Justin Time! We Get Answers
Stephanie McGrath
The Toronto Sun, July 6, 2003

Here's what you already know about Justin Guarini:

  • He made it big on the first season of American Idol.
  • He's already starred in a movie called From Justin To Kelly.
  • He's unleashed his self-titled album on the world, a record he describes as a mix of different types of music including Latin, pop, R&B and rock.

    There are many things you might not know about the star though, including what junk food he turns to when his stomach starts to growl and what tune he just never gets sick of. So we asked everything a true-blue fan would want to find out, from his favourite movie to the status of his love life. Now you're about to learn everything about Justin.

    Favourite songs on his album: Condition Of My Heart and If You Wanna.

    Favourite song ever: Wanna Be Startin' Somethin', Michael Jackson.

    Favourite movie: Blazing Saddles or History Of The World: Part 1.

    Favourite TV show growing up: Dukes Of Hazzard.

    Favourite cartoon: Scooby-Doo.

    Favourite book: Harry Potter series.

    Star he had a crush on growing up: Milla Jovovich.

    Current movie star crush: "Somewhere between Jennifer Garner and Drew Barrymore."

    Favourite actor: Jack Nicholson. "He is, like, the essence of cool."

    Favourite food: Moroccan and Italian.

    Favourite junk food: Oreos. "They're the best ever," he says. "I'm like a big kid when it comes to video games and Oreos. Can't get enough."

    Favourite place to shop: Downtown New York in the village.

    How does he get his hair to look like that?: "You know what, it does itself, believe it or not. I wake up with it and I kind of just twiddle it, and it kind of does its own thing," Justin says. "But when I do performances ... we actually ... pay someone. There's actually someone who comes in and messes with my hair, a professional hair messer-with-er."

    Who he'd like to meet, living or dead: Martin Luther King. "I want to talk to him about the struggle he went through."

    Who he misses the most when he's on the road: Family and friends.

    What he likes to do to relax: "When I'm just chillin', my favourite thing is just to hang out with friends, like watch a movie or play some video games."

    What he's afraid of: "I'm not a huge fan of spiders."

    His worst nightmare would be: "My biggest fear, of course, is just failure in general, that this (his music career) will all be a flash in the pan. And it hasn't been and I work every single day to make it not be. Now, while I'd get over it (losing it all), it would be pretty hard because it's what I love to do, really the only thing I'm good at."

    Is Kelly Clarkson (the first American Idol winner) his girlfriend?: "I've answered that question so many times, and I think that the best way to deal with it now has been, just it's my private life and I like keeping it that way."

    Was Simon (the nasty Idol judge) really as mean as he seemed?: "You know what? He's honest. In real life, he's actually a nice guy. He's a really funny guy, like hilariously funny."

    Why people should buy his album: "You've just got to hear it to believe it," says Justin. "Seriously, you do! I think that if you liked my voice on American Idol, you'll hear improvement." And if you didn't like what he did on the show, "I think you're going to be pleasantly surprised."

    essentialjustin.com