American Idol: 1.26.10

LA!

Avril Lavigne is rounding out the judge's panel tonight, and she's got a silly hoodie with horns... hmm.  Kara is freshly oranged and looks bizarre next to the naturally pale Avril.


Neil Goldstein (19) He's really awkward looking and has huge weird hair, shiny skin, and likes to draw on mirrors with lipstick.  Umm... He looks like a 40-year old woman stuck in a 19-year old boy's body.  He decided to sing Meatloaf, and then forgot the words instantly.  He's got weird ways of moving and flipping his poofy hair while he's singing (oddly).  Simon told him he isn't suited for this business, and Neil claimed that he wasn't going anywhere.  Simon told him he needed a reality check and he could leave on his own volition, or be escorted out.  He left on his own, and said that he didn't have any doubt that they made a mistake.  Sure.

Jim Ranger (27) He has three really cute kids, and I don't really like his facial hair.  He's singing and original song, and it was really good.  I kind of love him.  Simon liked his voice, and Avril warned him that the life of the business would be hard on his family.  Still, he's through.  Randy likes the "ehhhhh" part of his voice, whatever that means.

Montage of painfully bad wannabes.

Damien (26) He's a pacifist martial arts afficinado.  Oh, he's going to be bad.  He forgot the name of the Righteous Brothers song he was planing on singing, and when the judges suggested Unchained Melody, he said, "Nope, the other one."  He knew he screwed up the lyrics and stopped, and Simon said "You should just go."  At least he did leave when asked.

Montage of adorable kids who are cheering on their loved ones.


Mary Powers (28) She has an 8 year old daughter who loves Simon because he's negative, and she did a really decent take on Pat Benetar's Love is a Battlefield.  Simon loved her voice, but worried that she has a cliched look.  Avril liked her raspy punk rock voice.  Simon gave her a yes, and all of the other judges followed suit.  Her daughter got to meet Simon, which was cute.

Adam Lambert Wannabes abound. 

Adam Wannabe extraordinaire AJ Mendoza actually recorded a demo and shopped it to Adam, who liked it, but I have to say, his version of Cult of Personality was bizarre.  Simon said it sounded like he was on novocain, and Kara wanted him to open his mouth.  It was bad.  No from all the judges and he's done. 

Day 2 of auditions brought Katy Perry instead of Avril.  Somehow I'm not sure if she would have made it on an American Idol style show... she's studio good, but not very good live, in my opinion.  The other judges arrived via helicopter, and Katy thought it was ridiculous.

Austin (19) He's wearing what looks like a vinyl tablecloth for a shirt.  I think he thinks he's Mick Jagger and/or Billy Idol.  What he is is painfully awful.  He put on the strangest ridiculous fake British accent.  Austin said it was his purpose in life to sing, and Simon told him that it wasn't.  Kara said that "for this competition" he's not right.  Um.  Just give him a no.  He thought that Katy and Kara lit up and loved him, when indeed, they were wide open mouthed hating him.

Montage of crying rejects.

OMG, was that really Sanjaya's Crying Girl auditioning???  Good lord.  She's still crying.


Andrew Garcia (23) He has a back story and his parents were involved in gangs and wanted better for him.  His parents are proud of him, and he's got a cute son.  He's got that kind of noncommital voice that sometimes annoys me (very breathy), but I think he's got some talent in there.  Too many runs, though.  Simon said he's the first person of the day who is genuinely a good singer.  Kara liked his style.  Randy thinks he has mad vocals.  He gave Katy Perry chills.  He's in.  Did we expect less from that back story?


Tasha Layton (26)  She's a personal assistant by day and a minister by night.  She sang a Joss Stone song, and it was a good song for her voice.  She's really pretty and has style.  Katy loves her.  Simon thinks people may like her, and predicts an "Oh Happy Day Medley" if she makes the Top 12.  She's got yes votes from all the judges.


Jason Green (21) He's creepy and thinks he's sexy and he believes in magic.  He's really flamboyant.  And he's singing I Touch Myself.  Oh, please.  It was awkward and bad.  He propositioned Simon, but it didn't help him.  It's 4 no's.  Katy said she felt dirty, and admits that it takes a lot to make her feel dirty.   Wow.  Good bye, Jason.

Montage of Kara and Katy being catty, set predictably to Katy's "Hot & Cold."    Katy threatened to throw her coke in Kara's face if she didn't stop singing "I Kissed a Girl."


Chris Golightly (25) He grew up in random foster care and has Justin Guarini hair.  He's got a pretty good voice, but I really hate his mannerisms.  Open your eyes, man!  Kara likes his story and thinks people will connect with it.  Katy says it's not a Lifetime movie.  Bravo, Katy.  Simon thought he could have been in a boy band, and thought it was an old fashioned audition.  He and Katy gave Chris yeses with small y's, but Kara and Randy gave him big Y Yes votes, and he's in.

Anyone catch how many people made it through in LA?  We certainly didn't see many...