Dearest Word Nerds,

I have been in contact with the Cook Family and they have requested that we keep our conversations focused on David, his music and his journey as a whole before, during and after American Idol. Since that's really what this forum is for, I told them I would do what I could to help.

Although the attempted fundraisers and all other efforts to support Adam Cook are very much appreciated, the very best thing and the only thing that we should be doing for the family is keeping them in our thoughts and prayers.

The local & national news, internet, print and most every other form of media will do anything for a good story, especially one that can be potentially heart-wrenching and that alone is enough to have to deal with on a daily basis. Our job as loyal Word Nerds is to keep David as the Idol front-runner, get him to win, then buy every piece of merchandise with is name/intials/photo/music on it... not to exploit or continue to discuss his personal/family life, let's leave that to the trashy tabloid reporters.

The point of this is not to harp on anyone here, but more-so to give a heads-up that any future threads and/or posts may be removed if they are considered to be overly-invasive of the privacy of anyone in the Cook Family. Several threads have already been removed entirely and several individual posts have been also, if your posts or threads have been deleted, please understand that it is not personal. I am only doing what I can to try to oblige them in their desperate attempt to maintain some sort of privacy.

The same goes for who David is dating, his vices, habits, religious preferences etc. Basically anything that hasn't been disclosed in a public statement by himself or the family would be, I feel, considered "private." As far as news articles, TV stations, etc., let's leave them in the magazines and on the TV (or YouTube).

David's got some of the best fans in the world on this site, but in order to remain some of the best fans, let's raise the bar shall we? Let's not only be the best, but the classiest and most respectful.

Thank you very much for understanding!

I received an email regarding this thread today and the individual raised some interesting points, I wanted to share them with the board to make sure we're all on the same page.

In reference to this:




A snippet of the email received: I just was mainly referring to the request not to talk about things he likes/dislikes, habits, dating, etc....part of how you develop your fanbase is for them to get to know you a little because there are a million voices out there and unless they have a little more to go on, they are gonna drop him like yesterday's news if they start to feel like he is to stuck up to let his fans know him a little and from what I know and other people have said that are very close to him around here, he isn't like that at all and was always very open with his fans. I think David is very talented and just want him to go far, which he will, I just don't want people to get the wrong idea about him and think he is gonna expect to be different from any other star!!


The individual who wrote me is 100% correct in that David is the kind of guy who loves his fanbase, if he had all the time and availability in the world, he would sit down with each and every one of you and have a chat. He is everything that you see on American Idol, charismatic, sincere, fun-loving, spirited, a natural leader (or Big Brother type), this list of adjectives could go on and on....By no means was I intending to represent David as "stuck up", the words in this post were not his, they were mine via request by the family. I don't want to make anyone feel like they are being mothered, I did, however, want to make a point that things such as old xanga blogs, speculation on religious preferences, vices/habits are in fact very personal and would be best left not discussed. I feel that respect for someone's private life should be universal, whether it's Brad Pitt, David Cook or Joe Schmo who lives next door. My efforts in posting this are solely based on getting everyone to focus on David's musical career, not his personal life. The music is why we love him (among other reasons/attributes as notated by several of you throughout the forums) and that is the most important thing.

If there was any confusion before, I hope that everyone now understands why I posted what I did. I too think that David is very talented and also want him to go far, he's already come a long way from serenading friends in dorm rooms.

Thanks all.

You, my dear Jenna, are the epitome of class.

Just sayin'

I have to agree... I respect you so much for this.

Jenna for president!

That's what I'm talking about!

I'd vote for you, especially after the way you've been handling everything! Not many people can be as respectful and caring as you are....I hope you know that...

Very well put, and I'm sure respectful fans will oblige. After all, as much as the 'Idols' have brought their lives into the public sphere, and the argument is always made that once you enter that 'mainstream' you are commanded by a higher power that strips you of your privacy, I certainly don't think it should EVER be the case (despite how society makes it). Especially when it comes down to someone who is obviously flattered by their popularity, but hardly accustomed to it, unlike your Paris Hiltons and Linsday Lohans of the world. Spare me the playground rumour-filled banter, which has absolutely no credibility.

Thanks for the statement of utmost class, respect and maturity Jenna.

I agree!!! I think we all care about David enough to want the best
for him. Thanks so much for putting it out there for us all to think
about. Reminders are almost always a good thing.

I think he has the best fans too. We just need to show him how
much we do care and VOTE like crazy tomorrow night!

