Y-Town

As you all know, I currently reside in a suburb north of Austin, TX. But this is not where I am from. Nossir. I was born and raised in a wee little town in Michigan called Ypsilanti. Or, as the natives call it, Ypsi or Y-town.














Ypsi is located just west of Detroit, and east of Ann Arbor which is of course home to the University of Michigan. There is a lesser known University in Y-town, Eastern Michigan University.














Near this great University is Ypsi's most well known attraction, The Water Tower. The Giant Phallic Shaped Water Tower. Paul Bunyan's Penis.















Ypsilanti is also well known from the smash 1983 hit song "Back to Ypsilanti" by native Lee Osler. You can download and listen to that song here. I love the dotcoms and the fact that you can find randy crappy music about obscure towns from 26 years ago.

And of course, Ypsi is also the birthplace of Domino's Pizza.



















A penis shaped water tower, a really bad 80's song, and the worst pizza I've ever tasted. These are all things to be proud of. Ah, who am I kidding? We got nothing. Ypsi's got nothing.

But there is hope on the horizon. For Ypsilanti, hope is currently residing in the one person who could potentially put us on the map. For good.












Matt Giraud, current contestant on season 8 of American Idol.

American Idol tells you he's from Kalamazoo (another Michigan town with a funny name), which is where he currently lives, but he was raised in Ypsilanti. My boy is representing Y-town every week, and, in my opinion, doing us proud.

He's had some off weeks, I will admit. He's not the strongest singer or performer on the stage. And I don't realistically expect him to win the whole competition (sorryMattifyou'rereadingthisIstillloveyoucallmeok?). But I do expect him to stick around for a few more weeks, and I'd like to see him get into the final 4. The judges used their save on him last night, so that must mean they see something in him that is worth keeping him around. If you haven't been watching Idol because you live under a rock, then I can tell you that he is soulful yet shy. Sweet yet sexy. Talented, cute, and has been compared the both Justin Timberlake and Michael Buble.

















He rocked out a Stevie Wonder song last week (Part Time Lover), and I am a Stevie purist, generally believing that people should leave his work alone, because no one can touch him (case and point, Megan Joy who did a Stevie song a few weeks prior and it was AWFUL). Matt was amazing.

He needs your votes to stay in the competition!! I would hate to see him go home next week after the judges saved him this week.

So, on behalf of the people of Ypsilanti, Michigan, I am asking you all to VOTE FOR MATT this week!!! Consider it a personal favor to me. Lee Osler and I thank you.

Also, Matt, we totally think that you should sing "Back to Ypsilanti" for your final Idol performance. Really seal the deal. Let 'em know. Loud and proud. Y-TOWN.










(PS for the record, I am very proud of my hometown and love Ypsilanti. There are a lot of great things about it, but for the purpose of blogging, Matt's success on the show, and good humor, I only wrote about what I felt like writing about, which is pretty much how I roll all the time)