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CALVIN TANG

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Articles Posted: 85  Links Seeded: 1026
Member Since: 8/2005  Last Seen: 5/15/2012

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American Idol Uses My Bush Baby

Thu May 24, 2007 5:38 PM EDT
odd-news, tv, photography, idol, american-idol, simon-cowell, calvin-tang, bush-baby, tarsier-monkey
By Calvin Tang

Me and my now-famous little friend.

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Last night on American Idol, the nation's most watched show on television, a contestant was brought on stage and apologized to by Simon Cowell. During his audition, the contestant was likened to an animal called a 'bush baby' (a nickname for a Tarsier Monkey). It was later found out that he was extremely offended by the comparison. In what turned out to be somewhat of a PR nightmare for Cowell, and a media circus about his typical treatment of contestants, American Idol had to do some damage control so they brought the contestant back and donated $1500 toward the care of a bush baby at the Milwaukee County Zoo in his honor. Why the heck am I writing about this?

During the segment, American Idol showed a very cute photo of a bush baby on the large screen. The funny thing is, that photo was taken by me, on the island of Bohol, Philippines. Of course, they asked my permission to use it beforehand, but I was very curious about why they wanted to use that particular photo at the time. We had a laugh in the office when we watched the show and realized why they used it.

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Published to:

  • Calvin Tang's Column, All of Newsvine
  • Groups: Sweeter Fennel
  • Regions: none
  • Public Discussion (52)
Brian Ford

Heheh.

Very cool.

RAV of Calvin Tang!

(Or something.)

  • 9 votes
Reply#1 - Thu May 24, 2007 6:16 PM EDT
Eric Atienza

You sure are in the RAV nominating mood. Makes wish I'd done anything notable ever while I've been on the 'Vine.

  • 8 votes
#1.1 - Thu May 24, 2007 6:31 PM EDT
Brian Ford

Well, I was only serious about one of them.

:P

  • 8 votes
#1.2 - Thu May 24, 2007 7:13 PM EDT
A. H. Min

You weren't serious about Steve Watts?

  • 3 votes
#1.3 - Thu May 24, 2007 8:53 PM EDT
Reply
Marilyn L

That's too cute, Calvin. I've gotta clip this to Group Adorable!

  • 5 votes
Reply#2 - Thu May 24, 2007 6:23 PM EDT
Marilyn L

Oops, misclicked. Now in Web Development. LOL!

  • 4 votes
#2.1 - Thu May 24, 2007 6:26 PM EDT
Pamela Drew

That's too cute, Calvin. I've gotta clip this to Group Adorable!

It is too cute. I always love that!

Oops, misclicked. Now in Web Development. LOL!

BTW is there any way to unclip an error?

  • 4 votes
#2.2 - Fri May 25, 2007 1:15 PM EDT
Calvin Tang

Just hit the little 'trash' icon on the group page itself.

I know, it's hard to find!

  • 5 votes
#2.3 - Fri May 25, 2007 3:52 PM EDT
Marilyn L

Thanks, Calvin. I thought that would only work if I were an admin of the group. But, hey, it worked!

  • 3 votes
#2.4 - Sat May 26, 2007 11:20 AM EDT
Reply
Eric Atienza

Ha, hilarious. I was ready for a story of how they used it without your permission and you pulled a Mike D-esque prank on them.

  • 9 votes
Reply#3 - Thu May 24, 2007 6:30 PM EDT
Calvin Tang

.... like photoshopping in some huge testicles on the bush baby at the last minute to show in front of millions of teeny-boppers on national TV? Naw, that's definitely Mike D. style.

  • 12 votes
#3.1 - Thu May 24, 2007 6:52 PM EDT
Reply
Viki Babbles Gonia

Okay, it has to be said, but while that comment of Simon's was very cruel, I can kinda see why he said it.

*bad Viki, bad*

How did they find the photo to begin with?

  • 3 votes
Reply#4 - Thu May 24, 2007 7:09 PM EDT
Calvin Tang

I'm pretty sure they chose it b/c it's the cutest one on the first page of results using google image search.

  • 6 votes
#4.1 - Thu May 24, 2007 7:15 PM EDT
Mike Dojc

Newsvine is off the hook lately, first the John McCain and the whole marriage between passionate females thing, now a Tang original gets on American Idol. Speaking of Tangtastic photography, here's another briliant shot of a bush baby daydreaming. It would make a great poster or album cover.

