Watch Freddie Combs ‘Wind Beneath My Wings’ video of The X Factor USA 2012 Season 2 episode 6 audition performance broadcast on Thurs. Sept. 27, 2012. The 540-pound wheelchair-bound minister delivered an emotionally powerful and gospel-tinged performance of the classic in the Greensboro, North Carolina auditions. Full replay video and details below after the jump.
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The full replay video is above. Freddie Combs astounded and memorized the audience and the judges with an incredibly beautiful and touching performance, dedicated to his wife, Kay, of 16 years, who wheeled him onto the stage. Prior to coming out on stage, he spoke of his obesity, which had left him in a wheelchair, saying he hoped that the judges could look past his appearance. “Give a fat boy a chance,” was his plea. On stage, the 40-year-old said he had “almost died” in 2009 and that his weight was 540 pounds, down from 920 pounds; a nearly 400-pound weight loss.
Judges had praise as well as words of motivation and challenge for the singer.
L.A. Reid: “My comments will not be out of sympathy but based on your voice, which i find heavenly.”
Britney Spears: “I found your voice amazingly shocking.”
Demi Lovato: “You have a strong, beautiful voice and it’s touching….that’s what inspires me to keep connecting.”
It was Simon Cowell who gave him a challenge. “When I heard you sing, I had a vision in my mind of you standing while singing that song, healthy, happy. Maybe you need some inspiration. I don’t think you deserve to be stuck in that chair. We have to make a deal with each other. I’ll back you, if you back yourself.”
L.A. Reid then told him, “Simon challenged you to stand. And if you stand, I’ll stand right by you.”
The singer received a yes from all four judges and moves onward to X Factor boot camp. Afterwards, Freddie Comb said it was “a yes to my future and yes to every other person who’s been bound and feels their life is over.” He added, “I’m going to stand and sing that song because L.A. Reid is going to stand with me.”
The official Freddie Combs biography is here. For a full summary and review of the program click here.
Visit the official The X Factor USA Web site for the full rundown of TV schedule, photos, replay video, biography and profiles of all contestants etc.
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Freddie Combs, Wind Beneath My Wings Video: 2012 The X Factor USA Season 2 Audition
Freddie Combs is a familiar face as he had a short TV stint on TLC some years ago. Only thing is that he wasn’t very nice on camera. That image kind of tainted his performance for me and thought that it added just a little more drama than needed to be on X Factor. He does have a very nice voice but is it enough to go all the way? I’ll have to stay tuned to find out and I’ve got my Hopper set each week to record the episodes. With 2,000 hours of recording time I don’t have to rush through the show or rush to delete what’s already been recorded. The real question here is what’s in store for Freddie in Boot Camp and can he keep up with everyone else? I think that his health is a real concern. My DISH co-workers applauded the show for not blatantly discriminating against a grossly overweight man but they worry that all of the excitement may be too much for him. I have to agree: being that heavy and being confined to a wheelchair should be a deciding factor on where he goes from here and if he can do so safely.