American Idol may have started out as an attempt by Fox to secure an increase in ratings, but since its first season, Idol has exploded into a phenomenon. The show has turned its winners into celebrities, with names like Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood dominating the pop charts. American Idol, far and away the most popular series on television, has become so popular that losers have become winners. While Clay Aiken couldn't grab the Idol crown in Season Two, he still became a household name and sold millions of album. Chris Daughtry didn't even make the final three of Season Five, but is well on his way to selling a million copies of his debut album. As the best example, Jennifer Hudson may have been eliminated from the show's third season, but she still managed to secure an Academy Award and her hometown of Chicago is now recognizing her accomplishment.
On Tuesday, the American Idol contestant, Golden Globe winner, Screen Actors Guild award winner and Academy Award winning actress Jennifer Hudson added one more accolade to her already successful career. After arriving in her hometown of Chicago, Mayor Richard Daley proclaimed Tuesday to be "Jennifer Hudson Day" to honor the 25-year-old star's accomplishments. As Mayor Daley told the hundreds of fans who came out to see Jennifer Hudson, "She’s an inspiration to everyone who has a dream." The Associated Press quoted Daley, who said, "People told her, ‘You can't.’ And she said, ‘I can.’"
Jennifer Hudson, who came on stage wearing a black wool coat and Burberry scarf, proudly showed off her Oscar statuette to the crowd who braved Chicago's frigid weather. The throng of fans who gathered outside of the Chicago Theatre listened intently as Jennifer Hudson thanked her fans for the support. The AP quoted the Dreamgirls star, who said, "Not only can I do it, but you can do it, too." Following that, Hudson sung one brief song from the Dreamgirls soundtrack.
Earlier on Tuesday, before appearing outside the Chicago Theatre, Hudson spoke to students at the Dunbar Vocational Career Academy, her former high school. Greeting by a thunderous round of applause, Jennifer Hudson told the students about her experiences, which have culminated with a clean sweep of this year's award ceremonies, as the undisputed Best Supporting Actress for her role in Dreamgirls. Hudson portrayed a vocalist who is cast out of a popular 1960s girl group. In a bit of art imitating life, two years before her role in Dreamgirls, Jennifer Hudson was told by American Idol judge Simon Cowell that she was "out of her league" and was subsequently voted off the Fox TV series.
However, her persistence has struck a chord with many fans, that have said they admire Hudson's ability to never give up in the pursuit of her dreams. One of the fans who came out despite the frigid temperatures, 18-year-old Sharhonda Woodard, was quoted by the AP as saying, "Anything is possible if you believe."
Indeed, that has been evidenced by the fact that Jennifer Hudson has been celebrated several times over. While Mayor Daley declared Tuesday to be Jennifer Hudson Day, Illinois Governor Rob Blagojevich had already proclaimed Feb. 26 to be Jennifer Hudson Day.
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