American Idol - 10 ª Season

"American Idol" - "Auditions #1" - Jan. 19, 2011 The tenth season of "Idol" kicks off with a grand-- and long-- introduction of new judges, Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler and Jennifer Lopez, and mentor Jimmy Iovine. And, oh yeah, Randy's back too dawg. Ryan tells us that 125,000 people auditioned and claims that winning "American Idol" is the country's "most illustrious prize in music." Um, okay. I think the Grammys might have something to say about that. Eventually, we get to the actual first audition in New Jersey. Constantine Maroulis introduces Ryan at the Meadowlands. We get lots of Jersey-related stuff in terms of lingo, fashion, and hairdos. And the singing begins. We start with Rachel Zevita whom JLo claims she remembers from her season 6 audition. It was oddly operatic but she was put through, only to get cut on the first day of Hollywood. She sings Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah," and again gets put through with three yes's. Next up Caleb Hawley a mopt top young man from New York. He sings "Hallelujah, I Love Her So" and Steven Tyler provides percussive back up and sings along and gives one of patented screams. He goes through with three yes's. Kenzie Palmer a 15-year-old musical theatre fan who goes to performing arts high school sings Carrie Underwood's "We're Young and Beautiful" and impresses JLo but Steven and Randy think she needs more pizazz. Ultimately she gets three yes's and a golden ticket. We get a quick montage of three golden ticket winners to whom we are not introduced. Then a woman named Achille Lovle comes in and sings a very unwieldy, Grace Jones-ish version of Madonna's "Dress You Up," that falls way flat and the no's are unanimous. During a break Jennifer admits that it's hard saying no, especially to the ones who "really, really believe." We get a lesson in how to tease hair from Tiffany Rios JLo's biggest fan. She cries when she gets in the room with her and starts talking about the inspirational "Selena." JLo hugs her. She finally sings, a goofy original song about getting put through to the next round and unveils mirrored stars on her bikini top. She sounds so-so but the gimmicky stuff is awful. She gets a chance to sing another song- Celine Dion's "Power of Love"-- and is marginally better and hits some decent notes and some horrific ones. She gets a unanimous golden ticket with the caveat that it should be less about gimmicky boob stuff and more about singing. Steven likes her energy. We get a montage of a bunch of bad singers and people begging, especially the softie JLo. She finally starts getting the hang of "no." We meet 16-year-old Robbie Rosen who was afflicted by a disease that put him in a wheelchair for a period of time as a toddler. He's always dreamed about being on "Idol." He sings "Yesterday" by the Beatles, and impresses them all, especially Steven, and gets a unanimous put through. We get a montage of contestants talking about being excited to meet the various judges. And then a montage of 62-year-old Steven Tyler ogling young, hot contestants. Chris Cordeiro is up next. He's an 18-year-old Boy Scout, excited about becoming an Eagle Scout. He comes in very sort of preppy and goofy-looking and then he sings a bizarre version of Frank Sinatra's "My Way" that does not work. Oddly, they intercut it with his mother singing the same song at the prompting of Ryan outside the room and she sounds a lot better than her son. JLo asks Randy how he did this for ten years and Steven makes sad trombone noises. We get a montage of the judges finally getting a handle on saying no. We meet Michael Perotto who burps when he gets nervous. He's also not a good singer and gets three no's for his "Proud Mary." Tyler quotes "Cool Hand Luke" about a "failure to communicate." He walks out saying "ouch" and saying he's not going to give up even though he got three no's. The world's biggest Britney Spears fan Ashley Sullivan is full of spunk and is very brassy, if overpowering the room. JLo says she belongs on Broadway. Ashley