I feel like I have done my state a disservice by not talking about American Idol this year.
After all, three of the TOP SEVEN finalists are from Alabama. They call themselves…Alabama Power. Okay that’s cheesy but my hometown music venue, WorkPlay, even got a shout-out last week!
But.
Although I’ve enjoyed the Alabama connections and I adore the city of Slapout (the name, not the actual place – just like everyone else in Alabama, I’ve never actually visited Slapout), that’s not what has really stuck out to me this season.
It’s Harry.
I’ve always been a huge American Idol fan. Since it started, which also happened to be the first year Chris and I were married, I’ve watched all but two seasons – the first was the year Fantasia won. I’m not sure what happened that year, but I just completely missed it.
And the second was last season.
I tried – really, I did – but Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj were the most unsavory characters ever introduced to television (seriously – they beat the Kardashians and Jersey Shore and I thought only Satan in a string bikini could do that), creating fake cat fights and diva moments in a poor attempt to draw us all in through the drama.
It was painful and I couldn’t stomach it – especially since I have a guilty soft spot for Mariah’s husband, Nick Cannon – all I could do was feel sorrow for him and his choices. I sadly bemoaned that it appeared the reign of American Idol was over – the only redeeming character left was Ryan Seacrest, who will always have a corner of my heart, sweet southern boy that he is.
But this year, when I heard the judge’s lineup, I felt it was only right to give them one more chance to fix it.
And fix it they did.
Although J. Lo and Keith Urban make great complementary judges, Harry Connick Jr. is the clear show stealer.
He is so charming he actually takes away some of the charmlight from Ryan – something I wasn’t prepared for.
Harry’s list of positive characteristics are, in my mind,
~ He is nice YET honest, due obviously to his southern upbringing,
~ His gorgeous eyes,
~ He cares about these kid’s messages and images, and discouraged girls from projecting sluttishness,
~ His eyes,
~ He actually knows what he’s talking about when it comes to music and gives the contestants extraordinarily useful advice in the areas of vocal technique so as to save their voices – something no judge has ever done before,
~ And did I mention his eyes?
~ (Also, he has nice lips.)
I was confused as to why I’d never found HCJ necessarily attractive in the past – especially since I’m a total sucker for Hope Floats. (I’m admitting all kinds of unpopular taste in this post, aren’t I?) And then, one night, it all became clear.
Harry seems to have had Pre-American-Idol Plastic Surgery.
For my entire life he had an awkwardly crooked chin and therefore smile, and all of a sudden now, that crookedness is completely gone.
Behold.
Before – the awkward, slightly-odd HCJ (except for the notated recent picture):
After – the new and improved HCJ:
If you can’t tell in my tiny Google Images screenshots, go Google him yourself. You’ll see.
Obviously, I immediately googled “Has Harry Connick Jr had plastic surgery?” because I learned long ago to always ask The Google questions.
And oddly enough, there was nothing stating that this has occurred. I felt as if I’d decoded the Rosetta Stone, and I and I alone held this important piece of celebrity information.
How are people not talking about this?!
Have we as a society moved past talking about celebrity’s obvious facial changes?
Surely not.
The man has gone from always looking as if he’s smelling something putrid to a seriously charming gentleman and no one seems to have noticed – it’s as if we were all cast under his spell and are repeating, in a dreamlike state, “He’s always been this way…he’s always been this way.”
Not that I’m complaining about his choice of Plastic Surgery. If I had the time and resources, I have a large-sized post-it note filled with things I’d like to get fixed about myself.
This is simply about my amazement at the fact that no one is talking about this.
So let’s talk.
Guys.
Harry Connick Jr. has had a very recent plastic surgery.
Have ya noticed?
Hmm maybe he had TMJ and got it fixed? I never noticed but I have always liked him. Maybe it is that Southern voice. :-)
I was thinking the same thing. Maybe he had a messed up jaw and got it fixed?
That sounds like a perfectly reasonable explanation!
I don’t see it. At all.
I think it’s a weight difference. In the crooked face/mouth/nose pictures his face is too skinny so he looks awkward.
In the better not-so-crooked and handsome pictures it looks like he’s gained just enough weight to fill out his face. And he looks SOOOOO much better.
So, I vote for no plastic surgery. Just an older, more attractive HCJ.
That’s a good theory. Men age so well – I could buy it.
I think its his facial hair. Seems like the pics where he is clean shaven look a lot worse than when he has a scruffy face or beard.
That is definitely on my list of serious possibilities.
Yeah, I don’t see plastic surgery either. I still see that same HCJ crooked smile that I’ve always loved. I think Bethany is right, he’s gained just a bit of weight in his face a it helps even things out. The shadowy beard helps as well, but I think his face is the same as its always been. Besides, being the good Southern boy that he is I just can’t see him going all Hollywood and going under the knife.
It’s definitely a good theory. In which case I am extraordinarily mad that weight doesn’t help my face like that. Quite the opposite.
