Fame Chapter 12 "What's Left of Me (Nick Lechay)/No Air (Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown)"
It was six in the evening, central time in the US. Everyone in Ian's family, including Jen, Gilda, Aaron, Sylvia, JJ, Nana, Tia Gloria, and Matias, crowded in front of the TV brought to Fabiano's, which had been closed for a private party hosted by Olga and Dan. Countless other fans in the US and Brazil had also tuned their sets for the evening's show. In Nashville, `Catfish and Grits' had closed for the evening, and the entire staff went to Roosters, where all the TVs were tuned to GTV for the awards show that evening. In Timor Leste, Father Pareira had managed to get a TV brought into the chapel for Ana, her family, and all the other people in the facility to watch the performance live on GTV's local affiliate. In Lorenzia, despite the fact that it was the middle of the night, Gavin, Alex, and Margaret were seated in the Royal Apartment at the palace to watch the performance on Lorenzia State Television, who'd agreed to carry the program at the request of the Princess.
The preshow, hosted by Kathy Griffin, had started off the festivities. By the end of the hour long red carpet show, Kathy had spoken to so many of the world's favorite celebrities. She made Beyoncé laugh with her jokes, while Jay-Z stood back smiling. The host of the main show, Margaret Cho, had arrived with an entourage of gay men, whom she called Al-gayda! All of them were dressed in dark black suits with sunglasses. She was wearing a beautiful red dress that accented all her beautiful features. She and Kathy carried on for a few minutes, joking with one another.
Kathy went on to speak to actors like Katherine Heigl and T.R. Knight from `Grey's Anatomy', as well as Brooke Shields, who Kathy told to save her seat inside and not let any fat person sit next to her. She talked to Birmingham author David Higginbotham as he and his date for the evening went into the venue.
It was about 6:45 that a long black limousine arrived at the end of the red carpet. Out popped another local superstar that had attained worldwide success: Ian Scott. Before climbing from the car, he was a bit nervous, but he gathered everything within him and climbed out of the car as the attendant opened the door. Joey followed a moment later. The two men were dressed to the nines in black tuxedos. Ian was wearing a pair of dark black sunglasses that he'd donned just a moment before the car pulled to the entrance on the side of the Stuckwisch Highway.
Ian and Joey walked down the carpet toward the place where the photogs were taking countless pictures of everyone that walked past them. Long before they got to that point, though, the fans had started cheering for Ian, who was waving in their direction as Joey stood close by smiling. The flashbulbs were bright when they finally did get to the point where the pictures were being taken. Ian took off his glasses for a moment to let them get pictures of his best asset, other than Joey: his green eyes. When asked whom he was with, he looked at Joey. "This is my partner and best friend, Dr. José Ruiz."
"IAN! IAN! IAN!" Kathy said as they made it past where the pictures were being taken.
"KATHY!" Ian screamed. The two had been friends since she appeared in one his videos in the past.
"How are you doing?" she asked, almost soberly.
"I'm wonderful," Ian said as the cameras focused on them.
"So we've heard rumors that you might be performing tonight? Any truth to that?"
"All that I can say is...Maybe...maybe not," knowing full well that he would be. It was to be his first public appearance since releasing the single and the video two weeks later. The single itself went straight to number one in the US, Brazil, and Portugal, despite the fact that the latter two countries had heard the song years before when Ian recorded the original Portuguese version of the song.
"Well. Let's just vague it up a little next time," Kathy asked.
"OK," Ian said as the two laughed.
"So who is this with you?"
"Kathy. This would be my boyfriend, Dr. José Ruiz!" Ian introduced as Joey smiled.
"OOH! A doctor. You know, my mother has been telling me my whole life that I needed to find a good doctor and settle down. I told the old bat that she was crazy...but just to make her happy, you can have me if you want!" she said as she massaged his muscular arms through the suit.
Joey, feeling the moment, took Kathy from behind, swung her around, and planted a kiss on her that made Ian a little jealous! When he lifted her back up, she rearranged herself before jumping onto him. He and Ian both laughed as Kathy handed Ian the microphone. Ian got a nod from producers to take the show to a commercial break, which he did without a problem. At Fabiano's, the family was watching and laughing at Joey's usually somewhat reserved self.
"I'm sorry about that," Kathy said as she jumped off Joey. "Seriously, though, I've known this kid for years, and he's lucky to have a man as awesomely hot as you," she said to Joey.
"See," Joey said as the cameras weren't on him for a second. "I'm thinking that I'M the lucky one!"
"Awww...That's so sweet!" Kathy said. "It was really very nice to meet you, though, Dr. Ruiz."
"The pleasure is mine," Joey said as he kissed Kathy's hand.
As they walked away, Kathy continued with her pre-show as ushers escorted Ian and Joey to their seats, close to the stage.
As they walked in, Joey was taken aback by the size of the room in which Ian would be performing. Their seats were right in front of a small circular stage, connected by walkways to three other, separate stages that would be used at varying points in the evening.
Ian explained that his show would all happen on the middle stage, the larger of the three, though he wouldn't give Joey any other details of what was to transpire when he did perform. For a little while, they sat there waiting on everything to start as others began to file into the auditorium.
At 7:05 on the nose, the lights inside the hall went down, letting everyone know that the performances of the evening were about to start. The lights swirled around the stage as a loud thumping sound began, announcing the very first performance of the evening. In the middle of the center stage, there was a chair, with a woman sitting in it. As the light raised, the audience realized that she was chained to the chair. She was wearing a mask that covered the right side of her face, but everyone knew from the color of her skin, that it was Donya Ouença. She slowly raised her head and belted a note that was in perfect harmony with the thumping bass playing all around her. "What's wrong with me? Why do I feel like this? I'm going crazy now..." she sang before the letting the music again dictate the sound on the stage. Several of her dancers, dressed in black leather suits, like hers, came out onto the stage as the tune from her most recent single, "Disturbia" began to play. The dancers acted as though they were taunting her as she sang through the first verse and chorus. In the second part, the character she was portraying began to break free from the chains. After liberating herself, the character got the attention of the dancers, who then joined her as she sang the second part of the song. During the bridge, she acted as though the dancers were chasing her down the walkway to the little stage just in front of where Ian and Joey were seated. In the final seconds of the song, her `captors' overtook her and crowded around her just as the song was ending. The crowd cheered for her as the lights went down.
As the lights were down, the announcer announced the other celebrities that would either be presenting or performing over the course of the night. Ian's name was left out of the list, as his performance was to be more a surprise than anything else. After he finished, the cameras panned to the third stage, the one to Ian and Joey's right of the center stage. A large screen began to descend from the ceiling. When it was down, Judi Dench (M from the recent James Bond films), was seen on the screen.
"Double-0 Asian! Calling Agent Double-0 Asian!" she said in a part of the show that had obviously been prepared before. "Your mission, should you choose to accept it is to host the 2008 Global Music Awards live from Birmingham! Do you think you're up to the challenge?"
On the stage to the left of the center stage, the cameras moved as a result of the commotion. Bring brought to the center of the three stages by a group of scantily clad, buff men, was the evening's host, prolific comic Margaret Cho.
"Agent Double-0 Asian ready for the task!" she said to the screen as she gave a mock salute.
"Good! Make us proud!" Judi Dench said before the screen went blank.
"WOO HOO HOO!!!!" Margaret cried as the crowd cheered for her. "Welcome to the 2008 Global Music Awards! It's the tenth year for his show, and I'm very proud to be among so many uber-famous people to celebrate this momentous occasion. As I was coming in, I saw Kathy Griffin," she said as the camera went to wear Kathy was sitting. "Man. The D-List hasn't been kind to her! I mean, for a woman with all her talent, she should be working at an IHOP or something!" she said as crowd laughed. The camera went back to Kathy, who shot a bird as she acted offended by the comment. "And then there are so many other people. Donya Ouença and her woman are hot as everything, especially together. I was backstage a moment ago, and the two of them were sucking face like any good lesbians! Kristen Chenowith was outside singing about how anyone can sing, as long as they breathe from their who-who!" Just then, Kristen was lowered from the ceiling and belted out a note as the camera turned to her, dressed in a large flowy gown and carrying a wand. Margaret clapped along with the crowd as she was raised back up into the ceilings above the crowd. "And then there's Beyoncé and Jay-Z. let me tell you. She snagged a good one, cause that's one sexy motherfucker. And then Paris Hilton is here," Margaret said as the camera, complete with night vision attachment, panned over to Paris, showing her in the same green shade as her elicit video. "And then, right down here in front of me is Ian Scott, along with a very hot man that Kathy was trying to do outside. And then there's Brittney Spears...hmm...Brittney Spears, what can I say about Brittney Spears...hmm..." Margaret said as she stood there, almost in thought. "Oh well. Moving on!" she said as she went over to the side of the stage, in an obvious snub of Brittney. After a second, Chris Crocker came out onto the stage and yelled.
"LEAVE BRITTNEY ALONE!!!!" he screamed as he cried for a second. "LEAVE BRITTNEY ALONE!" After a second, faux-security came up to him and grabbed him as he continued to cry out for his favorite fan. Again the crowd roared with laughter.
"So let's get to the first award of the evening," Margaret went on. For the next thirty minutes, awards were presented to various celebrities for their music achievements. The awards for best new artist, country and pop were presented, along with best female and male vocalists, also for country and pop. A short commercial break followed and then another performance.
This time, it was a group of people dressed as hippies came onto the stage as a blond woman by the name of Delta Goodrem sat at her piano. She played for a second and then began to sing from the sing the song "You Will Only Break My Heart" from her first US CD, called `Delta'. Her performance met with the respect of her peers and the cheers of an adoring American public. Her performance was followed by a few more awards and then another performance. Daughtry claimed the third stage to perform their hit song, "Feels Like Tonight." He truly showed the reasons why he should have won an American Idol, but one shouldn't say such thing to a Birmingham still filled with pride that Taylor Hicks had defeated him. He gave up his usual jeans, though, for a top hat and dark suit.
After another set of commercials, Margaret brought the show back with a short standup routine in which she talked about gay men for a second. After that, four awards were given out. Before breaking again for a commercial break, she reminded the people viewing the awards show that there was still time to send their votes for the "Comeback of the Year Award." She told them that they could either visit the GTV website or send a text message for their favorite artist via their AT&T Mobility handset.
After the commercial break, there were more awards and a special tribute to Janet Jackson by the members of Destiny's Child and Solange Knowles, who performed "Rhythm Nation" to a cheering crowd. At 9:30, Margaret Cho came back onto the stage.
"To present the award for `Comeback of the Year', please welcome two athletes that won gold in Beijing: Rob Barth and Paula Nystrom," she said as the two came to the stage. You could tell that they weren't used to being in front of the cameras, but like the people that they were, they took it in stride.
"So Paula, why don't you show the good people the move that won you gold in Beijing!" Rob suggested as they got on stage.
"ROB!" she feigned protest.
"Do y'all want to see it again!?" Rob asked the crowd, who cheered for Paula. She took off her USA jumpsuit and stood there in the same outfit she'd worn at the games. She walked across the walkway to the third stage, where a mock gym had been set up on the stage across from where she and Rob were originally. She took the corner of the mat as "Cyclone" by Baby Bash and T-Pain began to play. She moved and cortorted herself to the rhythm of the music, just as she'd done in Beijing. After a second, she took the routine like she did in China. The crowd was standing for her as she performed the routine as flawlessly as she'd done in Asia, making her the most popular athlete of the games, at least for her US fans. She finished the routine and walked across the stage back to where Rob was as the people stood for her.
"And now," she said, kind of out of breath, "the nominees for `Comeback of the Year'."
"Brittney Spears," Rob read to few cheers from the audience and a massage `boo' from Fabiano's that no one could really hear.
