American Idol 9: Road to Hollywood
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Music, Prime Time, Reality, FOX, American Idol, Gossip, Video,
American Idol 9 viewers got a little gypped on Wednesday night. Instead of featuring a single audition city, we were given a random montage of singers from across the nation - and a few highlights of those we’ll be seeing in next week’s Hollywood round.
Larry Platt’s “Pants on the Ground,” was featured first, of course. The catchy little ditty has truly swept the nation, springing up all over YouTube in the weeks since it was first introduced. The funny clips of this number led into a not-so-subtle segue about song selection…and then, our hour-long montage episode was truly underway.
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American Idol 9: Denver Auditions
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Music, Prime Time, Reality, FOX, American Idol, Gossip, Video,
Tuesday’s audition city, Denver, is where American Idol first found Chris Daughtry, who was surprisingly eliminated in Season 4 of the popular reality series. Guest judge Victoria Beckham again joined the regular panel to fill Paula Abdul’s vacant seat.
Auditions began with Mark Labriola, who thinks he looks quite a bit like Jack Black. He was very energized for his audition and truly interesting. His surprising voice was absolutely beautiful, forcing the panel to raise their eyebrows as they listened. The unique sound could certainly stand out in Hollywood Week. Victoria Beckham called the audition “a really nice surprise.” The judges unanimously voted to send Labriola to Hollywood, though not before Simon Cowell questioned him further about his unusual past.
Mario Galvan laughs when he’s nervous and arrived to his audition in a beat-up trench coat. He growled out an Elvis tune with tons of volume, but no display of vocal command whatsoever. “No,” Simon Cowell was brusque, and Mario went quietly away.
They can’t all get golden tickets. Even more will be rejected during Hollywood Week, some only one step away from reaching the big stage.
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American Idol 9: Dallas Auditions
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Music, Prime Time, Reality, FOX, American Idol, Video,
American Idol 9 visited frequent host city Dallas, Texas in Wednesday’s installment. Soaring skyscrapers, wide-open skies and southern charm were offered aplenty. The show’s steadies - Ryan Seacrest, Simon Cowell and Randy Jackson - attempted to guess who the day’s guest judge would be.
Neil Patrick Harris, best known for his role on How I Met Your Mother, answered the question. His goal was to make “two, three dozen people cry.” I’m on board with that. Original American Idol champ Kelly Clarkson came from the show’s first Dallas auditions. Also present at this first year was Julie Kevelighan, who returned in Season 9 for a little redemption.
Clad in an ill-fitting sparkly blue dress, Julie launched into a warbly rendition of “Black Velvet” to further prove that she’s just no Idol. Neil Patrick Harris critiqued Julie’s sign before telling her he didn’t really care for the singing. “Everything was wrong,” Simon Cowell summed it up. Julie kept right on singing as the panel groaned. Security eventually swept her right on out the door. “That’s just annoying,” the guest judge remarked.
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American Idol 9: Los Angeles Auditions
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Music, Prime Time, Reality, FOX, American Idol, Video,
The Rose Bowl saw ten thousand would-be American Idols on Tuesday’s audition installment of Season 9. The goal of this audition round is to get to Hollywood, but these LA auditions were held right in the shadow of the famed sign. Their journey would be shorter in travel-time, but the competitors would still have to get past the judges to get their shot at fame. Avril Lavigne was the guest judge on Day 1, one of the few guest panelists in Idol history who is still young enough to compete on the show (if she wasn’t already, of course, a huge pop superstar in her own right).
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American Idol 9: Orlando Auditions
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Music, Prime Time, Reality, FOX, American Idol, Gossip, Video,
Orlando was the host city, so American Idol 9 started Wednesday’s audition episode with footage of an actual rocket launch. How many careers will the show launch - or even end - this year? That knowledge is many months away, so for now let’s just focus on a bunch of bad singers…and, a few great ones.
Ten thousand turned up to sing for the judges in Florida, but the men of Idol (Ryan Seacrest, Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson) were more than two hundred miles away in Miami. Meanwhile, Kara DioGuardi and guest judge Kristen Chenoweth arrived in the sunny audition city.
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American Idol 9: Chicago Auditions
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories:
American Idol 9 visited the Windy City, opening this audition episode with a montage of angry, rejected contestants. It was an auspicious beginning. Shania Twain was the guest judge for this city, a development which seemed to thrill Kara DioGuardi.
