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 Katharine McPhee & Elliott Yamin - Real Love (Radio Edit) - Single - Real Love Get "Real Love" radio edit!
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Subject: A Serious Question For You McPhans (Very long!)
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Username: katidol
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Posts:1055

Katharine Addict
Katharine Addict
Location: Los Angeles, CA


Member Since 3/1/2006

07/18/2006 5:24 PM Alert 

My question is: What kind of fan are you and how much do you love Katharine? Don't answer yet. Let me explain.

Recently, I had spent some time looking back at some of the older posts bringing back memories on how we started and got here today. In the "Welcome Forum", I looked back at the "Introduce Yourself" thread which was posted by Chad back in February. I saw people introducing themselves and said they are a true fan of Kat and love her since her audition. They all sounded very sincere. But when I look at their username, it is unfortunate that about 95% of them had very low post count and are not here today anymore for whatever reasons. No, I'm not judging them but this led me to a deeper thinking of the question - What kind of fans are they and how much they really love Kat?

There are several kinds of fans every year on AI. First, there are the AI fans. That means they are addicted to AI and every year they will pick their most favorite contestant, root and vote hard for them. They spend long hours on AI boards or other forums communicating or debating with other fans. But after AI is over, they move on and wait for the next season. Then they do this all over again.

The second type of fans is the curious type. Every year they have a favorite. They will spend countless of hours, joining different websites, digging out information and background of their favorite out of curiosity. They may vote for them but usually in a casual way. They are happy if their favorite wins but not taking it too seriously if they lose either. They are as interested in finding out gossips and negativities as they are in positive information about their favorite. They will even judge or condemn if they need to. In this case they are the intellectual and righteous fans. 

The third type is what I called "Real Fanatics". They are the one who emotionally tied to their favorite. They treat their favorite like themselves and do a lot of things that is beyond a normal person will do. They are willing to sacrifice for their favorite, sometimes even to a ridiculous extent. Their love is true and long lasting. They will not abandon their favorite for a new one every year. They care for their career, future, and life. And they are only interested in things that are beneficial to their favorite and ignore those which are detrimental.

Ok, now you can ask yourself this question and see how you answer:
What kind of fan are you and how much do you love her?

To me, Katharine is not an AI contestant anymore. Now, I love her as Katharine McPhee, not just a talented singer. Yes, in the beginning, that's the reason I discovered and fell in love with her but now it's beyond that. Her idol image in me had been fully developed and it's no easy way to remove or replace. Even though I know that Season 6 is coming, I really don't have the urge to look forward to it because I'm not interested in AI to begin with. That also explains why I don't care about "America's Got Talent" or "So You Think You Can Dance". The only chance that may make me rethink is that if there is another person who possesses the same degree of qualities of Katharine exists in future shows. But I really doubt its possibility because I'm convinced that finding Katharine is a once in a lifetime kind of experience and it's not easy to come across again at any time in the future.

Username: Pheenomenon
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Posts:3043

Katharine Addict
Katharine Addict
Location: Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada


Member Since 5/21/2006

07/18/2006 5:47 PM Alert 
I'm the same kind of fan as you katidol though I am also intellectual and righteous to a fault. I am not an AI fan. I had never watched it before this year when I discovered Katharine while channel surfing. (Started watching auditions for Simon's caustic comments and was fortunate enough in those 10 minutes to catch Kat). I am interested in Kat the person as well as Kat the performer and will be for life. I have never been a phan of anyone before this and doubt I ever will be again. I doubt anyone like Katharine will ever come around again on Idol. I will watch next years Idol finale only, if it has Kat making a guest appearance. (They must, surely?) As long as there are Kat videos and links and controversies and gossip, I'll be participating in this forum. I also like to think that my participation here is contributing in a tiny way to Kat's career by "pheeding the phans" Kat materials.

