Hopefuls selected for show
by Kathy Daniel, reporter

    Only 19 singers from the American Idol auditions in Austin will attend the next round of auditions in Los Angeles.

   Such a low number was a big disappointment to the thousands of people who spent the night outside the Double Tree Hotel earlier in November for a chance to be on the hit show.

   I know. I was one of them … not a hopeful singer, but a supportive sister.

   The line opened at noon, and by 6 p.m. over 700 singers were in line. As time crept on, the number increased until the line was shut down at 2000 singers.

   As the singers lined up, they were given a ticket with their name on it, an American Idol stamp on their forearm and a number on their hand.

   All the singers, along with their families and friends, settled down to spend the night in the freezing cold. The hotel staff came around selling hot chocolate, tea, coffee and snacks for $1.

   The refreshments helped some, but many singers could not do enough to keep warm. Sharing blankets, air mattresses and even body heat, they did everything possible to stay warm.

   Around 6 a.m. the singers began getting their wristbands. Each singer received a colored band with the American Idol logo and was told which day they would audition: Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. As the organizers began to get low on wristbands, the singers had to audition to get one.

   For the first round of auditions, the singers auditioned for one of three producers. They entered the room in groups of five. After all five sang, the judges called the numbers of the singers they wanted to see again.

   The second round auditions were Saturday, beginning at 7 a.m. and continuing until 7 p.m. This time the singers auditioned for Nigel, the executive producer.

   Before the auditions, he told the singers he was not looking for the best singers, but a unique style. If he did not like their style, they did not move to the next round.

   He also told the singers stories from previous auditions. He said Motown had left Detroit, and there was no talent left there.

   He also said the producers found the worst singer in all of New York. When that young man auditioned for the celebrity judges, they told him this. He argued, saying it was not true.

   So, they challenged him to find someone worse than he was. The Idol team sent a camera crew to follow him, and they verified he could not find anyone who sang worse.

   Then in Atlanta the producers said they found the worst singer in the world.

   I don’t know what you would have to sound like to get that title, but I am sure we will find out when Idol 2 airs.

   While waiting to audition, a group of singers got together to sing gospel music. Their ability to harmonize, having never sung together before, was an amazing experience.

   Those who made it to round three auditioned for the celebrity judges—Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson. The fourth judge, Angie Martinez, quit earlier in the audition tour because she said she could not be mean to people when they did not sing well.

   The third round auditions were Sunday and Monday at the Hyatt Regency. After each person finished singing, the celebrity judges critiqued their performances, just as they do on the show.

   Although many talented singers auditioned, some not-so-good singers made it to the third round. We know we enjoyed watching last season when people made fools of themselves on national television. The producers, apparently, needed that aspect for this audition as well.

   At the second round auditions, one contestant, T.J., was not afraid to sing for anyone who asked. He sang Dirty Pop and Gone by ’N Sync, and he even knew all the dance moves. He made it to the third round, but when the judges told him no, he did not take it well.

   During a restroom break for the judges, T.J., followed Simon Cowell into the restroom. He kept asking Cowell why he had not been picked. In typical Simon-fashion, Cowell told him to stick to dancing.

   So, 19 lucky singers will go to Los Angeles to compete against those chosen from Detroit, New York, Atlanta, Nashville, Miami and Los Angeles.

   During those three-day auditions, the judges will narrow the group down to 30 singers to begin the televised show.

   It looks to be an exciting Idol season once again, so keep watching Fox to find out when the show will begin to air.