Yay for a New Season - American Idol 1.12.10

Dah dah dah, dramatic intro about the loss of Paula, parade of guest judges, and the addition of Ellen...

(I hope that the loss of Simon doesn't kill the show.  That would make me cry)

Here's hoping we see some actual good auditions.  Please show us good auditions. Bring on the tears... dad of an autistic kid.  Woman wants to make something of herself.  Bartenders, hairdressers, triplets, and lawn care workers... everyone thinks they are the next American Idol.


Boston Auditions

Tonight the guest judge is none other than Victoria Beckham.  It was a rainy wait in line and there was a sea of umbrellas.  (9000 umbrellas, more or less).  Kind of hilariously, Simon went into the wrong room when looking for the audition room.  Vicky B is super excited.

Janet McNamara (26, Accountant, Somerville, MA)  Janet has practiced by using the American Idol Karaoke game.  She's got an ill advised belly shirt and low cut pants on.  She thinks she's awesome, though, jumping up and down in the bathroom, like she does before job interviews.  Oh and My.  And when she started "singing," it became apparent that the game is complete bunk.  Wow.  It was like she was strangling a cat.  Then, she thought that Kara was Paula.  Wow.  It's all no.  At least she thinks she's wicked awesome.

The storm passed by about 10 AM, and time for more singing.

Maddie Curtis (16, Bluemont, VA) She's the 9th of 12 kids, and her brother who is closest to her in age has Down's Syndrome.  Her parents adopted 2 other kids with Down's Syndrome.  That's amazing and heart warming.  She's got a really fantastic voice, and a lot of control over it.  She hit a couple slightly off notes in there, but I think she's through.  It's a very choral voice, but I think it could be tweaked. Randy actually really liked her.  Simon likes her, too.  Vicky B. thought she was really great, and Kara thought she had an old soul and was really authentic.  Simon praised her for being an un-annoying 16 year old.  To Hollywood with her!

Unhappy and down in the holding room is Glasses Dude.

Pat Ford (17, Derry, NH)  He is highly annoying in his "Holla" mode.  Oh my, he sang a Brittney Spears song and he's dreadful.  I hesitate to call it singing.  It's a foolish decision to sing a song that is mostly auto-tuning and studio effects.  He called Simon sassy, and Kara likes his accent.  No's all around, though Randy said he was a cool guy, and then told him to stop singing forever, though he would like to hang.  Kara loved his personality and gave him a hug.  He promised to return next season, and maybe we see some reasons that Simon has decided not to return, with that kind of threat...

Jennifer Hirsh (22, Manhattan) scatted her way to Hollywood with a fantastic jazzy version of Ding Dong, the Witch is Dead.  Claire Fuller (23, Philadelphia) sang her way to Hollywood, along with Jess Wolfe (24, Brooklyn).  All of them were pretty jazzy and I liked them all.  I think Jennifer was my favorite of the group, because I like her choice.

Amadeo Diricco (28, Providence, RI)  He's Italian all the way, with a huge and close family.  I want to eat at his house, that's for sure.  He's got a really good voice, and a great personality.  Kara was feeling him for sure.  I would love to hear what else he can do.  Vicky B. loved his passion and his big voice.  Simon liked him, and Kara felt like he was her cousin.  Randy loved how real he was and his voice.  Simon said in a strange way, it was his favorite audition of the day, and loves his energy.  He's through.  The jubilation nearly ran Seacrest over.  He looked scared, in any case.


Derek Hilton (19, Bellingham, MA) looks like a bleached out hippie.  They played Enigma in the background of his intro.  This can only end badly.  Wow, he "sings" entirely out of his nose, until he had a couple weird chest voices.  He "hit" some falsetto notes... I mean, that was just bizarre.  Simon said he was channeling a lot of people, and called it complete and utter rubbish, and said it was like 20 people singing, and every one of them was rubbish.  Derek thinks he is amazing and hit a lot of "loud notes."  Because that's the point.  Goodbye, sir.  Do not darken my television again.

Montage of rejects, with tears abounding. 


Mere Doyle (24, Walpole, MA) She's an anime freak, and I appreciate that they pulled out Alphaville's Big in Japan for her intro music.  Great song.  Great band.  She really wants to be big in Japan, after all.  Unless Japan loves screeching and tunelessness, the singing isn't going to get her big in Japan.  She says that her voice coaches and theater directors say she's awesome.  She claims to love singing, and Simon says he would love to fly to the moon, but it's just not something he is capable of.  And she's gone, in disappointment and a crush of reality.

Nicely harmonizing boys!

Luke Shaffer (24, NYC) is one of the harmonizing boys, and I love his voice.  I wish he would open his eyes more when singing, because they are very nice eyes.  Another of the harmonizing boys is Benjamin Bright (25, Rome, NY, Elementary Music Teacher) and he's also wonderful.  Both are through.