wants to be the first "showtune pop star." She begs and pleads and cries. And, JLo and Steven put her through. Randy calls them insane. Steven says he's going to personally work Ashley into something good. A sweet southern 16-and-three-quarters-year-old named Victoria Huggins charms the judges with her twang, pageant enthusiasm and version of "Midnight Train to Georgia." That's three yes's. We get the dramatic story of Kosovo native Melinda Ademi and her refugee parents, who escaped the war-torn nation. She sings Alicia Keys' "If I Ain't Go You" and gets the unanimous golden ticket. We move on to the second day of New Jersey auditions. Devin Rush, a singing waitress in Times Square sings "God Bless the Child" and gets pretty funky and groovy with it. Steven calls it delicious. Randy says she has the right amount of sauce. JLo says her voice is the star and she needs to start acting and dressing that way. Then a montage of a couple of bad singers. And then a full audition from a really bad singer and former Michael Jackson-impersonator named Yoji "Pop" Asano. He does a disastrous version of "Party in the U.S.A." by Miley Cyrus. And then we get a montage of bad singers singing "Party in the U.S.A." Another montage of terrible singers. Staten Island native Brielle Von Hugel really loves her dad who was in a doo-wop group. He had cancer and she helped him through it. Apparently, her "Endless Love" is enough to get her through after the judges ask her to bring her dad in. We get a montage of the sad and rejected. The final contestant is, of course, a heartwarming story about a teen. Travis Orlando grew up in a gang/crime/drug-infested part of the Bronx and he spent time in a shelter. And of course, he sings the Beatles "Eleanor Rigby" and Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours" well enough to get put through with three yes's. We get a montage of some of the 51 others who got golden tickets.

"American Idol" - "Auditions #2-New Orleans"- Jan. 20, 2011 New Orleans is the second audition city and we get lots of montages of stereotypical NOLA/southern stuff: Mardi Gras, the French Quarter, alligators, outtakes of Ryan from a previous season in NOLA being goofy. Jordan Dorsey a charming piano teacher from Louisiana, impresses the judges with his jazzy rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" and gets three yes's and gives JLo goosebumps. We get a couple of awful singers and arrive at Sarah Sellers who impresses Tyler with her mouth and her version of Bob Dylan's "To Make You Feel My Love" and is through to Hollywood. Going with the body parts theme Jovany Barreto is the next golden ticket winner based not only on his singing but his love for JLo, her husband Marc Anthony, and his "melodic sensibility" according to Tyler on the Luis MIguel song he sang. So excited to get his golden ticket Jovany takes off his shirt to show off his abs to JLo, and Randy and Tyler needlessly join him. Hoping to have an in with Randy Jacquelyn Dupree brings along his old football coach, to the audition. Her singing on "I'll Stand By You" was fine so the combination gets her through. "Bohemian Rhapsody" is a gutsy song to sing at an audition but Brett Loewenstern's version is enough to impress the judges, they also enjoy his well-conditioned hair and childhood tale of bullying. A geeky sorta Mick Jagger/Steven Tyler lookalike Gabriel Franks has none of the talent of those two famous men and his not totally tuneless take on Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" gets him the congenial boot. Montage of bad singers. Next up is Jacee Badeaux a cherubic, unassuming 15-year-old with a lovely voice who bowls the gang over with his sweet rendition of Otis Redding's "Dock of the Bay." The easiest golden ticket of the night. As is the show's custom, it ends with an up and close and personal story, this one of Paris Tassin, a single mom of a special needs child from New Orleans. JLo gets choked up as she sings Carrie Underwood's "Temporary Home." That's three yes's. All told 37 folks got the greenlight to Hollywood.

