Editing Jim Verraros (section)

===2002–2003: ''American Idol'' tour and related projects===
About a month after being voted out of the top ten on ''American Idol'''s first season, Verraros joined thirteen other former contestants from the series to perform at various events in [[Northwest Indiana]].<ref name="Tournament to feature">{{cite web |author=Richard Grey |date=August 12, 2002 |title=Tournament to feature food, haircuts and 'Idols' |url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1N1-0FF67AD9D522C725.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180328041218/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1N1-0FF67AD9D522C725.html |archive-date=March 28, 2018 |access-date=March 27, 2018 |work=[[Post-Tribune (Indiana newspaper)|Post-Tribune]]}}</ref><ref name="basketball event">{{cite web |author=Lorell Fleming |date=August 17, 2002 |title='American Idol' contestants to appear at basketball event |url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1N1-0FF67AE237EB6C28.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180328041034/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1N1-0FF67AE237EB6C28.html |archive-date=March 28, 2018 |access-date=March 27, 2018 |work=Post-Tribune}}</ref>{{efn|This group was initiated by Mark Scott, an ''American Idol'' semi-finalist from the area, for the main purpose of performing at "Let's Go to the Hoop", a [[3x3 (basketball)|3-on-3]] children's basketball tournament in [[Gary, Indiana]].<ref name="Tournament to feature"/><ref name="basketball event"/>}} He participated in a group medley during ''American Idol''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s first season finale<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://ew.com/recap/she-champion-kelly-wins-american-idol/|author=Jessica Shaw|title=She is the champion! Kelly wins ''American Idol''|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=July 4, 2003|access-date=March 28, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Amy Amatangelo |date=September 5, 2002 |title=Singing waitress serves up a winner.(Arts and Lifestyle) |url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-91110004.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171028185254/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-91110004.html |archive-date=October 28, 2017 |access-date=December 14, 2016 |work=Boston Herald}}</ref> and a few weeks later, he reunited with all of the series' top thirty contestants for the ''American Idol in Las Vegas'' TV special.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kaufman |first=Gil |date=August 30, 2002 |title='American Idol' Finalists Plan Arena Tour, Compilation Album |url=https://www.mtv.com/news/nap076/american-idol-finalists-plan-arena-tour-compilation-album |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230408234834/https://www.mtv.com/news/nap076/american-idol-finalists-plan-arena-tour-compilation-album |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 8, 2023 |access-date=April 25, 2024 |publisher=MTV |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Keveney |first=Bill |date=January 21, 2003 |title=Old 'Idol' hands are hard at work |work=USA Today |pages=D.03}}</ref> Verraros then participated through October and November in the American Idols LIVE! Tour 2002, along with his fellow top ten finalists.<ref name="Chatter"/><ref>{{cite news|author=Walt Belcher|title=Tour To Keep Series Contestants From Being Idle|work=[[The Tampa Tribune]]|date=August 19, 2002}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/1457276/american-idol-finalists-plan-arena-tour-compilation-album/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180325233022/http://www.mtv.com/news/1457276/american-idol-finalists-plan-arena-tour-compilation-album/|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 25, 2018|author=Gil Kaufman|title='American Idol' Finalists Plan Arena Tour, Compilation Album|publisher=[[MTV]]|date=August 30, 2002|access-date=March 25, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Natasha Kassulke |date=September 12, 2002 |title=Idols Go on Tour |url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-91436267.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180328041051/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-91436267.html |archive-date=March 28, 2018 |access-date=March 27, 2018 |work=[[The Wisconsin State Journal]]}}</ref> For each stop of the tour, he reprised his performance of "Easy" from the series.<ref name="Derogatis"/><ref>{{cite web|url=http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2002-10-25/news/0210250003_1_american-idol-christina-christian-finalist|author=Sean Piccoli|title=Idols Croon in Sunrise|work=[[Sun Sentinel]]|date=October 25, 2002|access-date=March 30, 2018|archive-date=June 5, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160605125048/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/2002-10-25/news/0210250003_1_american-idol-christina-christian-finalist|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Amy Amatangello |date=October 30, 2002 |title=Idols make grasp for stardom.(Arts and Lifestyle) |url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-93631958.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180325105854/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-93631958.html |archive-date=March 25, 2018 |access-date=March 30, 2018 |work=Boston Herald}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|author=Kevin C. Johnson|title=Corny 'American Idols' Showcases Almost-Knowns|work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|date=November 7, 2002}}</ref>

{{quote box|width=33%|quote=Oh, well, you know we were really shocked about that...We had no idea he was gay. Jim Verraros actually came up to me at a show and said, 'Simon, I've got something to tell you.' I said, 'What?' He said, 'I'm gay.' I said, 'Yeah?' He went, 'Well, I've come out.' I said, 'Jim, you came out the second you appeared on this bloody show.'|source= —Simon Cowell in March 2003.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-99850220.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180430045857/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-99850220.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 30, 2018|title=Simon and the gay Idols. (the Buzz).(Simon Cowell, Will Young, Jim Verraros)(Brief Article)|work=The Advocate|date=March 18, 2003|access-date=April 29, 2018}}</ref>}}

