American Idol Live Blogging January 16, 2008

American Idol opens tonight in Dallas.  The crowd is huge!  The first "Idol Baby" was born during these auditions (a young hopeful went into labor and gave birth).  Can’t wait to get started!  This is live blogged so expect typos

First up - Jessica Brown (22).  She’s a single mother who began experimenting with drugs in college.  She admits that she was addicted to meth but is now clean.  Says the song "Jesus, Take the Wheel" feels like it was meant for her.  Her mother says that she is back to who she used to be.  She says that this whole journey would be worth it if she could inspire just one person not to start using drugs.  She sang "I’ll Stand By You"  and I find it a nice, emotional performance.  The judges are not reacting and she looked uncomfortable for a moment but kept singing.  Simon said she made the song sound interesting.  She gets tonight’s first golden ticket to Hollywood.

More after the jump!

Wow.  Paul Stafford dancing in the holding room.  He is a park attendant.  Ryan talks to him about his dreams of breaking away from the park and making it in Hollywood.  *sigh*  He’s a member of the American Rollercoaster Enthusiasts.  I didn’t even know that existed.  He sang "Wait for You" by my beloved, Elliott Yamin.  It is absolutely atrocious.  Even more so since I love Elliott and feel hurt for him right now, lol.  He’s a sweetie pie, though.  It’s too bad.  He says his family told him he was a good singer and even Simon had to admit that Paul seems like a nice guy.   Outside Paul says he’s surprised Simon didn’t come down on him harder.  Simon actually copied his singing after he left the room and I could not stop laughing

Does it seem like they are having more fun this year????

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Beth Maddocks loves Kelly Clarkson who she says is her American Idol.  She was a singing waitress for a while "Beautiful Disaster."  Ouch, my ears.  I don’t even know what to say about that.  Simon said he couldn’t understand a word she said.  He asked her about her job as a singing waitress.  It was a unanimous "no."  Her friends don’t look to surprised that she didn’t make it through to Hollywood.

The next hour was disastrous with featured bad auditions from Esteban Deanda, Victoria Metz and Drucilla Wideman.

Alaina Whitaker she says she’s been compared to Carrie Underwood in looks but likes to think Carrie  looks like her rather than the other way around (I guess I can see that but okay…).  She sang "Stronger" by Faith Hill and her talent almost matched her confidence.  Simon says she’s not as good as she thinks she is but says she’s a good singer.  She got a "yes" from each the judges and she’s through to the next round!

Watch the video!

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Gregory and Mia Tobias sang…. something.  Ryan says it was an Italian opera.  Watch it here:

 Bruce Dickson (19) has never kissed a girl and never has had an intimate relationship with a woman before.  At 13, his dad gave him a key that symbolizes the promise to his future wife.  His dad wears the matching heart necklace that he will eventually give to his future wife… yeah…

He sang "Ain’t No Sunshine" and although he’s okay he’s not quite good enough.  Their advice was that he go kiss a girl.  Terrible but a *little* funny!

 

Pia "Zpia" Easley is a model and a musician and a background singer. I love her look and style!  She sang "I’ve Got to Use My  Imagination" by Gladys Knight.

Simon thought it was a "very good audition" and that he likes her and that she is interesting.  He also said she doesn’t have the attitude of a background singer, likes her confidence and just generally likes her a lot.  Three yeses means Pia is through to Hollywood.

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Brandon Green (21) has a collection of fingernails in a Ziploc baggie!  DISGUSTING!!!!!  I’m eating!  This is horrible!  I cannot even look.  Ryan looks ready to gag.  He wants to be a good example and wants to not be like Britney Spears.  He sang "Rich Girl" by Hall and Oates (one of my favorite songs) and I think he’s good – I didn’t want him to be after the fingernail thing, UGH!!!!  Simon said he’s "forgettable," Paula and Randy liked him though.  Paula tells him to make eye contact.  Simon said "no," Paula said "yes" and Randy said "yes."

Kayla Hatfield (24) lives on a farm with 8 horses and has two children (ages 3 and 4).  When she was 18 years old, she was in a car accident and part of her face was really disfigured but she focused on what was positive rather than letting the bad stuff get her down.  She went into the room with a lot of energy and enthusiasm.   She sang "Take a Piece of My Heart" by Janis Joplin and I didn’t think it was that great but Simon said "yes," Paula said "no" and Randy said "yes."  I cannot believe it!!!!!!!!!!  I am so stunned!  Did you think she was good???

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A streak of bad auditions hit the judges – features include Erick Mauldin "Momma," Charles Markham "Because You Loved Me," and Tristan Clements "Think"

The last audition of the day is Kady Malloy (18).  She does vocal impressions.  She did a Britney Spears impersonation and it was pretty good.  She sang "Before He Cheats" but he stopped her because it felt like another impersonation.  So she sang "Unchained Melody" (one of Simon’s favorite songs).  She kind of reminded me of Katharine McPhee when she sang that last song.  They all said yes and she’s through to the next round!!!!

