Monday, February 21, 2011

AI Season 10- Thursday 2/10/11, Hollywood Round 1


(recapped from the DVR)

I guess we've always flown in to or out of LAX from another direction, because I saw the Hollywood sign from the air for the first time, last week. I love Hollywood week- that's where the real competition starts. Randy, as always, assures us that this year has The Best Talent Evah!

Day 1- JLo is wearing a tight, white, short dress, with cutout shoulders, and a slicked back ponytail. Randy is in a patchwork knit cardi, and Steven is in his usual outfit. With a scarf.

Of the 327 (!) kids who made it through, 160 will sing today, in groups of 10, a Capella, with no feedback from the judges. This is a make-or-break chance for all of them.

First up is Brett Lowenstern, Carrot-Top's Mini-Me. I remember his sob-story, which consisted of having a high voice and perhaps being *otherwise oriented*. He sings Let It Be in a gravelly voice. We didn't hear any of the other 9 in the group, but Brett and someone named Cynthia make the cut.

We hear small clips of Rachael Zevita (good), Casey Abrams (jazzy good- the Seth Rogenish guy), and Thia Megia (not good at all), who all get through.

The annoying Victoria Huggins is still annoying in her purple wrap dress and matching suede boots. Unfortunately, she can still sing. But surprise, surprise- she gets cut. She and her eleven suitcases are sent home.

James Durbin, with the unfortunate bandanna, faux-hawk, and tail scarf, not to mention Tourette's and Asberger's, but fortunately a great voice, gets the go-ahead. As does Paris Tassin, whose special-needs-child-sob-story (literally, Paris did all of the sobbing) annoyed me during the auditions. Former Miss Teen USA Stormi Henly, and Lauren Alaina, with the nice big voice, sing next. Stormi goes home.

Chris Medina, with the critically injured fiance, sings, and oooh my, it sounds awful. But the judges send him through anyway.

Holly Cavanaugh still sounds good. Jacee Badeaux, 15 and yet to reach puberty, makes it. So does Robbie Rosen, with the nice boy-band voice and great falsetto.

Steve Beghun, the large accountant, sounds wobbly to me. The judges agree, and he seems to be the only one of his group not to make it.

Awwww- Sarah Sellers didn't make it. Darn. I'm not quite as sad that belly dancer Heidi Kazam was cut.

Day 2: JLo is wearing a strappy black Paula-type dress. Randy is in a red sweater with white piping at the seams. Steven is wearing a black short-sleeved jacket over a purple leopard print shirt that appears to be made of silk.

We start out with a bunch of awful. Then Ex-Couple Chelsea Oaks and Rob Bolin sing. This time, I think Chelsea sounds better, and Rob's voice has no power, but both go through. After them, horrible current couple, Jacqueline Dunford and Nick Fink are up. Jacqueline is wearing a big fabric flower in her hair, and Nick still sports the Archuletta Grin. It looks like only Nick is rejected from the group. Oh, Nick. Oh honey, no. Don't beg. And please, don't stand halfway up the aisle and start to sing again. Yikes. It's telling that girlfriend Jacqueline abandoned Nick during this pitiful performance, walking ahead (and away) alone.

Scott McCreery is still Clay Aikenish, if Clay was a bass. He sings with a good growl, though I think he missed a note or twelve. Jackie Wilson, one of the rare Biggish Girls this season, still sounds great. Jerome Bell still needlessly embroiders Marvin Gaye. All three make the cut.

Tiffany Rios, formerly with the Shiny Cut-Out Boob Stars, is wearing an outfit that is too short, too tight, too transparent, and just too too. She's also sporting major attitude, telling the judges that she's tired of listening to others try to do what she can already do. She sings, but I dislike her so much that I don't know if she's bad, or if  I just wish she was. I like formerly homeless Travis Orlando, but there's no doubt that he sounds awful. He looks pretty bad too, prancing back and forth across the stage. Travis goes home, and unfortunately, Tiffany does not.

Another group of vaguely familiar faces flash by, most of them making it to the next round, including Junebug Clint, and that girl who cried  her way to Hollywood.

In fact, 168 kids made the cut, which means that we saw and heard but a small portion of them. In fact, I don't think we heard a single unfamiliar voice in this episode. I'm happy to note that Betty Boopish Emily Anne Reed made it. Woohoo!

Next episode- Groups! Drama! Surprises! Tears! Sounds like business as usual.

No comments: