Fort Wayne, IN February 29, 2008
Josiah Leming, the boy who captured America's heart during the American Idol auditions, had to cancel a trip to Fort
Wayne Thursday with the news that his mother is in a coma. Josiah had been living in his car while chasing his dreams
of becoming a singer. He made it to Hollywood with an American Idol golden ticket, but he was eliminated in the last
round, barely missing a spot in the Top 24. Josiah left Hollywood and headed home to be with his family, because his
mother was battling cancer. His car, which had been his home, carried him safely to see his mother then broke down in
her driveway.
Josiah's touching story found the hearts of the good people of Fort Wayne. With the help of a local radio station, the
Chamber of Commerce and a local auto dealer, plans were made to give Josiah a new car loaded with gifts on
Thursday, February 28, according to the Chamber of Commerce's website. Just as Josiah was preparing to board a
plane for Fort Wayne, he received the devastating news that his mother had slipped into a coma. Josiah canceled his
trip to Indiana to be with his family. The radio station crew drove the car to Knoxville to deliver the car and the gifts.
The radio station delivered the car and gifts Josiah in Knoxville Friday. He was very grateful and promised Fort Wayne
a "thank-you" concert.
We send our thoughts and prayers to the Leming family.
March 1, 2008 UPDATE Josiah's mother, Sharon, is out of the coma and has explained that it was a rare side effect
from one of the chemo drugs she was receiving. She wrote in her blog that she wants to go home and rebuild her body
and reassess her options. The doctor suggested that they lower the dose of this drug and try again, to which she
replied with a resounding "NO." Sharon is fighting a very rare form of terminal cancer.
Josiah Leming, the boy who captured America's heart during the American Idol auditions, had to cancel a trip to Fort
Wayne Thursday with the news that his mother is in a coma. Josiah had been living in his car while chasing his dreams
of becoming a singer. He made it to Hollywood with an American Idol golden ticket, but he was eliminated in the last
round, barely missing a spot in the Top 24. Josiah left Hollywood and headed home to be with his family, because his
mother was battling cancer. His car, which had been his home, carried him safely to see his mother then broke down in
her driveway.
Josiah's touching story found the hearts of the good people of Fort Wayne. With the help of a local radio station, the
Chamber of Commerce and a local auto dealer, plans were made to give Josiah a new car loaded with gifts on
Thursday, February 28, according to the Chamber of Commerce's website. Just as Josiah was preparing to board a
plane for Fort Wayne, he received the devastating news that his mother had slipped into a coma. Josiah canceled his
trip to Indiana to be with his family. The radio station crew drove the car to Knoxville to deliver the car and the gifts.
The radio station delivered the car and gifts Josiah in Knoxville Friday. He was very grateful and promised Fort Wayne
a "thank-you" concert.
We send our thoughts and prayers to the Leming family.
March 1, 2008 UPDATE Josiah's mother, Sharon, is out of the coma and has explained that it was a rare side effect
from one of the chemo drugs she was receiving. She wrote in her blog that she wants to go home and rebuild her body
and reassess her options. The doctor suggested that they lower the dose of this drug and try again, to which she
replied with a resounding "NO." Sharon is fighting a very rare form of terminal cancer.
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| Welcome to our impcast site, Home of the Original Impcast (information, music, podcasts) |
| PRESS PLAY For free music, you pick the style! |
March 4, 2008
The Van Halen Debacle Rumors rolled across the Internet Monday spreading fear and false information to fans of
Van Halen. It started with an article from TMZ saying the concert tour had been cancelled due to issues with Eddie. A
reporter for the NJ Star-Ledger then dug up a report from Rolling Stone Magazine, claiming that tour promoters had
confirmed the tour was "shut down." We found that article, with a verbatim quote, and reported that it was dated
February of 2007. It was written when the tour looked like it wouldn't happen. Meanwhile, the quote from the NJ paper
citing the old Rolling Stone article was copied and quoted all over the place, and no one bothered to verify it. We did.
We confirmed through email with the NJ reporter that he overlooked the date. He corrected the story, but it was too late.
