Todrick Hall: Controversial Contestant on American Idol
American Idol took its show to Dallas last night, where it encountered a few contestants with moving personal stories (one overcame cancer, another struggles with Tourette's Syndrome) and one with a controversial background.
Todrick Hall, a 24-year old from Arlington, Texas, wrote an original song for his audition and impressed all four judges.
He's a budding playwright who appeared with Fantasia in The Color Purple; had a small role in High School Musical 2; and wrote, choreographed and directed a Nashville show called "Oz, the Musical."
But that's where the controversy comes in: as chronicled by a local Tennessee station, Hall was the alleged mastermind behind a plot to fool families into paying for a play that was never actually in production, at least according to some sources.
In June 2009, parents brought their children to the Tennessee Performing Arts Center to audition for this remake of The Wizard of Oz. Its website billed former Idol star Diana DeGarmo as playing a role in it. But after shelling out $75 for costume fees, the families were told the play was canceled - and their money would not be refunded.
Hall said producers simply ran out of funds, but no local theater had been reserved for the event. Moreover, DeGarmo had no knowledge of the Nashville production.
It sounds a bit shady, but there's often a lot of behind-the-scenes details to these stories. Check out Hall's performance on Idol below and keep your eyes this contestant. He may be in the news for a variety of reasons in the near future.
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May 29th, 2011 11:05 AM
I was in oz the musical 2 years ago in december....my mom ordered me a dvd and i never got it!!! it was $40 and the dvd was supposed to be one of my christmas presents!!!! i wqas sooo disapointed wen we never got them!!! TODRICK HALL OWES PEOPLE ALOTT OF MONEY$$$$!!!!!! >:(
April 7th, 2011 12:07 AM
347-327-0704 This is Gregs number. So many actors and kids were ripped off by this little man. Todrick is JUST as responsible as Greg.
February 18th, 2011 11:11 AM
He had nothing to do with the SCAM. A man told people that Hall was producing the play. This was not true. This man stole money, and Todrick wasn't even at the auditions. I know this is not a scam because i was in the REAL production, and Todrick did not ask for a dime. we had to make our own costumes. SO people need to get thier facts straight!!!!!!!!!
December 22nd, 2010 11:31 PM
I just saw ur performance In Memphis and enjoyed it a lot I am one of ur biggest fans and thought you did AWESOME I followed u through American Idol (and u so shud have won) anyway just wanted to say that ur Amazing...and people really need to give u a brake! Bye c u on the red carpet soon! ~Love Chelsea (a fellow Texan)
December 16th, 2010 9:03 PM
I recently worked with Todrick on his Nice and Naughty video. After viewing the final video he stated that he had only $200 dollars on his credit card and could not pay until January 2011. Upon research from my attorneys he is leaving the Broadway show "Memphis", on December 21st 2010. He tried to scam but I didn't release the video. He took my creative concepts to another editor and released it on Youtube. He still owes over 50+ hours of labor.
I brought him into my home, he took pictures with my kids, met my wife, slept in my car and the results were unreal. I tried to help him. Unfortunately he will enter my world in the entertainment industry and run into my friends.
Mr. Hall it is considered intellectual property theft and infringement to authorize another party to duplicate my concepts and ideas without payment or my consent. You are wholly responsible for the debt, any funds, monies or income acquired from the illegal use of this product as the State of New York deems
August 15th, 2010 9:54 PM
First and foremost: I was the Tech Director/Tour Manager of the 2009 Version of OZ. Fact 1- Our overhead was 40,000.00 a week
we had 3 tour buses 2 trailors and a 5 man crew. Fact 2- Nothing happened without Todrick's approval and Greg Money's money.
Fact 3- When Todrick wasn't micromanaging the production he was throwing hissy fits and demeaning the talent of all the pro's on the tour. Lack of Publicity and ticket sales derailed the success of the show. Greg Money's belief and commitment to Todrick bordered the insane--I would have never staked my family fortune on Todrick--although in the beginning stages of production I thought the kid could do no wrong. Only after I worked my self to beyond exhaustion and literally passed out in my lunch on opening day in Dallas did I see the true Todrick. He cussed me, tried to blackball me and has sullied my name at every turn. His people skills blatantly suck. He should be a cog in the wheel---if only he could realise--there is no "I" in team
March 17th, 2010 4:42 AM
I have a lot of respect for Todrick, first and foremost he is making an effort to repay a bunch of angry remorseful gamblers. When you make a business investment its like putting your money into a slot machine. One of two things can happen, either your money will bloom and flourish or it will burst into flames but regardless of the outcome it is a personal problem because you chose to put in your money. Its not his fault if you made a descision and the outcome was not pleasing. As a business man I have the same problem, but I just handle it by going to the studio in my $679 ed hardy jeans with my telecaster in hand and record some art because I honestly don't care, at least he's not heartless and is giving you the effort to play the nice guy role and return the money when he has no legal obligation, you all sicken me by attacking this young man in such a way
March 15th, 2010 2:04 AM
Todrick, three words, "GIRRRRRRL GET REAL!" You ain't gonna take your way out of the bad image you've created, and truckload of talent can't EVER make up for being an ugly little person. Every interview you've given since leaving AI has shown you for who you are, a weasly little opportunistic con artist.
March 14th, 2010 7:51 PM
That's right...thanks for putting my number on here (347)327-0704. The stuff that you parents are saying on here is a load of bull and no one has even taken the time to call me. I am NOT responsible for paying people back and I created that myspace when I was in high school so don't take my yearly income so literally. I am a very ambitious person who tried to do something nice and it failed. GET OVER IT!!!! Let it go. I did not try to do anything to hurt your kids, and if you had reached out to me instead of going of the wall and being irrational on blogs then you would know the truth. Email me at todrickhall@yahoo.com or call me and let's end this, because it's been carried on too long. We're all adults here, except it seems that I'm the only one who's acting like one.
March 13th, 2010 10:50 AM
WOW!!! It's bad enough to allow a bunch of bitter "wannabe" rubes and "stage mothers" who were duped through their own enormous egos (vicariously through exploiting their own children,) to post messages here, but when the extremely hateful and racist comments started it became blatantly obvious, this message board is a load of crap! The worst message board ever! Highly forgettable, and I would be surprised if it's still here next week!