NEWSCastro 'Suffering From Exhaustion'
April 28 2008, Published 7:03 a.m. ET
It seems that the pressure of being in the Top Five may be getting to Jason Castro.
Die-hard fans of the dread-locked Idol finalist say that he has been suffering from exhaustion and a fever.
In fact, the 'Dreadheads' were so worried about their boy that they raised $450 on the Web to send him get-well messages and gifts.
When sources close to Jason told them that the 20-year-old was sick, fans made an appeal for donations on the American Idol Internet forum.
Since then, Idol HQ in L.A. has been inundated with balloons printed with messages saying 'get well soon' and 'thinking of you', the Los Angeles Times has reported.
Idol contestants are put through a notoriously grueling schedule of public appearances, media appointments and film and photo shoots, not to mention rehearsals and the show itself.
Contestants say it is common to get up at six a.m. and not finish working until 10pm.
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When the recently eliminated Michael Johns was asked what he had learned on the show, he said: "How to cope with no sleep!"
Jason, along with the other Top 5 contestants, has been performing on Idol every week since 20 February and he will be fighting for survival again on Tuesday night.
An Idol rep declined to comment on Jason's condition.
