Thanks to all the auditioners who revealed the contorted inner workings of the Idol audition process. I considered auditioning in Atlanta, but decided that going to college and getting an education is a better use of my time.

I always knew it was rigged, I have been reading VFTW for years now, but I had no idea that trying out could be such a miserable waste of time. Thanks VFTW.

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Not only a waste of time, but a waste of money. I don't know which pisses me off more.

My daughter made it through to see Simon two years in a row now. There are a few misconceptions about the auditions that people have unless they've experienced getting through the first 3 rounds. When they "plant" somebody in the crowd, that contestant went through just as much of an audition as anybody else. They just had a lower number and auditioned already. When somebody makes it through the first round of auditions, they immediately take them behind closed doors to sign all of the contracts and then they will ask a few of them to go back out and sit in the crowd to get a camera shot of them just in case they need it later in the auditions. I agree that there are tables that are told to look for certain types of people, or nobody at all. We saw that first-hand our first year out, and that is very frustrating for a talented singer.

AND .... the contestants are not planted!!! My daughter made it through and she was definitely not planted!!! She had to stand in line just like everybody else. She knew nobody going into the competition and she just got lucky enough to be at the right table at the right time ... plus she has a God-given vocal talent that is amazing!

Yes, but has your daughter made it to the semifinals? They may let her see Simon, but only plants usually get the semifinal spots... unless you're filler, then you get a spot so the plants have an easier time of making it through.

The first round of "producers" are just regular people. My cousin was a first-round judge, and he's not a producer of anything. He's been an extra in a few movies, but that's it. A lot of them are just actors who need jobs at the time (I'm not trying to dis actors or anything). If a lot of them look bored and disappointed, it's because they are. My cousin was nice, though.