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'Alter Ego': Jacob Thomsen aka Dipper Scott opens up about battling Crohn's disease

Despite living with a painful condition, Jacob Thomsen blew everyone away with his beautiful voice

Achieving one's dreams is easier said than done. Life and its many complications often get in the way and leave us wondering about the 'what-ifs'. But 'Alter Ego' answers that question, giving contestants a chance to live out their dreams vicariously through their digital avatars. As per the show's logline, it is a 'singing competition where contestants reinvent themselves and perform like never before -- as their dream avatar.'

With Alanis Morissette, Nick Lachey, Grimes and will.i.am as the judges, contestants take on digital avatars while showcasing their singing talents. The judges and the audience can only view this avatar, ensuring that the judging and voting process depends entirely on their performances.

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After Queen Dynamite blew the judges away with her performance, the next avatar to take on the stage was Dipper Scott. Scott's real name is Jacob Thomsen and he is a 28-year-old from Charlotte, North Carolina. Although he has always been passionate about singing, life has not been easy for Thomsen as he has Crohn's disease. For those you wondering -- Crohn'sCrohn's disease is an inflammatory bowel disease that causes the inflammation of the digestive tract. This leads to abdominal pain, severe diarrhea, fatigue, weight loss and malnutrition, all of which cause extreme pain and discomfort. Due to his condition, pursuing a music career has not been easy for Thomsen, even though he has been passionate about singing. However, as he explained it, 'Alter Ego' allowed him to be himself on stage without the audience knowing or seeing his pain. To him, Dipper Scott had no limitations. Thomsen went on to perform 'Unsteady' by X Ambassadors. You can watch his performance here -- "We're a little unsteady after Dipper Scott's killer performance!  #AlterEgoFOX"

The judges were blown away by his performance, seeing that he not only had fantastic synergy but a beautiful voice to back it up. As a result, the judges voted for him to stay on the Diamond, securing his spot in the next round. Fans too, felt the same way, as he won over sceptics as well. 
"Avatars are cool, but AlterEgo on Fox misses the mark. That said, Dipper Scott'sScott's performance changed my life. Will never be able to watch any singing competition without comparing everyone to him! #dipperscott #AlterEgoFOX #AlterEgoOnFOX" tweeted a fan. "If I could marry an avatar that would be Dipper Scott #AlterEgoFOX" added another. 

Dipper Scott's position on the Diamond remained unchallenged through this episode, as none of the other contestants could take his spot. It looks like this avatar is one to watch out for! 


'Alter Ego' kick starts Season 1 with a special two-night premiere event, starting Wednesday, September 22 and Thursday, September 23 at 9/8c on FOX.