Elliott Yamin`s Journey on `American Idol`
BECK: Hey, tonight we`re introducing you to real Americans. And some of these real Americans you probably have never heard of. The next one you probably have. You might have even voted for him as the next "American Idol." To the people of Richmond, Virginia, Elliott Yamin is a hometown hero. He didn`t win the contest, but he won me over with his heart, his attitude, and his voice. Judging from the response of the first time we shared this story, I have the feeling he won a lot of you over as well.</s>BECK: The show, "American Idol." The voice, Richmond, Virginia`s Elliott Yamin.</s>MELISSA CHASE, RADIO STATION DJ: We got very lucky, the fact that we`ve got such a great idol from our hometown. Elliott is the nicest guy you can possibly imagine, extremely talented and we`re very happy that he`s representing Richmond.</s>BECK: And the 27-year-old underdog with a big voice just kept knocking them dead.</s>RANDY JACKSON, JUDGE, AMERICAN IDOL: Very nice job, baby, very nice.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I think everybody kind of thought it was just kind of a passing novelty. But it really started to, you know, take on its own life every week that he survived, every subsequent round.</s>BECK: When Elliott Yamin became one of the three finalists on "American Idol," all of Richmond came out to celebrate in an all-American way. A high school dropout, Elliott once had worked as a dishwasher at a local restaurant. Owner Richard Melito was amazed his former employee had become an overnight celebrity.</s>RICHARD MELITO, RESTAURANT OWNER: The surprise to us was that there was someone that had been working with us that was now an American idol.</s>BECK: Elliott`s family was no less stunned by his success.</s>LOUISE HOFFMAN, ELLIOTT`S AUNT: The Wednesday night is so intense. My husband has a defibrillator and a pacemaker. And he`s afraid it`s going to go off at any time. It is just nerve-wracking. What brings chills to all of us, when they play his music, he really is good. I don`t think I`m being a prejudiced aunt. I really believe he`s good.</s>PAULA ABDUL, AMERICAN IDOL JUDGE: I think this is the best vocal performance you`ve done this entire season.</s>SIMON COWELL, AMERICAN IDOL JUDGE: That was the best performance so far.</s>BECK: It was a triumph. But for Elliott, reaching for fame and fortune on "American Idol" was not the biggest challenge he had to face. He had juvenile diabetes and is almost completely deaf in one ear.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: He`s probably had more important priorities in his life up to this point than just singing. Just being alive and hopefully being healthy probably means as much if not more to him than the notoriety that he`s received.</s>BECK: Ironically, as the auditions for the show neared, his mother was fighting for her life with complications from gastric bypass surgery. But Elliott`s family was determined not to let him miss his big chance.</s>HOFFMAN: A lot of the family members talked him into proceeding ahead and just going through the audition. And when he got in, it was just overwhelming because he had so much pressure on him, with his mother being in the intensive care. It was just phenomenal. And you could see his mother getting better and better and better as he was going along.</s>BECK: To compete on "American Idol" Elliott had to leave his day job at a pharmacy. But the citizens of Richmond got behind him. They made his quest possible.</s>HOFFMAN: All the big companies here have been coming out and helping. They`ve put up banners. They`ve made T-shirts. They have done everything that can be done.</s>BECK: Elliott`s fans started a major "get out the vote" campaign to help him win the ultimate title of "American Idol."</s>UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I actually just got this phone today. Just to vote for Elliott and to see him do as well as he did tonight. He was just absolutely phenomenal. And shoot, I just pressed the wrong button.</s>BECK: Elliott mania inspired "American Idol" viewing parties throughout Richmond. One of the most popular was hosted by the local radio station, Q94`s morning DJs, Darin and Melissa.</s>CHASE: The parties have just gotten bigger and bigger every Tuesday. We were over 500 people last week, even more so this week. So the support has been amazing.</s>BECK: And all the attention swirling around Elliott was great for business in Richmond.</s>UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, we definitely have noticed that on Tuesday nights we`ve been getting more and more business down here. More and more people are asking for us to turn up the TVs. Recently we turned it into an official Elliott night. And of course that has really helped our business.</s>BECK: But this young performer was having an impact on his neighbors that went far beyond any economic gain.</s>BRANDON CROWE, RICHMOND RESIDENT: Elliott`s appearance on "American Idol" has really pulled the community together, the businesses together, and the people together to really come out and support somebody that they really believe in and can be the next American idol.