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Access Atlanta > American Idol Buzz > Archives > 2008 > August > 05
Tuesday, August 5, 2008
8/5: Puerto Rico to “Idol”- huh?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Typically, thousands show up to “Idol” auditions in cities stateside. But when “Idol” this week travelled to Puerto Rico, UPI reports that only 300 people showed up. (UPI is still around?)
Actually, UPI didn’t do any real reporting. It credited El Nuevo Dia.
Since “Idol” typically pares down 97% of first-round auditioners before they get to Paula, Randy and Simon, that would mean about 5 people and a very short audition day for the trio. But in reality, I’m sure this means the odds of seeing the three judges went up 20-fold for folks who bothered to show up. It’ll be like season one all over again.
Here’s video from the day, though it doesn’t indicate how few people were there. One person actually yodels to the cameras.
-“Nashville Star” concluded Monday night with our favorite Melissa Lawson beating Gabe Garcia, the runner up, and what’s her face, who came in third. (Sorry, her name has already beaten a quick retreat out of my brain.) I’m glad she won. I can’t imagine we’ll ever see her again but stranger things have happened and I hope she can put together a good record. And yes, Billy Ray Cyrus pulled “Achy Breaky Heart” out of the coffers for all to sing. Ah… the memories!
-Two “So You Think You Can Dance” dancers were sent to the hospital for dehydration. More details here though names were not released. People said it was Twitch and Joshua. Did someone forget to bring water to rehearsals?
-My hometown pub Newsday on Long Island gave a very reasoned, very fair review of the concert there.. He noted the relative lack of duets and trios that tended to litter past “Idol” concerts, sometimes to good effect, sometimes not so good.
But that was this year’s vibe — more about individual artistry and satisfying voting blocs than collaboration or fun. This may have been the most talented “Idol” Top 10 ever, but that didn’t make them more exciting.
-Here’s what my colleague Sonia Murray got from Jennifer Hudson Friday. This ran in today’s Peach Buzz:
Oscar winner Jennifer Hudson fondly recalled her history with the ATL backstage at Sugar Hill in Underground Atlanta over the weekend. “This is where I got my start,” she told us. “This is where my audition was for ‘American Idol,’ so I feel like this is where my star, I guess, was first conceived.” Hudson was likewise warmly received by a capacity crowd during her 40-minute set. Included (believe it or not): Mac Davis’ “I Believe in Music”; “And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going,” and her current Ne-Yo-penned single, “Spotlight.”
“This is the moment I’ve been waiting on,” she told the crowd of V-103 listeners. “When y’all sing my song back to me!”
-“Idol” won best reality music program on the Teen Choice Awards aired Monday night. David Cook won best male reality star. Jordin Sparks with Chris Brown won “choice hook up” in music with “No Air.” Carrie Underwood won choice red carpet fashion icon female. David Archuleta won choice most fanatic fans.
Rickey.org had this video from the show with David Archuleta, David Cook and Jordin Sparks:
