By JASON ASHLEY WRIGHT Scene Writer on Feb 1, 2013, at 2:27 PM Updated on 2/01 at 2:27 PM
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Matt Farmer on Wednesday night's episode of "American Idol."
"American Idol" fans are all atwitter -- and a-Facebook, too -- about contestant Matt Farmer today, and it's not a good thing.
On Wednesday's show, which aired auditions from Long Beach, Calif., Matt talked about serving in the military in Iraq and being seriously injured by an IED. He said it left him with traumatic brain injuries.
But the web site
Guardian of Valor has been posting quotes from men allegedly in service with Matt, saying he pretty much made the whole thing up -- that he was "drinking on top of some non-prescription acne meds" that produced a seizure.
The site included a quote from someone claiming to be Matt's roommate while he was deployed:
"... I was the sniper section leader attached to his company and lived in the same room with him until he was medevac'd from Ramadi because he got drunk while he was taking accutane, an acne medication. He proceeded to rat out everyone he was drinking with and never came back to the company. He was never involved in one single direct fire engagement, was never wounded, and made up this whole lie to try and make his story sound good to American Idol."More similar statements followed.
Since then, the site posted a correspondence allegedly from Matt himself. The following are excerpts (not corrected for typos):
"I wanted to contact you directly and let you know that American Idol took certain things i said out of context. 3 pictures that were shown were not ones provided by myslef but stock photos THEY used.
"I at NO time gained any monitary values about my story that was used on American Idol and want it to also be known that i am no longer apart of the show (which teqnically i am not suppose to divulge) BUT as i know that there are people upset i also want to let you know that certain things that were said are true.
"I did drink and overdose on pills. Was Medevaced to Al Asad where i was there fro several days (Not sure how many as most of it was in a drug induced blur) than sent to Laundstill Germany. There they did lots of psyhc evals where they told me i had PTSD and anxiety disorder. I was then transfered Back to my unit in Schweinfurt Germany. I was never KICKED out of iraq. I was told that i needed to go back to my unit to undergo further evaluations."As the correspondence continued, with the web site posing new questions, Matt eventually sent this:
"Everything you have read is correct. It was ALL lies. I in fact HAVE lied since a younger age and had a problem with it. I am coming out and making a statement (even though I was instructed not to) because i DO want to come clean. Just so everyone knows I'm not reviving any sort of disability for Tbi. Let it also be known that I left country 2.5 months before the rest of the unit came home, I stayed in the army PAST my ETS date and was released from full service (wether active or reserve) in 2009.
"I do in fact take FULL responsibility for the actions and words I have said, and know that this will never go away. In NO way was I looking to take from everyone who has served. I started to believe my own lies. And after I believed them… I would catch myself talking like it had happened to me my entire life. To the gentleman above who talked about going to the VA I am doing just that, the “cocktail” u refer to Has been my deterrent for the last couple of years as I feel like when I was medicated while at FT sill and even at Schwinefurt It was never correct. Never the less.
"The lies end here. I want to base the life I have left on nothing but what is real and genuine and in the here and now. I am EXTREAMLY remorseful and VERY upset that I allowed myself to take from the hard work of the guys that i was deployed with among others. To think that I would go on a national tv show and get away with continuing a lie so big, and so deeply imbedded in my lfe and brain… Is rediculous. Hindsight is always 20/20. The work the blue spader a did overseas was impeccable and I regret that I took from that. To EVERYONE but more importantly the men I served with, I AM DEEPLY REGRETFUL AND SORRY. my road to figuring out how to make a life built on trust starts now. It starts with getting help. And starts with this message.
"I was told to keep quiet and not talk to anyone, and I have decided that what’s best for me and my family is to come out and end the insanity. I indeed have many many things to work with and need to get alot of help doing it. Again I appologize to everyone that I have come across and hurt or lied too.
"I at no time was a sniper, was never deployed to Afghanistan, did a single tour in Iraq, and was never at any time hit or wounded by an IED"You can see the full conversation thread by
clicking here.
Wednesday night, I requested an interview from Matt, who referred me to a publicist. The contact at "Idol" said he wasn't available. Since the Guardian of Valor stuff came up, I asked the publicist again -- still not available, I was told. Then I emailed Matt this afternoon, as his address was available on Twitter the night he was on TV. No response yet.
Peace, love and "Idol" chatter ... XOXO
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