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Access Atlanta > American Idol Buzz > Archives > 2008 > February > 05 > Entry
2/5: Atlanta gets its time to shine
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s been four years since “Idol” had last brought auditions to Atlanta. We’ll see tonight how well we do. We do know Atlanta’s Alex Lushington will make it to the final 24, based on spoiler sites. She’s the gal I took a picture of last August after one of the Brittenum twins said she was going to win. And based on the fact “Idol” on Sunday promoted 164 finalists and 143 have been tallied from the first six cities, Atlanta will bring 21 more to Hollywood tonight.
I’ll be watching Super Tuesday at Manuel’s Tavern tonight and will blog late about “Idol.” (Hey, a Presidential election is more important than “Idol.” There I said it. Now shoot me!)
Anyway, “Idol” has promised more “back stories” so people can be more invested in the finalists. They have done that in spades. Now here’s a backlash to that, with this MSNBC commentator saying it has been more back story than talent.. I think the writer doth protests too much. This has and always will be an entertainment show first and creating talented, successful musicians is pure validation of that. Sure, a few sob stories might be irritating to some but I think it’s well worth it in terms of a good TV show. Here’s an excerpt of the writer’s moanings:
By giving struggling parents the chance at a better life for their sick children or even just reviving the dream of someone who thought they might never be able to sing again, the show gets to pat itself on the back as a Doer of Good Things.
But what gets lost in the rush to showcase auditioners whose stories resemble first-draft treatments of Lifetime movies is the ostensible purpose of the show itself, which is to be a talent contest. And if Martin, Brown, Archuleta and Guy Who Lives in His Car all make the top 12, it will only get worse next year as auditioners get savvy to the understanding that one way to succeed on the show is to make people feel sorry for them.
And look what Paris Bennett is up to? She helped open a steakhouse in Minneapolis..
And who is dating Taylor Hicks? If you care, check this odd piece of rumor out from Radar.
Comments
Commenting is now closed for this entry.
By Deirdre
February 5, 2008 11:41 AM | Link to this
That ‘beach girl’ stuff with Taylor is old news!
The ads for Hollywood week got me excited about the show again…one week to get through and then the REAL competition begins!!!!
By flats
February 5, 2008 11:54 AM | Link to this
FIRST!!!!!WOOOOOHOOOOOOO!!!Did everyone move over to the new blog?
By kellyfan
February 5, 2008 11:54 AM | Link to this
yeah! Or more appropriately, FINALLY! Whoo!
Presidential elections? Really? I mean, come on, Rodney…everyone knows that more people vote for Idol! LOL.
I will be watching both…
By Deirdre
February 5, 2008 11:57 AM | Link to this
:-)
By Deirdre
February 5, 2008 11:59 AM | Link to this
More people vote for Idol??? LOL!! Yeah, don’t you wish we could vote as many times as we want in the presidential election? Think what THAT vote count would be!
By Deirdre
February 5, 2008 12:01 PM | Link to this
Idol will be over tonight before the results of the voting are in…..we can watch BOTH! Plus, you know they’re going to have the early results on the screen along with the bad singers. :-)
By flats
February 5, 2008 12:08 PM | Link to this
Republicans rule!!!GO MCCAIN!!!
By flats
February 5, 2008 12:10 PM | Link to this
Republicans all the way!!!!
By ,,,=^..^=,,,
February 5, 2008 12:24 PM | Link to this
…and to whatever opinion you hold politically, here’s to a country that allows us to differ in our philosophy, our politics, our religion and our feelings. but please please please let’s not sink to political viewpoint bickering here at the ol’ AI blog … bicker about paula or randy or simon or the talent, ok? ~¿@ we had enough divisiveness to last a lifetime already..
and life’s too short to ruin ALL the mindless pleasures with politics
DUCK !!!!
By flats
February 5, 2008 12:27 PM | Link to this
Ok…big question of the day…..Mccain or romney?