Rob and she alternated through the other nominees until the final one, when Rob looked at the camera and said, "Ian Scott!" This time, the cheers from the crowd were audible. The cheers from Fabiano's were almost as loud, disturbing people in the neighboring businesses. In Timor Leste, the hospital in Dili was all abuzz with cheers and applause for their `adopted son'.
"And the winner is," Paula said, as Rob opened the envelope. Ian sat there, holding Joey's hand tightly.
"IAN SCOTT!!!" the pair yelled together as `What's Left of Me" played. Ian stood, obviously proud to have won the award and walked up the stairs to claim the prize that he'd been awarded by all the people who'd voted. The people were cheering. Olga was jumping up and down at Fabiano's while Ana was smiling for her favorite artist and a friend that had written her several times over the course of the time they'd known each other.
"Wow," Ian said as the cameras focused on him. "Wow!" he said again. "I...um...did this whole CD more for myself than anyone else. I needed to prove to myself that I still had what it took to be successful in music again. So to that end, I would like to thank God for the talent. I would like to thank my family, Mom, Dan, Danny, Pete, Nana, Gloria, Matias, Aaron, JJ, and Sylvia!" Ian looked at the crowd. "I'd also like to thank Jen for helping me out with some of the songs from this project. And Joey...meu amor. Obrigado pra tudo que você me tem feito." Ian and Joey smiled at each other as Gilda and Olga smiled at each other at Fabiano's. "Ainda! Thanks to all my fans all over the world for casting your vote this evening!"
The music played as Ian was escorted off stage to get Ian ready for his performance. He went into hair first, and then to makeup. Then he went into wardrobe to be dressed for the performance. In all, the process took about 20 minutes. As Ian stood backstage, waiting on his moment to go to the stage, he had a chance to meet a few of the members of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra that was performing with him. He recognized a couple of them from the School of Fine Arts that was just a few blocks away. After the final two awards of the evening were handed out, behind schedule, of course, Margaret introduced the group of people that would be introducing Ian.
"Ladies and Gentlemen," she said. "Please welcome to the stage Lissa Delisle, CEO of Global Entertainment, author David Higginbotham, and Alabama's Senator and Democratic Nominee for President of the US, Michael Jansen." She clapped for them, along with the crowd.
"First off, I'd like to thank everyone for coming this evening," Lissa started after they reached the microphone on the third stage. "It's been an interesting 10 years for everyone at Global Entertainment. I can say that." The crowd clapped for her again. "So if you don't mind. I'd like to turn the mic over to two native Alabamians to introduce our final performance of the evening."
"Thank you, Lissa," Senator Jansen said. "It's always an honor to speak on behalf of an Alabamian. Even though the Alabamian we're introducing tonight wasn't born here."
"That's right. He was born in the city of Rio de Janeiro and immigrated with his mother to the United States before his first birthday," David said.
"He lived in Texas for a number of years until both his mother and step-father moved here to Alabama when he was five," Senator Jansen read from the teleprompter.
"He attended the School of Fine Arts, here in Birmingham, before heading to Nashville at the age of 18 to pursue a career in music, his passion."
Olga, at Fabiano's was fixed on the TV, just as she'd been ever other time he performed on an awards show. Dan knew that this meant that it was time for everyone in the place to hush for a few minutes. In Nashville, the people at Roosters were standing there, with baited breath. In Dili, Ana was very tired, but she was also very determined to see the performance, even if it meant problems for her for a couple of days.
"And now. After a hiatus that was far too long, please welcome to the stage our favorite Montevalloan," Senator Jansen read.
"IAN SCOTT!" the two of them yelled together. The crowd in the coliseum went as wild as the crowds at Fabiano's, Roosters, and in Dili.
As the crowd cheered, a single blue light ascended over the center stage, where Ian was performing. At first, it was difficult to see him directly, standing directly behind the microphone. The music of the Alabama Symphony Orchestra and his band came from behind him. He stepped forward on cue.
Watched my life...pass me by In the review mirror Pictures frozen in time... Are becoming clearer I don't want to waste another day Stuck in the shadow of my mistakes Yeah!
