Reality RocksEliminated ‘X Factor’ Contestant Jason Brock Explains Why He “Did It For The Gays And Japan”
Thursday night on "The X Factor," Jason Brock--an out-and-proud contestant who had been nicknamed "Mr. Entertainment," had performed on the show amid glitter explosions, and had even dared to pinch hunky host Mario Lopez's rear end on one live broadcast--was the first contestant to be voted off the show by America. But Jason went out in his usual fabulous style, as only he could, memorably belting out Bonnie Tyler's '80s epic "Total Eclipse Of The Heart" and triumphantly declaring, "I did it for the gays and Japan!"--a slogan that he really needs to print on T-shirts right away.
Speaking to Yahoo! Music the morning after his elimination, Jason acknowledged the possibility that his homosexuality may have played a factor in the results. "Yes, I think that the gay thing could have had some influence on the voting, because there's a good portion of America that still thinks being gay is wrong," he said. "But I was prepared for that, and I don't regret being me...and I have to say, I really appreciate 'The X Factor' for never asking me to [not be myself]. The show itself was always encouraging me to be myself, for the most part. No one ever said I was 'too gay' or needed to 'tone it down'--thank goodness!"
And what about that wild moment when Jason asked Mario Lopez on the air, "Can I touch your butt?" Did he catch any flak from the show's powers-that-be for that? Said Jason, "No, no one ever told me that that was not okay. No one ever talked to me about it at all, really--except to say that it was hilarious. I thought so too! I just talked to Mario, actually, and I think we're in love."
One "X Factor" cast member who didn't seem to be in love with Jason was judge Simon Cowell, who critiqued both of Jason's live performances quite harshly--something that Jason thinks may have been the real reason he ended up getting voted off so soon. "It's hard to say what he didn't like about me, I find it hard to pinpoint, but that may have been part of it," Jason theorized.
So, we know that Jason did "The X Factor" for the gays. What about the "Japan" part? Jason, who is in a long-distance relationship with a man in Japan, said he aspires to live, work, and perform there. "I would absolutely love to--as a singer, as an actor, as a guest of a show. 'The X Factor' does air in Japan. That's part [of why I did 'The X Factor'], to connect with people in Japan, because I'd love to work there...When I was in Japan, I watching TV, they have tons of shows where people are sitting on a panel, some kind of celebrities, and they ask them, 'Try this food, do you like it?' or 'What you think of this TV clip?' I want to do shows like that, because it would be easy, and it would be fun."
Speaking of fun, what sort of performances did Mr. Entertainment have planned, if he'd stayed on "The X Factor" longer? Jason revealed that there would have been plenty more Brock 'n' roll ahead. "I was thinking, appearance-wise, just totally going crazy with my style--closer to Gaga, Elton John--and maybe doing a Lady Gaga cover, or Rihanna. I felt my first song in the live shows was not really representative of me, but I did it because I thought I was getting good advice from [mentor] L.A. [Reid]. But the second show I did feel was me--and my 'save me' song ['Total Eclipse'] was really me too. 'Every now and then I fall apart'--or fall out of the competition!"
Turn around, bright eyes. Jason Brock, you shall be missed.
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