Yep, the contestants they show have a major advantage when public voting starts. It bugs me when people make the top 10/12 and you're like, "where did this guy/girl come from? I liked so-and-so ."

Where have You Been?

Missed seeing You on The Boards!:(

I dont even watch this crap even Tho Dani Boatright is from KC area and know Her Dad who is an ex KCKs COP!

I saw that. Apparently one of them is currently serving time.

Well... guess we won't see them in Hollywood unless 19E wants to post bail. (But I doubt it.)

It's all over the news here. That makes me sad. They were my favorites so far.

Yea that is definitely a bummer b/c they did sing well.... =however= if they are dumb enough to try to pull something like that to not only screw up their "Idol" dreams, but also their own LIVES, they deserve any punishment they get

Actually Josh Gracin has 2 songs playing on our local stations. One a ballad and one a quick one. Big Brass bed and Got Nothin to Lose, or something like that. Carrie's Jesus Take the Wheel is pretty good. I also have the CD and a few of the other songs are good on it too.
I agree with wanting to see more of the auditions of people who actually make it to Hollywood. This is why I always DVR the show. Then I can fast forward through the commercials and the BAD auditions!

Did anyone watch last night? It was actually pretty good! I have a new favorite, well two actually: Kelly Pickler and I can't remember the other girl's name, but it was the black girl who's gramma was a grammy winner!

Kelly had such a sad story, it really made me want to send her five bucks. Then the other girl had me and Mr. Anon speechless. Truly a goose-bump worthy performance.

The worst last night was Shawna Cupepper (I think that was her name) from Quinlan, TX. My cousin grew up and Quinlan, and that girl was the epitome of white trash that tends to come from them there parts.

I watched the second hour last night. The girl you were talking about is named Paris Bennett, I think. She is absolutely fabulous. They even asked her to sing a second song just because they enjoyed her voice so much. She will get a recording contract whether she wins or not. In fact, I thought it was strange that she didn't already have a contract, since her aunt or grandma or whatever is a recording artist. (Just because she would know the right people, and anyone who heard this girl sing would give her a contract - she's that good.)

We talked about the same thing, but then we decided it was cool that she WASN'T using her connections. She was doing things herself! You are right though, she's definitely getting a contract regardless!

I was more surprised that her grandma and aunt actually ENCOURAGED her to go to Idol first. If the girl wants to sing, her family should be able to help her out more than the web of 19Evil.

But she was awesome.

I'm still trying to figure out what the producers want. You'd think they'd want some suave, male pop star since they've got every other genre covered. (Country pop female, Soulful Diva, Rock/Pop Queen and Velvet Teddy Bear.) But there is NO eye candy this year. The boys are seriously lacking. Unless they are hiding him.

And the Lil Kim wanna-be tirade was unnecessary, over produced and over-hyped. Nigel needs better ideas.

Show me the finals!!!!

Is tonight's show more auditions??

Thank god the auditions are finally over. They seemed to go way too long this year.

Ooooooooo! Hollywood in 5 minutes!

And Group Sing on Tuesday...there's always great trainwrecks during that part of the competition. :D

I was totally crying for when that poor little cowboy was in awe of the ocean. It was such a pure moment. =sigh=

I wish I could have seen it... I've been really sick since yesterday and today as soon as I got home from work (3:30) I was out like a light and didn't wake up until a hour after it was over :(

I bet it was sweet watching the cowboy guy be so surprised at the ocean.. he seemed like a great guy, and I'm glad he at least got the chance to go to Hollywood.

I am totally in love with that Brett guy. Swoon.

That young cowboy was so precious! Mr. Anon was giving the dog a bath, and I cried while telling him about it.

Is Brett the bald guy with the sideburns? HE has an amazing voice! I felt bad for Kelly Pickler, she was really off. But many were on, including Miss. Paris...big surprise! There seems to be a lot of talent this year, I just hope the ones that have it get in the finals!

question: do the 3 judges see ALL the people that come to audition (all 100,000 or so people)?

if no, then why are the bad singers let in to be judged?

it seems like they only pick 30 out of the thousands to move on to hollywood.

in my opinion, for this season, the next american idol will probably be a white male. they have not had one yet. so, those who are trying out have no chance.

