"Anooooooooop!" was the chant everyone who watched last year's American Idol heard every week. And until he was voted off the show, to the disappointment of many Tar Heels, Anoop Desai played the small-town-boy-makes-good card to a T.
But these days, a small-town boy he is not. In many circles (especially Chapel Hill circles) Anoop Desai is practically Springsteen. And judging by the screams around the agency after I told a few people he will be a guest star at this year's Triangle Corporate Battle of the Bands, I'm not sure Springsteen would have been as exciting. (If you're a fan of The Boss, don't cry sacrilege--keep reading...)
Now, granted, the screams were mostly coming from our interns who attend UNC-Chapel Hill. And let me tell you, if there's one thing Tar Heels know about, it's Anoop Desai.
"Oh, I talked to him last week. I think he's traveling." Or, "Oh Anoop, I saw him at He's Not Here on Franklin Street. He's doing so great!" Or, "He's my neighbor's girlfriend's brother's friend from the Clef Hangers"
Yeah. Everyone "knows" Anoop.
My favorites were the people who actually had an opinion of him who (my guess) have never actually met him: "He's not answering my emails. I think he's let the fame go to his head."
I was a little skeptical about the upcoming call I had with him to discuss the details of his performance at the Battle. I expected the worst: I'm going to need my own dressing room stocked with caviar, champagne and UNC-Chapel-Hill-branded memorabilia. Please ensure 25 white doves fly out over the audience as I take the stage. Also, I want to be referred to only as Mr. Desai. Or AnoopDog.
Luckily, this version of Anoop Desai was not available for our phone call. News to the mass of people "know" Anoop and are mad because he's turned into a "diva": Homeboy is mad cool. He is a small-town boy who made good. But I'm thinking he hasn't left the small town too far behind. His head may be in Hollywood (as it should be), but his heart is right here at home.
Come see Anoop's non-diva-like behavior at the Triangle Corporate Battle of the Bands at the American Tobacco Campus in Durham on May 15. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. For tickets and more information, visit http://trianglebattle.com.
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