</s>BECK: In the end this working-class kid from Richmond wouldn`t be the next American idol. But he would forever be a part of the history of his hometown.</s>BECK: Joining us on the phone from Los Angeles, Elliott Yamin. Elliott, I`ve got to tell you, I was actually rooting for somebody else the whole time until it was too late. I found out I believe who you are, I think America found out who you are, the night you were voted off. You are a real true American success story. And I think you`re phenomenal. You`re the whole package. You`re the real deal.</s>ELLIOTT YAMIN, CONTESTANT, AMERICAN IDOL: Well, thank you very much. I appreciate that. Yeah, you know, I`ve -- it`s definitely been a whirlwind experience, and you know, it`s all been for the positive. And I`m definitely a better man for it. It`s interesting that you would say that, because I knew you were going to be voted off the night you were voted off. I played it back on television that night and said this is why he`s going to lose, because when Simon, I believe, said to you, "You need to believe it, you need to start believing that you`re there and you belong there," you responded with something like, "Yeah, I do believe it, I`m starting to believe it." Do you believe it now, that you can be or that you are a legitimate star?</s>YAMIN: You know, I try not to think of myself as one because I still -- I`ll always be the same person. I`m definitely perceived in a different way than I ever have been before by, you know -- not by my peers, I guess, but by -- well, maybe by my peers also. but by strangers. And, you know, I do believe. I do believe that I have a legitimate shot at making a career out of this. And you know, I definitely feel like I`ve been validated and I`ve been getting a lot and love and support from well established artists in the business.</s>BECK: Have you been signed yet?</s>YAMIN: No, I have not yet. We have to take care of the tour first and, you know, that`s the next big thing for us and then after the tour`s over, you know, that`s when our 90-day contractual obligations are going to be ending and, you know, depending upon whether I get picked up by the show`s management company and record signing things, that`s still to be determined. But I feel like there is a deal out there for me.</s>BECK: There is a big deal waiting for you. And best of luck. Believe in yourself, and it`s going to happen. Elliott, thank you.</s>YAMIN: Well, thank you very much. I want to say thanks also to everybody back home. You know, the love and support back home has just been amazing. And I want to thank each and every one of you who`s present. And each and every one of you guys who`s watching the show. I love all of you, and I can`t wait to get back to Richmond July 29th.</s>BECK: You know, what would Fourth of July be like without the fireworks? And really what would anything in America be like without an attorney trying to freak the fun right out of you? Fireworks really are one of the weirdest obsessions that we have as a nation. I mean, think about it. You light something. Then you se half a second of color, half a second of sound, and everybody stands around and goes, "ooh." Seems pretty stupid, doesn`t it? But a lot of our greatest summer memories revolve around our parents, a picnic, and the bright and loud colors in the sky. One of my favorite memories -- watching my drunk Uncle Bob light the fireworks. Whether your kids have those memories depend really on whether you live in a certain state or in general if you, you know, are willing to break laws. Right now five states ban all fireworks. What kind of fun is that? Six only allow sparklers and small novelties, which -- sparklers? They`re birthday candles. That`s not a firework. 21 states allow all fireworks. And another 18 allow non-aerial fireworks, which -- they`re fireworks on the ground, right? Is it just me? Wouldn`t that be more dangerous? Ground is where people are. I don`t know if they caught on to that. Pro fireworks groups claim fireworks are 90% safer than they were 30 years ago. But they`re still berated with safety tips that make us feel like children are exploding all around America. But now, thanks to this program, you don`t have to just read the safety tips. You can see the exciting video. And watch this. This is the first one. This is why you should never put fireworks in your pocket. Which -- there`s not going to be any baby mannequins coming from that young man. This one -- you should never buy a watch made entirely out of fireworks, I think is what you`re supposed to get on that one. Don`t eat fireworks. This one is -- I mean, look at this one. I mean, what are you -- don`t light fireworks while you`re staring, you know, right down and looking right into them with big cartoon hands. I mean, what are you supposed to get from that one? And this is my favorite. I don`t know why we`re not supposed to do it. But brother, I`m doing that one. They say, oh, lighting watermelons just doesn`t work out well. Oh, yeah? Well, we won`t be trying that at my house this weekend. I`ll tell you that. So remember, spend as much time with your family as you possibly can, and try your darnedest not to blow them up. I`m just saying. Safety tip from me to you.