Thank you Jenna!

Saundra

I'll buy the drinks!

Jenna, thanks for posting this reminder.

I believe you reap what you sow, and David sows inspiration, love, fun, class, consideration, loyalty and let's not forget "sens-syu-ality" LOL, and that is what he should, and mostly does reap in return from us, his fans. I have come to respect him very much along with my "adoration", and I certainly do wish him and his family all the best. I anticipate many years of enjoying the very deserved success of David Cook.

I think this is what's so awesome about the people here.
We're all here because we love David not just because we think hes "hot" or anything like that, but because we respect him as an artist and a person.
And I think everyone here will give him the utmost respect that he deserves

Jenna I agree with you 100%! You are so wonderful! Keep up the excellent work on this message board.

David is just such a powerful and beautiful singer. He is just #1!

My heart goes out to him and his family especially to his brother Adam (AC)

Yes we need to keep him as the front runner and make sure he wins, but in the instance, by some freak accident "incorrect votes tallied" he doesn't win we all need to get out there and buy everything of his. As we all know he IS A star and will have huge fame when AI is over. He had a record deal out of the shoot and it's now all just a matter of time to see what happens with AI. When the show is over he will be overwhelmed with all the interest from record companies...he probably is already. It was actually due to Mr. David Cook that I became an idol fanatic and, as my husband would have it, crazy for David Cook. I watched the idol auditions just because they were in Omaha and that is where I live....when I heard David sing the night of his first audition I was blown away and right from that moment I said "I love this guy and HE WILL BE AMERICA'S NEXT IDOL." He has given AI a name and a face for me and I will never forget this season and possibly never watch another season...so thank you David Cook for giving me the AI experience it has been truly amazing. Funny thing is my maiden name is Cook and my little brothers name is David Cook so it's really weird for me to be so in love with David Cook...almost loving him as much as "my own David Cook"--hahaha. I have done everything I can thus far to find anything and everything I can on him and I am surprise it took me so long to find this site/forum. I have been looking around here for a week or so now and I love what I see and read. If only I were about 10 years younger, 40 pounds lighter, not married and not the mother of 2 beautiful children I would become a David Cook groupie. This man has a heart and voice of gold! Ok so now I am done blabbering on....now you understand why my husband calls me crazy...because David Cook does this to me, I feel like a 16 year old girl seeing NKOTB again for the first time I get all giddy inside when I hear him sing and of course I drool a little bit when I see him. (YUMMY!) My 2 year old son even knows who David Cook is, when he sees a picture or hears him sing he will say "mommy dat Dabid Cook" and he says "Dabid Cook rocks" oh and my favorite "Amewica lobes Dabid Cook." Can't tell I talk a little bit about David Cook can you???

~Becky

LOL! THAT'S SO CUTE!

I agree

and may I add to that, she's the epitome of diplomacy.

Hey guys, wanted to applogize.
I can't remember how many things I posted about David Cook's religion, but I wasn't aware it isn't allowed on here. Sorry for that. I'll talk about different things now.

You guys are great.

You guys said it all so all I can say is let's just love David for who he is

In my letter to David my promise to him is that I will not subscribe to, purchase, or propogate to/any media outlet or magazine who exploits him or his private life, in any way. As a fan and as a consumer (which is the only thing that these types of businesses understand) I will not spend any time or money to hear the "latest gossip" on a man who is a wonderful representation of what music is and should be.

Frankly it isn't any of our business who David dates or what his political views are, he is just an incredibly gifted person who is sharing his amazing gift with us.

That should be enough.

Thank you for your thoughtfullness, because of this I don't have to leave this site.

Jessica

I'm new here, so please bear with me, and I promise to position things in a way that is respectful.

I just joined yesterday and really didn't read a lot of posts at the time. I was surprised to see the new message in red on home page and this pinned topic.

I don't even know what most of this is about, although honestly it peaked my curiosity whereas I might not have had these questions before.

What I don't understand, nor do I agree with, is the idea that nothing about Cook can be discussed except his music (for the most part).

Please hear me out ...

Most of us had no idea about this guy before he showed up on AI. Over the entire season, we saw a pudgy schlumpy rocker with weird hair become a trimmed down supercuts makeover phenomally talented musician and performer right before our very eyes, and combined with the intro interviews and any other interviews related to AI, came to "know him" through that venue. And, obvs, love him.

