American Idol

Here is an inside look at the AI Season 8 audition process, from my point of view. I of course didn't make it very far, but that's just fine by me. I've had enough line waiting to last quite a long time thank you very much.

HERE'S WHAT I WORE, BOTH AT REGISTRATION AND AUDITION DAY. Yes, it really does say "Simon's Baby".


So I obviously made no secret of the fact I was expecting. As if I could hide it at this point. I thought it might be enough of a gimmick to get me in front of the judges and on TV, but no it didn't work. Oh well, it was still a big day with some really cool stuff that happened.
Registration began Sunday morning at 8 AM, I arrived at 8:10 or so. And it actually took less then an hour for the whole thing, there were less people there then I'd expected. A few hundred maybe. Later on in the day Sunday I heard on the news there was a longer line, with several hours waiting (and that's pretty much all outdoors!Yikes) so I'm glad I showed up near the front. Registration estimates I heard on the news were between 7,000 and 10,000 people.

Here's a picture of some people at the registration tables Sunday morning.....

And when you register they just look at your ID, then give you a sheet of instructions and a ticket with a seat number and this nifty wristband you cannot remove or destroy or anything. You have to have both those things to audition, it saves your place in line. Here's my wristband.

And then I went home to rest for the next few days. Auditions were Tuesday. Although they were not opening the doors until 8, the suggested time of arrival for the lineup was 5 AM. I could have arrived anytime before 8, but I was very obedient and arrived just before 5 with my bag of supplies (mostly food and water), a folding chair, and a small pillow for the much-needed lumbar support I require at this point if I'm going to sit at all for more then 20 minutes. The folding chair actually was supposed to be a prohibited item to bring inside this arena, but I got through security anyways. I think people were being a little nicer to me since I was doing this so pregnant.

So I arrived at 5. On the grass next to the line gates I tripped and fell on my face in front of tons of strangers, since it was so dark and there was a small hole in the grass I unluckily stepped into. I guess I was just trying to "break a leg", and I'm glad that was unsuccessful. I was just fine, got a place in line, and had to sit for 3 hours surrounded by noisy people practicing, gabbing about how awesome they were and how this show was going to propel them to fame but if they were not accepted they would be famous anyways because they don't need this show, etc. I just sat silently, feeling crabby that I wasn't in my bed and also SO glad I wasn't sitting on the concrete or standing for hours like everyone else there. I couldn't have done that.

Here's a random crowd picture from then. I sent it to Mike that morning, with this quote "Ugh. Who are all these people? What the world needs is a good plauge."-Dwight Shrute.

Then at about 7:00 when the sun was up, things started picking up. News stations and the papers and stuff were doing interviews with these people in the lines, and the energy was picking up some. Several of the former AI contestants have gone on to different jobs in the media, such as for the AI Extra show on cable or anchors on the TV Guide channel. Jon-Peter Lewis, who placed somewhere in the top 10 in Season 3(I think) was there with his mic doing interviews. I recognized him but didn't rush to him and gush or anything, I just laughed a bit and snapped this picture.

Then just a minute later I heard someone say,"Oh my gosh. That's Justin Guarini from Season 1." Now that to me is a big deal. I rushed a few feet over and saw it was really him, with that famous afro and everything. I made sure to get his picture also, and then I shouted,"JUSTIN! I VOTED FOR YOU!!!!" which was a total lie but whatever. Justin kinda looked over in the direction my shout came from and grinned appreciatively, unsure of who had said that. Back then I actually did watch a bunch of the 1st-3rd seasons, I had more time back then for TV watching w/ my husband, but I only occasionally voted for anybody. But Mike liked him a lot, and had said that if Season 1 had been a radio-only competition Justin would have beat Kelly Clarkson. I do not agree, but I could see the appeal of both of them. And I am one of very few people who saw the movie musical released the next summer, From Justin to Kelly. And then when it came out on DVD... no I didn't get it right away. But I did purchase it when it got thrown into the $5 bin at Walmart. And it was worth every penny and nothing more,I say! It's truly a "so awful it's awesome" type of movie. I was just so sad I didn't carry that DVD with me that day, on the off chance he'd be there interviewing. If I would have had it there and a Sharpie, I'd have run up to him and asked him to autograph it. And from something I read years ago, he'd have not been pleased. He does not really acknowledge that movie as something he's proud of doing, and doesn't really want to discuss it anymore. Yes it really did that poorly. Yes I still would have asked him anyways, I'm sad I had it at home. Still it was funny to see him.


A girl in the line told me she'd talked on the phone to a friend further back somewhere in line, and Kelly Clarkson was also doing interviews and walking around. That I do not believe. She's actually been very successful since the show, is currently reported to be recording CD #4, and is I think touring with Reba right now in a concert that comes to Utah next month. So I don't think so, sorry.

