arts & entertainment

American Idol
Chutzpah

The first contestant to highlight jazz
classics on Idol, Casey Abrams brings his
grit and growl to Joe Louis Arena.

Orit Arfa
Jewish Journal of Greater L.A.

S finger and multi-instrumentalist
Casey Abrams was the one for
Jews to watch during the 10th
season of American Idol. His reddish-
brown beard was the constant butt of
jokes on the show and the most talked-
about Idol hair growth since Sanjaya
Malakar on the sixth season. For a
pre-performance sketch about Abrams,
fellow finalists donned a fake beard
piece and blew into a red melodica
while klezmer music played in the back-
ground.
But during Elton John week, the
show's weekly mentor, Rodney Jerkins,
told Abrams to trim his wild-man look,
claiming facial hair prevented the audi-
ence from seeing him. So Abrams got a
trim but left some straggle. Casey is not
Casey when he's clean-shaven.
"It's not hiding, but it is a little bit of
laziness," Abrams said. "Just a little bit
of rebellion. It feels nice. It's something
to scratch and twirl."
With the right garb, the cuddly
20-year-old might pass for a young
Chabad rabbi, but Abrams admitted —
a tad apologetically — during a phone
interview that he's only half-Jewish,
adding that, in case it's any consolation
to Jewish readers, "I love everything
Jewish:'
As his name suggests, the Jewish part
is on his father's side. Abrams, an only
child, was born in Texas, but his family
moved first to Illinois, then to Idyllwild,
Calif., when he was in fifth grade. He
did a brief stint in Hebrew school. He
also was primed for a career in enter-
tainment. His mother, who was raised
Catholic, runs a nonprofit that provides
mentorship opportunities to screen-
writers. His father teaches film at the
Idyllwild Arts Academy, which is also
Abrams' alma mater. The family cel-
ebrated both Chanukah and Christmas.
"My dad had a bar mitzvah, and I
didn't," Abrams said. "We celebrated all

38

August 4 • 2011

the holidays, some I don't even remem-
ber. It wasn't the biggest thing in my life,
but I would call myself Jewish. I kind
of have Sarah Silverman's take on it. I
would say culturally I am."
Despite being hailed by the Idol judg-
es as one of the most musically talented
of all the contestants, Abrams made
it only to sixth place on the show. Yet,
there was fear he would have to drop out
earlier in the season when a flare-up of
his ulcerative colitis landed him in the
hospital in need of blood transfusions.
"When I was diagnosed [two years
ago] with UC in college, I was scared
that I wouldn't be able to balance my
health and my music. I could barely
find the energy to walk to class, let
alone carry a bass around campus," said
Abrams. "But I decided UC was just an
obstacle I had to rise above in order to
pursue making music. I want to let peo-
ple know that if you stay positive and
have the courage to ask for the help you
need early on, anyone can live beyond
this disease."
Abrams' formal training is in jazz —
he plays bass, guitar, piano, clarinet and
accordion — and he loves klezmer.
"My dad has a whole bunch of old
klezmer tapes — cassettes. I have a
clarinet and accordion and have actually
composed klezmer," said Abrams, fondly
recalling that he performed "Sunrise,
Sunset" from Fiddler on the Roof at a
recital.
He also participated in a few Passover
seders but passed on the offer to attend
this year's seder with Michael Orland,
the show's vocal coach, so that he could
practice instead.
But practicing during the holiday
of liberation didn't provide him with
redemption on the show. A week later,
he was voted off. Redemption actually
had come five weeks earlier, when the
judges — Steven Tyler, Jennifer Lopez
and Randy Jackson — used their only
save to keep him on when he was voted
off in 11th place.
"Along the way, we've had to make

Casey Abrams and Haley Reinhart reprise their duet'

"Moanins" from this year's competition on

the "American idol Live! Tour 2011."

Ate-

some hard decisions and send some
really, really great people home, and
I lost sleep over that," Lopez told him
after his performance a week later. "But
one decision I did not lose any sleep
over was saving you:'
The grateful Abrams repaid Lopez, the
world's most beautiful woman" accord-
ing to People magazine, with a highly
publicized kiss (on her cheek — to his
regret — because she turned her head)
after his performance of "Harder to
Breathe" by Maroon 5. Lopez responded,
saying, "Casey's got soft lips:'
There's definitely a wild side to this
otherwise good (half-) Jewish boy. When
he sings, he grits his teeth and growls
like he's about to kill someone — so
much so that Randy Jackson cautioned
him to go easy on the growling.
Turning into an unlikely sex sym-
bol, Abrams went on to kiss a bunch
of female audience members (on the
cheek) during his farewell performance
of "I Put a Spell on You," only to stop
and look into the eyes of finalist Haley
Reinhart on the words, "you're mine."
She's rumored to be his girlfriend, a
relationship he likes to keep mysterious
— and denies.
But, he said, "Haley and I are still

((

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really close:'
After leaving the show, Abrams spent
time living in Los Angeles until the
"American Idol Live!" cross-country
tour kicked off on July 7. He said he
indulged his inner Jew at one of his
favorite local haunts — Canter's Deli.
("I actually get their matzah-ball soup.")
After the tour, he plans to settle in Los
Angeles to build his music career, with
an eye on comedic acting inspired by
his look-alike, Seth Rogen.
He also said he hoped to check out
local synagogue life.
"Jacob Lusk (the gospel-inspired
finalist) and I want to go to synagogue
together, and I'll go to his church. We'll
exchange cultures:' Abrams said, adding
that he wasn't sure which synagogue to
try. "Where does Larry David go?" he
asked.
Abrams credits his antics on the
show to his natural Jewish humor and
chutzpah. "I love testing the limits,"
he said, which he may just do on tour.
In addition to participating in several
group numbers, Abrams will sing two
solo songs, "Smooth" by Santana and
Rob Thomas and "Harder to Breathe"
by Maroon 5, and a duet with Haley
Reinhart, the jazzy "Moaniff."

The "American Idol Live! Tour 2011," featuring the top 11 contestants from the
10th season, comes to Joe Louis Arena in Detroit 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 7. $45-
$65. Info: (313) 471-6611. Tickets: (800) 745-3000; OlympiaEntertainment.com .
Abrams is the celebrity face behind a contest launched to raise awareness
about inflammatory bowel disease in partnership with the Crohn's and Colitis
Foundation of America. People are encouraged to submit their story, showcas-
ing how they've been able to pursue their dreams despite their disease, now
through Aug. 26. Go to www.IBDIcons.com for more information.