With a new album making headway on the dance charts, american idol finalist, Jim Verraros, pumps up the volume with A&U’s Dann Dulin as he raps about growing up with deaf parents, adjusting to new-found fame, and beating the rising rates of HIV transmission among members of his generation

Talk about an extreme makeover. Jim Verraros went from not to hot! Performing on American Idol’s first season, the songster sported dorky glasses and a drab outfit, topped with an Eddie Haskell ’do. He looked like he had just stepped out of a fifties high school yearbook.

Fast forward to the present. Verraros (pronounced Ver-raw-ros) is on the Roxy’s stage in Los Angeles performing songs from his rock-pop debut album, Rollercoaster. (Produced by the talented Gabe Lopez, Jim cowrote many of the songs, and as we go to press, “You Turn It On” is currently still creating a buzz on the Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart.) He is the quintessential rocker with long straight, floppy hair and fall-in-your-eyes bangs. Dark eyes dominate his face, and his chiseled jaw is striking. His slender, solid physique is wrapped in tight shredded jeans—plus, he has attitude. While singing “Move” with fellow Idol contestant and colyricist, Angela Peel, Verraros gyrates, reminiscent of a young Mick Jagger—snarling, pouty lips, making love to the mike, all with a sensuous delivery. Many of the spectators groove to the beat and mouth the lyrics right along with the star. Jim’s commanding presence and charisma capture his energized audience. 

Flashback to several afternoons ago when this writer is captured by Jim’s warmth and genuineness as he greets me at a West Hollywood hotel, in town for the release of his album. Verraros was raised in the Chicago area and still resides there with his parents and twenty-year-old sister. He’s a tad nervous about the release of Rollercoaster, though quite proud that his debut film, Eating Out, has just opened in Los Angeles (it costars Ryan Carnes of Desperate Housewives, Scott Lunsford, and Emily Stiles, and Jim even contributed to the soundtrack). Clad in ripped jeans, Diesel tennis shoes, and a hot-pink FCUK T-shirt that bears an eagle, the twenty-two-year-old glows with curiosity, and exudes the freshness of youth. He mutes the television, and we place ourselves in the small sitting area. His cologne lightly permeates the air. Fierce, by Abercrombie & Fitch, suits him well. The guy is honest, straightforward, outgoing—and sans attitude.

Like the title of his new album, the past few years have been a rollercoaster ride. Verraros is still settling into his career, his new fame, and his new body. For the first nineteen years of his life he was overweight. With a Greek father and a German mother, food naturally played an important part in Jim’s family life. He lost eighty pounds and went from a thirty-six-inch waist to a twenty-nine by becoming a vegetarian and running every day. He still maintains this regimen.

Verraros has a solid foundation from which he can draw strength as he adjusts to the limelight. He didn’t have a typical childhood. Both of his parents are deaf, and so he skipped the kid stage to assist his mom and dad. “At three I was interpreting for my parents, whether it was the grocer, lawyer, or the gynecologist. It became second nature,” he says sitting across from me on a hotel armchair. He doesn’t regret any of that but it certainly made it difficult interacting with other kids. Thus, he tended to bond with adults more easily. Because of being exposed to daily closed captioning, Jim became a “crazy” speller and at thirteen came in seventh at the Scripps National Spelling Bee. His parents are quite proud of him. What do they think of his being a singer? “My parents are constantly asking hearing people, ‘Is my son good? Can he really sing?’ Or we’ll be driving in the car and while I’m singing, my mom will put her hands on my throat,” he says. “When I play a song for my dad, he can feel the bass and beat but I could be Mariah [Carey] for all he knows.” Jim grins.