The so-called Rolling Stone "confirmation" from VH's promoters was enough to convince legitimate news outlets the
story was solid, and tmz's story was enough to make people jump to the conclusion Eddie was having drug problems.
Finally, a statement was issued from VH:
"According to Eddie Van Halen's physician, he is undergoing a battery of comprehensive medical tests to determine a
defined diagnosis and recommended medical procedures."
Four shows have been postponed, not cancelled. We don't know what's going on with Eddie. Yes, there is the possibility
that it might be substance abuse that causes the tour to be scrapped in the end. Anything is possible. However, if that
happens, it certainly does not validate the erroneous reporting that took place yesterday. It would be sheer coincidence,
not foresight or good reporting. What happened yesterday was a clear case of putting the self-indulgent idea of getting
it first over the importance of getting it right.
March 3, Dallas - new date April 24 March 5, Cincinnati - new date April 22
March 7, Raleigh - new date April 13 March 9, Baltimore - new date April 15
The Van Halen Debacle Rumors rolled across the Internet Monday spreading fear and false information to fans of
Van Halen. It started with an article from TMZ saying the concert tour had been cancelled due to issues with Eddie. A
reporter for the NJ Star-Ledger then dug up a report from Rolling Stone Magazine, claiming that tour promoters had
confirmed the tour was "shut down." We found that article, with a verbatim quote, and reported that it was dated
February of 2007. It was written when the tour looked like it wouldn't happen. Meanwhile, the quote from the NJ paper
citing the old Rolling Stone article was copied and quoted all over the place, and no one bothered to verify it. We did.
We confirmed through email with the NJ reporter that he overlooked the date. He corrected the story, but it was too late.
The so-called Rolling Stone "confirmation" from VH's promoters was enough to convince legitimate news outlets the
story was solid, and tmz's story was enough to make people jump to the conclusion Eddie was having drug problems.
Finally, a statement was issued from VH:
"According to Eddie Van Halen's physician, he is undergoing a battery of comprehensive medical tests to determine a
defined diagnosis and recommended medical procedures."
Four shows have been postponed, not cancelled. We don't know what's going on with Eddie. Yes, there is the possibility
that it might be substance abuse that causes the tour to be scrapped in the end. Anything is possible. However, if that
happens, it certainly does not validate the erroneous reporting that took place yesterday. It would be sheer coincidence,
not foresight or good reporting. What happened yesterday was a clear case of putting the self-indulgent idea of getting
it first over the importance of getting it right.
March 3, Dallas - new date April 24 March 5, Cincinnati - new date April 22
March 7, Raleigh - new date April 13 March 9, Baltimore - new date April 15
March 5, 2008
Entertainment Tonight Credibility on the Line over American Idol Story
by Samantha Adams
In what appears to be yet another case of shoddy reporting, an article has appeared on Entertainment Tonight's website
claiming American Idol's shows this week were not live. (Read it here.) The story focuses on the show's latest
controversy, involving the stripper past of contestant David Hernandez. The article includes the following statements:
"David belted out the JIM STEINMAN power ballad "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" last night. Interestingly, the show
was actually taped Monday night, before the story broke that he used to dance at Dick's Cabaret, a gay strip club in
Phoenix, AZ."
"At last night's taping of the girl's performances, which will air tonight on FOX, ET talked to members of the audience
and he has strong support from fans -- who feel he should stay despite the controversy because he has a good singing
voice."
American Idol is, in fact, live. There is a delay for the west coast to allow for the time difference, as is the case with any
live show, but it is not pre-taped the day before. The only parts that are pre-taped are the interviews shown before each
contestant performs and the end montage. The montage is taken from the dress rehearsal the day before, because it
would be nearly impossible to get the last singer's performance edited in time if they did on the spot. This is no secret,
and Idol has shared this information openly. If it were pre-taped, errors would be removed - like Ryan's not knowing the
order of contestants when he announced that David Cook was next, when he wasn't; or when Simon's remark about
stripping accidentally went out over an open mic. These mistakes would never have been allowed to air if there were
opportunities to edit them. In fact, Simon's comments were edited out of the west coast feed. The article further proves
itself wrong by claiming it was taped before the Hernandez story broke. If true, Simon would not have made the stripper
comment at all. Besides, there is no way past contestants would be keeping this juicy tidbit to themselves. We'd all know.
