0E5ilA

edit: dial back the defensiveness

Of course. However, if I want to just keep a less hostile environment by lying about whether I like you or not, I would just sayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ so and so is a great guy/gal.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  I would not say that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“so and so is the person that I am the closest to.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ 

Does that make sense?

Well, I personally find that possible but YMMV. I’ve seen people in my previous companies going out of their way when they don’t like one another but still appear as BFF for the greater good.

ETA: Of course I’m not projecting that Matt must have hated Danny. I’m just saying it’s not impossible.

I felt during the show that Danny had not grown musically as much as the others. But now I realize he was struggling in so many ways beyond the loss of his wife and we just couldn’t know it.
The interview I saw that had everyone except Adam and Kris made it clear to me that the group really liked each other. Danny and Matt seemed to be two of the favorites. When Adam and Kris are in the group the dynamics change. The others don’t seem to have as much fun.

Weese, My point exactly Danny had not grown and he was struggling in ways we didn’t know, so he wasn’t ready to win. This should be more than just a vocal competition, it should be about the overall musician and how they can sell themselves. Many people have voices like Danny, but it is that extra star quality that will make them standout.

aek, I don’t dislike Danny, I think he received credit all season where credit wasn’t due and I think this hurt him.

kokko, I really don’t have a problem with Danny coming in 3rd. My choice was Allison, but I realize that Danny has many fans. I think they are all talented, and since I lack in that department all the power to them.

“I’m just saying it is not impossible”

Well if you have to use double negatives to prove a point, why don’t you give Danny the benefit of the doubt that he is well liked by fellow contestants like Matt and Anoop since

1) both have mentioned that they were close to Danny in more than one occasion,

2) and there are interview videos available showing they interacted with Danny in a fun loving manner.

No one is going to publicly state they don’t get along with each other at this point. They have to live on a bus with each other for the next few months. I suspect there are cliques. Maybe we’ll find out after the tour.

As for Danny, that capture is a riot, MJ.

pj, so true. These people do have to live together. You can just tell that Adam and Kris are friends. It doesn’t mean that they don’t get along with Danny, I just don’t see that same bond.

You can just tell that Adam and Kris are friends. It doesnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t mean that they donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t get along with Danny, I just donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t see that same bond.

Well, probably not, since Adam and Kris were roomates. They probably did become closer to each other than to others.

PJ, I agree that there probably are cliques.

Thought Danny handled himself and sang well in these videos thanks to the graciousness of the talk show hosts.

Now as to Slezak’s interview, I would equate that to a public flogging.
I have no respect for the man or the other lady he works with. Lots of vitriol being spewed there. Kind of think Danny should have bowed out of that one.

Danny is a sweet heart. Sometimes the geekier (altho i see danny as more “just down to earth” )guys, make the best friends and the best lovers.
I’ve been lucky to have a “Danny” in my life.

I though Slezak was very courteous to Danny. He just asked tough questions.
I think Slezak asked questions that people wanted to hear. The only one that might have been a little too much, was the question about the producer stating he didn’t think Danny could make a successful record. But in fairness he did ask Adam questions like that too.

I though Slezak was very courteous to Danny. He just asked tough questions.
I think Slezak asked questions that people wanted to hear. The only one that might have been a little too much, was the question about the producer stating he didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t think Danny could make a successful record. But in fairness he did ask Adam questions like that too.

I agree. He said upfront to Danny that they had been hard on him. But, he didn’t soft pedal with Adam, bringing up the Bill O’Reilly stuff, etc.

I will say that I detected a snarky face on Slezak when Gokey asked what band Michael McDonald was in, and Slezak had to provide the “Doobie Brothers.” I can’t blame him. I was rolling my eyes at that, too.

Poor Danny. I guess he could be any of us….

I don’t really think Slezak was rude to Danny during the interview, itself. It’s all the previoius stuff that made it a very uncomfortable situation for Danny and surely afftected him.

