An ‘American Idol’ contestant faked a war injury — but it backfired spectacularly: ‘It was all...’
Since its launch in 2003, 'American Idol' has discovered and nurtured stars like Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, and Benson Boone, to name a few. While the show is often praised for its fairness and transparency, one incident left fans deeply disappointed. In a surprising twist, a contestant allegedly faked a war injury on the show but was openly called out. However, to make matters worse, the creators never publicly apologized for the mishap, leaving a black dot on American Idol's legacy.
The contestant in question is Matt Farmer, who auditioned for 'American Idol' Season 12 in Long Beach, performing 'A Change Is Gonna Come' by Sam Cooke. Farmer succeeds in receiving unanimous approval from all three judges, per American Idol Wiki. He was soon embroiled in controversy as Farmer reportedly had claimed that he was seriously injured by an IED while serving in Iraq. However, the military watchdog site Guardian of Valor disputed his story, sharing testimonies from alleged fellow service members who denied his claims, casting doubt on his military background.
Farmer later issued a statement admitting he had lied about aspects of his background. "It was ALL lies. I, in fact, HAVE lied since a younger age… I do, in fact, take FULL responsibility," reads the statement, as per Digital Spy. Farmer expressed deep remorse, admitting he started to believe his own lies, and said, "The lies end here... I am extremely remorseful and very upset that I allowed myself to take from the hard work of the guys I was deployed with." He further added, "To think that I would go on a national TV show and get away with continuing a lie so big and so deeply embedded in my life and brain... is ridiculous. Hindsight is always 20/20."
Farmer continued, "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." Revealing he had been advised to stay silent, he added, "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." He concluded with a direct correction of his false claims, revealing, "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."
However, it was maker's silence that bothered many, as 'American Idol' has largely removed Farmer’s audition from its platforms, making it difficult to find today, yet the show has offered no official explanation or apology for the incident, per The Things. Multiple soldiers who claimed to have served with Farmer also came forward to StolenValor.com, asserting that his story about being injured by an IED in Iraq was completely fabricated, per Fox News. One alleged former roommate stated, 'I was a sniper section leader attached to his company and lived in the same room with him until he was medevaced from Ramadi because he got drunk while he was taking Accutane.''
He added, "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.'" Another soldier, Sgt. David Johnson, also condemned Farmer's claims, saying, "His actions endangered the rest of his platoon and company and forced the rest of the company to be searched in what is called a 'health and welfare' for illegal substances." Johnson bluntly labeled Farmer as "a fraud."