Whether we also voted for him or not, we invested in him. Music speaks to people. Obvs he had talent before we came to know about him but most of us probably feel we're part of that evolution because we supported his progress to the title and now his future career.

I would rather see Cook as a three dimensional human being, rather than a one dimensional charicature. By that I mean he is everything - his religious preference (what does that even mean, btw?), any miss-steps in judgement he had along the way to becoming an adult, stuff he likes to do (other than crosswords and puzzles etc).

I am not trying to stir up controversy and don't want to get in trouble with the moderators. But I think it is better serving to his core fan base that any of his "skeletons" so to speak are learned and discussed now, rather than being shocked (and infinitely more disappointed) by learning them via the tabloids - and you know they will pry, and some of it will be true.

I am not suggesting personal details be revealed for the purpose of opening him up for bashing or stirring controversy but this forum - his core fan base - are the ones who will carry any future success for this guy.

If - for example (I dunno for real, I missed all the brou ha ha) - it was learned he was a pothead or took drugs in earlier years --- whatev, so have other people --- and it doesn't seem like he is now so learning that may be a minor disappointment but still inspirational because he got past that point of misjudgement in his life and moved on.

I have no idea what his "vices" are, that was just a hypothetical. Just saying that musicians are people that fans need to feel they can relate to on a human level and to never talk about anything regarding Cook that might be even remotely unfavorable is unrealistic and - in my opinion - disrespectful to real fans who would are capable of supporting someone who may have made mistakes in their life.

I have no idea what his "religious preferences" are and frankly don't even know what that means. He said in one interview that he went to church camp once and had to swallow some beverage with a live minnow (eww). He said in another interview that he sang in church choir. I don't know anything more about his religious past but when I learned those two things - the only thing I thought was So Did I! (well, except for the live minnow part). Like I said earlier, fans deepen their support by feeling they can connect with the artist and have one more thing in common with them that establishes that connection. So he grew up (and may still go) to church. Mmmkay, so did millions of other Americans that aren't offended by that - nor feel like it's pushed in faces.

Who he dates is really funny, cuz - whatever, he's a guy, he's single, he can date. But you need to know that fans who feel invested in him are going to have opinions about choices he makes and sometimes they won't agree.

I figure that whatever is going on with Cook's personal life and his past can't be all that bad because AI handlers would have fully vetted him long before he reached the title stage. But like everything in the pop culture arena - super highs are sometimes followed by super lows. Cook is in a honeymoon phase now where everyone including the tabloid media loves him. But rest assured, that will change. At some point, there will be stories, it is inevitable.

Forums like this with real fans are a much better place to discover, digest, and discuss anything about Cook that doesn't appear perfect. Having said that, whatever these personal items are should and can be discussed in a mature, respectful and neutral way and I agree the vitriole and bashing should be moderated.

But to say that nothing about his personal life, past-present-future can be discussed is ... again, foolish ... and shortsighted.

I do completely understand the family's desire for privacy regarding his older brother. I lost my father to cancer and it was traumatic for me and my family and we didn't have the prying eyes of media to deal with. But even friends and their questions were sometimes tough to cope with, even though they meant well.

Otherwise,

I really can't think of anything short of felony criminal acts that would be so shocking to me that it would turn me away forever. Cook is a real human with strengths and flaws and we may as well know as much about him now in the early stages to get past it. It's almost like he's a political candiate. Candidates running for office find a way to reveal the skeletons early in the game, get them out of the way, then focus on the substance and what really matters.

You may want to consider the same approach with Cook, albeit with continuing to kick to the curb anyone who is ridiculously nasty or slanderous.

Just my .02, and thanks for letting me share my opinion.

Off the chain: Thank you for taking the time out to write that well thought out post and sharing your opinion. Very nicely written....

Off the Chain- Thanks for your comments and opinions

Yes, it's true, he's in the limelight now and his every move is going to be scrutinized, recorded, talked about. But that doesn't mean his life should be a 100% open book. Do you know EVERYTHING there is to know about your favorite stars? No..because they're afforded some privacy. May not be much, but there is some. We're just trying to keep a slim grasp of normalcy for him by letting him keep his private life just that. We invested our hearts and emotions in him as a musician and that's what matters...not who he is dating or what his religious beliefs are. They have nothing to do with the gift of his music. He is open with us now..and I would hate to have him shut himself off to his fans because we discuss every move, breath or bat of an eyelash he makes.

To add..if there could be sane, rational conversations, it might be a different story. But, when opinions turn into bashing, it's just not cool, so...why leave it open to get to that level?

