James Durbin Says Different Is The New Normal

American Idol contestant James Durbin was recently on Ellen where he shared his thoughts about being eliminated before he performed for the audience.

James danced out on the stage wearing his trademark scarf tail with his hair worn in a shaggy cut with blonde streaks.

He flashed his signature smile.  James was bubbly and fun, a great guest.  He seemed thrilled to be on the show and teased Ellen that the liquid in his cup on the table in front of him was "Vodka" and Ellen laughed "no it's not Vodka."

Ellen said "I told you backstage I was heart broken when you were sent home.  I don't understand it and I really early on picked you to win the whole thing but I think you're amazing.  So it's been a few days (since the elimination) so how do you feel?"

James smiled and said "I feel really good.  I think no other number would have been better for me than Number 4.  It just feels great.  I get to come here.  I've gotten to do all these amazing things in the last couple of days.  I got to go to New York.  I'd never been to New York.  I'm just having a blast."

Ellen "and you got to go home.  Usually it's only the top three.  How did you get to do that?"  James explained "my home town of Santa Cruz was so supportive and so awesome that for the first time in Idol history American Idol let me go home and have a homecoming and over 30,000 people showed up."

Ellen "wow, well of course they did.  I mean, that must have felt amazing.  I mean, you have so much support and so much talent, what's more impressive, I think and why people are so blown away by you is that you have Tourettes and you have Aspergers.  Is that the name of it?

James "yes" Ellen "And you were diagnosed when you were how old?"

James said he was diagnosed when he was  "about 10."  Ellen said that I can imagine your entire childhood was getting picked on, getting bullied and to overcome it and to be an example for either kids out there or parents who have kids that have been diagnosed to say look what you can do with your life."

Ellen said "That's got to feel so good?"

James shook his head and said "thank you.  It really is.  It's so special and so heartwarming, not only am I going on the show to try and fulfill my dream, but I'm also going in and able to be a voice for people who feel its harder, they're too afraid to speak up, to speak out.

It's ok to be different, it's ok to be weird or a freak or this and that.  I embrace it, I'm freaky.  I'm different.  Different is the new normal."

Ellen "I think that is the best reason to be on television.  To entertain obviously,  but to be an example and to say we're all different and to help kids out there feel better about themselves.  Good for you. I think you're fantastic.

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