After Verraros’s appearance on American Idol, where he blended sign language into his performance, Jim came out publicly as a gay man. (In high school, he was a frequent victim of gay bashing, which one time included someone cutting his car’s brake lines. He is still taunted today.) “I was so tired of hearing about people needing to stay in the closet. I wanted to make a difference, and it was the best thing I ever did. It is important to stay true to myself. That’s what life is all about,” says Jim fervently. There were those who advised against him coming out, but he didn’t heed their advice. He takes prideful responsibility for his current success. “I get to speak on behalf of all the gay youths across the country who aren’t able to have a voice. I don’t claim to be the poster boy for homosexuality. I see it as supporting each individual to be who they are.” Since coming out, Jim has received numerous e-mails from girls across the world who seek his advice because their friend is coming out. He also hears from gay guys who have been molested, and from “straight” guys who say they have thoughts about having sex with another man. “I’ve become the gay ‘Dear Abby’!” he shouts, extending his arms. “And I embrace it. But it’s so overwhelming. I’m only twenty-two!”

Verraros first learned about AIDS in a junior high health class. It was discussed in conjunction with homosexuality. “I knew that wasn’t right, as AIDS was prevalent in the heterosexual community, as well. It bothered me that they focused on it in a gay context. And AIDS prevention was not spoken about much at all in school. That is a crime. Education is the number one way to fight AIDS and it needs to be talked about in schools,” he advocates. Jim tosses his head to get hair out of his eyes. “There still is much more I need to learn about HIV awareness.”

He got educated recently on the press tour for Eating Out by talking to HIV-positive people who were in attendance at the film. “I was like a sponge. I wanted to know about the medications, how much they took, what effect it had upon them, how they maintain a healthy lifestyle, what limitations they have—I wanted to know all of this. It was so interesting getting involved on a personal level.” Because of his demanding schedule, Verraros hasn’t had the time to devote to the HIV/AIDS community, but hopes to be more active in the future. He has been involved with CODA (Children Of Deaf Adults), an organization that supports and adds humor to the situation: “You don’t feel so alone because you meet others who are in the same environment. That was essential for me.” He has also volunteered for a program which helps obese girls. I comment that he’s another Richard Simmons. Jim smiles and remarks, “He’s changed lives. That’s good.”

What does Jim think about his peers who are not taking AIDS seriously and who are frequently putting themselves at risk for HIV? “It’s sad that they aren’t responsible,” he bemoans. Then he loudly insists, “Show them the condom!” For a few seconds, he twirls the wire of the mike attached to his shirt. “Kids should learn HIV prevention early-on. I know some parents are offended and get upset when their child comes home saying they learned about using condoms. It’s a very touchy subject but we need to talk about condoms to save my generation.”

Does Verraros practice what he preaches? “Always,” he instantly responds. “I wear a rubber because AIDS scares me. As a gay male, AIDS carries a lot of weight in how I live my life.” We touch upon the subject of barebacking and how it has seemingly become rampant in some sectors of the gay community. I ask, what advice would you give those who go condom-free, consciously or in the heat of the moment? “In the heat of the moment, you need to always ask yourself, Is this one time without a condom worth the rest of my life suffering? Use your other head to think for once! It takes one time to become infected. Take a moment and think on that. Take a moment. Think—and respect yourself.”

Verraros admits that he dates often and is currently available, though his longest relationship to date lasted two months. He doesn’t feel that he is ready for a boyfriend. “There are sixteen-year-olds that I’ve met who’ve had relationships for two years and I just don’t get that. I don’t quite understand long-term relationships. How do they keep that passion going? I envy that,” he marvels, crossing his legs and exposing a knee through a prefab hole in his jeans. Jim first felt passion at the age of seven. He developed a crush on a blond-haired, blue-eyed neighbor boy of the same age. “It wasn’t like a game or playing doctor. I remember thinking about him in a romantic way. It was intense,” he notes, adding in a soft, passionate tone, “We kissed.” Verraros tells the story like it took place last week. It’s obvious that this is a fond memory and will stay with him. Thus far, Jim says he has never been in love with a guy, but he has been in love. It happened in high school with a girl he grew up with. “We fought constantly, though we loved each other very much, but there was something missing,” he chuckles, remembering. For shortly after he came out, she did too. 

