SYTYCD TOUR IN PENSACOLA 11/14/08

I am still coming down from a SYTYCD induced high! A perfect day with a perfect ending!

Part 1: Interview with COMFORT FEDOKE, STEPHEN "TWITCH" BOSS, THAYNE JASPERSON AND KHERINGTON PAYNE!

Part 2: The Performance!

Part 3: The Backstage Meet & Greet!

I have written an article for a magazine - when the publication date is available, I'll post more!

BEEN WRITING FOR THE WALTON SUN, WILL UPDATE MY ARTICLES!

Oh boy, have I had an incredible time following American Idol this season. So much so, that I am taking my whole family (including my parents, sister, husband and two kids) to the American Idol concert! We couldn't make the Florida schedule work for us, so we are tying the Detroit concert in with visiting relatives.

I am going to post all my interviews with the Idols, so keep reading!

A Kristy Lee Convert!

After picking her in the auditions, I lost interest during top 24, 20, 16 until she knocked it out of the park with God Bless America. But her rendition of Anyway, sealed my support of her. It is my new favorite song. Forever, ranks up there too but just as she was gaining momentum, she was struck down by the Idol machine. This is one girl I can't wait to hear at the tour this summer! Actually, I just had an idea! What if the Clark Brothers and Kristy Lee teamed up for a tour together! Throw in a Chikezie and Austin Clark duet and I would be one happy camper!

Dolly Parton likes Michael Johns!

Here is my article on Michael Johns!
http://www.waltonsun.com/entertainment/idol_1248___article.html/american_beat.html

THE NAME'S CHIKEZIE BABY!

One of the top 10 performances of the season, "She's a Woman, bought Chikezie a spot in the top 10! Here is my article from the Walton Sun :

http://www.waltonsun.com/entertainment/chikezie_1155___article.html/old_song.html

Time Flies When You Are Having Fun!

30 days! I have been writing my column for the Walton Sun the past 30 days and have been MIA here! Sorry! Since my last post here, I have been very fortunate to have interviewed several eliminated American Idol contestants.

I will post the rest of the interviews as soon as I can!
:)

Bereavement's Over!

I have written a few articles since I last posted on here, interviews with eliminated contestants: Kady Malloy, Asia'h Epperson, Luke Menard, Danny Norriega, and David Hernandez. If you would like to read them, they have been published by the Walton Sun.

http://www.waltonsun.com/entertainment/idol_974___article.html/american_beat.html


http://www.waltonsun.com/entertainment/song_1049___article.html/past_didn.html

I missed Amanda's interview, so I'm a little bummed out about that.

The latest buzz, of course, is whether or not there will be a wild card during Idol Gives Back. I have a glimmer of hope that Alexandrea will come back! I wish that I had more readership, to get Alex some well-deserved attention but I will keep plugging on, knowing that one day, she will rise to the top and I can say, I knew she was a star all along!

I am favoring the guys right now - David A., David Cook, Jason Castro and Chikezie!

Sanjaya at Book Signing at Borders in Glendale, New York!

As soon as I get more information, I will pass on. I had these two photos emailed to me.

I see a lot of Fanjayas there!

Sorry, I'm in Bereavement!

So much catching up to do! I'm wearing black for my favorite's early departure. Honestly, what happened here? Two girls went home who were undeserving - Alaina and Alexandrea, my top two picks from last week.

In my humble opinion, Kady and Amanda should have left instead. In Paula's words "THIS IS A SINGING COMPETITION PEOPLE!"

Since last Thursday (my birthday by the way) I have been trying to figure out how Alexandrea got sent home. I have read every article I could find discussing the eliminations - almost 99% of them said she shouldn't have been the one to leave. What is the most disconcerting about her dismissal is that she never got to show her potential or for me, perform her Amy Winehouse song. I am bummed about that. Of the girls left, none of them can work the stage like Alex. I'm most disappointed that she won't be on tour. The American Idol Tour needs her.

I did manage to get both "Spinning Wheel" and "If You Leave Me Now" played on our local radio over the weekend. WooooooHoooooo!

Maybe I should sell black armbands that say "Bring Back Alex!"

I am hoping for another interview, stay tuned to see what develops.

Top 12 Girls - Who is in it to win it?

