Australian Idol Round-Up: Damien Leith Makes The Baby Idols Cry

You might think that after Australian Idol pitched Damien “Scary Falsetto” Leith into the world of rapturous RSL audiences, morning television appearances and hilariously earnest mega-selling covers records (an inspiration, no doubt, to warbling AFL stud Russell Robertson), he would have nothing but positive spin to feed this year’s bunch of wide-eyed hopefuls. How refreshing then (well, relatively speaking) to see the snaggle-toothed Oirishman telling it like it is to the Class of Spargo (and the rest of them):

“It’s been two of the most gruelling years of my life,” he said.

“A lot of people say Idol is the easy way but I did the independent route about 10 years ago and got signed in America and I have to say this is equally hard work.

“You’re up and the only way to go is down, but I’m very grateful.”

I like the way he worked in a little “how good am I?” moment by casually mentioning he’d been “signed in America” – though to exactly what he was signed remains unclear. A record label? A cleaning business contract? The FedEx man’s clipboard? His bail forms??