It bothers Verraros that so many people his age and younger are becoming HIV-positive. He pauses to think about solutions. He fidgets, scratches his thigh, sweeps hair back off his face, and wets his lips. A deafening fire-engine siren can be heard from the street below. Jim gets up and closes the balcony sliding door. “To get them to listen,” he says returning to his seat, “it really takes someone around their own age who has a healthy appearance to step up and say, ‘I am seventeen-years-old, I had sex one time, and now I am HIV-positive.’ Had I heard that while I was in high school I would have thought: Holy shit! I’m not invincible,” exclaims Jim. He uncrosses his legs, looks down at the carpet momentarily, leans in toward me and says, “It just pisses me off that many think this is only a gay disease. This is where the stigma starts. People equate ‘gay’ with ‘AIDS.’” I nod in agreement. “We need to hit HIV prevention at a younger age, and make sure it is not watered-down. Instead of seeing a person who has lesions, is emaciated, and has dark sullen eyes like the characters in Angels in America, kids need to know that AIDS doesn’t have to appear like that. Many HIV-positive people look fantastic,” he says matter-of-factly. “Kids also need to see all the bottles of pills that HIV-positive people consume on a daily basis. They’ve got to see firsthand what it’s like to have HIV. Show them the fucking bottles!”

Verraros emphasizes the importance of the gay community joining together to spread the word about the risks involved in having unprotected sex. “If you don’t know the risks or anything about AIDS, ask someone who does,” he explains. Revved up, Jim’s voice escalates. “Ask questions. Be obnoxious. Learn the statistics. Gain as much knowledge as you can on HIV and AIDS. You may not only be saving someone else’s life, but your own.”

As we near the end of our interview, Verraros mentions that he is performing in several Gay Pride events throughout America this summer. He also invites me to attend the CD release party for Rollercoaster at the Roxy. On our way to the door, we share a farewell hug. He remarks that he appreciates A&U taking the time to see him. In a gentle manner he asks, “Why did you want to interview me?” When Jim reads this article, he’ll see the answer is obvious.

JIM’S JOURNEY 

Tell me something your fans may not know about you.

I’m extremely insecure.   

Name some artists you listened to while growing up.

Janet Jackson, Tina Turner, George Michael, Aretha Franklin, Lisa Loeb.

Who is your major singing influence?

George Michael.

Name one job you had in the past.

Best Buy salesperson

Have you attended college, and if so, what was your major?

Yes, Columbia College in Chicago and majored in musical theater.

Do you have a beauty tip you’d like to share?

Ha! [He laughs uproariously.] I don’t have any. But people are saying I got a nose job, or lipo, and so on. It’s not true! However, I do take forever to get ready when I go out.  I’m constantly primping. 

Does the hair come naturally?

I flatiron it everyday. It’s really curly.

Tell me about your healthy lifestyle.

I diet like a maniac, and run a lot, drink a lot of water. Stay away from soda and sugar.

Name a bad habit you have.

I smoke like a chimney.

Any tattoos?  Any piercings?

One tattoo. It’s a lawnmower right on my half-shaved pubes. [He giggles.] I’m kidding. No, I’m kidding. I have one on my lower back.. It’s a Celtic knot that represents strength and luck. I got it with my two best friends right before I came out to Los Angeles. We each have something on our back.

Do you have any heroes?

George Michael, Matthew Shepard, my mom. Anyone who has ever fought for something and died for it; a pioneer.    

Complete this sentence:  For me, fame is….

Not what I expected. It’s hard. I tend to be so candid in interviews. I really need to watch it. I feel like I have to be perfect, and I’m not. 

THE IDOL’S IDEAL

Jim names his favorite….

Food: Edamame (soybeans)

Color: Hunter green

TV sitcom:Perfect Strangers

Movie:Requiem for a Dream

Contemporary Actor: Haley Joel Osment

Classic Actor: Paul Newman

Contemporary Actress: Natalie Portman

Classic Actor: Ann-Margaret

City: Seattle

Clothing: Accessories

Moment: I received a one-sentence e-mail and they said, ‘I’m alive because of you.’ [Jim’s voice cracks and his eyes moisten.]

Relative (excluding parents): My sister

CD: Kelly Clarkson’s Break Away

Physical asset: Eyebrows

Name one word to describe yourself: Passionate.

Catch up with Jim Verraros at www.jimverraros.com.

Dann Dulin interviewed actress Jenifer Lewis for the May issue.

July 2005