February 2, 2013

"To think that I would go on a national TV show and get away with continuing a lie so big... is ridiculous."

Says the "extremely remorseful" Matthew Farmer, who went on "American Idol" and told a story of military combat service replete with exploding IED, brain damage, and PTSD. In fact, though he was in the army, he never saw combat.
Soldiers who served with Farmer claim that Farmer's injury came from mixing Accutane, a prescription medication for acne, and alcohol.

Farmer denies allegations that he was sent home for unauthorized use of medicine. He blames the producers of "American Idol" for distorting his story through editing.

The contestant, who sang Sam Cooke's "A Change Is Gonna Come" for the judging panel, blames "Idol" for focusing on his war stories rather than on his little girl, who accompanied him to the audition.

Farmer accuses the editors of "chopping up" parts of his interview and focusing unduly on his story of being medically evacuated from Iraq.
He meant to exploit the child, not the military service. Watch the clip at the link. The poor child looks exceedingly displeased with her father, as if she knows he's shaming himself, lying.

23 comments:

kentuckyliz said...

Was he being wise, in crafting a compelling narrative? Isn't he just he just doing what the Democrat political-MSM machine do every day? Is there an expectation of investigation?

Shouting Thomas said...

Reporters and media people have, throughout my career as a musician, encouraged me to make up dramatic and heart-rending stories for dramatic effect.

So, what's the surprise here?

Somebody expects a crappy TV show to vet things?

Eric the Fruit Bat said...

The best thing you can teach your children is how to be a good liar.

MadisonMan said...

You could tell she didn't want to be there during the audition. Also, he should've gotten points off for singing "A Change is gonna come" (Ditto for Matteus at the end of the show) as that song has been done to death on Idol.

Ann Althouse said...

Also, he flubs the words. He sings "my change is gonna come."

It's about him. That was telling. We commented on that at the time. And on the discomfort of the little girl.

The producers should have been more suspicious. Do some investigation. It's too obvious that sob stories give you a boost. Why wouldn't these hard-up young people -- some predictable percentage -- lie?

I don't like the Queen for a Day aspect of the show.

Shouting Thomas said...

Producers of TV shows, in my experience, do absolutely no investigation.

Producers meet show participants moments before they appear on stage to pump them up.

What interest would this TV program have in investigating anything? What competence would they have if they decided to do so?

MadisonMan said...

There are too many Prima Donnas who have no business trying out for a singing competition (such as the two brothers from San Antonio). It's like no one ever tells people they suck at singing. I also didn't like in the audition rounds when they sent the parents in so they could thank the judges through mascara-smearing tears for sending their baby through. I'm remembering specifically the girl in recovery from anorexia -- was her name Mariah? Anyway, yes her voice was good, and maybe she deserves a Golden Ticket (although so early in recovery? Bad idea IMO), but I don't need to see her whole family shrieking about it.

Now that we're moving to Hollywood Week, at least the quality of singing should increase, unless they've sent a bunch of Tatiana Del Toros there, but it didn't seem that way. I mean, they didn't send the one-legged cancer survivor with a moderately good voice. He'd've been in Hollywood so fast if JLo and Steven Tyler were still judging.

James said...

What they really need is more Steven Tyler in drag.

KCFleming said...

"""To think that I would go on a national TV show and get away with continuing a lie so big... is ridiculous."

Ridiculous?

Global warming.
Obama's school records.
The prime mortgage collapse.
The gun grab,.
You'll get to keep your doctor in Obamacare.

Big lies are actually pretty successful.

Phil 314 said...

Based on a true story

MayBee said...

He should have claimed to be Native American. That's a lie you can get away with.

Carol said...

Sheesh, just the fact that he went in the military is enough, giving up his convenience, comfort and autonomy. Why did he have to embroider things like that.

edutcher said...

We see a lot of this these days, ever since the Gulf war made it OK to be a vet.

But, of course, vets are much more on the lookout for posers.

William said...

It's win win for American Idol. Notoriety attracts more viewers than fame. The military hero overcomes and prospers or the lying con man gets found out. Either way you have a satisfying morality play.....I think a few serial killers or rapists would add a lot of tension and drama to the show. They should have a Folsom American Idol.

bagoh20 said...

I was sure that was the headline to a Benghazi story breaking the silence. I'm a silly boy.

Levi Starks said...

I've always felt that the glory of having served my country is something I must carry around in my own heart. It's not a thing that needs sharing, or to put it another way, the act of bragging about it diminishes its value. I'm not ashamed of it, but it feels wrong to think I expect some special recognition for simply having done my duty for my country. Especially since I'm alive and so many others aren't.

Aridog said...

A weird story that reveals a guy who was very involved in crafting his own lies...for his own preservation. He got drunk in Iraq, as a soldier,in a theater of War where it is prohibited (Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan). He was prosecutable under the UCMJ [General Order No. 1 for the theater] and he knew it...so he began the concoction of stories while still on Evac in Germany to avoid being sent back to his unit in Iraq where he would have faced discipline. Even potential court martial.

The Guardians of Valor link in the Daily News article tells the whole story.

Baron Zemo said...

Hey it is not any more of a lie than trying to pass off Nicki Minaj as someone who knows anything about music. Or life. Or anything.

virgil xenophon said...

I'm with Levi Starks, here. One thing that always makes me mentally (and often physically) cringe these days is the habit of virtually everyone from the media on down calling anyone who served in the service overseas in any capacity whatsoever American "heroes" for simply doing their duty. Just demonstrates how preverted our values have become and how rare is the act of service to country when the mere act of volunteering to serve in the armed forces is seen as "heroic" rather than simply answering the call of "duty."

Aridog said...

I've gotta be with Levi and Virgil...where in hell did this "generic" use of the word "hero" come from? I know no veterans, including myself, who think of themselves as a heroes.

sonicfrog said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
sonicfrog said...

The producers should have been more suspicious. Do some investigation. It's too obvious that sob stories give you a boost. Why wouldn't these hard-up young people -- some predictable percentage -- lie?


Investigation??? That's not their job! Hell, the programs that call themselves news shows typically don't do a very good job at that, and you expect an entertainment show to investigate this?

BTW... I hear next week they are going to have Ronaiah Tuiasosopo singing "I've Got A Crush On You" in his girl voice!

I don't like the Queen for a Day aspect of the show.

But isn't that what the show is exactly about? The reason it exists?

Known Unknown said...

If Tim Johnson were relevant, he's call that guy a hero!