Entertainment Tonight's article is an embarrassment. It appears the reporter thought the dress rehearsal was the actual
show. If we assume the story is accurate, and the show really was pre-taped, ET has just missed the opportunity to drop
the biggest bomb in entertainment history by exposing that the show is not live. This should be a headline; not a passing
comment in an article about a contestant who was a stripper.
This is just the latest in a string of slapshot reporting from organizations that should know better. Earlier this week, an
erroneous report created chaos in for Van Halen (see below), and news outlets repeated the error without checking the
facts. Reports like this can have a devastating impact on the people involved. These are serious errors that take only a
few seconds to research and verify. Anyone can make a mistake, but fact-checking separates the amateurs from the
pros. In the end, people won't remember where they heard it first; they'll remember where they heard it right.
UPDATE: (March 5, 2008 6:25 ET) Hours after our story hit the web, ET changed the first paragraph to say:
"David belted out the JIM STEINMAN power ballad "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" last night, just hours after the story
broke that he used to dance at Dick's Cabaret, a gay strip club in Phoenix, AZ."
Entertainment Tonight Credibility on the Line over American Idol Story
by Samantha Adams
In what appears to be yet another case of shoddy reporting, an article has appeared on Entertainment Tonight's website
claiming American Idol's shows this week were not live. (Read it here.) The story focuses on the show's latest
controversy, involving the stripper past of contestant David Hernandez. The article includes the following statements:
"David belted out the JIM STEINMAN power ballad "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" last night. Interestingly, the show
was actually taped Monday night, before the story broke that he used to dance at Dick's Cabaret, a gay strip club in
Phoenix, AZ."
"At last night's taping of the girl's performances, which will air tonight on FOX, ET talked to members of the audience
and he has strong support from fans -- who feel he should stay despite the controversy because he has a good singing
voice."
American Idol is, in fact, live. There is a delay for the west coast to allow for the time difference, as is the case with any
live show, but it is not pre-taped the day before. The only parts that are pre-taped are the interviews shown before each
contestant performs and the end montage. The montage is taken from the dress rehearsal the day before, because it
would be nearly impossible to get the last singer's performance edited in time if they did on the spot. This is no secret,
and Idol has shared this information openly. If it were pre-taped, errors would be removed - like Ryan's not knowing the
order of contestants when he announced that David Cook was next, when he wasn't; or when Simon's remark about
stripping accidentally went out over an open mic. These mistakes would never have been allowed to air if there were
opportunities to edit them. In fact, Simon's comments were edited out of the west coast feed. The article further proves
itself wrong by claiming it was taped before the Hernandez story broke. If true, Simon would not have made the stripper
comment at all. Besides, there is no way past contestants would be keeping this juicy tidbit to themselves. We'd all know.
Entertainment Tonight's article is an embarrassment. It appears the reporter thought the dress rehearsal was the actual
show. If we assume the story is accurate, and the show really was pre-taped, ET has just missed the opportunity to drop
the biggest bomb in entertainment history by exposing that the show is not live. This should be a headline; not a passing
comment in an article about a contestant who was a stripper.
This is just the latest in a string of slapshot reporting from organizations that should know better. Earlier this week, an
erroneous report created chaos in for Van Halen (see below), and news outlets repeated the error without checking the
facts. Reports like this can have a devastating impact on the people involved. These are serious errors that take only a
few seconds to research and verify. Anyone can make a mistake, but fact-checking separates the amateurs from the
pros. In the end, people won't remember where they heard it first; they'll remember where they heard it right.
UPDATE: (March 5, 2008 6:25 ET) Hours after our story hit the web, ET changed the first paragraph to say:
"David belted out the JIM STEINMAN power ballad "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" last night, just hours after the story
broke that he used to dance at Dick's Cabaret, a gay strip club in Phoenix, AZ."
Van Halen tour info update: MORE DATES POSTPONED - CLICK HERE
