AI 11: 2-2-12 St Louis

Eight years ago in 2004 a girl from Checotah Oklahoma set out on a road trip to St. Louis. Carrie Underwood won the crown in season six. Aren't you glad she took that trip? Now a new crop of talent will make the same trip hoping to create the magic all over again. Can they do it? This is St. Louis. This is AMERICAN IDOL!

Cue video montage of a beautiful day in the gateway to the West where a crowd of 10,000 is waiting for their chance of a lifetime.

Let us dish the dirt!

Day 1

Johnny Keyser’s back-story is that he has lived with only his father since he was little. According to his “contestant cam”, his father makes a mean peanut butter and jelly sandwich. All I can say is I am there. PBJ equals happy dance for me. Johnny goes with “A Change is Gonna Come” and the man can sing. Johnny shows incredible control over his voice and there was a rich sound. There was definitely a soul vibe going on. Steven was ready to vote; however, Jennifer and Randy start giving feedback and telling him to keep singing. Johnny is no fool and milked every minute of the spotlight. Mr. Keyser is heading to Hollywood and I predict he will make it into the semi-finals.

Cue the video montage of the “best of the worst” over the last 11 years, which starts with the infamous William Hung. This leads us into a silent movie version of current auditions. Excuse me Mr. Producers is it necessary to steal from “The Artist”. Instead of showing us the worst why, don’t you show us more of those singers getting through?

Rachelle Lamb is auditioning for her daughter. Rachelle is going through a divorce and wants to pursue a dream her husband held her back from trying. I got a feeling of déjà vu about this story, oh wait it is because we had this story last night during the Portland auditions with another blond female. Men are pigs get over it. The twist here is that Rachelle brings her daughter into the audition room. Rachelle explains she has chosen a song, which her husband hates, “Find Something New”. Rachelle sounds good and I thought she had a good tone I just do not believe she can stand out, i.e. do we choose Britnee or Rachelle. The judges adore her and she is heading to Hollywood where I predict she will crash and burn.

Cue the next video montage of bad auditions with Oliver McCrary being the only one identified but they were bad and we waste precious moments of time. The clip ends with Jennifer and the judges trying to do some type of Wonder twins’ thing from the Super Friends cartoon. I guess I am old since I remember them.

Reis Kloeckener was bullied after transferring to a public high school from a small Lutheran school. Anti bullying, is one of the major causes I involve myself in because no one should be bullied. The choir teacher hears him singing one day and tells him he should join the choir and the rest is history as his life improves. Thank you “Glee”. Reis goes with “Lean on me” and he has a really strong and controlled voice but there were some weird affectations in his performance. I also thought it was too over rehearsed. I am not sure Reis is American Idol material but if he could loosen up a bit and just sing he could get to the semi-finals. The judges loved him especially Steven since he tells him it was so beautiful it made me tear up. Reis is going to Hollywood.

Ethan Jones played in a band with his dad who apparently found one of the biggest bands in St. Louis but it appears his father has some demons and is currently in drug/alcohol rehabilitation. Ethan chooses “I’ll Be” as his audition song. I thought Ethan’s voice was good but I thought there was did too much shouting and to little singing. Steven says I love the way you sing, Jennifer finds his smile reminds her of someone from a country video and Randy just says you sound nothing like how you look. This matters because. The judges send Ethan to Hollywood.

Day 2

Cue the video montage of contestants as they make their way to St. Louis to chase their dream, which flows, into random contestants telling the judges what they do for a living.

Mark Ingran is a hotel auditor at the audition venue. We see Ryan going with him to find as many of his co-workers that he can. My question is, “Who is providing customer service to the guests when everyone is in the audition room?” All the co-workers tell the judges that Mark sings on the job constantly and they encouraged him to try out. Let us say Mark could not sing his way out of a paper bag because he is tone deaf. Mark’s coworkers say he was great and at that moment the light bulb turns on, these people are nasty and are getting revenge on Mark by telling him he is good. I think I like these people.

Steven tells him he is out of tune and Mark claims he can carry a tune and starts another song, which was worse than the first one. Jennifer hates to reject him but she cannot say yes to his going to Hollywood. Mr. Producer this was just another time wasting audition.

Lauren Grey works in her family’s business, which is a one-stop wedding store. Lauren and her dad are musicians and perform together. Lauren goes with “One and only and she sounds good but was just a tad loud to the point it was almost but not quite shouting. Lauren definitely shows some passion when singing. Jennifer states she has “one of the best female voices” we have heard. She likes the timing of the song. Steven loves how she breaks while Randy loves how fearless she is. Lauren is taking that golden ticket all the way to Hollywood.

We are then suddenly at the end and we learn 45 contestants are heading to Hollywood from St. Louis.

Auditions are over and this can only mean we are heading to Hollywood. Ryan teases us by saying it will be “the most emotional and exhausting Hollywood week ever.” Ronald just shakes his head and laughs.

I will be out of town next week so my comments will arrive late.