I'm sure Kat will have a wonderful career as a performer but that is not my primary interest in her. I want to see how she develops as a person. I'm sure she will continue to be outspoken. I'm hoping she will become a
 
champion of the underdog and of the truth

and be involved in some humanitarian causes. I know that is a big load to lay on someone but I think this is her wish too.

...um...what was the question again?? Oh, "how much do I love her" - okay, with a perfect love, how about that?
Username: Bigshady
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Posts:2649

Katharine Addict
Katharine Addict
Location: SoCal


Member Since 4/8/2006

07/18/2006 6:41 PM Alert 
What kind of fan are you? - I'd like to think I'm a "Real Fanatic", but I suppose time will tell. It's easy right now because we're still in the whirlwind of AI and there's a lot of hype and excitement. I'll be glad when Katharine can seperate herself from AI and move on with her career. I am grateful for the platform that the show provided, but I always felt she transcended AI. When Kat performed, it was just that, a performance, not so much a competition. In other words, katidol, I completely agree with your last paragraph. I too believe "finding Katharine is a once in a lifetime kind of experience".
Username: Vanfan14
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Posts:82

Katharine Crazy
Katharine Crazy
Location: NY


Member Since 4/11/2006

07/18/2006 7:12 PM Alert 
i can only speak for myself, so here it goes... i think there can be all different levels of being a mcphan; or any fan for that matter. i watched AI the first season because i sing myself, so i thought it would be interesting. i didn't like the auditions of the bad people because it made me uncomfortable to watch for some reason, but as soon as i saw kelly clarkson sing, "respect," i was a fan. i voted each week for her & i loved every time she spoke, sang, walked, breathed, everything haha i cried when she won because i was so proud of her & to be honest, i found the vhs tape from the finale recently, watched it & cried all over again haha i have seen her perform basically whenever she's been in the ny area (& once in jersey) & i know that i will be a fan for life because i love basically everything about her. i casually watched the show for the past few seasons but because i didn't find anyone i really connected with, i didn't vote. as a rule, i didn't want to watch the beginning of this season because of the whole "making fun of sucky singers" thing but people at work told me that they also showed good singers. i decided to start watching & i'm pretty sure it was katharine's episode. as soon as she started to sing, i was like- that's my girl. i literally walked into work the next day to talk about how amazing she was & i made a friendly bet with my friend who was a pickler fan. $5 would go to me if kat lasted longer than pickler & $5 would go to my friend if pickler lasted longer. i think we all know how that went. every week, i loved seeing katharine perform, talk, walk; okay, i think you all get it haha. obviously, i voted each week like a crazy person. i don't know if i should be ashamed to say this, but i am a verizon customer & i bought a cingular phone plan the last month so that i could text message votes in. i didn't make one phone call on it but i cancelled it as soon as the show was over. i also bought 4 roses for the finale with the sherman oaks florist project thing we did & i just bought tickets to the connecticut concert in september even though i went to the recent long island concert. clearly, i only bought those tickets to see kat, so i'm hoping that my sept. tickets provide me with that opportunity. i'm sorry to make this long & possibly boring, but i just wanted to explain a little bit because i definitely consider myself a big fan. i will be a fan for life & i will buy tickets for whenever she'll be in the ny area for her entire career. i am a very loyal & passionate person, so as soon i connected to katharine (& kelly a few years ago) i really wanted to help them any way i could to achieve their dreams, like i'm sure most of you feel as well. however, you can probably tell from my info on the left, i'm not a huge poster here or anywhere else. i have nothing against posting, but i don't always feel like i have something important to say haha i read a lot of the posts & i enjoy what others have to say, but i really only post if i think i can add something to the convo or something like that. that being said, i hope i've added something to this topic haha oh yeah- and something else i want to add is just that for me personally, i think i try to be very supportive & loyal to performers i love because i hope to be a professional singer one day & i know that i would appreciate fans being that way for me. what we do definitely makes katharine feel better about herself as a person & a performer & i'm just happy that i can have anything to do with that. i guess that's it for me...hope it was somewhat informative haha. i forgot to add this in my original post, but I also have my official orange kat pack t-shirt & my 5 glow sticks to use for that Connecticut concert. i’m also planning on giving the glow sticks we don’t use to some little girls that might not have known about them but are still kat fans. so yeah, I guess I’m a big fan haha- carly
Username: Fob
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Katharine Acquaintance
Katharine Acquaintance
Location:


