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Memories flooded Kerry Onxley as he said that his former star pupil Josh Ledet -- who is better known to the world as the third runner-up on season 11 of American Idol-- met with the First Lady Michelle Obama on Wednesday in New York after making a studio appearance on Kelly Ripa's television show Live! With Kelly, according to Onxley.

"Back in February, nobody really knew who he was and today he just took a picture with Michelle Obama this morning," Onxley said. "I'm 48 years old and I've never met any First Lady and he met the first Lady at 20. I'm very proud."

 

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The 48 year-old Director of Theatre of Westlake High School in Louisiana told us that "American Idol" afforded him a reunion with Ledet.

"He listed me as a mentor," he said. "So, I went to Hollywood on an all-expense paid trip. I met with the other mentors of the three runner-ups on American Idol."

Onxley said that while Ledet began singing in his father's church in Southwest Louisiana, it was the public school system that brought him to the stage.

"When he got involved with me, it was just through acting and stage presence. He's got great acting technique. He's incredible, and 'American Idol' doesn't really showcase that."

Onxley said that before Ledet was a television star he was Dracula, Charlie Brown, Aladdin and Peter Pan in stage productions through Westlake High School and Onxley's own Children's Theatre in Lake Charles.

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"He basically got the parts he wanted, he had what we called a triple threat--which meant that he could sing, act and dance," said Onxley. " A lot of actors who come to me have good voice but have bad acting technique. Josh had the 'triple threat' that means in the world of theater or live performance you have to have all three. He does all of them very strongly."

Onxley said that, to him and many others in Southwest Louisiana, Josh Ledet is an American Idol.

"We like to think we had something to do with all of those things. He had and has the support of family," he said. "Josh comes from a family of 9 siblings. His family is a caring, loving and spiritual people. It takes all of that."

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Onxley said that Ledet is on his way back into the Lake Charles area, meaning that this weekend Ledet willreturn home to friends and family in Southwest Louisiana.

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