American Idol: Stacey: Sacrificing for 'Idol'

American Idol: Stacey: Sacrificing for 'Idol'
By MATT GLEASON World Scene Writer
2/18/2007

"American Idol" hopeful Phil Stacey, who hails from Jacksonville, Fla. but whose wife is from Shawnee, wore a multi-colored knit-cap over his bald pate as he gave a light-hearted, often comical interview.

The interview is posted on the "Idol" Web site.

Stacey, 29, said he was "stoked" to make it into the Top 24 and that he was "a little relieved" and "a little crazed."

Of course, he also felt pressure to impress the judges at his audition in Memphis, Tenn.

"I felt it come on me," he said. "There were a lot of talented people who showed up at the audition . . ."

Although, he kidded, he'd never actually sung before that day.

"When I stood in front of that table, I knew that I had to get up there and do it," he said. "I thought, 'You know what? You've never sung before, but now is the time. Now is your chance to shine.' I just opened up my mouth and that's what came out."

Stacey then wished he could hula-hoop and mentioned he has an interest in drawing.

One thing people might not know about Stacey is that he was once carjacked in high school.

"I mean, somebody came up with a gun and stole the car from me," he said. "I mean, because even though I could be upset about it and everything, I mean that's kind of a cool story to tell. You know, how many people have been carjacked?" Among his favorite musicians are Brian McKnight, Prince, Sting, James Taylor and Stevie Wonder.

He kidded that "the contestant that I most closely relate to" are former "Idol" winners Ruben Studdard and Taylor Hicks, "because they're both guys and they won."

So what if he doesn't actually join Studdard and Hicks as an "Idol" winner? "I believe if I don't become the next American idol, I will probably curl up in a ball and cry myself to sleep on my wife's lap, or something like that. I'll probably weep openly in front of everybody," he said light-heartedly.

"It's what I'll do. I'm just trying to be honest. Look, everybody else says, 'Yeah, I'm going to be a frycook on Venus.' I'm just going to weep. I'm going to self-destruct as a person, probably grow a big beard . . ."

At the end of the short video interview, Stacey joked about his future career hopes.

"I would like to be the next American idol because it's a great opportunity to come to political power," he said, "and I don't think anybody has taken advantage of that opportunity yet, because I would make a great president of the world."

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Matt Gleason 581-8473
matt.gleason@tulsaworld.com