The summer was a bout of sleep, work and episodes of Pretty Little Liars and The Real Housewives of both New Jersey and New York.
It is no wonder why I was so tired at the end of the day. With sleeping until noon and hardly remembering what I learned this past year at school, I had little time to see friends.
However, this summer has brought me perspective — yes, eye-opening perspective.
It all starts with a moronic pact that I made with a friend: We decided one night that we would take our “talent” and audition for American Idol.
When summer hit, we weren’t sure we could cross this item off our bucket list.
The week before the audition, I had this epiphany. I was folding my work shirt when I realized there are some things in life that seem stupid and careless, but if I didn’t do this audition now, I probably never would.
All of a sudden, I started having these thoughts pop into my mind about my glamorous singing career: all the calls and Facebook posts I would get from the people in high school who were mean to me, saying how much they loved me and how they always knew I would be famous.
I started to really believe my own thoughts. So I scheduled off work and started to pack for the American Idol auditions in Pittsburgh, Penn. My friend and I thought we were on the road to super stardom.
Long story short, we didn’t make it. I sang one bar of a silly song, and my voice immediately cracked.
I almost laughed.
I had gotten myself so worked up that I realized I wasn’t soaking in the moment at all.
So I let myself sing the last few words. I smiled from ear to ear and really looked in to the eyes of the judges before me.
I sang horribly.
No, really it was bad.
I am not going to lie; I was pretty embarrassed and still am.
After all, the strangely entertaining guy waiting next to me was completely tone deaf and got through. I was even wearing a really cute, new outfit and kissing up to the judges. I wish I were tone deaf and could make it on television.
Can you say fame hungry?
If you are wondering about my friend, he did just about as well as I did. I am still proud of us though — the American Idol Rejects — or as the producers nicely told us, the “non-winners.”
My summer was mostly uneventful, yet I still felt as if I had rubbed shoulders with the stars.
But here’s the real lesson I took from this experience: Celebrity is something we all create.
It is how we look at someone and know there is something worth watching and waiting for.
I might never have a singing career, but I know that, to someone, I am a celebrity. Sure, I might not be as polished or as wealthy as a pop princess, but at least I can say there are no scandals to tell about me ... yet.
In the meantime though, I must live vicariously through the scandals of Hollywood and take plenty of notes.
I look forward to entertaining with juicy gossip and my take on certain issues.
Oh, and try to spot me in the opening shots of the Pittsburgh auditions next year.
I’ll be the little dot wearing an adorable blue dress and yellow scarf.
I know, how could they have said no to me?
Hallie Gebel is a sophomore studying broadcast journalism and a columnist for The Post. If you spot her on American Idol, email her at hg211609@ohiou.edu.