About the producer question, I guess it was fair. It was kinda sad that Danny hadn’t heard the comment before and so he had to process it all right there on camera. But I think he did well with his answer anyway, even acknowledging that the guy had a point. This showed his ability to take critism and respond objectively.

Poor Danny. I guess he could be any of usà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦.

:lol_wp:

For someone who really, really wanted Adam to win but who has accepted the fact that Kris won, I think its only fair for people to accept that Danny’s 3rd place standing is legit. America voted! I think Danny got along with most of the people in the house. I doubt if he had much in common at all with Adam, not just because of cultural and religious issues, but because Danny doesn’t know a fig about “secular” music so not even music was a possible bond. That doesn’t mean that they were enemies. We do know there was at least one person Adam didn’t feel friendly towards, but Adam wouldn’t say who it is because they will all be touring together this summer. Most people assume its Michael. I think the Idol contestants get along amazingly well considering the fact that they start out as perfect strangers and are in competition with each other.

Poor Danny. I guess he could be any of usà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦.

Yes, I’ve been thinking about that since watching the interviews. I think Slezak was patient and polite, trying to give Danny a chance to express himself. The other interviews were more fan girly.

I hear alot of voices like Danny’s at church. Danny does have a nice voice, just needs some vocal coaching. I had no problem with Danny being in top 10. He earned being up in there. I did feel Allison deserved to be in top 3 and I’ll admit that I was for an Adam, Allison, Kris top 3.

For someone who states he is competitive, why didn’t Danny acquaint himself with more of the songs typically used on AI? Competitive people do their homework to push ahead. While I’m glad to see Danny more relaxed it irked me when he stated he didn’t know most of the songs. I wanted to shout out “ignorance is no excuse.’ He admitted to being lazy in church worship. Can’t afford a lazy mindset when contending with singers who like re-arrange and change things up.

As for being awkward, I know I’ve been horrified when I’ve found myself taped on camera. What I thought internally did not translate to camera. Appearing in front of a camera and being able to be articulate and appear natural is a skill. Some people are naturals at it, others take Speech and Communication classes and playback videos to critique themselves. Danny states that he is analytical so that would be something he might want to do. He’ll need to work on how he projects his personality on camera.

I too wish him well. I could see him doing Gospel music with a Latin twist as he indicates an interest in a Latin sound. I think that would be very interesting.

awilliams, I would assume because his wife wanted him to do the show, and then she died. I can picture him debating if he REALLY wanted to do it, as many good singers I know do, and then when she passed, he decided to do it for her. This was the last year he was eligible to compete, so that probably also affected it.

à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m just saying it is not impossibleà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ 

Well if you have to use double negatives to prove a point, why donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t you give Danny the benefit of the doubt that he is well liked by fellow contestants like Matt and Anoop since

1) both have mentioned that they were close to Danny in more than one occasion,

2) and there are interview videos available showing they interacted with Danny in a fun loving manner.

I do give him the benefit of the doubt. That’s why I said it’s not impossible.

I am not proving any point other than the fact that you cannot be definite about relationships between idol contestants just based on some snippets on air.

I thought it was a good interview and performance. Everything I’ve seen and read about Danny and the others, show me that they’re friends and get along very well.

edit: wow. the fingerwagging. the lecturing. I’ve warned you before. You are now in moderation

Danny was the villain of S8. Maybe the biggest villain of the seasons I’ve watched. So as new evidence comes in that he’s not a bad guy, maybe more of an oaf than an evil schemer, I think it’s hard for people to adjust. It kind of screws with the good v. evil scenario, sheming, ghoulish widower blah, blah. When you see that Anoop considers Danny a close friend, it kind of messes up that scenario.

I’m not saying that’s the only reason people don’t like Danny. But he’s not the hateful figure that Idolatry (for example) lampooned.

I thought Danny came across really well in this interview. Never got all the Danny hate and hopefully he gets everything he wants.