Cause I want you And I feel you Crawling underneath my skin Like a hunger, like a burning To find a place I've never been Now I'm broken, and I'm faded I'm half the man I thought I'd be But you can have... What's left of me!
As the band transitioned between the first second parts of the song, Ian also made a transition...from English to Portuguese, the original language of the song. He took the microphone from its stand and walked out, away from the band to the small circular stage just in front of where he'd been sitting for the duration of the show.
Quando o sol se distrai Pouco a pouco a noite cai Mas eu não olho pra trás E sigo em frente Corro pra chegar até você Meu sonho é o que me faz viver
Porque eu quero Eu preciso Mostrar o que há de bom em mim Como o vento Como o rio Que deseja o mar até o fim Meu desejo Meu destino Meu sonho de estar bem aqui E você vai lembrar de mim
The presence that he commanded on the stage was unlike anything any of his family or fans had ever experienced. He was more confident; he was more away. It was obvious that he'd kicked all his bad habits; it was obvious that he was an even stronger force than before. Olga started to cry out of happiness. Donna and Jen (from Nashville) joined Melissa in lighting lighters to honor the guy that they'd once known as a hard working man with a dream. Ana smiled as his voice carried throughout her part of the hospital. The singer that she adored and idolized was poised, in that moment, to retake the globe.
Ian stepped from the stage after singing the verse and chorus in Portuguese.
Falling faster Barely breathing Give me something to believe in Tell me it's not all in my head
Ian walked to where Joey was and hugged him before hugging Carine, who'd moved to sit right next to Joey during the performance.
Deixa a voz me lever E você vai lembrar!
Cause I want you And I feel you Crawling underneath my skin Like a hunger, like a burning To find the place I've never been Now I'm broken, and I'm faded I'm half the man I thought I would be But you can have...all that's left...yeah, yeah... What's left of me!
The music again slowed for the final part of the song. Ian returned to the stage as he adlibbed in English and Portuguese. "Will you take what's left? Você vai lembrar de mim?" he said as he walked back onto the circular platform. By the time he stood there, the whole crowd, except for a couple of jackass people was standing for him. Ian himself was so moved by the outpouring of support that he was almost brought to tears by their applause. Little did he know that his mother was balling like a baby; Dan had a single tear flowing down his cheek as `his oldest' performed once again for the world.
After a second, the music changed. Donya walked out onto the stage. It marked the first time in history that an artist both opened and closed the show. "Tell me how I'm supposed to breath with no air!" she said in her sexy, sultry singing voice. She walked from the center stage to where Ian was standing, ready once again to sing her heart out. As the family watched, Jen felt herself getting a little nervous. She pulled a single piece of paper from her pocket and handed it to Danny. Donya sang as Danny read the lyrics on the paper.
If I should die...before I wake... It's cause you took my breath away... Losing you is like living in a world with no air... Oh...
Ian continued:
I'm here alone...didn't want to leave... My heart won't move...it's incomplete... Wish there was a way, I could make you understand...
Donya:
But how do you expect me... To live alone with just me... `Cause my world revolves around you... It's so hard for me to breathe...
They both sang the chorus:
Tell me, how I'm supposed to breathe with no air Can't live, can't breathe with no air It's how I feel when you ain't there It's no air, no air... Got me out here in the water so deep Tell me how you're gonna be without me It's no air, no air!
Ian continued with the second verse:
I walked, I ran, I jumped, I flew Right off the ground to float to you... There's no gravity to hold me down for real.
Donya chimed in:
But somehow, I'm still alive inside You took my breath, but I survived I don't know how, but I don't even care
Donya sang the first two lines of the next part, with her and Ian singing the next two lines together:
So how...do you expect me? To live alone with just me... `Cause my world revolves around you It's so hard for me to breathe.
A short bridge followed a repeat of the chorus, and, at the end, Ian and Donya hit a harmonious note and held it there for several seconds together as the back up singers repeated the chorus. As with the song before, as the song slowed, they walked back to the main stage. The performance had been a smashing success as the people in the crowd stood through the entirety of the second song. Even some of those people who couldn't stand Ian were moved to stand by the shear force of his voice, the lyrics, and the music.
