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Celebrity Justice
"Idol" Wannabe's Gun-Totin' Past

Posted Jan 23rd 2008 1:35PM by TMZ Staff

Perrie CataldoPerrie Cataldo -- a smooth-talking "AI" contestant who crooned his way to Hollywood last night -- once had a secret weapon up his sleeve ... literally!

TMZ has obtained an arrest record revealing that Cataldo carried a handgun into a bar in Glendale, Ariz. back in 2006, after being kicked out for fighting. According to the arresting officer, Cataldo was "concealing" the gun under his clothing, and was confronted by security and arrested.

Cataldo plead no contest to carrying a concealed weapon (a misdemeanor) and was fined $568.

Cataldo went to serious lengths on last night's show to explain to the judges that he'd turned his life around since then. He revealed his baby mama was killed for being "at the wrong place, at the wrong time, with the wrong people, doing the wrong thing."

FOX had no comment.

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31. Harvey Levin is the Anti christ...I bet He has done no wrong in his big nose life...see a Dentist Harvey

Posted at 3:34PM on Jan 23rd 2008 by Dellon

32. So I guess he will be removed from the competition to. With his sob story (yes it was sad) I bet he would have made it very far.

Posted at 3:37PM on Jan 23rd 2008 by mommyof4

33. i have been to see him at the club a couple of time. he is very talented and a wonderful person. its a trip how people can dig up stuff from back in the day to try to stop someone from making it. keep doing what your doing repin phoenix arizona. you aint got nothing but love coming from here!!~!.all they haters will be in your face when your on the big screen. trust

Posted at 4:00PM on Jan 23rd 2008 by shaleka

34. OMG...an American Idol contestant with a past. Give me a break TMZ. I think we all have "things up our sleeves" from our past. Let's give the guy a chance.

Posted at 4:03PM on Jan 23rd 2008 by Jenn

35. Best audition yet!!!!!
I hope AI gives him a chance, for his son's sake.
Let his son see a life outside of crime.
Good luck Perrie!!!!

Posted at 4:06PM on Jan 23rd 2008 by wecelli

36. They better not have kicked him off of Idol.. He was one of the best men auditions yet.. Hope he goes far.

Posted at 4:08PM on Jan 23rd 2008 by d

37. Karma is a bitch TMZ and if you guys have ruined this guy's chances of succeeding based on the media attention this will get, then you deserve to be off the air and the net. I personally would absolutely stop reading and watching your show.

This is despicable and it's plain wrong. The guy has turned his life around and focused on suceeding despite his shortcomings and the loss of his son's mother. We should be commending someone like him and not bringing him down. The charge itself was a misdemeanor charge that cost him about $500 bucks. I would hardly call that a hardened criminal. I will definitely be voting for him and I will definitely not be supporting your stupid asses.

Posted at 4:09PM on Jan 23rd 2008 by ECJ

38. TMZ didn't "dig up" anything, it was all laid out for them last night. He said he screwed up, lost his wife and now has to raise their baby himself. All TMZ did was look up some court records. It's not like AI, or anyone who cared couldn't find this out.

Also, as far as the "once a criminal, always a criminal" comments, what about Heath Ledger? He's Australian, a prison colony, must be in his blood. Or most Americans, people don't like to say it, but America was pretty much a prison colony too, so are all Americans criminals? What a stupid thing to say, it's people like you who bring death to this world, so much intolerance.

Posted at 4:12PM on Jan 23rd 2008 by Yup

39. Classic... people move on from the demons in their lives and TMZ brings it all back by going as far as digging up police records. It is because he's a minority; therefore, conveying that he MUST have a criminal past, prompting TMZ to find something on him? Or is it because you couldn't find any dirt on the other people who auditioned?

Posted at 7:13PM on Feb 5th 2008 by Kalem

40. I agree. People in life make mistakes and sometimes it takes soemthing tragic to happen so that y ou can change your life. I really do hope AI gives this guys a chance. He is very talented and common, WE have to admit, not all famous people are innocent and have clean backgrounds. Its part of life. It's a good things he's decided to trun his life around. He's got a very handsome son too by the way!

Posted at 4:48PM on Jan 23rd 2008 by ME

41. he seems like a nice guy now , if he turned his life around than he deserves a second chance , we cant condemn people for actions they did prior if they are willing to change ..i hope they give him a shot!

Posted at 4:52PM on Jan 23rd 2008 by mk

42. TMZ haters... spreading negativity when and where they can. You guys are great for our crumbling society, just fantastic.

Posted at 5:10PM on Jan 23rd 2008 by Wick

43. And so? If he's stayed out of trouble, good for him....losing his child's mother put more responsibility on him and hopefully he's grown into a man and taken that responsibility seriously. If Snoop and all of these other well paid celebs who are busted for weapons, still hanging on to gang ties or whatever, etc and so on....then big woopity at what he did. Wrong...yes but I hope no one things he doesn't deserve a chance if we've given others with shady pasts a shot and made them millionaires in the process

Posted at 5:21PM on Jan 23rd 2008 by Jen

44. I'm pleased to see most people don't care about his past. When he described how the baby's mom was killed, one could assume she wasn't the only one into some bad stuff. Not news, and not necessary, TMZ. The poor guy probably googled his name today to see what came up and got this garbage.

Posted at 5:22PM on Jan 23rd 2008 by FIGHT

45. IDOL HIGH SCHOOL YEARBOOKS!

simply cut and paste the link below to view:

http://www.blender.com/news/comments.aspx?articl e=10372&src=tstaisd

Posted at 5:34PM on Jan 23rd 2008 by reed

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