Local Auditions News

Cingular Wireless - now the new AT&T - has renewed its deal with FOX, FremantleMedia and 19 Entertainment to provide American Idol fans with mobile access to memorable moments from the show’s auditions.

For the next three weeks, the Cingular Video library will feature up to ten bad American Idol audition clips. To access the clips, consumers need to have a 3G phone and must sign up for the $19.99 MEdia MAX Bundle, which includes unlimited Cingular Video.

In addition to video content, ring tones are also available.

Throughout the season, AT&T’s wireless unit will be introducing new American Idol-themed content, as well as returning favorites such as IDOL Chat, IDOL Trivia and Live IDOL Tones, just to name a few.

The show’s last season generated more than 64.5 million text messages.

Associated Press Writer Solvej Schou has been singing since childhood and performs professionally.

Last summer, she auditioned in Pasadena, Calif., for this season's American Idol - not as a reporter but as an aspiring contestant along with 10,000 other first-rounders. Here's her report ...

I've been singing since I was 4 and performing in bands since 15. Nothing, however, could prepare me for auditioning for TV's hit competition American Idol.

It was a chilly morning in August.

I slept through my alarm, set to 3:30 a.m. A friend's call half an hour later woke me out of my nervous sleep. After quickly shimmying into a bright red vintage dress, I rushed over to the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena for the Los Angeles area audition (airing on FOX on Jan. 31 at 9 p.m.).

Bleary-eyed and shivering in the pre-dawn darkness, I took a place in line along with 10,000 other aspiring contestants - from teenagers to those like me in their late 20s.

People brought their mothers, fathers, best friends and aunts. One read "Idol" judge Simon Cowell's "I Don't Mean to Be Rude, But..." Some piled on makeup. Others rehearsed their songs - loudly or whispering. Most everyone yelped and screamed at the FOX cameras twirling past.

I came alone (it was too early for everyone I knew) and murmured lyrics under my breath. Friends called to keep me company. My feet started to hurt.

I'm a blues-singing garage rocker at heart, not someone prone to trying out for a commercial endeavor such as Idol. Yet prodding from friends and family prompted me to give it a chance. Even my bandmates said, "Hey, why not? Go for it."

The song I chose to audition, "Rock Steady" by Aretha Franklin, was a favorite — soulful, sassy. Not as ubiquitous as "Respect," but still bold. I felt committed. I had already been wearing my Idol audition wristband for two days.

Once inside the stadium, after hours of waiting for the gates to open and then that mad dash inside, I found my seat, surrounded by a mix of saucy trash-talkers and shy couples.

Mostly, the tension was palpable — somewhere between wide-eyed hope and crushing anonymity. But there was also something else in the air: a joyful love of music. It felt easy to get caught up in that rush, regardless of the odds.

Questions looped through the crowd.

"Are Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul here?"

"No they're not."

"I heard they are!"

It turns out they weren't — by a long shot.

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Her audition wasn't as stirring as that of Sundance Head.

But Sarah Burgess did capture many hearts with her tale of persistence. Watch the clip below and see how she fled to New York auditions against the wishes of her parents - and the wowed the judges:

Was there big talent in The Big Apple? Did anyone step up to knock Sundance Head off the headlines? Let's sum up American Idol's New York auditions and find out ...

Most tiresome reality TV wannabe: Ian Benardo. You didn't make it on So You Think You Can Dance and you didn't make it here. Time for a new career path.

Top tear contestant: Sarah Burgess. Her sob story of no daddy support won over the judges. But she'll have to actually perform well, not just cry well, in order to make it in Hollywood.

Best audition: Kia Thorton. Great name. That always helps. Sort of reminds us of a smaller Mandisa, which is meant as a compliment. This gal has potential.

Best BFF: Amanda Coluccio and Antonella Barba. They looked a bit like they got lost on their way to a Pussycat Dolls tryout, instead of American Idol. Nevertheless, looks are part of making it big, too. Can't blame them for hotness.

Most harmful to Paula's sanity: Jenry Bejarano. We don't think Paula Abdul was drunk during this audition, just a fan of a guy who can definitely carry a tune. Still, he is a minor, Paula. Be careful.

Second weirdest name: Jory Steinberg. Sorry, Jenry has you beat by a tad, Jory. But you can get him back in Hollywood when that whole singing competition really takes off.

Slammingest Body: Porcelana Patino. She wasn't a terrible singer. But the look and attitude is what will give this gal a chance on the big stage.

Who says American Idol is too mean?

Producers of the show recently came up with a way to help an Oklahoma Navy officer who faced a missed tryout because his wife gave birth to their second child.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Phil Stacey of Shawnee persuaded producers in Memphis to let him audition early so he could return to Jacksonville and be with his wife, Kendra, and their new daughter.

