Reality Ravings

The American Idol producers must not have believed their reality tv luck when an auditioners wife went into labor and had to go off to the hospital with the Idol cameras in the car.

Thank the lord they did not let the film crew into the labor suite otherwise it would have been like a scene from Here to Maternity with a chirpy Antonia Kidman giving commentary throughout.


Would Oliver make it back to auditions for a truly happy ending - well we would have to wait until the end of the show to find out.

Back at the auditions and in walks this funky looking black dude with an afro, and then he announces he is the "Black Clay Aiken" any cool factor just disappeared.

Even worse he sang a ballad, when I thought he would do some funk or soul number. The judges thought he was over the top and did not give him the golden ticket to Hollywood.

Next up was the sassy DeAnna Prevater a waitress from North Carolina who was deadpan hilarious talking about how disgusting the customers were on the all you can eat night at the restaurant she works in. She belted out a song but it just was not good enough.

Crystal & Randy proved you can find love as well as being a reality tv addict. They met on an American Idol message board, where apparently Randy gives advice to potential audtioners. After hearing his "tortuous" audition Simon was concerned about the advice he was handing out. Still it was worth it as Randy will have a cult following on the board for Season 7.

Michelle & Jeffrey siblings sang a Celine Dion song, expecting it to be shocking it was surprisingly good, helped along by Jeffrey's personality. Jeffrey was going to Hollywood but it was borderline for his sister. Simon gave the casting vote to get her the golden ticket, but it came with the advice of "You have 3 months to get your sister into shape" at first I thought he was being very rude about her size then I realised he was talking about her vocal chords.

Cute as a button 16 year old Amy Katherine Flynn pepped her way into the audition room espousing the virtues of abstinence. Randy and Simon were bemused, whilst Paula was probably thinking about her own involuntary abstinence.

Amy when she gave her "Wait to have sex speech" was the spitting image of Jamie from the cult TV show Summer Heights High.

She had an ok voice and got the nod for Hollywood. You could just about see Simon's mind thinking - "gosh I would like to corrupt her". Not a bad strategy if he wants to get out of his Idol contract early. Anyway he couldn't help himself when he said "One week in LA it will all change". Exactly look what happened to Jamie-Lyn Spears. Didn't some older producer sully her?

Again the obligatory sob story was shown, this one I thought was stretching it a bit. London Weidhers 24 years old sad story was her father died 3 years ago. Yes that is sad but doesn't have the impact of the more recent hard luck stories. As a fulltime musician it was just about a sure thing she got to Hollywood.

First up on Day 2 was airforce transport pilot Lindsay Goodman. The judges liked the fact she was a chick who could fly big planes but did not like her "caberet" singing voice.

Simon beamed when Aretha(yes named after Ms Franklin) from Buffalo came into the room. She said she was as good as Fantasia and she launched into a Whitney number.

Simon thought she was terrible, but made a comment about the belt. Aretha thought they were wrong and went out of the room disagreeing.

A perplexed Randy then said to Simon "Why did you mention the belt?"

Simon replied " But it was huge" This I interpreted as "I did not want her to think I was just staring at her breasts."

Then finally the new father was back from the hospital with the day old Emma Grace. Were we going to get the Hollywood happy ending? No unfortunately his voice just was not good enough.

By the end of the 2 long days in South Carolina 23 people will get a shot at Hollywood.