The "American Idol" auditions landed in Milwaukee, Wisc., for the first time in 10 seasons (yes, that's "ever"). And Season 8 favorite and Milwaukee native Danny Gokey was on hand to help excite the crowd. But the first big audition of the night was a 16-year-old baseball player from Garner, N.C., named Scotty McCreery gave some good, old-fashioned, deep-voiced country vibes that made Jennifer Lopez smile. Scotty's audition prompts Steven Tyler's previously teased quip, "Will hellfire save matches, (bleep) a duck and see what hatches." Steven is surprised to learn he can't say that on TV, while Scotty moves on to Hollywood. An awkward-looking fellow in a red polo shirt, khaki shorts and sandals named Joe Repka is an aspiring radio disc jockey and gets some pointers from Ryan Seacrest before his audition. He's a charming enough guy who seems to be up for a beating from the judges. And he is. After much buildup, he gives a wildly off-key rendition of Billy Joel's "For the Longest Time." He's panned, but the judges encourage him to stick with the radio gig. A 15-year-old girl from Littleton, Colo., drove her family most of the distance from her hometown to Milwaukee. She recalls being 5 when she watched Kelly Clarkson win Season 1. Emma Henry sings Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors" with a bit of a raspy, bluesy voice that seems to captivate the judges. Steven doesn't know why, but says he loves it because it's "got a lot of character." Jennifer tells her to keep working on her "special quality" and "tone that nobody else has." Randy isn't sure she's yet ready, but doesn't make an official vote. Jennifer says no, but Steven says yes. When it's down to Randy, she cries and he tells her he's worried she'll "get swallowed up" in the competition. With a bit of encouragement from Steven, Randy tells her she's got another shot and send her on to Hollywood. After Emma leaves the room, Jennifer tells Randy his first instinct was right and that Emma will "get eaten up in this competition." A montage of four awful singers, including a guy who did a little martial arts routine to his version of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" and later asked Randy for a sip of his Coke Zero. Apparently, Milwaukee is home to one of the world's biggest music festivals, called "Summerfest." Singer Naima Adedapo, 25, works maintenance at the event, cleaning up the grounds, but hopes to one day grace a stage and provide for her daughter with a singing career, crying as she talks about this dream. She sings Donny Hathaway's "For All We Know." A strong, smooth voice, Jennifer and Randy like her, and Steven says she's "all that." She's through to Hollywood. We got a little glimpse into the "rift" between J.Lo and Seacrest as they joked about how they can't stand each other and their ways, just before watching a cameraman gets stomped in the face while trying to film a guy doing a backflip over him. What followed was brief montage of two singers, including a 54-year-old dentist with an oversized toothbrush. A bar mitzvah singer from New York named Jerome Bell, 27, put forth a smooth, soulful rendition of Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On." The judges were excited and completely in agreement that he's going to Hollywood. A 15-year-old name Thia Megia flew out from California to Wisconsin because she couldn't stand waiting until the auditions hit the west coast. She tells Randy she's been seeing him on TV since before she knew how to read. She sings Adele's "Chasing Pavements." Steven and Jennifer give dreamy smiles while she sings and both say yes, along with Randy, and Thia's going to Hollywood. Ryan then tells us that every 15-year-old who walked into the judges' audition room walked out with a ticket. A Civil War re-enactor named Nathaniel Jones strongly shares his feeling that his father is "not a hippie" (despite his long beard and bandana) because "hippies believe in sex." Dressed in his full Civil War regalia, Steven says it was "outstanding," and after Randy laughs Steven says he isn't sure it's right for "American Idol." Jennifer says no and Randy agrees, saying, "We kind of got the measure of what you are." Mason Wilkinson, a 23-year-old construction worker, has trouble facing the judges before he starts singing. He turns his back to them for a moment -- a long moment, which doesn't let up ... for a while... and then... after much delay... he... finally... starts singing. And he's terrible. Molly DeWolf Swensen, a White House intern and Harvard graduate from Seattle, tells Randy he punched her in the face (and there is video evidence, which is quite hilarious and shown twice). She sings Otis Redding's "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay." Steven loves it and Jennifer says she loved Molly's lower pitch. With three yes votes, she's off to Hollywood and Randy tells her to "tell Obama we need you!" Even