Member Since

07/18/2006 7:54 PM Alert 
You hit the nail on the head about what kind of fans there are KatIdol, I noticed that exact same phenomina the other day. I myself don't view myself as a Katharine Fan. Fan is short for fanatic as far as I know, and I"m not obsessed with Kat. My following for Kat is more of a support. I love Kat because she is a brilliant and funny young lady with incredible talent. I joined this website because I was alone in a family of Taylor fans, and then you all became my family. I have so many friends here, that even when I'm not in the greatest mood you all are there for me. I continue to post here because day after day my Cat Vanna brings me insights into just why it is we care for Kat.

 Night after night I spend my time grappling with so many different subjects of just how life works, why people act the way they act, and why I'm so screwed up deep inside. And every once in awhile I'm blessed with a keen insight about Katharine McPhee. I love Kat because she is original. To answer your question,

 "I'm the type of Katharine Fan that would love to see her live,  buy every CD, pray for her every night,  be a shoulder to cry on if she needed it, and I'd buy a dozen Katharine Stuffed Plush toys if given the chance."

-Jesse
Username: KatFan49
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Posts:624

Katharine Addict
Katharine Addict
Location: Just outside the Capitol of the Free World


Member Since 7/8/2006

07/18/2006 9:28 PM Alert 

katidol, you ask a very good question.

I am a huge fan of Katharine Hope McPhee. What I see in her - talent, beauty and personal integrity - is something that needs to be applauded and shared with others like me who enjoy watching a star being born.

Katharine is going to be a superstar. I feel priviledged to have the opportunity to see her and follow her from this new beginning. I hope she has a long and wonderful career - I'll follow it as long as I am able. Even if she doesn't become a star, or retires from the business or disappears off the scope for another reason, I'll still be a fan because I will always remember the times she has brought me so much pleasure with her performances. I'll never forget her. Ever.


Katharine's summer is full of hope, full of potential, and promises to provide many bouquets to grace the home that I call my heart.

www.myspace.com/katfan49
www.myspace.com/katfia
www.myspace.com/katspack
Username: bcollan
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Posts:2845

Katharine Addict
Katharine Addict
Location: New Jersey
Admin


Member Since 2/14/2006

07/18/2006 10:10 PM Alert 
Excellent question, though I'm not sure how much you can tell by checking the post logs. Many of the people that joined and 'disappeared' may just be uncomfortable posting on messaqge boards. They probably only joined for access to the media, which was much harder to find at that time.

As for myself, I'm sure you don't have to ask!

But for everyone's benefit, I was always a 'type 2' fan...until Kat came along. Even last year with Carrie, whom I adored, my behavior was best described as a 'casual fan'. I voted sporadically, I cheered when she advanced, and I bought 1 copy of her single and album. And no, I didn't go to the summer concerts.

Now with Kat, if you looked up the definition of 'fanatic' it would suit me to a tee. I wouldn't even begin to mention the bizarre, obsessive and compulsive behavior Kat has evoked in me, but I'm sure it would sound familiar to many of you! And I don't think it's likely to go away any time soon. I suppose the reason is that I really like Carrie, but I truely love Kat, at least as far as you can love someone you never met.

As for AI6? I'll go back to being a type 2 casual fan. I'll probably find a favorite, and I might even vote a few times for them.
 

"She sings so magnificantly, it's just amazing" David Foster
Username: Irishkmp
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Posts:141
Katharine Crazy
Katharine Crazy
Location: Ohio


Member Since 6/28/2006

07/18/2006 10:16 PM Alert 
I liked her enough to watch every week. I liked her enough to buy her CD. I liked her enough to buy Teen Mag. (and I ain't no teenager). I donated to St. Jude's in her honor. I liked her enough to pay double for tickets to the concert that she won't be at (no fault of her own).

