"American Idol" contestant Matt Farmer says he lied about injuries he said he suffered while serving in Iraq. Soldiers who served with Farmer in Iraq called him out on the website Guardian of Valor after Farmer's "Idol" audition aired on television January 30. (You can watch that audition up top.)
Farmer told "Idol" producers he survived an improvised explosive device blast, was diagnosed with Traumatic Brain Injury, and then was miraculously able to father a daughter even though his medication made him sterile.
Former Army Specialist John F. McManus wrote to Guardian of Valor about Farmer, saying:
"Matt Farmer is no war hero. Matt Farmer is a pathological liar that has used the blood, sweat and tears of real, hard working, tough, brave and honorable Infantry soldiers to paint himself as somone he most certainly is not."
It turns out, according to McManus, the only "injury" Farmer suffering in Iraq was having an adverse reaction to whiskey mixed with his acne medication.
Farmer actually later came clean about his combat fibs, writing a letter of contrition to Guardian of Valor. It reads, in part:
"It was ALL lies. I in fact HAVE lied since a younger age and had a problem with it...
"To EVERYONE but more importantly the men I served with, I AM DEEPLY REGRETFUL AND SORRY. 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.
"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."
I think it may be time for these shows to hire a fact checker or two...
