Oh HELL No... Jamar Rogers at Chicago Auditions

the first sign that next years idol will be just like every other year. pure crap.

oh and....FIRST!!!

Speaking of crap.....

Idk if this is the right spot to post this or not, but I couldn't wait to share this with VFTW! I was at last week's Atlanta auditions (my first time trying out for the show ever) and I just feel like it is my duty as a worster to inform everybody out there what a crock this show is (if anybody had any previous doubts, that is). First off, the "rule sheet" is exactly the same as Boston - only we had to sing "Oops! I Did It Again" by Britney Spears...seriously they made us sing this stupid song like upwards of 50 times (I dropped out after about 3). And as far as the big brother thing...retarded but true...we were told that they are "watching you even when you don't realize it." Like they can spot one person out of a few thousand that isn't participating - they are all the way out in the infield, so they can't even see the crowd up close. Oh! And out of 60-70,000 seats in the Georgia Dome, only about maybe 10 sections were filled (and when I say filled, I mean had people in them - and the producers still had to move people in to fill the seats so they could look full for the camera. So when you see it on TV in January, you heard it here first - my guess is only about 10-12,00 people auditioned - not too many considering that Atlanta has been the second largest draw (only behind LA) for auditions - there were nowhere near that many people. Editing is a beautiful thing for the idol producers.

Also, registration is 2 days...I was in the first group to get a ticket/wristband on day one of registration (sat outside from 10:30 p.m. Monday until 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, finally got out with a wristband at about 8:30 a.m.) But after that first rush of people on Tuesday, the rest of the day there was NOBODY lined up...except for a few stragglers who were in & out. Day 2 there was NO line...so don't believe them when they say that they had "record turnout" blah blah blah.

Now for the good part...the actual audition itself. There are 12 tables lined up on the field, each separated by a little cloth pertition. The AI ppl bring you down one section at a time, and line you up around the field. When you get to the 50 yard line, they put you in single file to the middle of the field (I know this sounds confusing - I got pics, just have to figure out how to get them posted) and count off in groups of 4, sending 4 people at a time to a table. This is a very random process (i.e. my group of 4 went to table 7, but the group of 4 behind me didn't go to table 8...maybe 1 or 10, no telling). Anyway, some friends in the stands noticed that certain lines were only picking certain people (maybe hip hop/r&b singers) and the line next to me only seemed to be picking people with stupid gimmicks or outfits - one girl was dressed up as a guitar. So my group of 4 approached the table, with 2 other groups ahead of us. 3 of these people were PHENOMENAL singers...I mean amazing. Then the 4th girl sang and the judges were literally LAUGHING IN HER FACE she was awful! And she is the ONLY ONE OUT OF THAT GROUP THAT ADVANCED TO THE NEXT ROUND!!!! The other 3 good singers were told that they were "so talented, great voices, just not what we're looking for this season." Then one more group in front of me went - same thing happened. 3 good singers were turned down & the tone deaf guy who they laughed at is the only one who got the golden ticket. So then my group was up & at this point, I figured out what they were doing. I'm not a bad singer, so I got up & sang my Journey song & nailed it...every note on key & they were like "great job." So then the others go, and there is one horrible one in there. They called us 3 up to the table & told me that I had a great voice, very talented but not what they're looking for this season. (Well I should hope not in that case!) So I went my merry way, dignity intact. Then I called some of my friends who had gone either ahead or behind me, who are incredible singers, and they had gotten cut too. Just out of curiosity, I asked what table they'd gone to. Every one of them just happened to get at table 7. So basically what Idol is is a numbers game. If you're a decent singer & go out for this show, you are scratching off a lottery ticket, and if you get stuck in a line that is looking for a certain type, you are screwed. (This probably explains why people keep auditioning year after year...they are compulsive gamblers!)

As for those who made it through that first round, they have to go back to Atlanta in July to audition again for the executive producers, then "the big 4" I know this because one of my friends lucked out & got in table 5, who were actually looking for good singers. Oh! And I'm pretty sure it's pre-determined who goes to Hollywood because when he got back there (winners go to a room backstage) they were already discussing the distance from his hometown to Hollywood...and they were only doing this with certain contestants.

That's all I can think of for right now....I will post more as it comes to mind. Obviously it was a lot to take in! lol I'm thinking about going again next year, only this time with an undercover camera (since they don't search you) and do like an Idol expose documentary.

One thing that I don't know if it's been covered is this:

Since they send people to sing in front of the judges (Randy, Simon, Paula, Kara) to tape for the audition shows at the beginning of the season, that means we'll find out if Kara is back next season, right? I figure someone will blow the whistle if anything is up.

I'm sure he'll sail through and make it to at least the top 50 again if not the top 36 this time. It's been admitted that the show is cast like any reality show, and he appeals to a coveted demographic. And since most people drink the Kool-aid, they'll think everything is on the up and up and that he got there on his own merits. We know better, but there aren't that many us. We need to keep the pressure on though.

Like a forest bows to winter... Beneath the deep white silence... I will quietly resist
Like a flower in the desert... That only blooms at night... I will quietly resist - Rush

front_row_alto, you just confirmed what we've all been saying on this board for years. The dirty little secret that the Idol producers have been trying to hide from the public is that the auditions that they have are a complete and total sham. Any contestant who makes it as far as the Top 36 on this show was already cast in closed-door sessions long before the auditions are even held. The only reason that TPTB even bother going through with this charade every year (aside from giving the illusion that this shitfest show is a legitimate competition) is to gather enough footage of terrible singers for the first three weeks of shows in January. Honestly, it's pretty pointless of us to complain about producer plants on this show, considering that ALL contestants with even a modicum of talent are fucking plants!

In response to the question about whether Kara will be back...

You're right, if she's there in July, we'll know for sure...I know somebody who got the callback for July, so I'll ask her when she goes if all the judges were there & keep it posted here.

RBlood:

The show desperately tries to propagate the image that it's the last refuge of "undiscovered talent"-- if you're from Anywhere, USA and you have ability, you can just walk up to an audition and start your magical journey toward stardom. After 8 seasons, we know that's nothing but a bullshit fairy tale, yet a lot of people still cling to the belief. If we can disabuse people of that notion regardless of how much the producers stack the deck, we're doing our job.

Like a forest bows to winter... Beneath the deep white silence... I will quietly resist
Like a flower in the desert... That only blooms at night... I will quietly resist - Rush

I wonder what Jamar went to jail for. We'd appreciate any info anyone has.

Signatures SUCK!

I'm too old to audition for AI, but my little sister is only 24 and a pretty good singer so I went with her to the auditions in Chicago this morning. I didn't see anything worth reporting back on, other than that I was going to break the news that Jamar was there, but of course VFTW was already one step ahead! My sister didn't get selected, and that put me in a bit of a foul mood, and then as we're leaving I see Jamar with a little crowd around him and stupid kids getting their picture taken with him. So I yell "Hey Jamar, your best friend is a douche!". He seemed to get pretty pissed, and I'm guessing maybe that wasn't the first time he's heard that. So he yells back "Why don't you say that to my face?" to look tough in front of the 16 year olds. So I yelled back "That was to your face!" which in retrospect was pretty lame, but it wasn't like I wanted to beat the guy up for being friends with Gokey, I just wanted to make fun of him a little. If anyone caught that on video, send it to me.

how desperate...nuff said