OK, OK, it’s the Dallas audition show.

But before we get to the auditions, let’s give you a little reenactment of guest judge Joe Jonas who appeared on the second half of the show (well, make that the last third of the show cause the AI folks had enough sense to capitalize on Neil Patrick Harris – guest judge No. 1- for about 40 minutes).

First up, Toddrick Hall from Arlington. What did you think, Joe?

“Yea.”

Now we have Maegen Wright from Richardson, Texas. What about her, Joe?

“Yea.”

Here comes Vanessa Johnston from Waxahatchee, Texas. Guess what, she got four no votes and no one really even asked Joe what he thought.

Finally, to end the Dallas audition here is Chrisian Spears. Joe, you still with us?

“You are very confident and you have a good voice.”

There you have it, just as Joe was warmin up the show ended.

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Dallas 11,000 participants and 31 total Yellow tickets to Hollywood. Don’t know if there is actually a winner here, but there are a couple of Top 10 candidates: Dave Pittman and Toddrick Hall.

The Dallas stop can also boast of having had the best celebrity guest judge yet in Harris (“If I can make 2 to 3 dozen people cry, I’ll feel like I’ve done my job”); and (“Yea”) the other end of the spectrum in Jonas.

And, oh, by the way, I could have done without the multiple shots of the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders. Enuf already…

All that said, here we go with the contestents:

Julie Kevelighan. (28) –

—  “Black Velvet” by Alanah Miles

– She auditioned in Season 1 and now she is back for one last shot at the spotlight. She won’t be in it. She thinks her breathing was all off tonight. That wasn’t the only thing that was off. NPH called her “annoying.”

All No votes and happy trails to Julie.

Lloyd Thomas (29) – Dallas

– “Overjoyed” by Stevie Wonder

– Back story is that he is an airport dock worker pickin’ up bags all day who grew up in the projects of Dallas with “drugs and guns everywhere.” He’s built like Ruben and Randy gives him a “billion percent yes” vote.

Now that’s a little much Randy. Good voice, won’t go that far.

Kimberly Carver (26) – Denton, Texas

– She sang an original song in a big, booming voice. She gets a No from Simon, the other three say Yes. SC said she would be perfect for “Jazz TV.” Well, she is off to Hollywood. She’ll go no further.

Dexter Ward (20) – Terrell, Texas

– “If I Ever Fall In Love Again”

– Dexter was unemployed when he walked in the door and jobless when he left although he was super-confident that he was going to win. Simon told him his smile would take him far.

Randy said: “It looked like that hurt.” Don’t know about Dexter, but it did hurt my ears.

Erica Rhodes (23) – Irving, Texas

– “Free Your Mind” by En Vogue

– Erica used to be on the Barney & Friends show when she was a kid. Now she comes out dressed in a black leather outfit while carrying a whip which she cracks during her performance. Singing is marginal at best and maybe the best part was when she walked out the door to be greeted by a cheering family. Her father, presumably, could only look quizzically as if he were trying to figure out how his darling little daughter made the transition from a purple dinosaur to a black whip. Sir, we do too…

Dave Pittman (27) – Mountain Home, Ark.

– “Bring it Home to Me” by Sam Cooke

– Dave has Tourettes syndrome. Face twitches, he clears his throat all the time. But that is only when he isn’t singing. Dave’s a shoe-in for the Top 24. NPH called him “crazy brave.”

Day 1 over – 15 headed to Hollywood and NPH’s stint is over. That’s the bad news of the day.

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Day 2 begins with…

Toddrick Hall (24) – Arlington, Texas

– With a theatre background (humm, bring to mind anyone named Lambert?), a good voice and an original song aimed at the show, Toddrick heads to Hollywood easily. We’ll try to track down the words to the song, rather clever. Hall will go far in this competition.

Simon called it a “cutesy audition” and gave him the obligatory single clap of the hands.

Maegen Wright (20) – Richardson, Texas

– “To Make You Feel My Love”

– Just the taint of a country sound which is probably why Simon gave her a Yes. He normally doesn’t like even the hint of country music. A back story the producers tried to make compelling, but it just wasn’t. Her parents had divorced and remarried and she was close to her little brother. OK, then. Magen is off to Hollywood where it should be a brief visit.

Vanessa Johnston (22) – Waxahatchee, Texas

 “At Last” by Etta James

– Vanessa showed how to take one great song and turn it into mush. Simon’s comment, before the four no votes, told the story: “That is what my nightmares look and sound like … that’s what keeps me up at night.”
She leaves, well, happy. “At least I can keep on dreamin’ at home,” she said.

Christian Spears (16) – Houston

– All I Can Do is Cry” by Etta James

– She had leukemia at four and it’s been in remission since she was 8. Voice way above average, and Randy says, “A billion percent yes.” Sounds like Randy’s been listening to stories about the national deficit. Four Yes votes and she has a Yellow ticket to Hollywood.

Next week we head to Denver.

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