By ,,,=^..^=,,,
February 5, 2008 12:39 PM | Link to this
LOL Deirdre, that’s the truth! we’ll have a banner across the bottom at LEAST, more likely the AI window will be squeezed up to the right upper corner of the screen and the other 3/4 of the screen will be voting results from hither, thither, and yon!
and of COURSE it’s important. whether you’re right, left, or smack in the middle, our lives WILL be changed by this election, in some way.
By Deirdre
February 5, 2008 12:43 PM | Link to this
greg…if you want to keep talking politics, go ahead. I’ve had enough recorded phone calls in the last few days to make me sick of it! I voted….now I’ll wait for the results of the vote.
I’m looking forward to the Atlanta auditions because…well, it’s Atlanta, and there are usually a good number of talented people. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we got to see some of them?
By Mike S
February 5, 2008 1:14 PM | Link to this
OK just for fun I checked with the judges and got thier takes on the candidates.
First Audition - Mike Huckabee
Randy - yo Dawg, I am just not feeling ya man. I know you want to get down with the country bumpkin but it’s not working for me dude.
Paula - I heart Huckabee’s was my favorite show!
Simon - Listening to you speak is like listening to some old tent revival preacher on a muddy dirt road in Southern Georgia. I just don’t see you selling in the big places. next.
Second audition - JOhn McCain
Randy - So, it’s like this dawg. I am all down with the war hero thing ya got going, but Vietnam was like 500 years ago. What have you done lately other than Geritol?
Paula - Chicks dig scars!
Simon - oh please give it up already old man. We had the crotchety old guy candidate who was a complete flop in 1996.
THird Audition - Mitt Romney
Randy - OK Dawg, so I liked the beginning a lot. You have a good voice, and you have the look. But dude what is up with the flip-flopping between styles? Pick one and stay with it.
Paula - you have to tell me who does your hair. ROWR!
Simon - OH please, I have heard your type a million times before. Massachusetts liberal trying to pass himself off as a conservative — ask John Kerry how that worked for him last season. NEXT!
Fourth Audition - Barack Obama
Randy - Yo dude that was hot, but I am a little concerned that you are too young for this competition. I don’t know dude, you have to have at least some experience to make it in this competition.
Paula - MMMMMMMMMMMM. Have you seen my new music video. I still have the moves big boy.
Simon - Sorry, we are looking for a President not a GQ model. Come back when you have hit puberty.
Final Audition - Hillary Clinton
Randy - Ok so let me be real hear dawg. The tears, not working dawg, too fake. I just don’t buy what you are selling.
Paula - Can I get Bill’s number?
Simon - That was horrible. Whoever told you that you can be President was lying.
WRAP UP -
Simon - We are going to need a bigger podium if she gets through. Did you see the size of those cankles? God what a sorry lot. This is going to be a horrible 4 years. I think i am going back to England.
By Deirdre
February 5, 2008 1:30 PM | Link to this
MIKE!!!!! LOL!!!!
I particularly liked Paula’s comments.
By ,,,=^..^=,,,
February 5, 2008 1:33 PM | Link to this
MIKE that was AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
YOU ROCK!!!*
sorry for shouting but it was ALL i could do to keep from bursing out loud here in the office….Thank God for small favors — the boss ain’t back yet!!!
LOL
oh man… Mike you’ve “published that” so can i copy it now and send it to friends?????
By ,,,=^..^=,,,
February 5, 2008 1:37 PM | Link to this
and of course that would be “bursting” out loud…. grrrrr
By flats
February 5, 2008 1:57 PM | Link to this
LOL @ MIKE!!!!!Did everyone move over to the new blog?I don’t understand the lack of posts…Come on peeps,JOIN IN!!!!
By flats
February 5, 2008 2:53 PM | Link to this
?????????
By Deirdre
February 5, 2008 2:58 PM | Link to this
greg…the blog is what it is…different than before..more like it used to be a long time ago. If you’re looking for a place to chat all day long about…just stuff…I think you’ll probably have to find yourself another group.
Or you could actually watch Idol, learn something about it and talk about the show for a change. Up to you!