My rankings after the Girl's Performance 2-19:

1. Alaina Whitaker - Carrie's younger sister? But do we need another Carrie? Carrie seems to be doing fine without the help of a sister.
2. Ramiele Malubay - An amazing, controlled performance. Where does that voice come from?
3. Alexandrea Lushington - Edgy, dynamic, current entertainer. Planned her entrance, got the first standing ovation of the night!
4. Syesha Mercado - Strong, powerful version of "Tobacco Road."
5. Asia'h Epperson - I love her breathy style of singing!
6. Carly Smithson - Great performance but overated.
7. Brooke White - Safe, mellow, average song.
8. Kady Malloy - One of two blondes whose eyes do not look good when they are singing. Another average song.
9. Amanda Overmeyer - A hot mess, but the rockers like her! Seriously, what song did she sing? She would lose on "Don't Forget the Lyrics."
10. Kristy Lee Cook - I disliked this performance the most. Her eyes distracted from the song.
11. Joanne Borgella - eliminated
12. Amy Davis - eliminated

AMERICAN IDOL- THE CHOSEN ONES AND THE REST OF THE REALITY TV SUPPORTING CAST

Yes, it is a Reality TV show. Ratings and money are what drive the show. The definition of an American Idol? The singer who will make the most money for 19 and Fremantle. Do I love the show any less knowing that? No. In reality, small r not capital, at the end of the day, we all know that what makes good TV and money is not necessarily the best singer - i.e. Melinda Doolittle from Season 6. Do I wish it was different? Maybe. What if there were 24 equally talented singers, without ever having record deals, that were truly non-professional, with equal amounts of airtime, and judges who gave helpful advice to the contestants. Would you still watch?

So far, it is evident who the Chosen Ones are. Definition of Chosen Ones: Semi-professional, with proven performance skills in one or more areas, different from the previous year's winner in looks and genre, and highly promoted from the beginning. What about Kelly Clarkson? Season 1, there wasn't a proven American Idol formula nor established fanbases prior to the airing of the top 24. Wouldn't it be exciting if someone won, who had little promotion, that came out and surprised the heck out of everyone with "A Star is Born" moment!


Am I still watching? Yes! Wouldn't miss it for the world!

Best of Show?

The top twelve guys walked down the stairs like they were waiting for their prom dates. The 60's theme and the songs they sang: "Happy Together", "More Than Yesterday", "Breaking Up is Hard To Do", "What a Day For a Day Dream" and "Wait Till the Midnight Hour" along with attire (Chikezie's suit looked like he had matched his date's dress, only missing his carnation on his lapel) and hair - ok, I would be remiss if I didn't mention Leif Garrett Frampton and his vintage (ow) hair, set the stage for the ultimate cheese. Garrett even sounded like he could have been the band singer for the prom band! I had a flashback to the game "Mystery Date", where you opened the door and the date was waiting for you! Dreamy (Luke), Cute (David A.) Surfer (Jason C,) Bad Boy (Robbie -did I make that category up?) and Dud (??? - we'll see Thursday!) Fun!

My pick for best of show, someone who had not been highlighted, whose praises had not already been sung louder than Lakisha Jones' money note ie Michael Johns and David Archuleta, is Jason Castro.

24 of the most talented we have ever had? I'm not so sure after last night. They were ok - good but great?

Said in best Randy's voice: Come on, Come on girls, you need to put your best game face (and vocals) on tonight!

Vote for Alexandrea Lushington!

AMERICAN IDOL SEASON 7 - THE UNVEILING

AMERICAN IDOL SEASON 7 -

THE UNVEILING!

Happy? Sad? Mad? Deep breathing really works! If you didn’t read the spoilers and just went by what was shown of the auditions and Hollywood Week, I’m sure you are wondering who a great deal of these people are! Especially since several of the guys we have only seen for 5 seconds in the “I’m about to be a star” or “Thanks, it’s been real” chair! Your Top 24 are pictured above:

Top 12 Girls:

Amy Davis: Former swim suit model from Indiana – this year’s Haley.
Amanda Overmeyer: Respiratory nurse also from Indiana. Said to be the rocker girl.
Ramiele Malubay: From Miramar, Florida. A Filipino powerhouse in a little package!
Joanne Borgella: Another pretty model, for plus size women. Won a contest called “Mo Niques’ Fat Chance.
Kristy Lee Cook: One of several contestants who have had a failed record deal. She is the most athletic of the group.
Kady Malloy: Has had some indie success with Amie Street (she was the one who did the Britney Spears imitation)
Alexandrea Lushington: A young Melinda Doolittle, who is only 16! Was on Star Search when she was 11. Hails from Douglasville, Georgia.
Brooke White: Carole King made hip! Plays keyboard, also has a couple of cds. Calls Arizona home.
Alaina Whitaker: a 16 year old who thinks she is the next Carrie Underwood!
Syesha Mercado: From Florida, she has been in many commercials and was on the show “The One.”
Carly Smithson: From Ireland originally, has had a major record deal, which flopped. Has been said she is “The Chosen One” by American Idol to win.
Asia’h Epperson: Her father passed away right before her audition. Has a rich, breathy voice.

