An ‘Idol’ maker needs to rest, dawg
Randy Jackson is the living, breathing buffer zone of “American Idol,” the soothing middle between syrupy supervixen Paula Abdul and the acutely acerbic Simon Cowell, Jackson’s fellow talent judges on Fox’s ratings juggernaut. His retro-hipster patois (“What’s up, dawg?”) might be cringe-worthy coming from anyone else, but in Jackson’s affable, rumbling baritone, it works.
The 48-year-old Louisiana native, now living in the San Fernando Valley with his wife, Erika, and three children, earned the “Idol” gig on the strength of more than two decades in the music business. He played bass with the group Journey, served as a high-ranking exec with several record companies and worked behind the scenes with such artists as Madonna, Whitney Houston and Bruce Springsteen. Now, with “AI” entering its climactic episodes, Jackson is in high gear. In his own relaxed, ready-for-the-weekend style, of course.
Changing lifestyle
On a Friday night I like to take the wife to dinner with friends to Katsu-ya. I love the crispy rice and spicy tuna sushi. My diet has really changed since I had gastric bypass surgery about a year and a half ago. My whole lifestyle has changed. I’ve lost 128 pounds, and now I have a lot more energy, I sleep better and can buy clothes off the rack. When I first had it done, I would envy what some other people had on their plates, but not anymore. I can pick at things for dessert, but I can’t do chocolate anymore. Other things don’t agree with me either, like avocado. You learn to go the other way. After dinner, we’ll either catch a late movie or come back to the house and have some free-association conversation.
Raising a racket
On Saturday morning I like to hang out with the kids and see what they want to do for breakfast. I might have egg whites with some kind of breakfast meat, and decaf tea. I’m not a coffee drinker.
After that, I’ll go out and play a little tennis at the Braemar Country Club. I’m a terrible golfer, but tennis is my game. Later, we’ll go to lunch at Cafe Med. I love the warm lentil salad, and my wife likes the spinach salad with chicken. Sometimes I’ll just have the soup.
After that we’ll go shopping, to Barneys or Saks in Beverly Hills or to H. Lorenzo and Traffic in West Hollywood. We’re big shoppers.
On Saturday night, we might go out with friends to Ago. I’d have the beet salad and whatever the fresh fish of the day is. Afterward, we may hang out at a club like Nacional, El Centro or the Temple Bar. Then we’ll end up at Zanzibar in Santa Monica to really get our groove on.
Getaway day
Sunday morning, we’ll check out the paper and then go to brunch at the Ivy. Then we’ll hang out with the kids and maybe go to a baseball game. Sometimes, if we want to get away, we go up the coast to Santa Barbara and go shopping. We also like the resort up there, the San Ysidro Ranch. Laguna is also big with us on weekends. We like to stay at the Surf & Sand, Montage or St. Regis.
Of course, I see a lot of fans from the show wherever I go. I can be standing in line paying for something and someone will come up and start talking about “American Idol,” so I guess I can never really get away, but I’m always cool to everyone. I’m a man of the people.
-- Mark Sachs