[nagdu] American Idol contestant gets guide dog

Wed May 13 15:17:53 UTC 2009

I'm glad to hear this.  My first thought was, what if he does not want a dog 
and what if the dog isn't suited to him?  Not surprised that the media would 
present it in such a way to be wrong.
Julie Phillipson
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Jen&Nixon" <jenandnixon at gmail.com>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, May 13, 2009 12:11 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] American Idol contestant gets guide dog


> Hi folks:
>
> I was toold via someone through another list, a staff person has made a
> correction regarding this particular news article with missing pieces and
> misinformed public how they will be educated in how the whole process 
> works
> with getting a guide dog, etc. Here's a snippet of the information she 
> sent,
> and permission wnas granted to cross post this.
>
> Hi everyone,
>
> I wanted to post on this list (and feel free to cross-post as well for
> me) the real story of what happened on Friday at GDA with Paula Abdul and
> Scott MacIntyre from American Idol fame.
> Your confusion is absolutely granted....the best way I can say about what
> happened is that it was a media "spin". Over and over I had prepped Paula 
> to
> make sure that she states that the dogs that Scott will be walking with,
> neither one of them will be given to him - that these dogs will be 
> "similar
> to one that he would get if he chose to come to GDA for the 28-day 
> training
> process - AFTER he goes through the whole application process". As you 
> have
> seen, the media took a much different spin, as did Paula in her delivery 
> of
> the events of the day.
> Unfortunatly, when the media and celebrity is concerned, the end result of
> the article or TV spot is out of our hands, but the real end result of
> how/when someone receives a guide dog still remains in our control.
> I spoke with Scott in detail for a long time after the media left to 
> explain
> to him that this turned out to be a "media blitz" and that if/when he
> decides to get a guide dog, we will talk again at that time.
> There is no way we at GDA would EVER "surprise" someone with a guide dog
> without going through the whole application process - no matter who they
> are, and I'm sorry that the media and Paula presented it in a different
> light. At this point, Scott's life is very busy and full, and at this 
> stage
> in his life, his career is very important to him. Maybe down the road a
> guide dog will be next to him, but I assur you all that he will have to
> complete the same process as any other visually impaired person would.
>
> Again, please cross-post. Please note that I do not checkthe list
> frequently. So if you would like to contact me, please do so off-list.
> All the best,
> Lorri and NigelLorri and Nigel
> lmbernson at guidedogs <mailto:lmbernson%40guidedogsofamerica.org>
> ofamerica.org
>
> Lorri Bernson (and guide dog "Nigel"!)
> Guide Dogs of America
> 13445 Glenoaks Blvd.
> Sylmar, CA 91342
> Direct Phone/Fax: 818-833-6431
> www.guidedogsofamerica.org
>
>
> Jennifer McEachen and "Nixon"
> Guide Dogs for the Blind, Inc.
> Alumni Association Board of Directors and secretary
> jenandnixon at gmail.com / jmceachen at guidedogs.com
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Julie J
> Sent: Tuesday, May 12, 2009 3:52 AM
> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
> Subject: [nagdu] American Idol contestant gets guide dog
>
> Paula Abdul Surprises Idol's Scott MacIntyre With Guide Dog Direct link to
> video
>
> Paula Abdul Surprises Idol's Scott MacIntyre With Guide Dog
>
> by Carrie Borzillo-Vrenna
>
> Today 2:19 PM PDT The night Scott MacIntyre got booted from American Idol
> five weeks ago, Paula Abdul took him aside and said, "I have a wonderful
> surprise for you in a couple of weeks," he told Access Hollywood. That
> surprise came on Friday when the Idol judge presented the visually
> challenged singer with a guide dog from Guide Dogs of America in Sylmar,
> Calif.
>
> Scott walked-or "test drove" as he joked-two of the organization's 
> Labrador
> retrievers on Friday, but he won't get his dog until after the American 
> Idol
> tour ends on Sept. 15. At that time, he'll get matched up with the right
> pooch for him and go through a 28-day training process. "We have to find a
> dog that really likes loud music," joked Paula.
>
> Scott, who was lured to the event under the false pretense that he was 
> there
> to sing, was quite surprised to learn the truth...
>
> "Are you serious? Thank you so much," Scott told Paula at the event, which
> was in honor of May being National Guide Dog Month and cosponsored by
> Natural Balance Pet Foods and Petco.
>
> Scott is the first visually challenged contestant on American Idol. The
> Scottsdale, Ariz., singer isn't completely blind; he has a 2 percent field
> of vision and gets around with the use of a cane. On the set of Idol, his
> fellow contestants would walk him to and from the stage. Now, he'll have a
> furry friend to help him out instead.
>
>>From this link:
>
> http://ca.eonline.com/uberblog/watch_with_kristin/b123256_paula_abdul_surpri
> ses_idols_scott.html
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