She is a great performer! She will be around for a longggg time. I don't know her personally but my perception of her she is a Sweetheart. I think she will do well in life, in whatever she chooses.

I didn't post a lot, maybe because I am older, I don't know. But it doesn't mean I liked her any less. I guess when I have something to say I mean it or I don't say anything. So what I have said I meant.

Username: kenneth
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Posts:1431
Katharine Addict
Katharine Addict
Location:


Member Since 4/27/2006

07/18/2006 10:39 PM Alert 
Posted By Vanfan14 on 07/18/2006 7:12 PM
i can only speak for myself, so here it goes... i think there can be all different levels of being a mcphan; or any fan for that matter. i watched AI the first season because i sing myself, so i thought it would be interesting. i didn't like the auditions of the bad people because it made me uncomfortable to watch for some reason, but as soon as i saw kelly clarkson sing, "respect," i was a fan. i voted each week for her & i loved every time she spoke, sang, walked, breathed, everything haha i cried when she won because i was so proud of her & to be honest, i found the vhs tape from the finale recently, watched it & cried all over again haha i have seen her perform basically whenever she's been in the ny area (& once in jersey) & i know that i will be a fan for life because i love basically everything about her. i casually watched the show for the past few seasons but because i didn't find anyone i really connected with, i didn't vote. as a rule, i didn't want to watch the beginning of this season because of the whole "making fun of sucky singers" thing but people at work told me that they also showed good singers. i decided to start watching & i'm pretty sure it was katharine's episode. as soon as she started to sing, i was like- that's my girl. i literally walked into work the next day to talk about how amazing she was & i made a friendly bet with my friend who was a pickler fan. $5 would go to me if kat lasted longer than pickler & $5 would go to my friend if pickler lasted longer. i think we all know how that went. every week, i loved seeing katharine perform, talk, walk; okay, i think you all get it haha. obviously, i voted each week like a crazy person. i don't know if i should be ashamed to say this, but i am a verizon customer & i bought a cingular phone plan the last month so that i could text message votes in. i didn't make one phone call on it but i cancelled it as soon as the show was over. i also bought 4 roses for the finale with the sherman oaks florist project thing we did & i just bought tickets to the connecticut concert in september even though i went to the recent long island concert. clearly, i only bought those tickets to see kat, so i'm hoping that my sept. tickets provide me with that opportunity. i'm sorry to make this long & possibly boring, but i just wanted to explain a little bit because i definitely consider myself a big fan. i will be a fan for life & i will buy tickets for whenever she'll be in the ny area for her entire career. i am a very loyal & passionate person, so as soon i connected to katharine (& kelly a few years ago) i really wanted to help them any way i could to achieve their dreams, like i'm sure most of you feel as well. however, you can probably tell from my info on the left, i'm not a huge poster here or anywhere else. i have nothing against posting, but i don't always feel like i have something important to say haha i read a lot of the posts & i enjoy what others have to say, but i really only post if i think i can add something to the convo or something like that. that being said, i hope i've added something to this topic haha oh yeah- and something else i want to add is just that for me personally, i think i try to be very supportive & loyal to performers i love because i hope to be a professional singer one day & i know that i would appreciate fans being that way for me. what we do definitely makes katharine feel better about herself as a person & a performer & i'm just happy that i can have anything to do with that. i guess that's it for me...hope it was somewhat informative haha -carly

that was a beautiful post. it's not easy to explain what the AI journey is like,  the emotional investment it can require. thanks for doing so.

i completely related to your post. i bought a cingular phone just for kat too, voted like a crazy person and acted like a crazy person.  i think people who go through all the ups and downs always carry the experience with them forever. 


