Kevin Covais, LI ‘American Idol’ finalist, appeared on ‘This Is Us’ finale
Kevin Covais of "American Idol" fame, at the Pacific Design Center in Hollywood, in 2006. Credit: AP / Branimir Kvartuc
Kevin Covais, Levittown’s most famous (and only) “American Idol” finalist, got what may have been his biggest break since the “Idol” run on Tuesday: He starred on the season finale of “This Is Us.”
OK, fine, “starred” may be an overstatement, but “appeared” is not. In a brief, don’t-blink-or-you’ll-miss-him scene, Covais worked the counter of an ice cream shop named Artisanal Scoops.
Here’s the setting: Kate (Chrissy Metz), struggling through a haze of emotions and memories of her dad, Jack (Milo Ventimiglia), as her wedding approaches, wanders into the shop, then notes — ruefully — that the old place, Frenchie’s, is no longer there.
Covais, as counter guy: “Hey, welcome to Artisanal Scoops. Would you like a sample of our new flavor? It’s lavender balsamic.”
Funny line. In fact, one of the few funny lines of the episode, and Covais delivered it perfectly.
Since his 2006 “Idol” run — he made it into the top 12, was eliminated March 22, and sang “What’s New Pussycat?” in the finale — he’s appeared in several films and TV series, usually in short credited roles, but sometimes in uncredited ones. In 2014’s “Transformers: Age of Extinction,” for example, he was simply described as “Dorky Driver.” The “This Is Us” designation was “Ice Cream Employee,” but in Monday’s episode of Fox’s “Lucifer,” he’s credited as “Frazzled P.A.”
Covais, 28, was born and raised in Levittown, and appeared on “Idol” while he was a junior at Island Trees High School.