By flats
February 5, 2008 3:02 PM | Link to this
LOL!!!!!THANKS!!
By Deirdre
February 5, 2008 3:02 PM | Link to this
And to point out the obvious, greg…if you wanted the blog to stay the same, you shouldn’t have worked so danged hard to change it.
By flats
February 5, 2008 3:10 PM | Link to this
D….I did work very hard to become a popular figure on this blog!I cover all areas of the news and yes,it has been very hard covering such a variety of thangs.I love Idol and all the people that bring it to us in the fall months.Spartanburg will hold auditions next year,that has me very excited.
By ,,,=^..^=,,,
February 5, 2008 3:14 PM | Link to this
linny clamps her hands over her mouth quickly and lets D just keep on handling this one
~¿@
By flats
February 5, 2008 3:19 PM | Link to this
I just want more new people to blog with us on a daily basis..I’ve been real good lately.
By War Eagle
February 5, 2008 3:25 PM | Link to this
Ok. I just got my vote in. The turn out appears to be up slightly.
By Deirdre
February 5, 2008 3:25 PM | Link to this
So who are you and what did you do with “I don’t like the show, I just got on here to bother people” greg? Which is it, kiddo? Just asking.
You are who you are, greg. But you can’t have things both ways. This blog is different for 2 reasons. We returned to the yucky old format…AND a number of people who used to chat all day about a bunch of stuff have left the blog. They left because you were harassing them…and I know you believe that you had good reason to do that but, now that they’re gone, you STILL don’t like the way the blog is.
The way I see it, you can either enjoy the occasional conversation that comes up around here and stop complaining or find some place else to chat. Have you looked into any of the sports blogs?
By Deirdre
February 5, 2008 3:30 PM | Link to this
We may get new people, greg…but if they have to pass your approval test before they can remain..that is unfair!
Idol is fading…so the number of people who join us this season may diminish. Can you live with that? Cuz the rest of us here are ok with it. That’s why we stayed.
My fear is…you’ll decide that someone who joins us isn’t your ‘cup of tea’ and you’ll try to run them off, too. And frankly, buster…I don’t think you have the right to do that…so I hope you’ve learned a lesson during your last attempt at ‘blog management’ and will leave people alone no matter how much you dislike them.
By flats
February 5, 2008 3:34 PM | Link to this
Yes D…..But i could never leave this one…I like kiddo..my grandmother called me that all the time.All the sports blogs take a beating from me on a daily basis.We need to recruit some new people to join us on here….then have a sighning day like they do for high school football players.
By War Eagle
February 5, 2008 3:37 PM | Link to this
I think I came back too early.
By flats
February 5, 2008 3:41 PM | Link to this
Eagle….Who did you vote for?
By ,,,=^..^=,,,
February 5, 2008 3:44 PM | Link to this
you know how Mr. Spock raises one eyebrow when he is assailed by total illogic?
consider my eyebrow raised! at greg!
D…. you nailed it perfectly. I personally think you deserve a medal for trying.
greg, just Relax will ya? just accept it… live with it. or go somewhere else to complain.
Nah, WE, you’re fine… LOL… glad you’re back.
By War Eagle
February 5, 2008 3:49 PM | Link to this
I’m going to keep that one to myself flats. I will say that I’m not overly impressed with any of them. I didn’t make my mind up until this morning.
By flats
February 5, 2008 3:50 PM | Link to this
yall are fine with me….I just said i would like some new people to join in and talk with us.
By Deirdre
February 5, 2008 3:51 PM | Link to this
Sorry WE but my BS meter started to redline! :-)
By flats
February 5, 2008 3:57 PM | Link to this
Buster?….D…Love you girl!I guess i can live with it!I’ll stay!
By Deirdre
February 5, 2008 4:03 PM | Link to this
WE, on the election choices, I’m with you…I’m not happy with ANY of them. I wish I could take a little bit of this from some and a little bit of that from others. The closest to my political philosophy at the moment is Ron Paul but he’s unelectable and is only close to the way I think…not on the mark!
