American Idol 7 - Audition Episode 5 - 1/29/08

Tonight we visit Omaha, Nebraska where approximately 10,000 people auditioned but only 19 received their golden ticket. This is the smallest number of all the audition cities so far.

Paula’s plane is late so the auditions start with just Randy and Simon.

Our first victim, excuse me, our first contestant is Chris Burnheisel (I am not joking). This was one very enthusiastic contestant, he was very happy and indicates he is so excited he could explode and send his happiness everywhere (not that I want to see Chris explode but the world could use a dose of happiness)! Chris has waited through all 6 seasons to audition but never had the money to travel to the audition cities so the fact that they are in Omaha makes him very, very, very, very happy and enthusiastic. Chris explains to the camera that “American Idol is like, the biggest life alternating change in my life”.

Chris comes into the audition room with a bag of presents. Simon indicates “I always like a bribe.” Randy gets a stuffed dog, Simon gets a t-shirt with England on it, and Paula gets a stuffed cat. Chris also had an album of pictures of him and Kelly Clarkson (it is not clear if those are photo shopped or real but I would have to believe the former because if he couldn’t afford to go to audition cities how in the world could he attend multiple events with Kelly). Chris breaks down emotionally telling the judges that Idol is about giving people a second chance at their dreams.

Chris chooses “Since You’ve Been Gone”; oh please I could see the train wreck coming. Chris was not good, he was horrible. He was incredibly enthusiastic in his performance throwing in a handstand to the mix. Simon advises Chris that he likes him, loved the bribe but the singing wasn’t good enough. Randy indicates he has a good heart and has a warm personality.

Chris then asks to audition for red carpet introductions for the show. Chris does an okay job but Ryan doesn’t have anything to worry about it. Simon asks Chris who the local fox station is, Fox 42 for those who care. Simon tells Chris to inform the affiliate that he should report for the finale. Chris is so overcome with emotion I thought he was going to take off. Simon says that if they give him trouble they should call them. Chris goes happily out of the room not realizing he is leaving without a golden ticket. Randy tells him “You’re the next Seacrest”.

I have never seen a person get a no and leave happily jumping up and down all the way out the building and still shouting for joy. He is one seriously disturbed individual.

Jason Rich is next. He is 21 and works part-time on a farm for his girlfriend’s dad. Jason hails from a very small town in Iowa. Jason definitely has the looks to be an idol. Jason was incredibly nervous. He chooses a country song, “When You Say Nothing At All” and naturally forgets the lyrics. Jason has a very good voice; it was very rich in tone. The usual impatient Simon actually gave him several chances, it was on the 4th try that he managed to get through his audition and I was impressed by the quality of his voice. Randy likes his voice but isn’t sure if he has star quality. Simon agrees he was good. They both give him a yes for Hollywood but Simon advised him as he was leaving that he won’t get another chance like that, if he were to freeze like that on a live show we wouldn’t be on the air for very long.

Paula finally arrives and we are treated with a montage of contestants forgetting the lyrics so you know they were in the reject pile.

Rachael Wicker who is a 6 time arm wrestling champion is our next contestant. We get way to much footage of her beating everyone at arm wrestling including Ryan. Rachael really wants to arm wrestle Simon but he advises she could beat him so he declines. Rachael goes with “Don’t Stop to Tell My Heart” and she wasn’t that bad. Her voice had a nice pure tone and she was in key. I had a big problem with her slouching and her outfit sucked big time. I suspect she could do well but she has to pick up some performance skills or she will just be standing on the stage singing which would be boring. Simon indicates she was performing as if she had been doing this for 50 years and was at the end of her career. Randy likes her voice but not the half-yodel effect but does say yes based on her voice. Simon says no but Paula says yes. Rachael gets to arm wrestle Paula before leaving. Rachael is on her way to Hollywood.