Prior to competing on ''American Idol'', Verraros had been open about his sexual orientation through an online journal. ''[[The Advocate (LGBT magazine)|The Advocate]]'', an American LGBT-interest magazine, discovered this journal while Verraros was on the series and contacted [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] with an interview request for the contestant. One day later, the journal was deleted.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Idol+gossip.+(The+Buzz).-a090990464|title=Idol gossip|work=The Advocate|date=September 3, 2002|access-date=July 27, 2014}}</ref> Verraros later explained to ''The Advocate'' that his journal had been removed because Fox did not want it to give him an unfair advantage in the competition.{{efn|Years later, Verraros remarked, "Looking back, [the network's policy] could be interpreted a bunch of different ways. One possibility is that they didn't want me to [come out]".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.planetout.com:80/entertainment/2009/08/the-full-package-jim-verraros.html|author=Robert Ordona|title=The Full Package: Jim Verraros|work=[[PlanetOut Inc.]]|date=August 20, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090826221810/http://www.planetout.com:80/entertainment/2009/08/the-full-package-jim-verraros.html#more|archive-date=August 26, 2009}}</ref>}} Verraros was open about his sexuality with the other ''American Idol'' finalists, whom he described as being very supportive.<ref name="Advocate Interview"/>

Verraros came out publicly during the ''American Idol'' tour.<ref name="Advocate Interview"/><ref name="Tinseltown">{{cite web |author=Elizabeth Snead |date=November 29, 2002 |title=Tinseltown Spywitness |url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-9014122.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180401075226/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-9014122.html |archive-date=April 1, 2018 |access-date=March 31, 2018 |work=[[Los Angeles Daily News]]}}</ref> He also came out to his father at this time.<ref name="Advocate Interview"/> In November 2002, Verraros was named as one of "2002's Most Intriguing People" by ''[[Out (magazine)|Out]]'', another LGBT-interest magazine.<ref>{{cite magazine|date=December 2002|title=Out 100 – Television: Jim Verraros|magazine=[[Out (magazine)|Out]]|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=u2IEAAAAMBAJ&q=verraros|location=Los Angeles|publisher=[[Here Publishing]]|page=74}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://out.com:80/feature.asp|title=Out.com Feature|work=Out|date=December 2002|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021211104837/http://out.com:80/feature.asp|archive-date=December 11, 2002}}</ref><ref name="Tinseltown"/><ref name="Windy City 05">{{cite web|url=http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/m/APParticle.php?AID=7903&i=11&s=Entertainment|author=Lawrence Ferber|title=Jim Verraros: Rollercoaster Life|work=Windy City Times|date=April 6, 2005|access-date=September 24, 2014}}</ref><ref name="Pride DC">{{cite web|url=http://dc.gopride.com/news/interview.cfm/articleid/94096 |title=Jim Verraros interview with PrideDC.com |work=dc.gopride.com |access-date=September 24, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140722055203/http://dc.gopride.com/news/interview.cfm/articleid/94096 |archive-date=July 22, 2014 }}</ref><ref name="Joins ChicagoPride">{{cite web|url=http://chicago.gopride.com/news/article.cfm/articleid/3103696 |title=Jim Verraros Joins ChicagoPride.com for Pride Parade |work=ChicagoPride.com|access-date=September 24, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130521170500/http://chicago.gopride.com/news/article.cfm/articleid/3103696 |archive-date=May 21, 2013 }}</ref> Around that time, Verraros said, "I just thought it was time to come out. I really hate the segregation and only being able to hold hands in [[gay bars]]. We have to start breaking down the barriers. I want to be a gay advocate and let teens know that being gay is just a small part of who you are. And if people don't like it, it's their problem, not yours."<ref name="Tinseltown"/> Verraros gave an extensive interview to ''The Advocate'' in January 2003,<ref name="Advocate Interview"/> which was described as his official "coming out",<ref name="Windy City 05"/><ref name="Pride DC"/><ref>{{cite web |author=Dave White |date=July 8, 2003 |title=The gay blogging revolution. (On the Web). |url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-105367786.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180430113930/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-105367786.html |archive-date=April 30, 2018 |access-date=April 29, 2018 |work=The Advocate}}</ref> and in May, he participated in [[Pride parade#United States|Boston's Youth Pride march]].<ref>{{cite web |author=Rick Dunn |date=March 13, 2003 |title=A Busy Month for Drag Kings, Poets, and Gay Glitterati |url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-7761382.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180401213201/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-7761382.html |archive-date=April 1, 2018 |access-date=April 1, 2018 |work=[[The Boston Globe]]}}</ref>