Of course. However, if I want to just keep a less hostile environment by lying about whether I like you or not, I would just sayà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ ¦.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ so and so is a great guy/gal.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬  I would not say that à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã…“so and so is the person that I am the closest to.à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬ 

I agree. I could maybe see them saying something like heà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s an okay/decent guy and leaving it at that, if they didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t really like him. But I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t think they would go so far to say stuff like he has a big heart, and is their brother , if they didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t mean it.

Heck, Anoop even said that he didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t expect to go into the whole Idol experience like everyone that he was going to live with.

But that he ended up liking and making friends with everyone. So believe the rest of the Idols when they say that they really care about Danny.

And I have seen him speak well of them many times, and making eye contact while doing so. I really do think that he was nervous around Michael Slezak and that was affecting the way he was acting in the interview.

Here his TV Guide Interview where someone ask him if he and Kris were annoyed with each other during the duet.

He was asked a question about his and Krisà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s duet in the Idolatry interview but he seemed more nervous when he answered it. Here is not nervous at all, when he answers the question about the duet, and he seems very relaxed, clear and focused.

http://www.seattlepi.com/tvguide/406732_idolblog31.html

When you see that Anoop considers Danny a close friend, it kind of messes up that scenario.

I believe Anoop has said that even though him and Danny are polar opposites that they get along very well.

And Danny has said that him and Anoop have had a lot of good talks with each other and that Anoop is brilliant and one of the smartest people he has ever met in his life.

Those two are very different, in terms of their backgrounds, the type of families they come from/Anoop-only child/Danny five brothers and sisters. I believe that they have two different religions as well, but they still managed to become very close and are very supportive of each other.

I’m not sure why a person is considered jealous or ignorant because they don’t really enjoy Danny’s performances or don’t get him.

I love Danny Gokey! :cool2_tb:

I just listened to the TV guide interview from Danny (thanks for the link) and it just reinforces my feelings for Danny, which are pretty negative. I personally do have the experiences that allow me to judge Danny on a different level and I take the stuff he throws out into the blogesphere as though it were directed at me and he is the one that holds himself up as a positive example that he thinks I should follow.

There are a lot of people in the great TV wasteland that I have never met and that totally “rub me” the wrong way. And I dislike them, too. When someone’s basic persona is full of the things that I judge to be negatives I then think of them that way. And if things that people do causes me to loose respect for them, that is my choice.

I, for one, am not going to be a hypocrite and wish Danny any kind of success. I don’t think he proved to me that, through his talent and the love of music and his overwhelming desire to entertain ME that he deserved to have even made it through the auditions. I totally feel that his ending up in third place was a travesty, but that is only my opinion based on my prejudices toward him. Others have ready right to embrace him and his “cause”.

i love danny gokey. all my friends and family love danny gokey. i only see danny haters on the internet. my guess is one of the reasons why he was hated by few was because of EW and votefortheworst. Some people get easily swayed by what these guys’ (EW and VFTW) opinions of American idol contentants. Also some fans of other contestants saw Danny as a threat so they hated him

The TV Guide interview did him no favors IMHO. He again blames Kris for the duet failure and his other answers were not every enlightening. He does seem over his head in all the media interviews. Danny fans will of course love it and others – like me – will probably soon forget it. But I guess we will be hearing a lot more from Danny when he extends his 15 minutes of fame on Dancing with The Stars.

He again blames Kris for the duet failure and his other answers were not every enlightening.

Where did he blame Kris for the duet? He said that the duet wasn’t for either one of them, but that they both did well. I didn’t see anywhere where he blamed Kris for the duet.

He again blames Kris for the duet failure and his other answers were not every enlightening.

Where did he blame Kris for the duet? He said that neither one of them were really feeling the duet, but that they both did well. It seem like he was even kind of joking about it. I didn’t see anywhere where he blamed Kris for the duet.

I just listened to the TV guide interview from Danny (thanks for the link) and it just reinforces my feelings for Danny, which are pretty negative. I personally do have the experiences that allow me to judge Danny on a different level and I take the stuff he throws out into the blogesphere as though it were directed at me and he is the one that holds himself up as a positive example that he thinks I should follow.