No, although that guy has an amazing voice too. Brett is the 25-year-old from Los Angeles who sang "If I Should Ever...." He had the dark, curly hair to his chin and the bright blue eyes. He was giving the camera those 'come hither' looks. HOT.

Double post.

The judges don't see all the people. They have people screen the contestants first. The only people allowed through are those who are really bad or those who might have a chance. The mediocre or dull people get cut before they even see the judges. Even people with good voices get cut at that point if they don't have what the producers are looking for in terms of appearance or personality.

I HATE guys with long hair - the borderline androgeny gives me the creeps.

He had a killer voice, though.

so i guess the secret to moving onto the next round is to act all crazy and sing with a bad voice during the screening process (make them think you cant sing and that you will be made a fool of in front of national tv). then, sing good while with the judges.

That one girl was SO good though - the one with long dark hair (weird hairline) at the very end.

Not only that, but not everyone who "sees the judges" really does see the judges. My sister-in-law has a friend that tried out for last season (but he was doing it as a joke, he knows he can't sing). They actually showed him on TV, supposedly in front of Randy, Simon, and Paula, but he told us that he never actually saw them. The footage was just spliced together, in such a way as to make him look like an idiot (i.e. showing him with a blank expression after being asked a question). After hearing that, it makes me wonder how many of these people are actually performing for the judges.

That's very interesting.....

I never actually thought they would do that.

That's why you rarely see the camera's pan from behind the contestant and focus on the judges unless they are doing a segment on him/her.

Most of those montages are spliced together and mixed in with judge reaction from other performances.

They got kind of sloppy this year though. When they did the "Lady Marmalade" montage with the judges looking "surprised" some of the contestants shown auditioned before the judges with different songs. I think Ultra-Tan girl was actually shown wearing something different from her original audition. But the producers probably pulled her in for the next day to get her singing Marmalade.

/AI dork-dom

There's a serious lack of eye candy in the male portion of the top 24 here...

I agree kddani... although I think that Ace guy is at least semi-cute... and the dean martin guy... i forget his name.

I'm sooooooo glad that pickering girl made it! I really like her voice & personality

Aren't there like 3 of them? ;)

I gotta root for the underdogs... Taylor the grey haired guy and the young kid that looks like Charlie Brown. Yeah... they probably won't last long if they make to the top 12, but it'll be an entertaining ride.

The girls all look and sound the same this year... I think.

Ace will be pimped as the Constantine of season 5 and the producers will probably let him stay a little longer this time. He'll also be billed as the bad boy heartthrob for all the tweens.

Even though the guys aren't much eye candy this year I have more favorites out of them then the girls.

My husband and I ABSOLUTELY love Chris!! We hope he goes all the way. I also like Tyler (the white haired guy) and of course Kellie. She has a GREAT voice, is so cute, and has had such a tough life that I think it would be great if she had a happy ending. I also gotta root for my fellow Illinoisian David...he lives in the same town my in-laws live in. And I give major props to Mandisa for telling Simon her feelings without stooping down to his level!!

Can't wait to see next weeks episodes when America starts voting!!

Is it on tonight?

I think it resumes next week

My early favorites:
- Taylor (grey haired guy)
- Bald, side burns guy
- Paris
- Brown haired girl whose mom is a singing coach

My favorites:

Paris
Katharine (has the singing coach mom)
Taylor (the grey haired guy)
Chris
Lisa
Kellie
Mandisa

I <3 Ace. I think he's sexy! TWOP is calling him Constantine II but I don't think he's anything like him. Ace is hotter and he can actually sing!

I also like Ayla Brown and the bald-headed guy who sings the rock n' roll songs.

I love me some Taylor. He reminds me of a young Michael McDonald. McDonald's site with pics

I also like:
Ayla
Kellie
Mandisa
Katherine
Paris

Hot damn, I think I love Taylor Hicks. I might have his kids if he asked me politely.

I also like Paris. I think everyone else is pretty generic...

My favs are:

Ayla, Kellie, Ace, & David

My LEAST favorites: Bobby, Bucky, Brenna, & Keevin.

Which girl was the basketball player? I think she sings really well also.

That's Ayla.