02-19-2006, 03:04 PM
Another Beaverton native is hoping to make it big on reality TV.
Joe Foss Jr. is one of six finalists on the PBS show "Outdoor Idol," a first-time, statewide contest based loosely on "American Idol." The finals will air live at 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 2.
Foss is a 1999 graduate of Beaverton High School.
Last year, fellow Beaverton native Brandon Calhoon made the national spotlight as a contestant on the reality series "Rock Star: INXS."
If Foss wins the contest, he will co-host an episode of "The Wilderness Journal" with Kyle Randall, which is filmed at hunting and fishing venues around North America.
That’s motivation enough for Foss, an avid archery deer hunter and steelhead angler.
"My parents and grandparents got me into the outdoors, and I’ve always enjoyed it," he said. "Any time I get a chance for a free hunting or fishing trip, that’s wonderful."
And win or lose, Foss, a Saginaw Valley State graduate, considers this a step toward a possible broadcasting career.
"Getting the publicity and getting my name out there is something I’m very interested in as far as a career," he said. "It’s a great way to talk to people and hopefully get introduced to the right person somewhere along the line."
The process started a few weeks ago when Foss saw Outdoor Idol advertised on Wilderness Journal, and decided to apply. He was chosen to compete against about 10 others in the semifinal at the Birch Run Expo Center on Feb. 4.
Three contestants were chosen from the Birch Run semifinal, and three from the other semifinal in Grand Rapids.
The finals will be broadcast live from the CMU broadcasting studio in Mount Pleasant.
"I was surprised they’re doing it live," Foss said. "I guess we’ll just play it by ear. When you’re standing in front of the lights and going to be on live TV, I guess that’d be a little bit different feeling."
In both the semifinals and the finals, each contestant is put under the spotlight, like on American Idol.
"They just give you a small sheet of paper and tell you to talk about (an outdoor topic)," Foss said. "In the semifinals, I had to talk about a taxidermist. There’s no time to prepare – you just go in front of the judges and do your thing.
"They did ask us kind of humorous questions (in the semifinals) to ease the moment a little bit," he added.
The winner will be decided based 50 percent on a panel of judges and 50 percent on viewers who call in during the show.
The semifinal contestants ranged in age from teen-agers to those in their 60s, Foss said.
Wilderness Journal is a one-hour show airing every Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
[url "mailto:chalk@mdn.net"]Dan Chalk[/url], Midland Daily News
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Joe Foss Jr. is one of six finalists on the PBS show "Outdoor Idol," a first-time, statewide contest based loosely on "American Idol." The finals will air live at 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 2.
Foss is a 1999 graduate of Beaverton High School.
Last year, fellow Beaverton native Brandon Calhoon made the national spotlight as a contestant on the reality series "Rock Star: INXS."
If Foss wins the contest, he will co-host an episode of "The Wilderness Journal" with Kyle Randall, which is filmed at hunting and fishing venues around North America.
That’s motivation enough for Foss, an avid archery deer hunter and steelhead angler.
"My parents and grandparents got me into the outdoors, and I’ve always enjoyed it," he said. "Any time I get a chance for a free hunting or fishing trip, that’s wonderful."
And win or lose, Foss, a Saginaw Valley State graduate, considers this a step toward a possible broadcasting career.
"Getting the publicity and getting my name out there is something I’m very interested in as far as a career," he said. "It’s a great way to talk to people and hopefully get introduced to the right person somewhere along the line."
The process started a few weeks ago when Foss saw Outdoor Idol advertised on Wilderness Journal, and decided to apply. He was chosen to compete against about 10 others in the semifinal at the Birch Run Expo Center on Feb. 4.
Three contestants were chosen from the Birch Run semifinal, and three from the other semifinal in Grand Rapids.
The finals will be broadcast live from the CMU broadcasting studio in Mount Pleasant.
"I was surprised they’re doing it live," Foss said. "I guess we’ll just play it by ear. When you’re standing in front of the lights and going to be on live TV, I guess that’d be a little bit different feeling."
In both the semifinals and the finals, each contestant is put under the spotlight, like on American Idol.
"They just give you a small sheet of paper and tell you to talk about (an outdoor topic)," Foss said. "In the semifinals, I had to talk about a taxidermist. There’s no time to prepare – you just go in front of the judges and do your thing.
"They did ask us kind of humorous questions (in the semifinals) to ease the moment a little bit," he added.
The winner will be decided based 50 percent on a panel of judges and 50 percent on viewers who call in during the show.
The semifinal contestants ranged in age from teen-agers to those in their 60s, Foss said.
Wilderness Journal is a one-hour show airing every Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
[url "mailto:chalk@mdn.net"]Dan Chalk[/url], Midland Daily News
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