:ponder_tb

I donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t think that Danny is directing anything at you. He was talking about how Idol helped him through his difficult time and how he wanted to bring hope to kids in his foundations. He didn’t say that he wanted to be an example for everyone that has suffered loss which is a lot of people.

I have never seen another contestants elict such strong feelings from people, as Danny does. For whatever reasons it seems like a lot people take everything that Danny says personally and in turn criticize him personally. And I don’t think that is Danny’s intentions.

I think that Danny has goals and based on what he’s said I think:

He wants to make music, and he wants to help kids, through his foundations. That is what he has been constantly saying.

He hasn’t said that he wants to save everyone, change everyone’s heart, and be an example for anyone and everyone who has suffered loss and has gone through a hard time.

Even though he has been accused of all of those things. He has never claimed to be a Messiah or a role model/inspiration for everyone.

I don’t think that Danny wants to save/inspire/influence people that he doesn’t know who don’t like him.

I think that he wants to make music for his fans, and inspire kids, who are interested in arts through his foundation. That’s basically what he has beens saying, IMHO.

Where did he blame Kris? He said when Kris walked into the room he was already not wanting to do it. So Kris wasn’t into it to begin with. He also restated that he allowed Kris to pick the song – which Danny has said in previous interviews was not in his range or interest. So Kris gets the responsibility of picking the wrong song.

Danny didn’t want to sing with Kris, he wanted to sing with Allison and he didn’t seem to want or maybe know how to make the most of a bad situation.

These are some things I know about Danny Gokey (and I don’t go to his fan sites or google him).

1. He was not home schooled but attended one of the toughest high schools in Milwaukee where he was one of the few white students. I have no idea if he went to college.
2. His wife was Puerto Rican and his best friend Jamar is black or of mixed heritage.
3. He drove semis and worked with evangelical churchs at night.

He seems sincere but naive, has a good voice but is uneducated musically.
The stuff about founding a movement and having his own eyeglasses line makes me wince at the arrogance/dumbness. The other Idols seem to genuinely like him. He’s probably his own worst enemy but is not the ghoulish, scheming, prejudiced widower of EW and VFTW fame.

Danny did not blame Kris for anything. Thats just not true. THEY did the best they could and neither liked the idea. In reality they did a good job being in such a challenging position.
Danny IS a positive example in this world.
But the positive can not be seen by everyone.
Just like his talent may not be seen by some.
Thats why some don’t get it.
Those that CAN see, do get it!
Danny will be successful because of that.

Danny didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t want to sing with Kris, he wanted to sing with Allison and he didnà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t seem to want or maybe know how to make the most of a bad situation.

For what I understand he wasn’t Kris’s first choice for a duet partner either. The interviewer said that all of the guys wanted to sing with Allison and that Allison confirmed that.

He said that all of the guys were “fighting” to sing with Allison. And the reason given for that is they all thought that a guy/girl duet would turn out better.

Also I thought that Danny was kind of joking about the duet when he was mentioned that Kris had asked “What is the point” of the duet.

Many people on the Internet said the same thing, when they found out about the duets. A lot of people didn’t want to see the duets but wanted to see the contestants get two songs each.

Also, Danny said that both he and Kris “buckled” down. He said that both he and Kris did what needed to be done to get through the duet, he said that they both did well, even though they both weren’t feeling it. He gave them both credit for getting through the duet. I don’t think that he was blaming Kris for anything.

He didn’t even try to make things worse than what they were regarding the duet, even though the question was, was he and Kris annoyed with each other. He seemed to laugh at that like it was silly, and when he was talking about Kris it came off to me as him talking about one of his friends.

why did he need to bring so many glasses with him on his short trip to NY? thatà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s the only thing that went in my mind. hehe

Heh. Apparently, Danny Gokey is to glasses as I am to shoes. When I travel, I always pack many more pairs of shoe than is strictly necessary.