The crowds who waited chanted “Yes, We Can,” in honor of Barack Obama, who called the city home until taking up residence at 1600 Pennsylvania in Washington, D.C. Viewers were quickly taken into the story of Katelyn Epperly, a pretty blonde (dyed) with pretty ringlets. Her low, sultry voice quickly proved that there’s more to her than what meets the eye, and Katelyn earned praise from the judges. “I think you have a voice that could sing a hit song, I think,” Shania Twain generously told her. Epperly earned her golden ticket, and the Chicago auditions were well under way.
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American Idol 9: Atlanta Auditions
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Music, Prime Time, Reality, FOX, American Idol, Gossip, Video,
Mary J. Blige was the guest judge for the Atlanta auditions, which were taped during American Idol’s summer scramble to negotiate contracts and fill Paula Abdul’s spot on the panel.
Dewone Robinson was the first contestant to be featured, and it seemed pretty clear early on that he was going to tank. He was predictably horrible and incredibly strange, reducing the female judges to laughter. Simon Cowell called it “one of the worst original songs” he’s ever heard. Robinson then launched into a few bars of Rick James. Randy Jackson, fed up, finally started screaming for security. Dewone sang himself on down the elevator.
The next auditioner, Keia Johnson, is a former Miss Congeniality and positively adorable. She belted out Celine Dion powerfully, immediately shutting up the panel. “She can sing,” Mary J. Blige stated. Keia grew increasingly excited as each judge, one by one, gave her the “yes” vote. Her audition is viewable in the video above.
Miriam Lemnouni chose a Miley Cyrus song. Noel Reese belted Whitney Houston. Tisha Holland delivered a little soul. All three became part of a “you’re going to Hollywood” montage.
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American Idol 9: Boston Auditions
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Music, Prime Time, Reality, FOX, American Idol, Features, Gossip, Video,
Never one to shy away from its own press, American Idol re-capped the events of the past year at the top of the Season 9 premiere. Clips highlighting Paula Abdul’s departure from the show, as well as the announcement that Ellen DeGeneres would replace her, were part of the opening montage. After a few brief highlights, it was time for the show to begin.
The Boston auditions were conducted on a very rainy day, but nothing seemed to dim the spirit of the waiting hopefuls who grinned and waved at reality TV cameras. This episode marked Victoria Beckham’s stint as a guest judge, the first to be called in when last summer’s negotiations with Paula Abdul started to go south.
The first auditioner to be featured, Janet McNamara, honed her singing skills with the American Idol game. CGI Simon often tells her that she’s “got it,” in fact. She had a thick Boston accent and tons of energy, talking at great length about her Idol gaming skills. Predictably, she was terrible and got a no across the board. Still maintaining high spirits, she claimed the experience was “wicked awesome.” Her audition is viewable in the clip above.
Janet was only the first in a long line of hopefuls, some of which would leave with their dreams still intact. Others would simply leave…many, in tears.
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Randy Jackson on American Idol 9
Posted by K.C. Morgan Categories: Music, Prime Time, Reality, FOX, American Idol, Gossip, Video,
“Usually, whoever comers in first or second, that next season of auditions, you have a lot of those kinds of people,” Randy Jackson said of the upcoming American Idol 9. “It didn’t happen like that this time.”
“We got a very interesting, very unique cast that’s only unique to season nine,” Jackson stated.
Like many Idol fans, Jackson says he’s found himself missing Paula Abdul, who was with Idol for seasons one through eight. “She is one of our best friends,” he said. “It’s going to take a little getting used to.”
Abdul will be replaced on the the live broadcasts by Ellen DeGeneres. The audition rounds will contain guest judges like Posh Spice Victoria Beckham and How I Met Your Mother star Neil Patrick Harris.
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Paula Abdul Responds to Ellen Selection
Posted by Veronica Santiago Categories: Music, Prime Time, Reality, FOX, American Idol, Gossip, News,
Wondering how Paula Abdul feels about being replaced by Ellen DeGeneres?
While I doubt she’s entirely pleased with the situation, she apparently has nothing bad to say about the talk show host. At least, there’s nothing she can say with only 140 characters.
Just moments ago, the former judge issued this comment via Twitter:
“I think Ellen will b a gr8 judge on Idol. She is wildly funny, talented and I wish her the best of luck!”
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