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DAY 2 BEGINS

Douglas Davidson (28) didn’t want to yell because he didn’t want to strain his voice and Ryan made fun of him.  I am sorry but I totally agree with him.  Asks the judges if he do some warming up and they oblige.  He sang "Livin’ On a Prayer" and it was really terrible.  I was afraid he was going to pass out the whole time because he kept breathing so weird.  He just started walking around the room to relax and drank some water.  He then started singing again and ignored Simon who kept trying to stop him from singing.  Simon told him that he wanted him to leave but he just started singing again.  Douglas would not listen and kept arguing with their reasoning.  Finally security had to take him out.  He sang his way out of the building…

Angela Reilly talks about how her new husband helped her prepare for her audition.  She says his husband is a professional model.  He is really cute (she brought him in).  She sang "Baby Love" and it was really cabaret and… odd.  Her husband said it was great and Simon asked the husband if he would actually buy his wife’s record (he said "yes").  Simon said that "love is deaf."  She then sang, "Hit Me With Your Best Shot."  It was not good either.  All judges said "no."

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Kyle Ensley makes the case for his future as the "next American Idol" as though he is running a political campaign.  He says he would like to become the governor of Oklahoma one day.  He sang "Somebody to Love" and Simon tells him he wasn’t as bad as he thought he would be.  Simon said "yes," Randy said "no" and Paula said "yes."  Simon told him not to change like Clay Aiken did.  Simon said that he liked Kyle.  Such a surprise!

Tammy Tuzinski compares herself to her own idol, Celine Dion.  She seems to have a hard time with words… lots of silent moments…  Said she was going to sing "Power of Love" but started singing "If You Asked Me To."  She asked to start over and they let her know she sang a different song.  This was met with silence… Then she sang "If You Asked Me To" again and it was one of the worst things I’ve heard all night.  Make it stop!  It’s not even funny/bad, it’s just bad.  They all said "no."

Colton Swon is a musician (plays mostly guitar) and is in a band.  He sang "Boondocks" by Little Big Town.  I think he’s quite good and he has a good look.   Simon says it was good but he was like a lot of guys performing in bars across the country but all judges said "yes."  He got the judges to say he was terrible to trick his parents but they were happy to see the golden ticket.

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A montage of men auditioning dressed in drag or singing in a way that Idol seems to think is more consistent with female singing.

Drew Poppelreiter is a cutie petutie!!!  Canadian Idol fans – he reminds me of Jaydee Bixby!!!  He works on his family’s farm and he says he sings on his tractor.  If he goes to Hollywood, it will be his first time on a plane.  He sang "Check Yes or No" by George Strait.  Simon said "no" because it’s not "his thing," Randy said he likes him and said "yes" and Paula said that she didn’t feel a "wow factor" with his performance but she ultimately says "yes."  I like him a lot.

Kyle Reinneck (20) says "guyliner" adds to his ability to "rock out" and says he’s heard he’s pretty intense.  He brought a poster of the kids he works with as a youth counselor.  He sang "Never Again" by Kelly Clarkson and I’m hoping to "never again" hear his singing voice.  That was awful.  Simon said he looked "demonic" and that he verges on scary.  Paula also said he was a little scary.  Randy said the vocals were not good.  Kyle started singing again and got a definite "no" from all of them.

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This is the city where Kelly Clarkson auditioned and people obviously love her and there was a whole montage of people singing "Since U Been Gone."  It was all terrible (include a woman painted green wearing a witch costume).  Simon says he officially hates that song now.

Nina Shaw is from Burleson, the hometown of Kelly Clarkson.  She sang "Run to You" by Whitney Houston and Simon said it was old-fashioned and caberet, Paula said it was pageanty.  Nina sang "Feeling Good" and Randy likes the fact that she’s retro.  Randy and Paula said "yes" and Simon said "no."

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Renaldo Lapuz was dressed all in white and is a riot!  Ryan even got him to bow to him – twice!!!  Too funny!  Randy can’t help but laugh when he walks in.  He’s got the word "Simon" on his big furry hat.  I can’t even explain his explanation but it was about how powerful Simon is and Simon could not help but laugh.  Renaldo sang his original song, "We’re Brothers Forever."  He even paused to swallow!  This is classic!!!! He suddenly blurted out "I love you brother" and Randy got up to dance with Renaldo, and then brought Ryan in the room to watch Simon get serenaded.  Paula got up and started doing sign language and dancing.  All that was missing was the "robot."  This was so awesome.  Simon said he has a horrible feeling that this is going to be a hit record.  He got rejected but he recorded a tearful message to Simon to let him know how much he loves and admires him.

 

24 people are headed to Hollywood from Dallas.

Next week Idol heads to San Diego!