Ana smiled as asked her parents take her back to her room. She'd started feeling bad a couple of days before, but nothing was going to keep her from seeing Ian's performance, even if it was just over the TV.
At Roosters, the bartender began fixing a special drink comprising rum and several different kinds of fruit juices and calling it the Ian Scott Special. Ian's friends were so happy for him that they all consumed far too many of the drinks before, during, and after the performance.
At Fabiano's, Olga was cheering through her tears as she chugged a beer in Ian's honor. "That's my wife!" Dan screamed and hooted in support of his wife. The rest of the family rejoiced by having more food and drink themselves as Jen and Danny stole away to a dark corner of the restaurant.
"Do you still have the ring?" Jen asked.
"Why Miss Ruiz? Are you asking me to marry you?"
"YES. Danielo Scott. Will you allow me to take your name?"
"I don't know..." Danny joked.
"Danielo!" Jen chided. Danny reached down and kissed his fiancée and then looked her in the face.
"Yes!" he said simply.
"Yeah!" she said. "I'm gonna have a hot husband!"
At the venue, Margaret Cho announced the end of the 10th annual Global Music Awards, thanked all the people involved, including all the performers, presenters and recipients. She thanked Birmingham for their hospitality as balloons began to fall from the ceiling. Almost as soon as the party started, it ended. Kathy Griffin was back out on the red carpet talking to people about the performances.
"I was really moved by Ian's performance. I've been a fan of his for so long, and now that he's back, the world is a little bit better!" Beyoncé commented as she and Jay-Z walked past Kathy's booth.
Paula Abdul was equally as gratifying, as were Mariah Carey, Leona Lewis, and Christina Aguilera. When asked for a comment about the performance, Brittney Spears smiled politely but kept walking by. There were things she wanted to say, but it was as if she knew that she would only be chastised the next morning for saying them. Ian and Joey managed to slip out beneath Kathy's radar. It was the way that Ian and Joey wanted it. Ian, Joey, Donya, and Carine all slipped to Fabiano's as soon as they could get away from the crowds downtown.
As the car pulled up at the restaurant, they saw Pete standing in the window. In just a second, they saw Pete turn to the crowd inside and announce `Een's arrival' at the party. Olga made her way through the crowd so that she could be the first person to get Ian and hug him as he entered. Everyone was content to allow that to happen, though. After they all talked to everyone as they entered, Ian looked at Jen.
"And?"
"It worked!" she said.
"You knew about this?" Danny asked.
"Oh yeah! It was very well organized!" Ian said with a wink.
A moment later, Jen announced their impending nuptials to the delight of everyone there.
As the night waned and their party came to an end, Ian remembered the day that he returned to the states after his fall at a show in Brazil. Dan took him to this restaurant. It only seemed fitting that being there would mark the end of his hiding from society, his career, and life in general.
He and Joey returned home at around three in the morning.
"I'm very proud of you for tonight," Joey said.
"I'm very happy you were there, gorgeous," Ian said as they disrobed in the bedroom.
"Baby. Being there, experiencing that, was the most amazing thing."
"Well," Ian said with a smile on his face. "Even though I'm not touring, I will still be making appearances like this one. If you're lucky, I'll take you to all of them for a very, very long time to come."
"Yeah. Hopefully a VERY long time," Joey said as the pair climbed into bed. Ian turned on his left side, as did Joey. The two cuddled up against each other that evening and stayed that way for the rest of the evening. It was the way that they had been, the way that they were, and the way that they would be for a very, very long time to come.
Over the coming months, Ian's CD produced five number one songs in the US, six in Brazil, and four in Portugal, his three primary markets. His songs were played on radio stations, though, all over the world. And, at every single performance he gave for the next year, Joey was present, lending his support as he watched his man go beyond the sky, to the stars, to places no man had ever gone before, to quote their favorite TV show.