  • 7 votes
#4.2 - Thu May 24, 2007 10:33 PM EDT
lauhal

It's all about punctuation...

American Idol Uses My Bush, Baby. Nah...

  • 7 votes
#4.3 - Thu May 24, 2007 10:37 PM EDT
lauhal

Crap! I see that Brian posted the same comment earlier. Drats. Foiled again.

Fine, I'll just have to think of a title for this...

  • 3 votes
#4.4 - Thu May 24, 2007 10:39 PM EDT
Calvin Tang

Dojc, that half-awake shot was actually my favorite one. Did you know that bush babies are nocturnal? My French buddy I was with at the time was giving me a hard time b/c I was shooting photos with a blazing flash directly into the eyes of these cute little primates while they were half asleep during the daytime. I guess it is all worth it now that American Idol shelled out the bux for my lucrative shot of the bush baby, post-espresso shot with its eyes peeled wide open. I guess I can now consider myself a primate-arazzi.

lauhal, you unrelentingly ferret out the less-than-desireable content from the Greenhouse on a regular basis, did you have to apply the same standard to my Philippines photo album?

  • 8 votes
#4.5 - Fri May 25, 2007 3:15 AM EDT
lauhal

Less-than-desirable? Ha! That picture is awesome! :)

  • 4 votes
#4.6 - Fri May 25, 2007 6:35 AM EDT
Viki Babbles Gonia

That picture is awesome.

"Hey baby. Whyn't you come over here and sit on my rock. The view is awesome."

  • 1 vote
#4.7 - Fri May 25, 2007 7:59 AM EDT
Reply
Mikey

lol, and I know what you're all thinking...but hey, he's kinda famous though, right?

  • 4 votes
Reply#5 - Thu May 24, 2007 7:14 PM EDT
Brian Ford

How about:

American Idol User My Bush, Baby!

  • 3 votes
Reply#6 - Thu May 24, 2007 7:36 PM EDT
Brian Ford

Err -- "Uses" My Bush, Baby!

Which gives me an excuse to ask:

What happened to your avatar?

  • 3 votes
#6.1 - Thu May 24, 2007 8:06 PM EDT
Calvin Tang

There has been a problem w/ avatar changes today. Fixing.....

  • 4 votes
#6.2 - Thu May 24, 2007 8:23 PM EDT
Reply
vicaxp

Maybe you can offer up that photo for the new Fox TV show On The Lot as a caricature of Carrie Fisher!

  • 2 votes
Reply#7 - Thu May 24, 2007 9:31 PM EDT
lauhal

Very cool. By the way, that poor fella did kinds sorta look like a bush baby. :)

  • 3 votes
Reply#8 - Thu May 24, 2007 10:13 PM EDT
Aaron C Kirk

I haven't seen this episode where they use the photo yet. Im in New Zealand so we won't probably get it till like 2 weeks later or something, it must be an inside joke or something, or was Simon Cowell looking like a bush baby or something?

  • 1 vote
Reply#9 - Thu May 24, 2007 11:32 PM EDT
Viki Babbles Gonia

There was an unfortunate-looking young man way at the beginning during the tryouts, and Simon laughed his cruel laugh and told the guy he looked like a bush baby.

Maybe they edited that out before it got to you.

Link to a remix on youtube. The sound is goofy, but you can see what happened. The bush baby comment is around 2:20.

  • 3 votes
#9.1 - Fri May 25, 2007 8:04 AM EDT
Aaron C Kirk

Ok I've just seen the remix on youtube as well as the finale for American Idol. Firstly congrats to Jordan and congrats to the two winners, Calvin and the Bush Baby, Best Buddy winners.

Great photo by the way.

  • 3 votes
#9.2 - Mon May 28, 2007 5:33 AM EDT
Reply
Mykola Bilokonsky

Neato. What's this "American Idol" thing I've heard so much about? I'm pop-culturally impaired... ;)

  • 4 votes
Reply#10 - Fri May 25, 2007 12:05 AM EDT
Calvin Tang

If you'd finally shave and come out of that cabin you've been staying in, you'd know what the heck we're talking about.

  • 7 votes
#10.1 - Fri May 25, 2007 3:08 AM EDT
stevetherobot

But he's this close to finishing his manifesto.

