American Idol: 1.20.10

Orlando, with Kristen Chenowith, from my dear and beloved (and so sadly canceled) Pushing Daisies.

Hoping it's better than Chicago!


Theo Glinton (22) He thinks he's Lady Gaga, all bedazzled.  I have a feeling he's going to be just wretched.  He wants a corporate hair dressing salon.  He has a really bad speech impediment, and he shouted a lot... he was distracting.  He offered other songs up to sing, and Kara told her that he wasn't pitchy, his tone just was too over the top.  He's gone.  They told him to lose the bedazzlement, and Kara offered the advice that he smelled nice... and then he couldn't find the way out. 

Montage of rejects.... in chicken suits?  And, of Kara and Kristen getting along like gangbusters.  They annoyed Simon and broke out singing together randomly.  Simon told one contestant that they sang like they sat on a cat.  Ouch.

Seth Rollins (28) Back story!  Autistic kid!  This must mean he's going to at least be passable.  His son wanted to go into his audition with him, and cried.  He's got a really nice voice, and he's likable.  I could get behind him, I think.  A few too many random runs, though.  Kristen thought he made the song his own and loved everything about him.  Kara wanted to hear more, and Simon liked that he knew who he is.  Randy thinks that he needs to exude himself a little more... but he's in unanimously.

Another montage of rejects?  Really?  can't we see some good people?  Please??  And there were some Golden Tickets in the montage, but we didn't hear any of them.  Boo for that.


Jermaine Purifoy (24) He has a Stevie Wonder vibe to his voice, and I kind of like him.  Kristen said that his voice was seemless.  Randy thought he was the best this season so far.  Kara loved his honesty and his conviction and his smile.  Simon thinks the chicks will like him.  He's in.

Shelby Dressel (18, Avon Park, FL) is the last audition of the day, and she has partial facial paralysis.  She's really pretty, and she sang Nora Jones pretty well, but then she forgot her lyrics and swore.  oops.  The judges liked her.  Simon gave her a yes with a small y, and the other judges also gave her nods.  She's in.

19 made it through from Day 1.  I wish we had seen more of them.

Kristen wasn't there the second day, and that's sad... Kara gave the hopefuls a pep talk before the auditions started, though.

Jay Stone (25, Miami) He did a lot of weird beatboxing to the Beatles, and it was really distracting.  He was a good beat boxer, that's for sure, but can he sing?  I have no idea.  Kara thought it was amazing, but Simon was all wet.  Randy asked if he could actually sing, and he broke into a really good vocal, and Kara started beat boxing to it, and really liked him.  Randy still gave him a no, and Simon gave him a no.  Kara pleaded with Randy, and won.  Jay said that Blake wasn't doing the beat boxing and the singing simultaneously, so he's new and different.  I say he wasn't doing it because it doesn't sound good.

Janell Wheeler (24, Tampa) She has a really good look and a nice voice.


Brittany Star James (23) is really beautiful and I like her a lot


Kasi Beford (19) has purple extensions and a neat voice.

All three above are in.

Cornelius Edwards learned his dance moved from his exotic dancer friends, and ripped his pants straight down the crotch when he did a split.  His voice wasn't bad, and he ended up getting three yeses and a request to get some new pants.

Sister time!

Bernadette & Amanda Desimone are from NJ.  Bernadette sang first and she's cute.  She's got some good stage presence.  Amanda is not nearly as good.  Of course, she foolishly sang Whitney.  She went off key all over the place and was trying too hard.  Randy thought that Bernadette chose a better song, and Kara thought they would bring something to Hollywood.  Randy gave them both yeses.  Kara also gave them yeses.  Simon wanted to say no to Amanda, but ended up letting them both go through.

Jared Norell was working on his energy and enthusiasm and didn't sound at all excited or enthusiastic.  He "sang" Amazing Grace like a small furry animal being killed in a power saw.  It was dreadful.  Kara said "Oh, Good Lord, what WAS that?"  She said it sounded like a lawn mower.  Simon told him to go, and he decided to sing again.  Randy told him to stop and he just can't sing.  Jared decided to torture them some more.  Security was called and he was escorted out.  Forcibly.  Wow.  He was handcuffed.  Holy cow.  Delusional.


Matt Lawrence (25) He's an ex-con, reformed.  He robbed a bank with a beebee gun when he was 15, and was in jail for 4 years.  Wow.  Now, he wants to do something to make his family proud.  He's got a bit too much throatiness to his voice for my taste, but I could tell the judges liked him.  Simon thought it was authentic, and Kara loved how controlled he was.  Randy thought he sang genuinely.  He's in.

31 people it though to Hollywood from Orlando.  Wish we had seen more of them.

Next week - LA!