Until then…

AI 11 - 2-1-12 Portland

This is our first trip to Oregon and with an eclectic crowd like this; there is no telling who or what we may find. This is Portland. This is AMERICAN Idol!

I must take a moment to express my displeasure with the producers of the show regarding this audition episode. While I loved the aerial shots of Portland and the surrounding areas, why did they choose to use this episode to show case deluded contestants as opposed to showing the good singers? WTF! For those of you who do not live in Portland I must point out the pictures of the crowds in the Rose Garden arena is one location. The room the judges were conducting the auditions was north of that location on the Columbia River. They were in the Red Lion Hotel and through the window, Vancouver Washington was across the river and the green Interstate Bridge is the connector between Oregon and Washington using I-5.

Enough about me it is time to critic the auditions.

Day 1

Brittany Zika or rather “Tripster the Hipster” babbles on about a dream she has of performing with Sara Bareilles as Ronald was nodding off. Steven says as she comes in the room, “I am much too young to feel this damn old.” Brittany chooses “The Story” for her audition and she has a pleasant voice but she was doing freaking weird things with her mouth. While she has a bubbly personality, it does not come across as she performs. The judges seem to like her as Jennifer says her tone is beautiful and Randy loves her hipster look. Brittany quickly takes off her glasses; hat and shakes loose her hair, which causes Randy to say she is showing her edge now. Really? “Should we take a little votey?” I kid you not it came out of the judge’s mouth. Brittany is heading to Hollywood.

Cue a video montage of the strangeness, which is Portland and Ryan, advises things are going better than when they visited the Pacific Northwest in Season 6. Ronald laughs because the visit was to Seattle where the winner Jordan Sparks and runner-up Blake Lewis auditioned.

Ben Purdom begins his “contestant cam” explaining he was not feeling well which means this audition is nothing going to go well. Ben chooses “Born this Way” and he cannot sing. For some incredibly strange reason he gets a chance to sing another song “Super Bass” and this was worse than the first one. Ben goes home without a golden ticket.

We get to see another video montage as Ryan explains we are off to slow start in Portland but now that everyone has had a healthy lunch, we are ready to go.

Jermaine Jones who is 6’ 8.5” comes from a musical family. Jermaine’s mother says the family was born to perform. Jermaine goes with “Superstar” and he has a natural gift. I liked his soft, deep voice, however, I did not enjoy the vocal theatrics and they were not necessary. As long as he works on all the vocal gymnastics, I think he could have a good chance. The judges like him as Jennifer states he has a natural talent. Steven sensed his nerves but could hear the song more than the anxiety. Jennifer tells him to loosen up a little but Jermaine is going to Hollywood.

Day 2

There is time wasting video regarding Jennifer not having black tights. Excuse me but you are sitting behind a table who freaking cares.

Britnee Kellogg is up first as we learn she has two kids. Brittnee cries in front of the judges because the louse of a husband who is a basketball player cheated on her. She helped him through his dream and now she is going after hers. The audition song is “You’re No Good”. I think her voice was pleasant enough but the performance did not blow me away. The judges adore her and she is on her way to Hollywood.

Sam Gershman is next and can I say this performance was a waste of time, she was freaking horrible and all the banter with the judges was just irritating me. Poor Sam left without her golden ticket.

David Weed is up next with “Tom Sawyer” and clearly he should not be singing but we waste time on this clip. After his rejection, he just does not understand because people have been saying for 22 years that he has a great voice and these people just dismiss that. David everyone around you has been lying and enabling you. The judges were spot on.

Romeo Diahn who with his family fled Ghana during the civil war has experienced a lot but since coming to America, he has had a better life. Romeo sings, “Is this love?” and is okay but I had issues with understanding him (enunciation please)! The judges like him although I will give Jennifer some credit when she gives him just a “tiny” yes. There is no way Romeo is getting past Hollywood to the semi-finals.

Naomi Gillies asks Steven if she can sing “Cryin” and she manages a good version but I do not think she is the next American Idol. Naomi also needs to work on the big money notes. The judges adore her with Jennifer stating she loved her tone from the beginning. Randy says that when you have it, you have it. Naomi is heading for Hollywood.

Our baby-faced Benn Harrison from Eugene was just too boastful during his “contestant cam” that I knew this was not going to end well. “Somebody to Love” is his audition song and it was a pile of crap from start to finish. Why are you wasting my time Mr. Producer?

Our final contestant is Jessica Phillips who has been dating her boyfriend for 5 years. Last year D ‘Angelo suffers a stroke. Jessica loves him but it is different now she is the caretaker. Jessica goes with “Again” and does a nice job but it did not make me sit up and want to listen to her. I agree with the judges she deserves her shot in Hollywood.

Our visit to Portland ends and we learn 45 people are heading to Hollywood from the Portland round but we get to see so few, this episode was ridiculous. I am getting more irritated with the audition process but luckily, this ends tomorrow with a visit to St. Louis.

I realize I have not sent out my comments regarding last week’s visit to Texas but I was not home and have not had a chance to watch my recording. I will also not be home for the St. Louis visit. Those commentaries will come over the weekend.

Until next time.