By War Eagle
February 5, 2008 4:25 PM | Link to this
WOW D. I feel the same way about Ron Paul. He is a straight shooter that doesn’t try to fog everything up with a lot of big talk. But like you said he is unelectable so I didn’t waste my vote on him.
By ,,,=^..^=,,,
February 5, 2008 4:31 PM | Link to this
ok is it just me or does everyone get the blog all crammed over in a tiny column on the left???
i think i’m slipping into the twilight zone
By War Eagle
February 5, 2008 4:34 PM | Link to this
Yea Linny they got me pushed into a corner too.
WTF
By ,,,=^..^=,,,
February 5, 2008 4:43 PM | Link to this
RODNEY!!! i’ll behave, HONEST!!!!! please let me out of the corner!!!
By ,,,=^..^=,,,
February 5, 2008 4:47 PM | Link to this
OH! D’s having trouble even getting THIS much blog! i guess we’re lucky, WE!
‘bout time for me to head out…. if you get back on, D, your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to get advance info on the writer’s strike from your inside source
this tape will self destruct in 5 seconds
except that it takes five MINUTES to post it…. wonder how that will work out…
~¿@
By Rodney Ho
February 5, 2008 6:00 PM | Link to this
Isn’t this tech problem bizarre? They’re trying to fix it!
By Mike S
February 5, 2008 7:57 PM | Link to this
SO do I have to make short itty bitty comments to fit into the itty bitty blog space. LOL
By War Eagle (from school)
February 5, 2008 8:08 PM | Link to this
Damn, I am missing the ATL auditions. Some one give full details so I can catch up when I get out of class. Later
By Boney Morninwood
February 5, 2008 8:54 PM | Link to this
God I love blogging! I get such a blog-on when everybody is blogging away and life is so good. Blog me baby! Blog me!! BLOG ME!!!!!
By Deirdre
February 5, 2008 9:05 PM | Link to this
My blog is back to normal…I think.
Testing.
By Deirdre
February 5, 2008 9:09 PM | Link to this
I loved the biker/nurse…and I think she’s on the spoiler list.
And my heart broke for the girl whose dad had died a few days before. I was so glad that she had a good voice.
By War Eagle (from home)
February 5, 2008 9:48 PM | Link to this
So was ATL. represented well, or did it make us look like idiots?
By DAM
February 5, 2008 10:30 PM | Link to this
What was the song Simon asked the guy who lives in his car to sing?
Not his homemade song…….
By War Eagle (from home)
February 5, 2008 10:45 PM | Link to this
I wish I could help you DAM, but I didn’t get to watch tonight.
By Mike S
February 5, 2008 11:11 PM | Link to this
DAM - not sure what song it was .. sorry.
SO we got to see 6 of 20 Golden Tickets from Atlanta - 3 of Which are on the Top 24 Spoiler list. That means we have now seen 14 of the top 24.
ON to Tonight’s Golden Tickets
Josh Jones - not bad, nothing special though.
Asia’h Epperson - had us in tears. What a brave performance just 2 days after losing hr dad. and WHAT A VOICE!!! WOW. She is on the spoiler list.
Brooke Helvie - Lil Miss South Florida Fair. I think her picture is next to the definition of Airhead in Webster’s. Pleasant enough voice but nothing special. She wins Miss Congeniality though.
Alexandra Lushington - Tis is the girl the brattingdumbs have been saying is so awesome. She had a nice voice, but I didn’t see or hear “SUPAHSTAH!!!” Oh well, spoilers say she is in the top 24, so we shall see.
Amanda Overmeyer - move over Kim Carnes!!! What a voice. I loved her. She is on the spoiler list.
Josiah Leming - Good voice, but not great. I have three words for him “GET A JOB!” then maybe he can get out of his car!
By War Eagle (from home)
February 5, 2008 11:20 PM | Link to this
Thanks Mike. I was hoping someone would let me know how the night was. I needed to know who to “you tube” tomorrow