In return, American Idol did ask for Stacey had to arrange to videotape their reunion.

Stacey's father-in-law - Mark McIntosh of Shawnee - says the producers like the taped reunion enough that they plan to use it on the show. Look for it this evening.

Miss the show last night? Or watch it and curious to see our take on Seattle singers? We've reviewed the most recent American Idol auditions.

Below, meanwhile, is a clip from an anxious contestant before he/she tried out in the Emerald City. Take a look at how hopeful Idols prepare before they face the wrath of Paula, Simon and Randy:

It's a bit early to crown American Idol favorites and a bit early to grow too attached to any one contestant.

But it's never too early to enjoy a few American Idol photos. Here are a handful from last night's auditions in Minnesota:

The Magistra, an American Idol blogger just like ourselves, recently reported on season six auditions in Birmingham.

Evidently, the field looks weak. But many great contestants - such as winner Ruben Studdard - hailed from the state. So there's gotta be some hope, right? Here's her predictions for these auditions, along with a clip of Simon and Randy arriving in the city ...

1. Studdard will make a super surprise guest appearance at the auditions, because what else does he have to do?

2. This year’s eventual American Idol winner will come from the Birmingham auditions.

3. The winner will be from the South because America will never crown a Northerner as the American Idol.

4. The eventual winner will be a country singer, whose lack of talent Simon will malign for the first twelve weeks of the competition. Nevertheless, by the finale he will be singing this person’s praises and saying, “I totally knew he/she had it in him/her to be the winner of this here competition.”

5. The Powers-That-Be will choose the Birmingham audition episode to premiere Bo Bice’s brand spankin’ new Pantene Pro-V commercial.

6. Crazy Dave will audition once again in Birmingham. This time, he will not score a ticket to Los Angeles, but he will score Paula’s digits.

7. Ryan Seacrest’s Alabama costume will include bare feet, a straw hat, and overalls with no shirt. Because he’s just that subtle.

8. Paula will provide the savviest advice of all the judges during the Birmingham auditions when she tells one contestant, “Meat, meat, apple pie. Brownie sundae in my eye. Peace pipe, peace pipe, chicken dinner. Turn your head and cough, you sinner.”

9. The Most Imitated Former American Idol Contestant at the Birmingham auditions will be Taylor Hicks.

As American Idol judges hoped to find the next Taylor Hicks in Seattle, they were faced with more impressions of William Hung than any winner of the FOX reality series.

However, The Seattle Times reported, the panel amused themselves with ample quips about the city.

"I think it must be something in the rainwater," said Randy Jackson, during a break in auditions, which continue today at a downtown hotel.

"They are astoundingly awful," said Paula Abdul, actually not offering praise for once.

After two hours of auditions, the judges had let through three of the first 12 hopeful stars. But at least the bevy of awful ones should make for entertaining TV when Idol returns in January.

"Wild. Insane. Maybe depressed," suggested Jackson, to explain the lack of talent seen so far.

At least the group of singers countered the Seattle stereotype that the city is too nice. they did blow apart one Seattle stereotype: its politeness. One wasn't exactly inviting to Simon Cowell.

"They told me not to come back to your country," said the Brit. "I really feel unwelcome."

An estimated 9,000 singers came to audition Sept. 19 at KeyArena. About 150 advanced to the next day's second round before the show's producers.

The American Idol staff wouldn't say how many singers moved on to perform for the judges over two days, but 30 to 40 sang Monday and more are planned for today.

Olivia Newton-John sat in as a guest judge during American Idol tryouts in Los Angeles on Tuesday, and had nothing but kind words for the hopefuls.

"Some of them are very young and they're green, but you can see their potential," she told People Magazine. "They have a different voice or a different way of presenting themselves."

The Grease star, who turned 58 on Tuesday, says she understood how the contestants must be feeling, having jump-started her own career on the Australian TV talent show Sing, Sing, Sing in the '60s.

Her advice for American Idol aspirants? Roll with what comes your way. The sting of rejection can be "terrible," she says, but sometimes it's for the best.

"I always remember what it was like for me and what it would have felt like to be told no. So I do feel for them. It's hard. But sometimes it's probably kinder for them, because they won't pursue something they don't really have the talent for," she said.

Newton-John joined the show's regular judging trio and host -- Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Ryan Seacrest -- at the third-round auditions, where she was presented with a cake for her birthday.

The FOX talent show returns for its sixth season in January. Other celebrity guest judges for the current round of auditions include Jewel in Minneapolis and songwriter Carole Bayer Sager in New York City.