more good fortune: They show the replay of Randy punching her in the face once again. After a successful Day 1 in Milwaukee, the judges happily bounce into the audition room for Day 2. Haley Reinhart, an 18-year-old who was bounced by the judges last season, Randy, the only judge on hand to send her packing last year, is the first to say yes this time, and he's followed by an enthusiastic Jennifer and Steven, and Haley is Hollywood-bound. Tiwan Strong, a 29-year-old day care teacher, gives an energetic rendition of "Twistin' the Night Away." Steven says he sees a sparkle in Tiwan's eyes, Randy likes it and Jennifer is thinking about it for a moment before voting yes. A certified public accountant and auditor named Steve Beghun, 27, says he doesn't have many friends because of his occupation. Steve hits a high note that reverberates and Steven says he's "disturbingly great," just before the rest of the judges agree to send him to Hollywood. He tears up as he walks away looking at his golden ticket. Vernika Patterson, 20, tries to sing "Loving You" but trips up because, as she says, "the lady's looking at me." She's talking about Jennifer, who agrees to look away. Jennifer and Steven tell her it isn't going to work, and Vernika gets upset and asks whether it's because she's "not skinny like these other girls." She walks right by Seacrest outside the audition room and continues to insist she can sing better than half of the contestants (still, that leaves roughly 50,000, right?). Albert Rogers III, 24, does a half-decent Barack Obama impression before stepping in front of the judges. Steven tries to be nice, saying he likes it but it's not for the show. Randy says it was "terrible, and a joke." Scott Dangerfield, a 22-year-old student teacher, is mocked a bit by the judges for his vivid red lips. He's a somewhat awkward looking dude, but his bluesy voice earns praise from Jennifer, who says he might be one of her favorites. Randy and Steven say yes and Scott is heading to Hollywood. After a quick ode to the Green Bay Packers, Megan Frazier proves she's not quite as good of a pop singer as she is a Packers fan. She sings an operatic version of Justin Bieber's "Baby." Randy admits he's long been looking for a self-composed opera version of Justin Bieber. A rocker chick named Alyson Jados, 26, walks in and Steven is in awe, saying, "You look like you could be one of my ---" He stops himself before adding, "nope, can't say it." Before going into the room, she said she'd lose it if Steven sent her to Hollywood. Steven gives her a hug. She says she's singing "Come Together" by The Beatles (and it's worth noting Aerosmith did a pretty famous cover of the song, as well). Steven asks her to sing more and she launches into "Dream On," while admitting she can't do the final high notes -- so he does them for her. Getting a bit serious, Steven says she's "very pitchy" and jumps all over the place. Jennifer seems to like her. Randy says no, Jennifer says yes. Suddenly, it's down to Steven, and he let's Ally's dream live on. Chris Medina, 26, from Chicago is the last audition, but it's clear his story was saved for last (the judges are wearing the clothes their wore on Day 1). He talks about his fiancee, who suffered a traumatic brain injury in an accident in 2009 and was in a coma for a month and a half. Since then, he's been caring for her with her mother as she still needs constant care. He sings nicely and the judges ask him to bring his fiancee in so they can meet her. In one of the sweetest moments you'll ever see, Steven bends down and tells Chris' fiancee, who seems mostly unable to speak, that Chris sings so beautifully because he's singing for her. He's going to Hollywood.

"American Idol" - Auditions: Nashville - Jan. 27, 2010 Auditions in Nashville start in a high note, literally as an aspirant is asked to hit a high one and does, if not exactly well or pleasantly. We get an opening package focused on "Idol" champ and country star Carrie Underwood. Auditions are being held at the Ryman Auditorium. We start with a terrible but perky, cartoon-voiced auditioner named Christine. Steven goes cross-eyed as JLo and Randy giggle. She is sent packing after a rendition of Lee Ann Womack's "I Hope You Dance." Her mom is proud of her anyway. We meet a couple of ex-es Rob and Chelsee who are auditioning together. Her new boyfriend has come along to show support. They sound really nice together on the Bee Gees "To Love Somebody." They both have a nice smoky quality. They sing separately also-- he does Marvin Gaye and she does Brandi Carlile- and do nice work. The relationship might not happen but they're both going to Hollywood. We get a montage of the bad, the costumed and the freaky, and a bunch of screams from Steven, and a funky tattoo artist named Allen who does Skynyrd passionately if not excellently. But that's a no, in fact he knows it and takes off himself. Next up