# American Idol 2/3 Hollywood round #1 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 3, 2009, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-2-3-hollywood-round-1/484279 "2009-02-03T17:36:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bb73d2/32.png) [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleeps_With_Butterflies)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-2-3-hollywood-round-1/484279/21 "2009-02-04T04:06:17Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I disagree completely. As you are certainly entitled to, but that doesn’t mean that what you’re saying about the girls being mad is correct. “Hot” is subjective, and although Labrador believes I have no idea (as a woman) how to judge the attractiveness of another woman (oh I’ll lose sleep over that tonight!) , I think it’s really silly to believe that two successful women would hate THIS particular woman because some men find her “hot.” Perhaps it’s because they believe that Simon and Randy are using their votes in a competition that is supposed to be based on singing to play games and put through someone who _can_ carry a tune, but simply does not have a voice worthy of moving forward. Labrador’s comment seems like it is ripe for a therapist’s couch so I’ll just leave that alone for him to sort out except to say that I think a little more of men and women than to think their ideas on attractiveness can be so easily identified. Different men find different things attractive about women, ditto for women to men. Any doper thread about celebrity attractiveness should easily demonstrate this to anyone who cares to pay attention. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-2-3-hollywood-round-1/484279/22 "2009-02-04T04:12:41Z")
> [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > As you are certainly entitled to, but that doesn’t mean that what you’re saying about the girls being mad is correct. “Hot” is subjective, and although Labrador believes I have no idea (as a woman) how to judge the attractiveness of another woman (oh I’ll lose sleep over that tonight!) , I think it’s really silly to believe that two successful women would hate THIS particular woman because some men find her “hot.” Perhaps it’s because they believe that Simon and Randy are using their votes in a competition that is supposed to be based on singing to play games and put through someone who _can_ carry a tune, but simply does not have a voice worthy of moving forward. > > Labrador’s comment seems like it is ripe for a therapist’s couch so I’ll just leave that alone for him to sort out except to say that I think a little more of men and women than to think their ideas on attractiveness can be so easily identified. Different men find different things attractive about women, ditto for women to men. Any doper thread about celebrity attractiveness should easily demonstrate this to anyone who cares to pay attention. Easy there. It was a very lighthearted way to say that men and women typically disagree about the standards of beauty. I’m sorry if it didn’t come across that way, but I assure you there is no material for a therapist in any of that. ---
**Author:** ![gonzomax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e8c25b/32.png) [@gonzomax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gonzomax)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 4:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-2-3-hollywood-round-1/484279/23 "2009-02-04T04:42:49Z")
They seemed to enjoy pissing the women off. But she actually sang fairly well. She will not win but she should have gone on this week. ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 4:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-2-3-hollywood-round-1/484279/24 "2009-02-04T04:58:33Z")
Bikini girl was ok, but I think they kept complimenting her just out of spite for the women judges. ---
**Author:** ![vivalostwages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/d07c76/32.png) [@vivalostwages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vivalostwages)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-2-3-hollywood-round-1/484279/25 "2009-02-04T05:37:42Z")
I liked the guy with the 'fro–sorry, I’m blanking on his name and the song he sang. I’m surprised at some of the people they kept. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-2-3-hollywood-round-1/484279/26 "2009-02-04T05:51:59Z")
So a 104 went through. They only got rid of about a 35 people apparently. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-2-3-hollywood-round-1/484279/27 "2009-02-04T05:53:35Z")
What happened to the blind guy? Did they show him? ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-2-3-hollywood-round-1/484279/28 "2009-02-04T06:04:56Z")
> [@Gangster\_Octopus](#): > > So a 104 went through. They only got rid of about a 35 people apparently. 1. They started with 146. ---
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-2-3-hollywood-round-1/484279/29 "2009-02-04T06:32:02Z")
> [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > Except, she’s not really that hot. Exactly. (I’m a guy, BTW) > [@Sleeps\_With\_Butterflies](#): > > both Paula and Kara are better looking than that girl IMHO. Kara \> Bikini girl \> Paula but none of them is hot. Bikini girl should not have made it through. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-2-3-hollywood-round-1/484279/30 "2009-02-04T07:37:48Z")
Well, despite what the judges (all of them) like to say, this isn’t really just a singing competition. It’s also a reality television show that needs to have some interesting storylines to keep viewers engaged. It is a heavily produced show and I imagine there were a lot of good singers who didn’t make it to Hollywood because they didn’t fit the producers’ other criteria. Maybe they were too ugly, too fat, too bland, or even too good to make for interesting television. So Bikini Girl isn’t the best singer, but she’s fun to watch–even if you hate her that’s probably a more ‘positive’ reaction than not caring about her at all because it engages you. I imagine the producers pictured people across the country reacting to her in much the same way as the judges. A lot of men find her attractive and a lot of women hate her because she flaunts her body. That’s good for ratings, so she makes it through for now. There’ll be plenty of opportunities to send her packing later. Same with Norman Gentle. He’s a much worse singer than Bikini Girl, but he made it through again tonight on his charisma when he never should have gotten past the first audition based on his voice. He’s entertaining, though, and they were smart to keep him for at least another show. Sure, some of the other women contestants are prettier than Bikini Girl. But she’s good looking and has a great body and she’s flirtatious. Of course a lot of guys are going to sit up and take notice and that’s okay because, again, it’s NOT just a singing competition. It’s a popularity contest as well. ---
