While millions of girls scream in delight over David Archuleta every week on American Idol, his father has come under fire for screaming of a different kind.
Celebrity gossip site TMZ.com, for example, has reported that Jeff Archuleta - a 47-year-old small business owner in Salt Lake City - has "screamed at his son and has even withheld water during rehearsals, even bringing his son to tears."
Is Jeff truly this hard on his talented offspring? Us Weekly recently spoke with him to find out...
How would you characterize your involvement with David's career?
Because I'm also a musician, I'm probably a little bit more involved. I kind of look at it like, 'I'm David's music consultant,' someone he can bounce ideas off, who can help him because I do have a lot of experience.
How do you collaborate with David?
When we have a chance to sit down and talk - which is usually at night or in the morning - we'll discuss the songs and the choices he has. He'll ask me what I think, and I'll ask him what he feels good about, and we'll arrive at a consensus. Sometimes he'll call his mom up and get her in-put. We have a family team that tries to help David feel good about his song choices.
When did you realize he had this talent and how did you encourage him?
I first realized he had talent when he was 4 or 5, and his mom taught him to play "Little Drummer Boy" and a church song on the piano. He played very well, but he was very shy and didn't really sing much. When we moved from Florida to Utah when he was 6, we didn't have a piano. I gave him a video to listen to one day just to keep him and his little brother busy while my wife and I were unpacking.
He listened to this video of [Les Misérables] literally the entire day. When I came back, David had memorized several of the songs, complete with the Cockney accent. He was just belting out these songs, in tune, and I thought, 'Wow, he's really got a good ear.'
Over the next couple of years, he got quite into musicals, like Into the Woods and Evita. He'd watch the videos and sing the songs, and I could tell he definitely had talent. When he was 10 and learning Celine Dion and some Whitney Houston songs, I started hearing that he was going after the runs and the licks that usually [only] the divas can do.
But he still didn't want to sing much, so we just had to wait until he wanted to. Then when he did, we just tried to find opportunities for him. We never were the type of parents who had him be in every talent show. He was in one talent competition when he was 10, and the next one he was in was Star Search.
He did very well. He had just turned 12 and ended up winning his particular division, Junior Singer. Obviously, he realized then that people like to hear him sing, and it gave him more confidence. The best thing was the feedback from people â" that's been David's motivation. He thought, 'Wow, if I can make people feel good through my singing, then I feel good singing.' That's what he thrives on.
On the March 25 episode, viewers saw a glimpse of a girl. Ryan Seacrest said David was taking her to prom. True?
That wasn't accurate at all â" that was just something Ryan said. Someone must have said something just because there was a friend of his [there] who happened to be a girl. It wasn't a girlfriend; she's more like his sister.
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36 Comments
April 30th, 2008 12:21 PM
It is funny that US Magazine has removed this artice... it is even funnier that in the interview it was talked about how David Archuleta is gay and involved in a gay relationship with Phillip Daggett. Good thing I seen the article and also good thing that even though it is removed you can see Jeff Archuleta's response to the question about David being involved with Phillip Daggett. He said that he does not understand how his son being gay has anything to do with the talent that he has. To quote Jeff Archuleta he has said "Honestly does him being gay take away anything from his great voice or his personality?" and if you follow this link you can see this for yourself, but when you go to click on the link to see the story, all of a sudden it will not let you see it... what the hell kind of coverup is this? SHAME ON YOU FOX AND SHAME ON AMERICAN IDOL!!! PEOPLE WANT TO KNOW!!!
SO LET IT BE KNOWN THAT THE RUMORS ARE DEFINITELY 100% TRUE, AND I APPOLOGIZE FOR EVER DOUBTING THEM BEFORE, BUT THE RUMORS ARE TRUE, DAVID ARCHULETA IS GAY... HIS DAD JEFF KNOWS ABOUT IT, AND IT IS TRUE THAT DAVID AND PHILLIP ARE A COUPLE.
IT WILL NOT BE LONG UNTIL SOMEONE IS NOT SCARED TO PUT THIS STORY OUT THERE... (COUGH COUGH) TMZ!!!!
ANYWAYS, TAKE A LOOK AT THIS LINK AND A QUOTE BY JEFF ARCHULETA, AND THEN TRY TO CLICK ON THE LINK TO SEE THE STORY, AND WATCH WHAT HAPPENS... BUT MY LINK WILL WORK AND TAKE YOU RIGHT TO WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT!!!
Honestly does him being gay take away anything from his great voice or his personality?
SO WHAT IS THE DEAL WITH THIS AND WHO IS GOING TO HAVE THE BALLS TO TELL PEOPLE THE STORY AND NOT BE AFRAID OF FOX OR IDOL, OR DADDY ARCHULETA?!!!!!
May 2nd, 2008 3:54 AM
David is gay and it is funny that they took the article off of the us weekly website where his dad talks about it. why are they covering this one up? check this out... http://www.thehollywoodgossip.com/gallery/david-archuleta/
May 26th, 2008 5:29 AM
There is no such part about Archuleta being gay. I have read the entire interview (Archie fans have it posted on their sites) and the last bit is just about David going to the prom and how the family would react if David won -- not that exciting. And Phillip Daggett is a notorious liar. Just Google him and you will see.