His music is what brought us together, let's leave it there

maybe I am just totally ignorant, but what I don't understand is why this particular forum can't be set up and run/moderated however the originators and moderators want it to be run? From what I have gathered, this is also how David's family wants it to be run.

my point is that soon there will be an official DC fansite, and there will be myriad other sites now that he is the winner, and those sites will probably be run in the more traditional vein where more of "anything goes" is the norm. So for those fans who just gotta dish on the dirt or talk about everything but the music, there will be lots of options.

D-C.org may be the only place left where the privacy standard is still maintained. Some of us really like that.
So, I hope it is not eroded away, and I give kudos and props to the mods who keep a look-out and keep the site just the place I loved when I joined.

I do, however, feel the above letter made some excellent points, and was very well-written. I am sure that both David and his family are and/or will receive coaching or counseling on the onslaught hitting them which is only going to get worse.
Laura

Jenna...thanks for being our spokesperson to the Cook family. I do hope they are prepared for the enormous changes that their lives are taking due to David's Fame. They'll NEVER be able to live "normal" lives again... it can be overwhelming in the beginning. Until they set all their proverbial ducks in a row everything will be chaos. Hopefully, it won't take long for David to attain the financial wherewithal to provide for their privacy!

Totally agree Jenna

We are supporting David Cook, the artist. His life and habits as you said are private and they have to continue like that.

Congratulations for pointing that

I totally agree with you. We fell in love with David first and foremost for his music and personality...
Let it be then, though at times we cant help ourselves to want to know more, we want to be a part of his life.
As David said, the works begin after AI...Let us support him and his music.
Thanks for posting Jenna and send our love n warmest regards to Cook's family from Malaysia k...Hugs..

Hi "Off the chain" - I very much appreciate your perspective.

One observation - the fact that you had to bend over backward to reassure whomever that you are not trying to rock the boat with your opinion, the fact that you seem to be apologizing for even having a strong opinion in the first place - proves the point of my concern.

We live in tenuous times . . . the last thing I want on a fan forum is to feel like Big Brother is waiting for me to slip up so that I can be censored.

Again, just my 2 cents.

anii,
I am sure there are actual political forums around especially in an election year that you would find much more satisfying than this bastion of pandering to the man forum.

We will miss you if you go, but we will try to carry on bravely without our standard bearer.

d.c.ftw hit the nail on the head. It's impossible to discuss certain personal details of his life without people opining and bashing...and that would make the forum an unwelcoming place. Let's take this weekend as an example. If we came on here and said "aww, how cute. DC looks so happy to be going out with KC" things would be totally different. From what little I've seen, David stikes me as the type of guy who would feel very bad that his actions caused another person to get bashed as badly as Kimberly did-- here...on his fansite.
Politics and religion are also dangerously dividing topics...nothing good will come of that.

for the record, I've always thought that about all "celebrities"
I mean honestly, love their work but don't intrude on their lives.
they're still just people.

Off the Chain,

Thank you for posting your perspective, and your concerns. I understand where you are coming from with a lot of what you said. Yes, we have invested as much in the person of David Cook, as we have his music, and we all want to see him as a three dimensional person. We got to “know” him a bit by seeing the jokes behind the scenes, and glimpsed a bit of his character in how he handled himself when difficult questions arose, or criticism was handed to him by the judges. We felt for him when he cried after Always Be My Baby, and when he was announced the American Idol – because we not only love his music, but we have come to love the man.

That being said – we want this to be a place that David would be proud of and comfortable with. A place to celebrate his success, support and follow his musical career, and get to know him, the man, better through discussions of his interviews, appearances, and other ways he chooses to share with us. We also want to respect his, and his family’s wishes, and promote a general atmosphere of respect.

Sadly, that was not happening. The new message in red that you mentioned was added as a result of us moderators being over run with reports of contemptuous and disrespectful posts about the same topic. As soon as we deleted one thread, three more would pop up. Until we can regain some order and respect in the forum, unfortunately, we’re going to have to be “big bad moderators” and delete those posts.

I know this may not have addressed all your concerns… but I hope it has helped. I also hope you decide to stay. This is a great place to converse with other fans, have fun, and be creative. I think you’ll find it to be a place where you, as well as David, will be supported and respected!

~Karin

Just a friendly reminder that David's personal life is private and should not be discussed on these boards. We should offer the other idols the same respect. Please focus on their music and appearances.

Thanks,

Susan