Tuesday, January 24, 2012

MEDIA - "American Idol" in San Diego


"'American Idol' recap: San Diego makes some noise" by Amy Reiter, Los Angeles Times 1/23/2012

Excerpt

"American Idol" fans who stayed up past that extended nail-biter of a football game in which the New York Giants beat the San Francisco 49ers for a Super Bowl spot and were still interested in singing after listening to Steven Tyler's rendition of the national anthem in Sunday's previous championship game, where the New England Patriots also earned a Super Bowl spot by toppling the Baltimore Ravens (I actually kind of admired the "Idol" judge's unconventional take -- and he mostly remembered the words) – as well as football fans too zonked out to reach for the remote – were treated to what we were warned at the outset would be an "Idol" audition episode "unlike any other."

What made it different? Well, for starters, the auditions, held in San Diego, didn't take place in a building or even on land, setting up shop instead on the "historic USS Midway," a retired Naval aircraft carrier. That meant viewers watched many a contestant's backside as he or she determinedly ascended the stairs to the ship's deck to audition and then saw at least one of them bonk his head on a low-slung pipe as he celebrated his golden ticket below deck. It also meant viewers, judges and contestants had to endure all manner of rude open-air interruptions. Much merry was made of plane noises, boat honks, and the like. Tyler, in particular, seemed to be enjoying the opportunity to jest: letting the ambient noise "bleep" his more colorful exclamations, waving at his rear end as if waving away a waft of gas, etc. Oh, that rock 'n' roll nut!

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