**Author:** ![Buford\_was\_no\_angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@Buford\_was\_no\_angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buford_was_no_angel)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-2-3-hollywood-round-1/484279/31 "2009-02-04T12:38:55Z")
I actually think Norman Gentle has a really good voice. That’s the thing: here we have a performance artist trying to make a mockery of the whole thing, but who also is convinced that his voice is so good that they really can’t send him packing. I swear, I really think he’ll make the top 24, but to do it Nick Mitchell will have to sing tonight and tomorrow night. Then, next week, the Norman we all know and love will be back. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-2-3-hollywood-round-1/484279/32 "2009-02-04T12:57:30Z")
Dharma Deadparents wasn’t wearing shoes, was she? That girl gets on my nerves, I tell you whut. ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-2-3-hollywood-round-1/484279/33 "2009-02-04T13:39:28Z")
> [@Dung\_Beetle](#): > > Dharma Deadparents wasn’t wearing shoes, was she? That girl gets on my nerves, I tell you whut. She wasn’t wearing any last night, during rehearsals, at her home, or at the original auditions. I have never seen shoes on her feet. ---
**Author:** ![corkboard](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@corkboard](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/corkboard)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-2-3-hollywood-round-1/484279/34 "2009-02-04T13:42:08Z")
I think Norman will be the fan favorite for a while. What I like about him is he doesn’t take himself seriously. So many of these people are so wrapped up in it and sobbing, “singing is my life, it just comes out of me, it’s on my skin, it’s all I have and all I want and if I can’t sing, well, I’ll just die!!!” Sob, sob, sob. Then along comes Norman Gentle, who can sing as well as half of these drama queens, and he just makes them look so pathetic. It’s refreshing. ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-2-3-hollywood-round-1/484279/35 "2009-02-04T13:56:31Z")
I just wonder if dead-wife-guy is going to continue to milk his experiences for pity points. Every time I start hearing the same sob story it really turns me off from the singer… Just sing dammit! ---
**Author:** ![Labrador\_Deceiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7c8e57/32.png) [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-2-3-hollywood-round-1/484279/36 "2009-02-04T14:03:50Z")
> [@BrandonR](#): > > I just wonder if dead-wife-guy is going to continue to milk his experiences for pity points. Every time I start hearing the same sob story it really turns me off from the singer… Just sing dammit! Was he the one talking about it? I thought it was his buddy they interviewed last night. ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-2-3-hollywood-round-1/484279/37 "2009-02-04T14:04:40Z")
Bikini Girl is concrete proof that the AI producers _love_ the fact that VFTW exists. ---
**Author:** ![Sateryn76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Sateryn76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sateryn76)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-2-3-hollywood-round-1/484279/38 "2009-02-04T15:24:22Z")
Does anyone else think that it must sound way different at the Kodiak? Both the first girl (Lil?) and someone later on was all shouty and screechy, then was let through with gobs of praise. It must be due to the acoustics of the theatre, and how that translates over the airwaves. Bikini Girl is not that good, and I have no idea why the whiny, gothy “it’s on my skin” kid went through. I think that the producers are aware that meltdowns=good tv, and kept some of the lesser talent with more potential for the crazy. Fine with me - I enjoy a good meltdown 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Atomicflea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/58956e/32.png) [@Atomicflea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomicflea)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-2-3-hollywood-round-1/484279/39 "2009-02-04T15:59:30Z")
> [@Sateryn76](#): > > Does anyone else think that it must sound way different at the Kodiak? Yep. A couple of folks that I thought were way too shouty made it through, and the chick that changed her song last-minute should have been kicked off with bikini girl. I’m just opposed to making it so easy for folks. If everyone had to be harshed the way Season 1 was, we’d have more success stories. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [February 4, 2009, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-2-3-hollywood-round-1/484279/40 "2009-02-04T16:05:36Z")
> [@Tangent](#): > > Well, despite what the judges (all of them) like to say, this isn’t really just a singing competition. Amen to that, brutha! First and foremost it’s a tv show, which means ratings. Next, they’re looking for a singer who they can package and market. Singing ability is just one aspect. If the person also has a ‘hook’ they may go far (goofy Nick/Norman = Taylor Hicks, overt sexy Bikini Girl = Madonna/Brittney). Granted, the AI folks are not always successful at the packaging and marketing, the streets are littered with AI winners and also-rans who didn’t turn into gold. But there’s no telling what people will buy and vote for. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-2-3-hollywood-round-1/484279.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/american-idol-2-3-hollywood-round-1/484279.md?page=3)