# Hospitalization of American Idol hopefuls **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 12, 2012, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hospitalization-of-american-idol-hopefuls/612598 "2012-02-12T08:39:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DKW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dkw/32/3118_2.png) [@DKW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DKW)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hospitalization-of-american-idol-hopefuls/612598/21 "2012-02-16T05:13:41Z")
I guess I got the impression that the illness was far more widespread than it was. Good points, all, thanks. Given the number of collapses we’re seeing, though, I’d be surprised if the producers didn’t take some action, if only for PR’s sake. How about 1. a static barrier, like a guardrail, or 2. padding on ground level? That wouldn’t break the budget. And if some nutjob sees this an as opportunity to pull a bonehead stunt, so much the better. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hospitalization-of-american-idol-hopefuls/612598/22 "2012-02-16T09:13:51Z")
I know that whenever I’m in that type of situation (not that I’d ever be on _AI_) like speaking in front of more than a few people, anxiety nearly always causes nausea. I don’t want anything in my stomach which might find its way back up. ---
**Author:** ![67java89](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/6/aeb1de/32.png) [@67java89](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/67java89)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hospitalization-of-american-idol-hopefuls/612598/23 "2012-02-16T12:35:37Z")
Gee, I was starting to think that falling was the theme for Idol this season ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hospitalization-of-american-idol-hopefuls/612598/24 "2012-02-16T12:38:21Z")
I’m sure we all saw it last night, but it was hard to tell in the previews leading up to the show, but three of the people passing out were the same person. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hospitalization-of-american-idol-hopefuls/612598/25 "2012-02-16T18:28:41Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > On top of that, part of what they drill in to you during this is the whole ‘the show must go on’ thing. If you’re too sick too perform, you get booted off. The girl who fainted thrice and had to sit down on stage: a) Her partner that kept singing after she collapsed is front-runner for Douchebag of the Year. b) Even sick and dying she was better than the 3 other members of the group. c) Did she get booted off for her singing or her illness. The judges implied the latter but she did sing enough to qualify for the next round. Knowing it was dehydration, she should have gotten to the next round and they can decide later if she needs to drop out. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hospitalization-of-american-idol-hopefuls/612598/26 "2012-02-16T18:42:33Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > The girl who fainted thrice and had to sit down on stage: > a) Her partner that kept singing after she collapsed is front-runner for Douchebag of the Year. All alone in the house, I yelled at the screen “Stop singing douche bag” > [@](#): > > b) Even sick and dying she was better than the 3 other members of the group. > c) Did she get booted off for her singing or her illness. The judges implied the latter but she did sing enough to qualify for the next round. Knowing it was dehydration, she should have gotten to the next round and they can decide later if she needs to drop out. I was kind of curious about that as well. I feel like we missed something the way they said "If we put you through it’s only going to get harder blah blah blah you’re going home. ---
**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 16, 2012, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hospitalization-of-american-idol-hopefuls/612598/27 "2012-02-16T19:14:17Z")
> [@DKW](#): > > I was _amazed_ that she didn’t suffer a serious injury. It was at least five feet straight down to the cold, hard floor, and she _hit her head_… What I saw in the video is that her left side – shoulders to hips – took the brunt of the fall. That (plus slapping the ground on impact) is how martial artists are trained to fall, so I wouldn’t necessarily expect more damage than bruising. It actually appeared to me that her head didn’t hit the floor, or if it did it wasn’t with any appreciable force. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2012, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hospitalization-of-american-idol-hopefuls/612598/28 "2012-02-16T19:29:32Z")
Isn’t there some unwritten rule that says if you make it to Hollywood Week and then get too sick to continue (and the producers think you’re good enough - and, of course, you’re not 28 yet), you pretty much get a free pass to Hollywood the following season? (This has definitely happened on _So You Think You Can Dance?_, and with Nigel Lythgoe back pretty much in charge of Idol, I don’t see why it would be different.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hospitalization-of-american-idol-hopefuls/612598.md?page=1)