is Stormi Henley, a former Miss Teen USA. Of course, Steven leers at her. She sings "Father, Can You Hear Me." She's not country strong but country average. Steven and Randy say yes, JLo says no, saying she's beautiful but the voice isn't there. We get a montage of "nos" without hearing the singing. Adrienne Beesley is a farm girl from Kentucky, she's a black girl adopted into a sweet white family, we meet them and see their farm. She sings well enough in a country/gospel vein to get her golden ticket and she chokes up and impresses them all. She calls her dad and he's tickled. Day 2 begins with the less-gifted-then-she-thinks Kameela who wails her way through Chaka Khan painfully. That's a no. Steven tells her to practice, Randy tells her to just stop singing because she's horrible. We get another montage of the bad/weird/freaky, including a guy in a full body suit. We get lots of tears and hugs for the rejected, including Ryan comforting one very depressed cowpoke. Next up Jackie Wilson, though she's not as good as her namesake she does a nice version of Aretha Franklin's "Until You Come Back to Me" and gets her golden ticket. We meet Letoya, one of those delusional types who can't say enough about themselves but can't actually sing that well. That's three no's for her version of Tamia's "When I Close My Eyes." She sings her way out and gets another no. They however do enjoy the finger-snapping Paul McDonald and th soulful Jimmie Allen and the raspy Danny Pate who they all sing along with on the Temptations' "Papa Was A Rolling Stone." We meet Matt Dillard, whose backstory including a family full of special needs foster children-- 700 in 23 years-- we meet his family. He's got a lovely gospel/country voice as well as he sings Josh Groban, very earnest and sweet. He gets yes's from Randy and Steven. The final auditioner is country girl Lauren Alaina. She's 15 and we meet her cousin Holly, who has a brain tumor. Lauren did fundraisers for her. She tells the judges about Holly. Randy asks to meet her. She comes in. Lauren sings, she's very poised and sounds lovely. They call her the best they've seen today. Everybody cries and she gets three yes's in unison. The family comes in to say hello and she sings Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing" and gets Steven to singalong.

"American Idol" - Austin Auditions - Feb. 2, 2011 The night starts with a joke that Steven Tyler's outrageous behavior in previous auditions and assures it won't happen again and then show us a rhymes with "duck" moment he has with a contestant. Marc Anthony comes and gives J.Lo a kiss. Steven wonders where his kiss is. Marc is working up the nerve. First up Corey Levoy is at the audition with his sister, whom he met after years of not knowing her even though they grew up 15 minutes from each other. They're best friends and she's very supportive. The judges ask him to bring her in so she can judge alongside them. He sings "I Can't Make You Love Me" by Bonnie Raitt well enough to get everyone's approval. Hollywood-bound. Next is Hollie Cavanaugh she's 17 and her version of Etta James' "At Last" is pitchy and they think she's not quite ready. Randy says no. She starts to cry. JLo gives her a second chance and she sings "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus. It's much better. JLo and Steven say yes. Randy changes his mind and says yes too. We get a montage of no's and tears. Next is a scary take on "The Circle of Life" from a boy named Rodolfo. That's three nos. We get a montage of the silly and delusional cowboys. John Wayne Schulz is a 23-year-old cowboy from Texas, he's a rancher, his mother has cancer. JLo likes his version of "I Believe." Randy feels him. They have him bring in his parents for the big "welcome to Hollywood." The next contestant is Courtney Penry who thinks Ryan Seacrest is the sexiest man alive. She sings Sugarland's "Stay" well enough to get put through by Steven and J.Lo, even though she does a goofy chicken impression and makes a kissy face at Steven. We get a montage of yes's for Shauntel Campos, Alex Carr, and Caleb Johnson. Then we get a montage of yes's where we don't learn the person's name. We meet a cutesy couple who met in choir in Arizona. They hope to be "American Idol"'s power couple. Jacqueline sings "Mercy" and kills it. Her boyfriend, the smiley Nick Fink sings Maroon 5's "Sunday Morning." The judges like them both and they both get put through. Janelle Arthur opines about being a "country" person. Her family put her up to this. She does a couple of country songs. They dig her vibe and she's going to Hollywood. We get a montage of bad people. Casey Abrams is the last contestant. He plays the melodica and is scruffy. He scats and sings his way through Ray Charles "I Don't Need No Doctor." They love it. Going to Hollywood baby. Ryan tells us 50 people got through and we get a montage of yes's of people we never saw.