(crickets chirping)
I take it this means you don’t have an opinion of Harry’s Hotness….?
I think he has gained weight and he also has a hair piece. Did you know that!
I did find this
http://www.afterplastic.com/harry-connick-jr-plastic-surgery/
His wife has certainly had something done so it would seem likely for him to tough it up a bit!
A hair piece!! Now that’s something I’d have never come up with.
Maybe the scruffy beard makes him more appealing?
This is a seriously good theory. I considered that for quite a while as the answer to his recent hotness. I still think the change was too drastic to *just* be facial hair, but it could be facial hair + that magic male aging phenomenon.
I haven’t noticed because I can’t get past his eyes…..I agree, it had been years since I’ve watched AI & now we are SO into it! I love all 3 judges but HCJ is by far my favorite! I mean, GORGEOUS!!! (and my husband totally knows about my celeb crush so I’m not disclosing anything he doesn’t know ;-) ) Also, this made me LOL: “they beat the Kardashians and Jersey Shore and I thought only Satan in a string bikini could do that)” Seriously though.
Chris always has more celebrity crushes than me, so I feel no guilt about admiring HCJ’s beauty.
It definitely seems like something is different around the mouth area but I can’t tell for sure. Hmmm…..
Agreed. There is a marked difference to the jaw line and lip shape.
I love Hope Floats! That is one movie where whenever I catch it at any point on tv I have to watch the rest of it.
It’s the only movie that I willingly weep during.
That is one of my most favorite movies as well!
I am enjoying the entire panel this year, for sure! Hands down, HCJ has me enthralled, as well! I need to Google those pics. :)
I don’t see it either. I think he still has a crooked jaw. I think, like most men, he’s just gotten better with age. Why do men get better with age and women get worse!? Not fair.
It really is the chief unfairness of life. CHIEF.
I agree with the above TMJ guesses. Although, I think people prefer to talk about bad plastic surgery and if it’s good, they tend to not talk about it.
Right. Because if it’s good, you shouldn’t *really* notice it. Just more of a “wow! You look nice today!!”
I can’t decide if it looks like plastic surgery or if maybe he had orthodontic work and his jaw/bite is better now. That was my first thought before seeing the comments. Admittedly I’ve always like HCJ. And with a teenager whose mouth is full of metal of which I’ve been paying for 18 months, I may have ortho issues on the brain.
I agree – it very well could be Ortho issues. Maybe Harry will come along and clear everything up for us.
Okay – I HAD to jump in to this fun conversation!
I have always really admired Harry Connick Jr for (from what I have read), practicing his Christian faith – something I didn’t think Hollywood allowed! But, as someone who DID have major oral surgery, and as a result has a different looking chin and a somewhat different looking smile, I say he had oral surgery. BUT, it’s a VERY close call. (beard + aging COULD have done it).
I also noticed, he just doesn’t give that same smile as much (toothy and crooked). Still seems like a Good Man!
I think this year’s judges are the most knowledgeable about music as a whole and provide the most realistic critiques of any season … including when Simon was part of the panel. They each bring something different to the table, and Harry is obviously the most formally trained of the three, so I think that’s why he’s the hardest on them. He has the highest standards. This is the first season in a looooooong time — maybe ever — that I’ve stopped fast-forwarding through the judges’ segments and listened to what they ALL have to say. (I never listened to Paula or Randy.)
Oh, and I have no opinion on whether or not Harry has had any work done. My only opinion is that he’s HAWT.
Looking for an answer on the HC plastic surgery issue. Found this site. I think he may have hair plugs, a dye job, cheek implants. His jaw has always been off. Maybe just more noticeable the older and more thin he gets. But his dimples are definitely not as strong as they once were unfortunately. :-(.
Hi Rachel! This is the first time I come to this website and I’m liking your blog. Even when this was long ago you had the same questions I just end up making while watching Law&Order SUV. Where Harry just appeared for
The first time in the show. So I dig into what it’s wrong with his jaw? I also remembered I saw him before in other movies or show looking more attractive. I figured he had some surgery done, so this is how I end up in this website. You’re right I not only think he had some work done but perfected it with time! Probably having a second surgery just to buff it off. I don’t know but definitely looks much better of what I’m watching right now. It could have been born like that or an illness of some kind. Just hope he succeeds in everything he does.
I just googled HCJ and plastic surgery because I’m watching “Life without Dick” and noticed he obviously has had rhinoplasty. His nose is longer, broader and turns a bit downward in this movie. When I googled his pics from now his nose is shorter, thinner and slightly turned up on the end. He was awkwardly cute then but is handsome now.
People! Just watch “Will and grace” season 5 when Harry appears and then in the last season 8. He definitely has had something done. Lips and chin are different! I can’t believe I came across this post!! Been thinking that for years! You ask the right questions lady. :)
I asked google the same question after looking through pictures. I know it was definitely his hair. During his iron giant days… Gross lol. But I also think he had his nose done maybe?