The ''American Idol: Greatest Moments'' album, released October 1, 2002, features a recorded version of Verraros singing "Easy".<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://ew.com/article/2002/09/01/heres-what-youll-hear-american-idol-cd/|author=Gary Susman|title=Here's what you'll hear on the ''American Idol'' CD|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=September 1, 2002|access-date=March 30, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|date=September 19, 2002|title=RCA Records to Release American Idol: Greatest Moments on October 1|url=http://www.planetpdf.com/planetpdf/pdfs/AmericanIdol091902.pdf|publisher=[[RCA Records]]|access-date=December 17, 2016|archive-date=April 1, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130401141033/http://www.planetpdf.com/planetpdf/pdfs/AmericanIdol091902.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> The album reached No. 4 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] chart.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/soundtrack/chart-history/tlp/|title=American Idol: Greatest Moments|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|access-date=March 30, 2018}}</ref> Asked during his run on ''American Idol'' what he might call his debut album, Verraros suggested "So You Say".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.americanidol.com:80/contestants/season1/jim_verraros/|title=American Idol: Season 1 Contestants – Jim Verraros|work=americanidol.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060625055942/http://www.americanidol.com:80/contestants/season1/jim_verraros/|archive-date=June 25, 2006}}</ref> Verraros moved to Los Angeles after the ''American Idol'' tour and was turned down by several [[Talent agent|agencies]].<ref name="Finding Fame">{{cite web |author=Tom O'Konowitz |date=May 24, 2005 |title=Finding Fame after 'Idol' Suburban Singer Capitalizes on His TV Success to Build a Music Career |url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-132922095.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402035456/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-132922095.html |archive-date=April 2, 2018 |access-date=April 1, 2018 |work=[[Daily Herald (Arlington Heights)|Daily Herald]]}}</ref><ref name="Queer Cinema">{{cite web |author1=Adam B. Vary |author2=Dennis Hensley |date=April 26, 2005 |title=Here Comes the New New Queer Cinema: The First Wave of Queer Cinema Slowed to a Trickle Years Ago. Now a Flood of Smart, Fun New Movies Is Washing into Theaters |url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-133014789.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180403234849/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-133014789.html |archive-date=April 3, 2018 |access-date=April 3, 2018 |work=The Advocate}}</ref> While in LA, he lived for two years with [[Natalie Burge]] and [[Christopher Aaron]], both of whom were in the Top 30 with him on ''American Idol''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s first season.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.speakfreewithjb.com/jim.html|author=Jeremy Bradley|title=SpeakFree Celebrity Sightings brought to you by Peerflix – Jim Verraros|work=speakfreewithjb.com|year=2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060603172549/http://www.speakfreewithjb.com/jim.html|archive-date=June 3, 2006}}</ref><ref name="Burge Interview">{{cite web|url=http://idolphenomena.blogspot.com/2008/07/interview-with-natalie-burge-and-ryan.html|title=Interview with Natalie Burge and Ryan Farrar|work=IdolPhenomena|date=July 24, 2008|access-date=May 13, 2018}}</ref>{{efn|Burge had a small role in ''Eating Out''<ref name="Burge Resume">{{cite web|url=http://natalieburge.com:80/resume.htm|author=Natalie Burge|title=Natalie Burge's Resume|work=natalieburge.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015162453/http://natalieburge.com:80/resume.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 15, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/natalie_burge/|title=Natatlie Burge|work=Rotten Tomatoes|access-date=May 13, 2018}}</ref> and performed as a dancer in at least one of Verraros' shows.<ref name="Burge Interview"/><ref name="Burge Resume"/>}} Throughout the Spring of 2003, Verraros participated in Coca-Cola's Behind the Scenes With American Idol promotional tour, in which he and a selection of other finalists from the first two seasons of the series performed across the country in shopping malls owned by the [[Simon Property Group]].<ref>{{cite press release|date=April 3, 2003|title=Coca-Cola 'Behind-The-Scenes With. American Idol' Tour Kicks Off|url=http://investors.simon.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=113968&p=irol-newsArticle&ID=397823|publisher=[[Simon Property Group]]|access-date=December 16, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author1=Gayle Fee |author2=Laura Raposa |date=April 4, 2003 |title=Clint's return to Hub is music to BSO and chorus.(News) |url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-99624141.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180401213348/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-99624141.html |archive-date=April 1, 2018 |access-date=April 1, 2018 |work=Boston Herald}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-7783132.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180401213328/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-7783132.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 1, 2018|author1=Carol Beggy|author2=Al Young|title=Baranski Gains Emerson Fans; Community Servings Event Hums|work=The Boston Globe|date=April 5, 2003|access-date=April 1, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release |date=April 24, 2003 |title='American Idol' tour to appear at Orland mall |url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1N1-0FEBFDC4DC1AE3E8.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180325105857/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1N1-0FEBFDC4DC1AE3E8.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=March 25, 2018 |publisher=[[The Herald-News]] |access-date=December 16, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Ted Cox |date=April 24, 2003 |title=In the air.(Suburban Living) |url=https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-100913896.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180325110154/https://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-100913896.html |archive-date=March 25, 2018 |access-date=December 16, 2016 |work=Daily Herald}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.ew.com/article/2003/05/01/ousted-idol-contestants-launch-mall-tour|author=Gary Susman|title=Ousted ''Idol'' contestants launch mall tour|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=May 1, 2003|access-date=December 17, 2016}}</ref>