As for this interview and some of the others, I think it reveals a guy who is probably too earnest for his own good and too gullible (naive?) for this business that he found himself in. For his sake, I hope he hooks up with someone like Chris Sligh who’s pretty savvy about the business and has a career in Christian contemporary music. I do think Danny has a nice tone to his voice.

I’ve never been on the Danny hate train and I know that people deal with grief differently so I try not to pass judgment on his choices or imagine motives I can’t possibly know, in how how he deals with that grief. I think his intentions in moving forward with his life, taking positive inspiration from his wife and what she meant to him, were good. Having said that most people in that situation don’t have TV cameras in their faces 24/7 and I just can’t imagine that.

Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢m not sure why a person is considered jealous or ignorant because they donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t really enjoy Dannyà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s performances or donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t get him.

Don’t worry. I’ve edited the original post. Plus, the poster is now in moderation.

REMINDER:

No fingerwagging, No lecturing. No personal attacks.

I really like Danny’s Regis/Kelly & Mike/Juliet & Fox 5 interviews. He was able to show his charming side and his singing wowed the hosts and me! I wish him the best.

As for this interview and some of the others, I think it reveals a guy who is probably too earnest for his own good and too gullible (naive?) for this business that he found himself in. For his sake, I hope he hooks up with someone like Chris Sligh whoà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢s pretty savvy about the business and has a career in Christian contemporary music. I do think Danny has a nice tone to his voice.

Ià ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢ve never been on the Danny hate train and I know that people deal with grief differently so I try not to pass judgment on his choices or imagine motives I canà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t possibly know, in how how he deals with that grief.

I think his intentions in moving forward with his life, taking positive inspiration from his wife and what she meant to him, were good. Having said that most people in that situation donà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t have TV cameras in their faces 24/7 and I just canà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t imagine that.

I think that you bring up a lot of excellent points. I think that Danny is very earnest and naive about the music business. He does have a limited knowledge about music.

Even though I looked up some of his musical influences, and there were a few mainstream, people up there and some Latin artists. So he’s not completely in the dark about all mainstream music, but his musical knowledge is limited. I think that hooking up with someone like Chris Sligh is a good idea.

I think that Chris Sligh is a decent songwriter, and if I mistaken I think that him and Danny know each other? So him hooking up with someone like Chris is definitely not a bad idea. Chris has decent songwriting skills and Danny has a lot of fans/more popularity so a collobaration with those two could benefit them both.

Also, I definitely agree with you about him and his grief. There are a lot of people that have suffered tragedies and they all handle it in their own ways. And do what they need to do to get through it. I think that is what Danny is doing. So I definitely am not going to pass any sort of judgement on him about that.

And I don’t think that he is trying to push himself or his advice on everyone. I think that he would be happy if he was an inspiration to some people, if they became inspired by him. But I don’t think that he is trying to inspire/influence everyone. Or push himself or his thoughts/beliefs on anyone.

Danny is not the jerk I thought he was. Now I have to imagine myself in his place. Now from me, only good will goes out to him.

I love,love Danny Gokey.
Primarily because he sings beautifully, with passion.
Secondarily, because he is an everyday, honest guy who actually has a goal in his life besides make $$; he wants to help children and families.
I know many, many are cynical and doubt his motives, but I think his past life before Idol speaks for itself and his future life will speak for itself also.
He is not everyone’s cup of tea, but the answer is simple; instead of obsessing over not (I really wonder about all the time/energy people take to post negative comments about someone they don’t care for-still don’t get that) liking him, just don’t listen to him!

I don’t feel like my opinion of Danny was swayed by EW or Vote For The Worst, especially since I’ve been to Vote for the Worst one time. I just don’t get Danny and I never feel like we get the straight story from him. I will tell you one of the reasons I didn’t like Danny was I never felt his performances merited the praise that he got from the judges. My sister doesn’t even follow idol that close and has never been to any idol internet site and she doesn’t like Danny either.

