Thursday’s show from Hollywood…

By the numbers there were several Idol wannabees boarding planes and headed home after this segment. On Day 1 there were 160 who tried out and on Day 2 another 163. In the end 168 made it back for next week’s Group competition.

All and all the judges did a good job of whittling down the talent that we did see. A couple of exceptions were the first contestant Brett and one of the last Tiffany. Both could have been axed and no one would have sobbed … except maybe Brett and Tiffany.

The contestants came out in groups of 10 and after singing some were asked to step forward, others just to stay put. Then one row or the other stayed and the other row headed to their rooms and started packing and hopefully they didn’t buy too many souvenirs and had to pay extra for the bags on the way home (humm, wonder if Idol paid for that…)

Here we go…

Brett Loewenstern, 16 –

“Let it Be”

– “I’m shaking in my pants right now.” – Brett
They redid part of his sob story about kids picking on him. He makes it through but I’ll take a big pass.

Rachel Zavita, 23, New York –

Thia Megia, 15, Mountain House, Ca.

Casey Abrams, 19, Idlywild, Ca.

All made it through to the next round and Thia and Casey hopefully will go a long way.

Victoria Huggins, 17, Lumberton, N.C. –

Southern kid with the annoying high voice. Mom was in the audience cheering her on. Today they are both back home watching like the rest of us. Man I hope she doesn’t come back for another try next year. She had 11 bags to tote back to Carolina. Good luck with that extra weight on the airline.

James Durbin, 21, Santa Cruz –

The Adam Lambert wannabe we saw Wednesday night in the San Francisco auditions. He’s good, but he wasn’t as good as he was in the audition. Rein it in James.

Paris Tassin, 23 –

Made it, even on my board, but just barely with a not-so-stellar version of “My Heart will go On.”

Stormy Henley, 20, Crossvile, Tenn –

Volunteer State beauty queen is going nowhere but back home, Steven and Randy knew that talent level was lacking when they gave her a golden ticket and did so based on her looks not her pipes.

Lauren Alaina, 15, Rossville, Ga.

Would have been a huge upset had she not made it.

Chris Medina, 27, Oak Forest, Ill.

Chris has the brain-damaged fiance sob story and now he possesses a ticket to to the Group Round. A mistake, he should be going back home.

Hollie Cavanaugh, 17, McKinney, Texas
Jacee Badeaux, 15, New Orleans
Robbie Rosen, 16, Merrick, N.Y.

All three make it through, all three are iffy.

Steven Beghun, 27, Bloomingon, Minn.
Numbers just didn’t add up for this accountant, but he shouldn’t have been here anyway.

Good-night, good-bye and good riddance:

Sarah Sellers
Jacqueline Dupree
Heidi Kazam.

———————–

Day 2

Rob Bolin and Chelsee Oaks, both 23, both from Nashville, Tenn. –

First happy couple and they both advance. Yawn.

Nick Fink and Jacqueline Dunfrey.
Nick is sent home after he sings something awful to begin with “New Shoes.” Jacqueline is better. She makes it, he doesn’t. Good call by the judges and then the Donnie Osmond wannabee begs for a second chance. NOT!

Scott McCreary, 17, Raleigh, N.C. –
Not a big country fan, but glad he made it through with that big voice.

Jackie Wilson

Advances but no, no, no please not her again!!
Jerome Bell.
Sings same song that got him here. Like the guy, but this repeat of the song they originally sang, maybe there should be a rule against that.

Tiffany Rios, 21, Morris Plains, N.J. –
Snooki wannabe might be better suited working in a hair salon on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City. Enough already.

Travis Orlando, 17, Bronx

Travis lived in the homless shelter for awhile. Cute kid, he’ll probably never make it back to Hollywood, even for a visit.

Advancing:

Clint Gamboa
Julie Zorrilla
Naima Adedapo
the Gutierrez brothers
Paul McDonald
Emily Ann Reed
Stefano Langone
Ashley Sullivan.