Time for Angry Glasses Boy, Andrew Finlon (25, Boston), who hates waiting.  Dude, it's an American Idol audition.  Lots of waiting involved.  Thank goodness we know he's single.  He was snarky with the judges when Simon asked why he was there.  Simon told him to quit being a smart ass, or leave.  He's got an interesting voice, and he is not bad, but his attitude is going to make it impossible for him to continue.  Kara asked him if he was angry, and he said the waiting all day put him on edge, and she said that his attitude pissed her off.  She hated him, completely.  He was sulky, rude, and aggressive, with bad energy, according to Simon.  Andrew claimed he was trying to be confident, but Vicky said he was just coming across as arrogant, and he doesn't have the good to back it up.  Everyone gave him a no, but Simon gave him a yes, because Andrew is growing on him.  Kara said that Simon has an attitude, but at least he is charming.  Kara told Andrew that he needed a spanking.  Whoah.  Kara said she felt like she needed a shower after that.  Ugh.  I wish he hadn't been such an ass, because I kind of liked his voice.

Bill Bloom just plain sucks.  Maybe good for stage.  Same with Michael Ryan.  But so not good for this.

Ashley Rodriguez (21, Boston)  She made me not hate an Alicia Keyes song.  Good for her.  She's very appealing.  Kara loved her.  They all loved her.  She's in.  Good.

Tyler Grady (19, Nazareth, PA)  He shattered both wrists climbing a tree a couple months ago.  And he's a drummer.  That sucks.  He has a really nice voice.  He sang Let's Get it On, and he has some good soul.  I like him.  The ladies loved him.  Randy liked him, and Simon thought that he was memorable.  He's in.

Montage of nameless Hollywood acceptees.

Montage of Boston history, featuring Simon as British tyrant.  lol.


Lisa Olivero (24, Waitress, Billerica, MA) She thinks she is better than most people on the show, and decided to shriek through Mariah Carey, with a terrible accent and lots of screaming.  I think she might not be awful, but she was trying so hard, it came off terribly. 

Ryan Keene murdered some Johnny Cash and I wanted to punch him.  Montage of weird people with thick Boston accents.

Mike Davis (18, Boston) is really likeable, with a great voice.  He sang Yesterday and sang it well.  I like him.  Simon said he was confident without being annoying, and Kara said she wanted to hang out with him, and he invited her out for steak.  Simon gave him a yes, and Randy gave him a no, leaving it up to the girls.  Mike is the first one through on Day 2.

Katie Stevens (16, Middlebury, CT)  She has a really close relationship with her grandmother, who has Alzheimers now and can not always remember her.  That's sad.  She is totally in.  She's got an amazing voice.  Astounding, actually.

Joshua Blaylock (28, NYC)  He's got a good voice, and Vicky told him he has a nice voice, but Simon thinks he has no presence, no power, and is forgettable.  However, the others give him their votes, and Simon changed his vote.  They all want him to get more assertive.  I agree.  He could be good.

Montage of people blanking on everything, and awful awful people. 

Justin Williams (27, Sandy, UT, Vocal Coach) He's a cancer survivor, and he's got a really appealing look.  He's also got fantastic tone and beautiful control.  I kind of love him.  And nice falsetto.  Can I predict him for the Top 10?  Randy "kind of liked him."  Vicky B thought he was nice overall.  Kara thought he was memorable.  He got yes votes all around, and he's through.

Montage of Vicky B's comments, where she tried to say something nice about eberyone.

Norberto Guerrero looked like Prince and Latoya Jackson and Michael Jackson were tossed in a blender.  And asked to sing in the blender.  It was just awful.  Simon said he sang like a 3 year old girl.  No all around. 

Bosa Mora (22, Columbus, OH) His parents are from Nigeria, and he has 6 sisters and a brother.  He seems like he wants it, but I don't know how memorable he is.  Simon called him good, but boring.  Vicky B didn't think he was boring, and got upset with Simon for rolling his eyes.  Vicky B and Kara gave him yes votes, and Randy gave him the vote to send him to Hollywood, though they all agreed that he needs some more star power.


Leah Laurenti (22, Medford, NY)  She's the last contestant of the day, and she comes from an overprotective family and she never got to listen to secular music much as a kid.  She has another one of these great kind of jazzy voices.  I am digging her.  Randy thought she was one of the best of the day.  Kara thinks she's a really good singer and is on the brink.  She's in.  Yay.  I really like her.

32 people in total made it through to Hollywood from Boston.  I was hoping to see some Vermonters, but no luck.  *sigh*  Maybe some day.

Tomorrow - Atlanta!