Username: Cornelius
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Posts:409

Katharine Addict
Katharine Addict
Location:


Member Since 5/13/2006

07/18/2006 11:27 PM Alert 
Katharine is going to be a superstar. I feel privileged to have the opportunity to see her and follow her from this new beginning. I hope she has a long and wonderful career - I'll follow it as long as I am able. Even if she doesn't become a star, or retires from the business or disappears off the scope for another reason, I'll still be a fan because I will always remember the times she has brought me so much pleasure with her performances. I'll never forget her. Ever.


I was going to write an essay but as usual Don beat me to it, so I am just going to repeat the money quote.

I never watched AI before. I have never been a "fan" of anyone until now. Paula said that Katharine touched her heart. When she sings, like the Grinch it feels like my heart grows 10 sizes. I too will never forget her... Ever.




Miss Universe with Talent
Username: katidol
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Posts:1055

Katharine Addict
Katharine Addict
Location: Los Angeles, CA


Member Since 3/1/2006

07/19/2006 12:29 AM Alert 
Posted By bcollan on 07/18/2006 10:10 PM
Excellent question, though I'm not sure how much you can tell by checking the post logs. Many of the people that joined and 'disappeared' may just be uncomfortable posting on messaqge boards. They probably only joined for access to the media, which was much harder to find at that time.
When I said low post count, I'm talking about 1 or 2 posts.  Of course, I'm not saying that is the only indicator but I still believe this can generally give some clue as to how enthusiastic a fan is. I think you're correct by saying those people are joining for access to the media. That's why I'm considering most of them type 2 fans. It's hard to imagine a type 3 fan coming to a site, post 1 or 2 times and then disappear for good unless the site is really horrible.

Username: BellaMcPhee
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Posts:831

Katharine Addict
Katharine Addict
Location: Minas Gerais, Brazil


Member Since 7/6/2006

07/19/2006 1:22 AM Alert 
I have never watched American Idol before. I wasn't even a big fan of any type of music. Not until I accidentally heard a beautiful girl singing "God Bless The Child" and fell in love with her on that very moment. This was just the beginning. Now I can say I love her as a person, and not just as a singer.
I truly believe I'm a "real fanatic" kind of fan. I still feel bad because I never could vote for her during the show - even knowing that this was an impossible thing for me to do living in Brazil. I spend all my free time here in this amazing place where people actually understand how I feel about her. I still have tears in my eyes everytime I see her performing. She's in my prayers everyday. Her picture is the last thing I look at before I go to sleep and it's the first thing I see when I wake up. I'm already thinking about a way to go to the US and see her on a concert of her own when the time comes.
This could just go on and on. I never felt this way. I never loved so much someone I never met. And I never wanted so much to meet someone. I really believe this is gonna last for life.
Sorry if I'm not a good writer like many of you guys here, but I tried my best to tell you how I feel.
Username: garet1225
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Katharine Crazy
Katharine Crazy
Location:


Member Since 6/6/2006

07/19/2006 1:26 AM Alert 
good question.

i became a fan of AI when it started showing here in the Philippines 3 years ago. i liked fantasia, constantine and carrie. but i never tried voting from here for any of them. i never bought their cds nor any magazine that featured them. but i really liked them while AI was on.

then season 5 came along. i saw her audition and was immediately captivated. for the first time since getting hooked with the show, i went to the AI website. i eagerly waited for wednesdays to come (the day it is shown here) and watched all 4 times it was shown that day. i started surfing the internet for anything i could find about her. during the finale, i desperately tried to vote from here (using skype - useless!) for four straight hours. all because of KAT.

i can't stop talking about her to my friends. i can't stop listening to her songs. i can't help but go to this site even if i really don't have the time. i have never been this invested in an artist before. but for KAT, i'd do anything to help her fulfill her dreams. if that means buying 5 (or more) of her cd - done. if that means watching her concerts and movies in the future - will do.

my friends can vouch for me - i am the real deal. i'm not even looking forward to the next season of AI anymore because i've already found my idol. but i am not a big poster on this site, which i don't think (and i'm sure you agree) lessens the degree of my fanaticism. i like posting only when i feel i have something worthwhile to say. like now.

so how much do i love KAT? let me put it this way. even if every rumor about her turns out to be true, i'd still be here for her. that's called unconditional love.