Next up is Goth girl Sarah Whitaker who advises us she used to be a professional wrestler, her character was the English Lady Morgue (accent and all) who was famous for her maniacal laugh which was strange but it wouldn’t make me run in fear. I did enjoy her giving Ryan a light tap (some type of wrestling move). I couldn’t understand much of what Sarah was singing so I don’t know what the song was but it doesn’t matter she was overtop bad. Simon indicates that song was like the soundtrack of this town, you are really strange and I can’t imagine you singing that as the final song on the show. Randy says no, Paula says yes (Paula are you nuts), but Simon says no and Sarah is not going to Hollywood.

We then have Ryan coming back in the audition room asking why they didn’t put her through and advises she is not happy (SO!) We have a big back and forth about which job is harder with Ryan and Paula switching jobs.

Samantha Sidley is the next contestant. She is terribly shy and looks really young. Samantha chooses “I Don’t Know Why” and her voice was good but compared to Chris she was a dud in the personality category, almost like a lump of coal standing there. Ryan indicates he likes her voice but she lacks self-confidence. Simon likes the performance. Paula comes back and kicks Ryan out who states he would vote yes. Paula feels Samantha can sing but has to work on her showmanship. Randy says yes. Samantha gets a golden ticket to Hollywood.

We then get three very quick montages of contestants who get a yes, Elizabeth Ekert, Denise Johnson and Michael Sanflippe (I did like Michael). It was funny as Elizabeth is riding down the escalator she is looking at the camera and shouts she is going to be America’s next top model!

Angela Puente is our very long lets pull the heart string story of the night. She is 17 and living with her grandmother because she has issues with her strict father and breaks down crying because they use to be best friends, yada, yada, yada. Angela goes with Celine Dion’s “Power of Love”, what is wrong with these contestants, she was way over the top and I personally didn’t really recognize the melody when she was singing. Angela did not impress me. Paula indicates she can sing but her lack of performance skills and confidence will hurt her but says yes. Randy indicates she needs to stop listening to the record and decide who she is as a performer but he likes the sound of her voice and also votes yes. Simon advises with a little effort she could be good, she needs to clean up her nervousness but votes yes. Angela is heading to Hollywood. The clip ends with Ryan calling her dad and advises she is going to Hollywood and of course dad tells her he is very proud of her. Oh please, put me out of my misery now!

We are then presented a montage of rocker contestants’ ala Chris Daughtry.

David Cook 24 bartender/musician hailing from Tulsa is up next. He looked like a combination of Blake Lewis with the argyle sweater and he who should not be named and his strange hair color and faux Mohawk, heaven help us. David advises the judge that he is vocally versatile and personable. He chooses “Living on a Prayer” It was an interesting arrangement but David does have a good voice and he could definitely sustain a note. Simon indicates he was good and says yes, Paula says yes, Randy indicates he has a good voice and he has some personality, three yeses and David is off to Hollywood.

Johnny Escamilla is next. Johnny admits to being weird and he compares himself to James Brown (excuse me). Johnny is wearing a gold lame jacket, I don’t mind personal style but you need to make it work and he definitely could not pull that off and he isn’t auditioning for a Vegas lounge act. Johnny chooses “Shout” as his audition song, come on. It was loud and over the top, I actually never heard him say the word shout either. This was way too karaoke for me. Simon jokes he scared away Paula’s hiccups. Simon tells him he hated everything, the jacket, the singing and the dancing, it is a no. Paula and Randy pass on Johnny as well.

We are then presented with a montage of the no’s from Omaha.

Our final contestant from Omaha is Leo Marlowe from a very small town of 200 people and indicates his mom jokes that she raised the perfect homecoming queen and it is too bad it wasn’t one of her daughters; referencing his very upbeat personality but not as over the top as Chris’s was. Leo goes with “A Song for you” and I have to say I was very much surprised, he was very good, and I was impressed. Leo has a very good voice. Simon indicates he likes his voice and openness, Randy agrees, and Paula was over the top on liking him (rein it in Paula). Leo is going to Hollywood.

Our next audition city is Miami, Florida. Until tomorrow!