David Archuleta is extremely conservative because of his religious beliefs. This explains why he sang the verse from "Imagine" on Idol as opposed to the earlier verses; why he chose shorts over briefs in the Guitar Hero commercial (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvNqrbhQhkY); and why he is not overly flirtatious with the girls -- besides, has any of the top guys been on Idol?
LDS are very conservative in the comportment of men and women with each other -- even on the wedding day, the Mormon bride has to be completely covered up! No spaghetti or strapless dresses, but 3/4 to full-length sleeves.
Archuleta comes from an area that is very sheltered, religious and happy, which can have a home-schooled complex effect. And his friends from CA even are freaked out when they visit him in Utah because everyone smiles at them and says hi there, even though they don't know them.
In an interview with Extra, Michael Johns says that he cannot wait to get David on the road for their tour, and the interviewer says that everyone wants to corrupt David. David laughed and said that won't happen and doesn't want that to happen. He's a good guy! Too good.
Plus, the fact that the previous comments offer no proof of the "missing" bit of the article is just proof enough of my comment.
June 6th, 2008 6:22 PM
Well, "The Hollywood Gossip" seems to attract troubled and demented human beings. "Star Mag" (who can't spell or use proper grammar) joins the host of losers who have been claiming nonsense about David A. and a Phillip Daggett character. But they never have any proof, other than mysterious "missing" or "removed" articles and pictures, LOL!
David A. is such a great kid. These losers should let him be.
Of course, David A. will have the last laugh as he gets great recording contracts and is surrounded by adoring fans -- while the people spouting lies about him are stuck in their bitter, ugly lives.
June 10th, 2008 9:22 AM
It is such a shame that you people have nothing better to do than talk about this child. Remember David is a child and making up rumors and lies to sale magazines and make money is shameful. 1st this boy is a gift from God, he has something magical and I hope that he can stay true to himself and be the person he wants to be along with being a star. Grow up people and leave David and his family alone.
June 23rd, 2008 10:20 PM
Stop attacking at people! It is not fair to David or Phillip. You people are cruel and heartless. Whether they are together or not, or even if this is all a complete lie, I doubt very much because of the nature of this rumor that either David or Phillip would have wanted this kind of attention brought on his. You say that Phillip would make this up, and say to google him, that is fine, I see plenty, but nothing saying that he has ever made anything up, especially something like this.
All of you need to cut out the bullcrap about this, from what I can see you have already been keeping this going for months now. Let it end already.
July 1st, 2008 7:39 PM
Excuse me. Just because someone is Christian doesn't mean that they aren't gay. I'm a firm believer in Christ, and I am attracted to the same sex. I understand that the Bible says many things about homosexuality, but if you really look deep into the Bible with a loving perspective, there is nothing bashing homosexuality. If David is gay, he is gay. There's no stopping it. It's not his choice at all. That's what makes him "him". Let him live his life and be happy.
July 17th, 2008 6:28 PM
okay phillip daggett? first of all, google him. he lies all the time. he sued taco bell and has done alls orts of dumb stuff just for attention. and how could david aeven met him - phillip daggett lives in massachusetts and david is in utah. plus, david is mormon and phillip daggett is in his 30s anyway. if he is gay, i really doubt he's involved with this phillip guy. he obviously isn't really too involved with anyone, according to this first question: (click the link, read the first question) http://www.seventeen.com/dating/17-questions/david-archuleta-17q-0608 whatever. i love david whether he's gay stright or bi and i know theres literally thousands of people to back me up.(but being a teen girl i hope he's straight lol hes so so cute!!) he's wicked talented, has a great personality, is a total sweetheart, and he'll have an awesome career.
July 28th, 2008 7:17 PM
Well if Phillip was lying about the taco incident and the Toyota incident then he could have been in big trouble for making it up..But he was never in trouble and If he lied all the time about stupidness then do you think his friends could even trust him..I think not. If you remember he was the bartender who saved the people in the Puzzles bar when that homophobic teenager whent wild on them and started hitting them with hatchet and then pulled out a gun and shot like 3 people and almost shot Phillip. A lot of people that night felt that Phillip was a hero because he got all the other people out of the bar and the people who got out were not harmed,but unfortunately while trying to fight the teenager and get the hatchet out of his hands they did,but unfortunately the kid pulled out a gun and shot 3 people just because of who they loved. It's sad really..but luckily the 3 people were still alive. Maybe you should think outside the box..and think about this why would he make up something like that about him and David if HE supported David throughout the whole season this year. Can you answer that?? If he wanted to make David look bad then he would have never supported him while he was on the show,he probably would be supporting someone else perhaps and trying to make up bs to ruin David's chances of winning, BUT he wanted David to win.
August 2nd, 2008 1:35 AM
..ahmmmmmmmm..just answer my question,is david archuleta a gay or not?!!..