Username: underwoodfan23
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Katharine Addict
Katharine Addict
Location: 12.4 minutes from Sherman Oaks!!!


Member Since 3/1/2006

07/19/2006 1:44 AM Alert 
wow...lots of answers! Let me first clarify something! I am an Idol fanatic! The show make me crazy! I love it soooo much! I just started watching last year and I loved Carrie Underwood! I did everything I could, voted for her like crazy, bought the single, bought the album, joined the fansites! Then Katharine came along this season! However, I DIDN'T DROP CARRIE! Although a new season came, I still keep on Carrie and love her even more!

This strategy I plan on maintaining with Katharine. I will always love her, although I will still watch the show and, hopefully, love someone else too!

Both of my idol girls mean the world to me, and so I consider myself both an Idol fan and a real fanatic!

Katharine will always be my girl, through thick and thin. Wrong or right, she's my girly! I will never stop my devotion to her! She means that much to me!

KAT IN GLASSES!!!

*August 16, 2006 1:50 am...Mutt and I in the chat screaming our butts off...good times!!

Met Kat at the Kimmel show, February 7, 2007!
Username: czar_iya
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Posts:443

Katharine Addict
Katharine Addict
Location: Los Angeles


Member Since 6/11/2006

07/19/2006 1:51 AM Alert 
I joined this forum quite a while ago but I never posted. It's just that I'm used to posting at the AI boards or the IDF forum. Also, I'm not a very outspoken person.

I don't know what kind of fan I am. I am not a frequent AI viewer, It just so happened that I saw Kat during her auditions and instantly fell in love with her voice. From that day on, I'd watch American Idol every Tuesday and Wednesday, Also I'd vote for her the whole 2 hours.

I would check the internet everyday for a Kat Update. There was even one time that I got really mad because I couldn't go online or even start up my computer for that matter. It totally crashed on me and somehow everything's been wiped out and it broke. I literally asked for a new laptop from my parents and two days after my dad bought me one, which I was eternally grateful for.

Then, I bought multiple copies of her single. Which I don't usually do, it's unlikely for me to go out and actually buy Cd's. Also I downloaded it from iTunes and had to lie about my dad because he asked me if I already used my store credit. I didn't want to tell him that I used it all up to download all of kat's song. It's going to make him furious!

Every weekend, I'd talk about Katharine together with my aunt. We can pretty much spend the entire day just talking about her. Also, I bought every magazine that kat's been on.

I will buy her Album when it comes out and will support her all the way. That's what kind of a fan I am.

"Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising everytime we fall"
Username: SirCritic
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Katharine Addict
Katharine Addict
Location: Dayton, OH


Member Since 5/31/2006

07/19/2006 1:52 AM Alert 
I would say that I was a type 2 fan who morphed into type 3 over the course of the season!

This was my firrst year watching AI. Being much more of a movie creature than a TV creature, I never joined the AI juggernaut, other than to keep tabs on who won. Before this season, I had never even seen a full episode.

However, in the town where I work, there was a talent contest patterned after AI, so I figured I ought to watch the show to get an idea of how to write the stories for my newspaper.

Since this was my first year, I must confess I didn't "adopt" Kat immediately ... there was so much to take in I was kind of overwhelmed!  But by the time the first Think came around, I was hooked ... and I became acutely aware of this on Tuesdays. Most of those days I had to miss the show live because of movie screenings. I always called my best friend for a recap and found myself asking "How did Katharine (later Kat) do, How did Katharine do??"

By the time the show ended, I found I loved Kat not just as an artist, but as a person. And that kind of affection is rare for me, as I suspect it is for many.