I just think different people hear and enjoy different things. I still can’t convince my sister Jason Castro is good.

I believe that Danny was the most talented and determined performer this season. He should have been in the final. It also takes a lot to audition right after losing someone close to you. In my opinion he was by far the best and should have won. So, if you are reading this Danny you will have an awesome career so always follow your dream.

Secondarily, because he is an everyday, honest guy who actually has a goal in his life besides make $$; he wants to help children and families.

There’s a third possible goal: To make music, i.e. move and entertain people, for the sake of the music; to express the inner artist who wants to sing, because of a love of music. Not a movement, not a desire to convert or sway, and with no need to justify one’s desire to make music.

Artists need to express what’s inside, money isn’t their priority and neither is starting a movement.

I think Danny does express what’s inside, much better than alot of singers. I get the impression that he is so mindful (rightly or wrongly) that he wants to do something to carry on his wife’s legacy. It seemed they were big on trying (volunteering) to help children in need. I think it almost seems as if he thinks he is not being respectful if he doesn’t bring everything back to this foundation that was created in his wfe’s name.

Personally, I think it may be too much to try to concentrate on two such big endeavors at one time. I hope I’m wrong, for his sake. I love Danny’s singing voice, I like what I know of him as a person, and so I hope he will be able to succeed.

Now Danny is a naturally gifted singer. I am really glad that he is doing something with his gift beyond singing with his church and family.

I think his foundation is part of the grieving process. I wonder if he has a certain guilt about carrying on without his wife. This is one way of giving back to the world – with helping out underpriveleged children.

I like that Danny is a raw talent and hasn’t spent his life preparing for being on Idol. He’s not plastic and he has lots of spirit. And as for making an eye-glass line, great idea, and really not that pie-in-the-sky.

Actually, in light of the Susan Boyle situation, I wonder if people who have recently gone through trauma, such as recently losing loved ones, should have some kind of psychiatric exam before proceeding in the competition.

I’m serious. I work in the medical field and we have patients who are going to undergo certain surgeries (gastric bypasses, etc) meet with a psychiatrist first. All this is traumatic potentially life-changing stuff.

Yeah, I know I’ll get some flack for saying this but think about what motivates a person to be a contestant…and how will they hold up under the stress and the scrutiny of the press, not to mention bloggers. People are screamin’ in the British press now at the BGT producers. It’s bound to happen to AI.

Actually, in light of the Susan Boyle situation, I wonder if people who have recently gone through trauma, such as recently losing loved ones, should have some kind of psychiatric exam before proceeding in the competition.

Yes. I’ve actually thought about this. I know that Danny has mentioned not wanting to live, and others in his life have talked about the extreme dispair that he had last summer after his wife died.

It has occurred to me that the stress could really be too much for someone going through so much. Once I found out about all of the “hate” online, it did worry me. If people had just been going off on his singing, it would be one thing. However, Danny’s character and motives have been attacked in every direction.

Not necessarily talking about Danny, but it is not far fetched that someone in this situation could do something drastic.

As far as Danny goes, I do think the online negativity, because he received the lion’s share of personal attacks (still does), affected his performances. He talked about not wanting to go onstage and trying to put all the “different opinions” out of my head…coming out with a fresh mind and heart. I think this was due to excessive personal attacks. It would affect anyone.

“I just think different people hear and enjoy different things. I still canà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â€ž ¢t convince my sister Jason Castro is good.”

Good point. I, for one, couldn’t understand all the praise heaped on Adam Lambert (and I think many others thought the same, voting Kris instead at the end)- he had great entertainment value, but when I looked away from the screen I just wasn’t feeling it-don’t enjoy his high voice tone. But I do appreciate the talent, just don’t go for his style.
I guess that is why there is so many different genres of music and many, many artists. Thank goodness we all have a lot to pick from.
As for me, I hope I get to hear more of Danny’s rich, bluesy tone in the future.