Top 12 Guys:

David Cook: One of the many rocker guys from Tulsa, Oklahoma
Colton Berry: A theater guy – expect high drama!
Robbie Carrico: From Melbourne, Florida his claim to fame is that he was a boy-bander with some success in the group Boyz-N-Girls United.
Garrett Haley: 17, Leif Garrett and Peter Frampton rolled into one, said to have a high pitched voice. A Mid-Westerner from Ohio.
Jason Yeager: Was on the show “Making the Band.” His mom is a Gospel singer.
Luke Menard: An a’cappella singer in the band Chapter 6. Married!
David Hernandez: From Jordin Spark’s homestate, Arizona. Has nice range – the Rudy Cardenas of Season 7.
Michael Johns: One of the favored ones! Has had a record deal, his own band and comes from the land down under! One of the oldest contestants.
Chikeze Eze: Only African American guy, from California. Loves Soap Operas, Donnie Hathaway and admire’s Michael Jackson moves, style, voice and performances.
David Archuleta: 17, Winner of Star Search when he was 12, from Salt Lake City.
Jason Castro: Dreadlocks! Anxious to hear him!
Danny Norriega: One of the first openly gay contestants. Is Simon ready for him?

Here’s my pick for the top 10. Not in any particular order.

1. Alex Lushington
2. Robbie Carrico
3. David Archuleta
4. Carly Smithson
5. Asia’h Epperson
6. Brooke White
7. Michael Johns
8. Danny Norriega
9. David Cook/Jason Castro/Chikezie Eze
10. Alaina Whitaker/Ramiele Malubay

Wow. Not only talented but one of the prettiest seasons ever!

Have you done that yet Kanye?

Huge Idol presence tonight on the Grammys! So, I missed the first 5 minutes and guess who I see? None other than Carrie Underwood singing "Before He Cheats." She owned the stage! I loved the dancers and she did not disappoint her fans, she hit the power notes at the top of the stairs to end the song. She of course, was probably the prettiest singer there! Carrie and Jennifer Hudson, the only Idols to take home the Grammys!

Fantasia did not win her category for best R&B vocal performance - Alicia Keys won for "No One." Alicia Keys is unstoppable. As much as this song is overplayed on the top 40 radio stations, I still like it a lot!

Daughtry - nominated for best rock album ................DNW! OMG! He lost! SHOCKER! Lost to the Foo Fighters! I would have guessed maybe Bruce Springsteen would have beaten him but the Foo Fighters?

Vince Gill won for best country album. Vince and Amy are the cutest couple, seriously! Vince's one-liner made everyone laugh out loud - when handed his Grammy by Ringo Starr, he said "I have been handed a Grammy from a Beatle. Have you done that yet Kanye?" This was in response to Kanyes' over-the-top postulating of I am the Greatest! At least when Ali said it, he was like-able. No denying his talent as he went on to claim 4 Grammys for the night.

So many incredible performances! Speaking of the Beatles, the tribute to the Beatles had to have been one of the highlights of the evening. I was mesmerized by the singing, the Cirque du Soleil interpretation - my son thought the VW taken apart was amazing; he was hoping they would put it back together! I was feeling sad that Paul wasn't there to see it live. The young man who sang "Let it Be" sang just like the Beatles. I had to sit up and look to see if it was actually his voice! I'll have to look up his name.

My favorite duet was Tina Turner and Beyonce. Be honest. Didn't you think that Beyonce did the rocking hips, the run in place, and head shake, hair fling just like Tina? When Tina started her intro into "Proud Mary", I watched, waiting for it to build uptempo. Words cannot accurately describe this song's effect. You have to feel it to get it. I watched Sanjaya and Melinda Doolittle perform "Proud Mary" together last summer. Their rendition was a surprise to me. Critics felt this song gave both of them a chance to shine, some extremely shocked that Sanjaya could pull it off. I loved it! But last night, Tina was in rare form. The addition of Beyonce was an interesting twist. You just can't touch this performance!