Put another way: my joke used to be that Kat would be one of many AI crushes, since I seem to fall for every brunette 20-something singer on the planet. But now it's certainly no joke that there is only one Kat, and thank goodness for that. There will never be another like her.

There are SO many possibilities for Kat it's nothing short of astonishing. Unequivocally and absolutely, I am in for the long haul, no matter where she goes or what she does.
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Katharine Addict
Katharine Addict
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07/19/2006 1:53 AM Alert 

Almost from the start, I have been watching American Idol.  I think I started watching once they got to the final 10 (it used to be 10 in the first season), and Tamyra and Kelly were my favorites.  I liked them, but didn't bother voting because it wasn't that important to me.

I voted in season 3 because -- go on and hate me for this if you must -- 2 Hawaii girls were in the finals, and we support our own here.  I was sincerely proud of the way both girls handled themselves even if they were not vocally the strongest. 

But other than that season, it wasn't important for me to vote, and I didn't latch onto any particular contestant.

And then there was Katharine McPhee.  There's something about that girl.  Something beyond her obviously beautiful voice.  Something that makes a natually jaded, cynical man happy to spend endless hours on the computer visiting her fan site. 

She's powerful, that McPhee. 


"Haha! I love your comments. You just wait there will be more of Kat in Glasses! ha! I love the pic of Nena in glasses. DID you do that? Clever is so! XX kat"
-- Katharine McPhee (January 4, 2007)
Username: Gregoriancant
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Katharine Addict
Katharine Addict
Location: Oregon, USA


Member Since 5/26/2006

07/19/2006 2:53 AM Alert 
Long questions deserve a long answer...even though I'll probably be shorter this time.

Maybe we should create another level of fandom for 'Singers you can relate to.' This takes this into a part of what SirCritic brought up in putting the likeability of the person ahead of the artist. But I think that's a natural instinct in people looking for artists they can be comfortable knowing have outstanding principles in addition to being a great artist. Philosophers have always warned against placing the person ahead of the artist. But when you see enough evidence that both sides are above your expectations, you can't help but bring up that natural tendency that I think every person secretly desires.

For me, the criteria in supporting an artist seems to fall under that situation. I'd been burned out becoming fans of certain artists who ended up not only being different people from what you thought, but also changed directions artistically. Even though I'm usually openly one to focus on the artistry of a performer first, seeking out whether they have a good foundation of ethics in their background has been a secret radar in me. I did the same thing before I started making commitments to supporting Katharine on 'AI.' Many other Kat Phans I've talked to just went with the music alone as reason enough to support her. But after I found out that Kat truly is a person with a solid set of principles in her past (and intended future), it clinched it for me as her being THE artist to support above any I've ever seen.

To go back to artists you can relate to: Hearing about Kat's history was also a portion of my decision to become a fan. Kat grew up somewhat like me, what with listening to older music around her and members of the family who taught or played music. When you're from Generation X and grow up listening (and playing) older types of music, you automatically think you're the only one in the universe like that. It only grows worse when you see every friend you have in your neighbourhood listening to nothing but Top 40. Add onto that every friend you have in school who thought listening to any song written before 1985 is like sunlight to a vampire.

The good news is that I later found out I wasn't the only one. A lot of the artists doing that older music now grew up in similar situations that I did. Then, when seeing Katharine--who was plainly a masterful artist from first listen--talk about a similar upbringing, I was just floored. Basically, I discovered that not only did I relate to her, but she possessed all the qualities I appreciate in a woman and artist.

So my fandom goes beyond the music--even though I still analyze the music most of the time. I've seen enough evidence, though, that Kat is serious in keeping all those principles that I appreciate she possesses. Even if she wavers in that in the future, her artistry is so overwhelming that I'll always support her as an artist.

And, of course, if she ends up playing Wonder Woman, I'll pledge my fandom to that character instead of Catwoman...
Username: gkfi
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Katharine Addict
Katharine Addict
Location: China


Member Since 7/17/2006