So then the line began to move, and they had a whole bunch of auditioners on the steps on the NW corner of the arena together for filming some of the group cheering/ chanting shots they do. I will hopefully be in one of those, they put me in front with my funny shirt on so maybe. I thought that would be fun, but actually it's really cheesy. You have to stand on the steps and cheer when they tell you to and stop when they tell you to so your voice doesn't get wrecked before you even begin. And they came up with all these cheesy things, like having us all count down from 8 and count up to 8 (since this is season 8) or yell as a crowd "Simon, don't be mean!" or "This is American Idol! Woo!" It gets annoying real fast believe me. Then you go inside and they move the cameras inside and have the whole arena of people do more of that same stuff. And they want shots of the whole crowd singing together "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" and "Get Ready", just in case they decide to air those. Such cheese. But whatever, maybe I'll be on TV for a millisecond. Look for me and that shirt I wore in January when it airs, and it'll only be in that type of shots since I didn't audition for any judges.

There were lots of crowd-control and direction assistants around, all wearing these bright orange AI shirts.

After we did those shots inside they began auditions at 6 tables, 4 contestants at a time in each line, continuously moving them through as fast as they could get them through. They said which order they would go around the arena in, which sections would be 1st and which would probably be there all day. Many who would obviously be a while left for the restrooms and food and stuff. Then an hour or so later the officials said there would be an audition break, and everyone needed to be in their seats right now, especially in Sections __ and ___ and___. They gave it a while but then seemed to get frantic, saying if those people didn't return within 10 minutes they'd lose their places in line so any freinds/family who came along with those empty spots better CALL AND TELL THEM TO RETURN NOW!! They waited a while more, gave away a few seats so there was no empty chairs, then announced an AI star was going to come in so "everyone cheer for RYAN SEACREST!!" It was kind of exciting to have him there, but he still wasn't very close to where I was.

He is really a good looking guy, I knew that already though. I don't however think he's into women, and something happened to confirm that. He was walking across the arena, willing to take a bit of time to shake hands and have his picture taken with some people who were close by. He walked by a woman with an infant, held the baby for a second and posed for a picture like a politician. I don't think he realized his mic was on yet, and he said to this woman, "Aw,cute. Well, this isn't really my type of baby though. My baby's got a English accent. And he's not here today." And I just need to say I SO KNEW IT!!!! Those jabs him and Simon are always throwing at each other are so very flirtatious.

ANYWAYS. It was kind of exciting to have him there, and he came to be filmed with the crowd for more of those cheering shots. It took 1/2 hour or so, then he bid farewell to the crowd with a "Good luck to you all, and I'll see you when we're in Hollywood!"
Now that they had that done, they could clutter up the floor with more tables, and increased it from 6 to 10 tables at once. The line started moving faster, but it was still about 90 minutes later until I could make my way down to the floor for my audition.

You get to line up in rows of 4 people and walk towards the tables, and audition for one of these producers. If they like your sound or image or whatever criteria they use, you get the yellow paper to pass into the next round, which involves another audition round or 2 and a pile of additional release forms. Hardly anyone got through. I don't believe all I heard from other auditioners in line, but one said they were only giving away 200 of those today in this round, and then there were more audition round(s) today which would cut the 200 down to 100, who would audition for the 3 'real' judges. And this part I didn't want to believe at all, but several people acted like it was true and just common knowledge even though I didn't like it, and then it was confirmed to me on the news with this clip, http://www.myfoxutah.com/myfox/pages/Home/Detail;jsessionid=F82C8CF9D3F04055408FB51424E34572?contentId=7088279&version=5&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=1.1.1&sflg=1. I don't think the anchorwoman was supposed to reveal this on camera, but there ya go.

The 100 or less who get to audition for the 'real' judges are given a letter to come back downtown in September, when the judges will be there. They were not even there that day, or even anywhere in Utah at all! They try hard with the editing on the show to not give that impression, but that's the way it is. That really kinda wrecks the 'magic' of the show, with them trying to make it appear that the kids that get in front of the judges have just gotten out of being in lines all that day and spent the night outside and everything. Bah Humbug, American Idol.

So I auditioned about 12:45 with "Unchained Melody" after saying it's reported as Simon's favorite song, it took about 90 seconds, and they of course they sent me and the other 3 home. No more line! I was glad,it'd been quite a long day for me, I was having some excruciating back pain at that point and I just wanted to be able to say I did it. So I did it! It was kinda fun, it had its highlights. My gimmick wasn't over-the-top enough I guess. And it doesn't take a genius producer to realize that by the time the 'real' judges could see me for an audition in September, the pregnancy gimmick will be over with. That's just fine, all I wanted to do was try out, and that's what I got to do. I thought it would be great to perhaps have the chance to be offered a slot in Hollywood. I'd be probably the first person to be offered that chance that declines, and says,"No, I absolutely cannot go. I need to be at home taking care of my children and getting my husband through school. But thank you for offering!" I don't think that's ever happened on the show, that TOTALLY would have gotten me on TV.

So that's that! We'll see if I am on TV at all.