I liked Feist! Never heard of her until last night. I'll be looking for her music. Very catchy beat!

Who Knew: Fergie can sing a ballad! No popping, no hip hopping, just sweet, sweet sounds!

Morris Day and the Time! Brought back memories, then Prince! Wow! Flashback to "Purple Rain!" We were only missing Shelia E.!

One last high-five for the Pavarotti tribute. I am sure he was honored by their moving, spirit-filled song.

My favorite quote: A country song is three chords and the truth.
Grammys 2008 - What fun!

Alexandrea Lushington, One of the Young Stars?

Nigel Lythgoe has talked about the young hopefuls as being some of the best he has seen. Speculation has been about David Archuleta, Syesha Mercado and Alexandrea Lushington, all just 16 when they auditioned.

I met Alexandrea at the Atlanta Auditions along with several other hopefuls. This was my first experience attending an American Idol audition and had no idea what to expect. Maybe that was good because I felt something special was going to unfold before my very eyes! That is what is so great about Reality TV; anything can happen and you get to witness it!

Alex is pretty, very tall and has an incredible voice. She has some demos up on her myspace page www.myspace.com/mizalex91

When I met her, I could tell there was a star quality about her and that was without even hearing her sing! I couldn't wait to hear her music! I was not disappointed! She is definitely top 40 material - "I'm Cool" and "Clones" are my favorites of the songs she has up.

A well rounded young teen, Alex is clearly doted on by her large, extended family. After meeting her dad Rene, a tall (you can see where Alex gets her height from) gregarious man who makes sure you know that Alex is not a slacker when it comes to school. He would not let her compete unless her grades were good. It is not just about her singing, she had to earn the right to take off from school work to perform.

I was most impressed by her self-confidence; she is very poised without coming across arrogant (you know how Simon loves to use that phrase -"You aren't as good as you think you are") yet you knew instantly she was going to be a contender; a presence to be reckoned with!

I'm rooting for you Alex! Stay strong and don't forget, it truly is about song choice in this competition. Choose songs that the viewers not only will identify with but that the general public will want to sing along to!

THE RETURN OF THE ANTI-SIMON!

OMAHA -

I'll admit it. I am so envious of Chris, the 2008 Ross-The-Intern, who took my dream job! I could have brought presents! I want to be the Soccer Mom covering Idol between games and drop-offs! Soccer Moms deserve breaks too!

Simon has created a new persona, the Anti-Simon! Sounds like something Prince would sing - the Anti-Simon - oh no, let's go! As a nice person, I actually like him. How long will it last before he thows a little extra pepper on it?

Back to the show:

Rachel Wicker- the thing I liked about her was that she had short hair! First blonde country singer to go through with short hair.

Angelica Puente- happy for her reconcilation and her voice made her dad proud!

Samantha Sidley- loved her voice on the Norah Jones song. I could listen to her audition over and over!

Jason Rich- I am so glad Simon let him finish singing. He has a beautiful tone. I was so afraid he was getting the boot for forgetting the words.

Leo Marlowe- Great personality, great voice, I would vote for him!

David Cook- Living on a Prayer - much better than Jordin's version. He had the right amount of edgy, yet soulful rock. Was that a fauxhawk? Was that a shout out to Sanjaya?

Red Wing sisters made it through but weren't shown singing!


MIAMI - Rhythm is going get you, tonight!

Shannon- MeatMamma! Hamburger Meat! She probably was ok but it is all about song choice baby!

Robbie Carrico- Good but obviously, RPS liked him better than me! I didn't like the first half of his song, the last half was much better.

OOOOH BABBY - but can he sing?
Ghaleb! Sing Spanish to me! Not sure how he would do during theme nights but he would win hands down on Latin night!

Ramiele Malubay- I just love her! Only heard Melinda Doolittle sing it better but she gives her a run for her money!

Syesha Mercado- a powerhouse voice, she isn't messing around, she just gets down (sorry, that came from somewhere in the 70's recess of my mind!)

Julie Dubela, you started out good then what the heck happened to get Simon all riled up?

Why didn't they show Matt Sato? He made it through. He is just the sweetest thing; I really wanted him to make it this year!

Omaha and Miami showed lots of promise!

