Joseph Hall: Elvis Impersonator

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Speaking of Elvis, there's an Elvis impersonator who lives in Lincoln, Nebraska, which is just about 60 miles from here I live. He's 23 years old and his name is Joe Hall. You may have seen him on the television show America's Got Talent. He really is an incredible talent. Here's a clip from the NBC website showing him impersonating a young version of Elvis:


My local newspaper did a story about him a couple of days ago. He has aspirations of either becoming an actor or a singer who performs his own music. He's surprisingly, but wisely, concerned about losing his identity while impersonating someone else though. During a recent concert, someone in the crowd asked him about Sharon Osbourne (one of the judges on America's Got Talent) and Hall said this:

"There are so many secrets about Hollywood," he replied. "I signed my life away."

The audience -- unaware of the potential irony of his joke -- roared. Hall knows a contract means TV time and perhaps even fame, but he could lose himself in an unreal world.

He's willing to risk it -- he can count on his family to keep him grounded. He has big dreams that don't include Elvis -- acting or recording non-Presley tunes.

I can't imagine having the presence of mind that Hall does at the age of 23. It's impressive to see him counting on his family to keep him grounded. But I wonder if he hasn't tapped into a universal problem--one that exists beyond the stage. Whenever we pretend to be someone we are not, we risk losing ourselves.