  • 6 votes
#10.2 - Fri May 25, 2007 10:02 AM EDT
Brian Ford

And then we'll all be sorry!

Every last one of us.

  • 5 votes
#10.3 - Fri May 25, 2007 10:10 AM EDT
Reply
Djehuty

You rule, Calvin! Nice one.

  • 2 votes
Reply#11 - Fri May 25, 2007 5:12 AM EDT
Paul William Tenny

Tell us the truth now, did you take it home with you?

  • 5 votes
Reply#12 - Fri May 25, 2007 7:48 AM EDT
Calvin Tang

They do fit nicely into the pocket of cargo shorts (I guess you'll never know for sure).

  • 3 votes
#12.1 - Fri May 25, 2007 11:46 AM EDT
Reply
TopJedi

Calvin this is the best news I've read in weeks!

Has anyone alerted Bohol of the influx of tourism that will now result with millions of adoring Idol fans seeking a pilgrimage to visit your little tree hugging celebrity or relatives? Have you contracted a deal with the Philippines department of tourism to help promote their little idol?

Stranger things have happened... time to print the t-shirts. (Picture of Bush Baby) caption: I am an American Idol.

  • 2 votes
Reply#13 - Fri May 25, 2007 12:54 PM EDT
Phaedrus72

I'm just glad you didn't misplace a comma and write, "American Idol uses my Bush, Baby!"

  • 1 vote
Reply#14 - Fri May 25, 2007 1:00 PM EDT
Djehuty

lol

    #14.1 - Fri May 25, 2007 5:16 PM EDT
    Reply
    Tim.

    Wow

    • 3 votes
    Reply#15 - Fri May 25, 2007 1:36 PM EDT
    agio

    Anyone who likes Bush Babies and other prosimians should definitely pay a visit to the Duke Primate Center in North Carolina. Very cool place to meet lemurs, bush babies, and the like.

    • 4 votes
    Reply#16 - Fri May 25, 2007 2:02 PM EDT
    Scott (Scoop) Butki

    Wow, I knew you when you were just one of the little people. Don't forget us when you're all famous and popular.

    Did they offer you any compensation?
    Maybe you can tell them that if they replace their judges with Cash, Ardith and Kilfile only then can they use the photo?

    • 5 votes
    Reply#17 - Fri May 25, 2007 5:21 PM EDT
    Tim.

    Make that Cash, Ardith and Viki Bables

    • 2 votes
    #17.1 - Tue May 29, 2007 4:01 PM EDT
    lauhal

    Tim...don't be a troll, please.

    • 5 votes
    #17.2 - Wed May 30, 2007 12:26 PM EDT
    Tim.

    I know, I'm sorry. I wanted to delete that as soon as I pressed the post comment button. Again, I'm sincerly sorry

    • 4 votes
    #17.3 - Wed May 30, 2007 1:03 PM EDT
    Reply
    Walt D

    I don't suppose there's any possibility of an autographed B.B. picture? I swear I won't put it on EBay.

    • 3 votes
    Reply#18 - Fri May 25, 2007 5:43 PM EDT
    Brian Ford

    While Bush Babies are cute: They cannot sign their name.

    • 4 votes
    #18.1 - Fri May 25, 2007 5:54 PM EDT
    Walt D

    An inked pawprint will suffice.

    • 2 votes
    #18.2 - Fri May 25, 2007 5:58 PM EDT
    Reply
    Kathleen54

    WHOA, I just looked at the link (thanks, Viki). Calvin's picture is MUCH, MUCH cuter than the contestant was. It was still quite mean of Simon to say what he did and you'd think he would know better but he wasn't far off. The Bush Baby would cry if he saw what he was compared to, poor li'l thing.

    Maybe the panel of judges have a harder job than we give them credit for!

    • 3 votes
    Reply#19 - Fri May 25, 2007 5:54 PM EDT
    Tim.

    Hey, lets use this as a mascot for Newsvine to make him even more famous.

    • 7 votes
    Reply#20 - Fri May 25, 2007 6:30 PM EDT
    Noah BradleyDeleted
    lauhal

    No. Some t-shirts lie. ;)

    • 5 votes
    #20.2 - Sat May 26, 2007 11:36 AM EDT
    Reply
    Glinda

    Adorable! It reminds me of an old star trek episode The Trouble with Tribbles

    • 3 votes
    Reply#21 - Mon May 28, 2007 9:19 AM EDT
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