For starters it just doesn’t seem right that there are Idol auditions in … Pittsburgh.

This is a Dirty Dancing kind of town. A Steel Town. Blue-collar. Karaoke until last call.

Come on, Idol? But I am willing to give it a chance and besides you don’t exactly have to be from Steeltown to audition here. Someone from say, Allentown, just might show up!

Here we go:
Heejun Han, 22, Flushing N.Y. – “How Am I Supposed to Live Without You”

He said the judges looked like a wax museum… he might have been right… they laughed at first as they seemed skeptical … then he sang and he received a trio of yeses and about 4,000 congratulatory well-wishers and a Hollywooodddd for the ages!

Reed Grimm, 26, Ellsworth, Wi. – “Family Matters Theme” -Unique from a long-time performer. Casey Abrams like…he’s goin to Hollywood also…

Patricia and Samantha Bell, sisters, Sutersville, Pa. – They are “plankers”  yes plankers which is a form of yoga. And the whole family planks at the end. They lay face-down and well, plank. Don’t ask, just watch. And, no I’m not trying it right now.. nor will I … but soon they will be planking in Hollywood. She wasn’t all that bad… btw just love these hour-long show…

Creighton Fraker, 28, Queens, N.Y. – “Original Song” “Who’s Loving You” – rode bus for nine hours to get there. .. another mini-Casey with a little Paul tossed in there … Randy: Weird crazy voice and he was right… off he goes to Hollywood with three yes votes…

Eben Franckewitz,  15,  Milford, Ohio – “Ain’t No Sunshine” – A little Beiber here, JayLo loves it; Steven says he has it as does Randy. Trio of yeses and they send him to Hollywood… they think he’s a cutie (yawn)…

Travis Orlando, 17, Bronx, N.Y. – “Isn’t She Lovely” – he is a returnee singing a Stevie Wonder song… Tyler – you sing with a passion but you aren’t showing it (he dropped outta high school) … his mom walked out on the family and he moved into a shelter with his dad … now how are they gonna say no … dad on dialysis … Three yes votes; no surprise there…end of Day 1…

Erika Van Pelt,  25,  South Kingstown, R.I. – “Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow” – mobile DJ person and a wedding singer … not bad for starters but can she get better that’s the question … Unanimous ticket to Hollywood…

Shane Bruce,  19,  Moundsville, W.Va. – “Hallelujah” – he’s a real-life coal miner from West Virginia (more on that later) and I wish he had picked another song and I’m saying that before the segment even starts…3 p.m. in Pgh… he’s proud to be a coal miner but he wants to be a singer…not good, he’s nervous and like I said, wrong song for this guy…they send him back to the mines…saddest story out of Pittsburgh…

Hallie Day,  24,  Baltimore – “I Will Survive” – high school dropout … she was an addict in New York … tried suicide via pills … soulful voice … she is off to Hollywood…

From Pittsburgh, 38 more head to Hollywood…

Next up: Special Sunday night Idol after the 49ers/Giants game with the auditions from San Diego…

 

 

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