Missed Idol Part II (Golden Ticket Parade)

On the road to catching up... for the final show of the audition episodes, its a recap of all stops along the way, including Dallas, Los Angeles, Atlanta and Orlando and more.   So, even though I know we'll have a few crappy ones along the way, hopefully when Ryan says "We're saving the best for last", that means we'll see several faces that will pop up during Hollywood Week.

THIS IS

AMERICAN

IDOL

Once again, recapping the episode from February 3rd, here's the summary...

**Its a recap of "Pants on the Ground", and how viral its become.  Heard the guy that wrote it finally lawyered up so he could get actually get paid--the song has been sung by everyone from Brett Favre to college kids doing a YouTube video.
**Posh Spice is back?  What the crap? 
**Jessica Furney, who auditioned last year in Denver, is back to make it--she didn't make it last time around.  She sounds really good this time around.  Don't know that I'll remember her, but she sounded good.  She makes it.
**"This is my dream!"  "This is my life!"  "I want to inspire people!"  Just thought you'd want to hear the statements that I'd never heard.  You heard it here first.

Commercial break

**Here's a chick who does voices, including this weird "talk with my mouth closed" thing.  Amanda Shectman has a pretty simple voice, and sounds pretty good.  With much tears, she comes out holding a golden ticket.
**Lee Dewyze is busting out one of my Top 25 favorite songs of all time, "Ain't No Sunshine", and doin' awesome.  He's through.  Crystal Bowerman does some Faith Hill and makes it.

Commercial break

**Here's a bunch of people who have auditioned multiple times... last year, four years running, five years running, one chick who has done it 7 times.
**Lacy Brown is just as cute as a button... made the Top 50 last year, lost out to Megan Joy, but is now back to audition again.  I vaguely remember her... she's doing "Over the Rainbow"... she makes it!

"Over the Rainbow" is one of those songs that you and I have always known, or at least known about, but never really listened to much once you got older... but once you finally do, you realize... this is a beautiful, beautfiul song.  Like, I'm totally not gay, but I'm totally into Judy Garland singing this song in "The Wizard of Oz" (as well as her version of "The Trolley Song" from "Meet Me in St. Louis"--both movies on The Dave100).  Here's "Over the Rainbow", and you can watch "The Trolley Song" below.  By the way, this was done in one single take.



Oh, and if you've never heard the late, big and great Israel Kamakawiwo'Ole do "Over the Rainbow", you owe yourself a listen to it... here's that video...



**Stephanie Fisher is doing "Fever", admitting that she has a crush on Posh Spice, and is rubbing her own legs while singing.  Weird.  She wasn't absolutely terrible, but she wasn't that great.  Simon says "Horrible", and then she tries to sing "Baby Love", and yeah, its horrible.  It comes out "Babah lah, my babah lah..."  Diana Ross is sticking a pencil in her eye at this very moment.
**Rachel Hubbard sings for the judges, including Joe Jonas, while Thaddeaus Johnson does the auditions with Doogie Howser.  Genesis Moore sings while Mary J looks on... all three make it through. 

Commercial break

**The 6'8 Adrian "The Big Kahuna" Chandtchi is about to audition.  We know from the teaser before the break that this won't be pretty.  He describes himself as a blossoming "man-flower", and we further know this will end badly.  I want The Lovely Steph Leann to be here to enjoy this with me.  He's going to sing disgrace "Can't Help Falling In Love".
**Big Mike Lynche, who is a personal trainer and is the size of Toni Rocki Honda, is sitting with his woman, and they are going to have themself a baby daughter soon.  Good for them.  He's busting up some "Unchained Melody", which is making Kristen Chenoweth giggle.
**Didi Benami is auditioning in memory of her best friend Rebecca, who passed away a few years back.  Cindy Jo is crying into her hashbrown casserole.  While the bizarre Avril Lavigne looks on, Didi does a jazzy version of "Hey Jude"... that's a song that I didn't care for much, but Didi's version is... well, this is the first time I have said this during any audition episode, but its good enough that I'd consider an iTunes purchase.  Loved that.

Commercial Break

**Oh, after these next few auditioners, stock in Kleenex went up about 45 cents per share due to the amount that Cindy Jo will be using.  Its the backstory montage.
**You got Aaron Kelly, who had family troubles when he was a child.  He sings "The Climb", and actually improves it and makes it bearable. Like Miley's version, I'm sure after a few spins, I'd be tired of that version too, but it was really good. 
**A very big heart and being really into recycling and helping kids in Africa.  That's what Kimberly Bishop says are good reasons to send her through.  She didn't make it.
**Shaddaii Harris has a cute little backstory that makes you think that you'll like her... she looks cute, her mom is supportive, she's got spunk... and as Doogie Howser finds out, she has a terrible, terrible voice. 

Commercial break

**And here's Hope Johnson, a Texas native, who grew up in poverty.  She was so poor, she didn't know she was poor.  She's take food home from her lunch tray at school to give to her brother for dinner.  So what does she sing?  "I Hope You Dance", a song that makes The Lovely Steph Leann just flutter and cry. 

I say that in jest--The Lovely Steph Leann abhorrs that song.  She cannot stand it.  I love me some Lee Ann Womack, especially "I May Hate Myself in the Morning", but I can handle "I Hope You Dance", whereas The Lovely Steph Leann throws up in her mouth a little when it comes on.

This year, 100,000 people showed up to audition, but only 181 have gotten The Golden Ticket to head to Hollywood.

Okay, from this episode I'll remember Didi Benami and Lacey Brown.  This adds to the list of names from previous posts that I remember, which are Seth Rollins... Jermaine Purifoy... Shelby Dressel... Matt Lawrence... Tasha Layton... Andrew Garcia... Todrick Hall... Lloyd Thomas... Maegan Wright... Erica Rhodes... Katie Stevens, That 16 Year Old Maddy chick, Ashley Rodriguez... Luke Sheffer... Mallorie Haley... Vanessa Wolfe... Jermaine Sellers...  Paige Dechausse... Angela Martin and Charity Vance.