Next up: Atlanta!

Waiting is the hardest part!

I confess! I looked at the rumored spoilers posted by joesplace on idolforums. I'm mad at myself for not waiting but also relieved to think I know who has made it into the top 24!

There were several different spoilers/speculators posting what their "sources" had told them.
The spoiler guru "RickyHoeGuardian", was MIA this season. But, joesplace reported she had a relationship with him and would be posting spoilers.

I read the first couple; my preseason pick and my best of the rest were missing from the chosen ones. I was feeling a loss, already vested this far. I'm sad for the ones who didn't make it; you know who you are. Another spoiler list was posted, this time by joesplace. Since she was right on the top 50 (48), her list is being revered as the correct list.

I'm happy again! Yes, her list has my pick on it! But, because of the conflicting spoiler posts, we will have to wait until the end of Hollywood to know for sure.

Have you looked at the spoilers?

Has IDOLBEAT Gone Country?

I had sent Drew Poppelreiter a friend request and he sent a personal message back. Sweet guy!

He has put up a myspace music page, which has made me change my mind about his voice.
I let him know that his audition didn't do his voice justice! Maybe it was the George Strait song - I am not a whole-hearted traditional country fan.

I love Phil Stacey; he is proclaiming to be country but I consider him more pop/country than out and out country. I maintain Phil has the best vocal range out of all the guys from last season. Go Phil! Drew has the looks and the voice to be a country ballad singer! I think he needs to sing about the girl who broke his heart or who wants to be his next girlfriend! He has 5 songs up; check out "Field's of Tupelo", "Be the Miracle" and "Take my Breath Away." Any of them could be played on a country station right now. But mark my words, if he sings to the young girls, country will have a lot of converts!

First it was Phil, then the Clark Brothers and now, Drew! Luckily for me, they all sing a different kind of country! Gosh, I forgot! I did vote for Marie on DWTS - maybe that makes me just "A Little Bit Country!"

Here is his myspace music site: www.myspace.com/drewpoppelreitersmusic

What do you think?

Nashville, are you listening?

How Many Long Haired Blondes Does It Take to Find The Next American Idol?

From what we have seen so far, we could field the top 12 girls with all long haired blondes and we have only seen 4 shows! We know the Carrie formula is big-time successful but I don't think the American public wants another Carrie. They like the one they have! But is it what 19E is looking for? What don't we have currently?

We have:

1. Long haired blonde country singer -Carrie Underwood
2. Bald male rocker - Chris Daughtry
3. Brown haired pop/country singer -Kelly Clarkson
4. Young curly haired female pop singer - Jordin Sparks
5. Chubby male R&B singer - Ruben Studdard
6. Curly haired male pop &r&b -Elliot Yamin
7. Blonde, male beatboxer - Blake Lewis
8. Bald easy-listening country singer - Phil Stacey
9. Cute, male bluegrass, gospel band ( I'm adding them because they are newly signed to 19 Recordings and will possibly compete with the top 12) - The Clark Brothers

We don't have:

a Natasha Bedingfield - Carly Hennesey Smithson???
a Chris Brown -David Archuleta / ????
a James Morrison- Michael Lee Johns? He has an accent but is more rocker although sang Otis Redding very well.
a female rocker - ?????

What will we get? We shall see when the top 24 are officially announced!


Highlights of San Diego:

Tetiana - Another long haired blonde!

Perrie from Arizona sang Boyz to Men's "I'll Make Love to You!" - Golden Ticket! Great sound, beautiful little boy, wife passed away in a tragic incident. His interaction with his son was precious!

Michael Johns, sang an Otis Redding song. RPS loved him, Randy saying a hundred million percent through! An Australian who is now living in LA.

Samantha Musa, fab, fab, fab! WOW! I think she has bounced to the top of my girl list! Bonus, she has dark hair!

Alberto, who I can only describe as a depressed eagle with long flowing tresses, complete with talons, never took off until he left the building. Strange!

David Archuleta, sang "Waiting on the World to Change." No mention that he won Star Search, only that he had vocal paralysis. He sang pretty good but forgot some words! He will become a bigger star on this show than when he was on Star Search. He will be in the top 24 and the top 10. I wonder if they will show his video of him singing for Kelly Clarkson when he was 12.

Carly Hennessy-Smithson, Irish Girl, hyped to the max, didn't sound as well as Samantha! She has tremendous controversy surrounding her already. Will she live up to the hype?

Charleston

Two words: Very Boring!

Shoot, another blonde got through again - this one's name is London.

I wasn't impressed with anyone. I feel like Simon OMG! Are there not GREAT singers in Charleston? RPS let through a few - is there a quota to fill, because "Dawg, I just wasn't feeling it!"

American Idol is Back!

January 18, 2008


American Idol is back and true to form, we witnessed a very entertaining season premiere! While the auditions are not everyone’s cup of tea, for some people, it is a chance to get a glimpse of the future American Idol or at least, to pick out an early favorite. For others, it is about the bad auditions. You know the ones – those poor souls who have been told they sound great, who have obviously been lied to by their families and friends. Many people will argue that American Idol is too cruel to those without musical ability, exploiting them in front of millions. Simon Cowell’s response is “We are not drowning kittens!” To try to rectify this, I have come up with my own awards, spreading some love even if I am not related!


Philadelphia Auditions:

Best Actressing: Alexis (The Janis Joplin Sparkly Girl – don’t laugh, I liked her voice!) Yes, she went off in an extreme temper tantrum and because it is supposed to be family friendly, she should have been edited more. Prior to her ranting, I thought they made a mistake not putting her through.

Best Actor in a Comedy: Ben Harr. He underwent chest hair removal on national TV!

Best Supporting Role: Ben Harr’s Hair.

Best Lyrics: Paula’s Stalker. He was a little creepy when he went too close to Paula but I was laughing at “If she was a bath tub, I would caulk her.”

Best Church Song: Kristy Lee Cook sang an incredible “Amazing Grace.”

Best Nerd: Star Wars Girl, Christina Tolisano. Duh. She thought all the people who were making it through looked the same. She had a point.

Best Hottie: Chris Watson! Someone please sign him up! He had dreadlocks, a beautiful smile and sang “Follow Me!” I didn’t expect him to sound they way he did. Loved him!

Best Loser: Joey Catalano – Dropped 204 lbs! Wow! He sang a Maroon 5 song and was good!

Best Story Line: Angela Martin and her daughter, who has Retts Syndrome. She is in this competition to get her daughter the care she needs.

Best Crying Girl: Temptresse Browne. Not a good singer but gosh darn it, her heart got broken and the tears flowed freely. The judges showed their human side (What?) and gave her a group hug, even walking her out to her family.




Dallas Auditions:

Best audition that didn’t make it to Hollywood: Bruce Dickson, the guy with the key necklace, who has never kissed a girl. I could write an article just on his audition but I won’t. Paula had commented that his look didn’t go with the R&B song he sang. I thought he sounded better than a few who were put through.

Best Tractor: Drew Poppelreiter. Honestly, his audition was not the strongest but he sure was cute on that tractor! Definitely a country singer!

Best Original Song: “We’re Brothers Forever!” A cult phenomenon has been created! Renaldo Lapuz, dressed up in an Angel Pimp costume, with Simon’s name spelled out on his hat, sang his original composition. Only a couple of lines long, it has become ingrained into the brains of millions of people! It has been put on youtube, watched more than 400,000 times and has now been remixed, with more than 200 different videos surfacing of it.

Worst Collection: I was prepared to love Brandon Green. I have been to his myspace and he has some great music up. But, when he unveiled his collection of old fingernails that he had peeled off over several years time, it made me go “ewwwwwww!” I have to work on getting rid of that visual because I like his voice a lot.

Best Blake Lewis Look Alike: Colton Swon. He is a prettier, 2008 version of Blake. He is a rocker, not a beatboxer, and can really sing! He is high on my list.

Best Impressionist: Kady Malloy. She sang a Britany Spears song, then Carrie Underwood before Simon stopped her and had her sing something where he could hear her own singing. She is a cross between Katherine McPhee and Carrie Underwood. She is being touted as Kady McPhee.

Best Candidate for President: Kyle Ensley, a frat boy who will undergo a major transformation ala Clay Aiken, if advanced from Hollywood.

Standouts so far: Kristy Lee, Alaina Whitaker (another girl who looks like Carrie Underwood) Brooke, Colton, Brandon, Kady, Chris and Alisha Dixson, who was shown only getting her ticket. She was the girl in Philadelphia who had the guitar strapped behind her back. I saw a video of her and she is a pretty good rocker. Maybe she was so good they didn’t want us to hear her audition!



Bring on San Diego!