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American Idol 3: What a Fake!by Sting7 -- 01/23/2004
View Printable version of this article The ratings are in for the first episode of American Idol 3 and the numbers are HUGE. A reported 28 million viewers couldn't resist the temptation to witness some of the god-awful auditions of bright-eyed singers hoping to be the next Kelly or Ruben. So, those Clay fans who thought they could break the machine in protest of Aiken's loss by not watching season three should just abort the mission and enjoy the show like everyone else. Unless they already are… One of those hopefuls we saw, Kristen Powell (as well as her potty-mouthed friend, Lamosa Rowell) from Tuesday's night broadcast featuring the Atlanta auditions, was in fact, an employee of syndicated morning disc jockey, MJ. That's right. Not a bit of it was real. Kristen from Tampa, Florida, you may remember, ripped off a pair of tear-away pants, announced that she lost 80 pounds to audition, and tried to peel the paint off the walls with her rendition of Irene Cara's "Flashdance (What A Feeling)." Interviewed on Tampa's WFLA, Kristen says it was MJ's idea to see if they could get on television. Kristen says she was instructed to be as emotional as possible (when Simon challenged whether she was serious, she cried on cue). But it wasn't always so simple. To pull off this hoax, the duo spent three nights in the Georgia Dome auditioning. What many people don't know is that there are auditions with producers and other sorts to get in front of Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul, and Simon Cowell. These folks are looking for people they can put on television, be they good or entertainingly bad. "I cried at the first audition. It was terrible, this girl next to me was rubbing my back... and they didn't pick her, and she was pretty good!" Powell recounts. "I got through the first audition, and I was excited. I got through the second audition, and I was really excited!" Kristen said. That excitement would soon end when faced with the trio of American Idol judges. "It is the most nerve-wracking thing! It is beyond anything you can even imagine!" So, for the record, Kristen can't sing, she knows she can't sing, and she did not lose 80 pounds – in fact, she gained ten. Powell and Rowell had no idea they would be televised, but MJ did instruct them to be emotional, since everybody knows American Idol eats that up. Neither Powell nor Rowell have expressed an opinion about whether they actually like the show. Or anything like regret. Fox hasn't made any comment to date, either. I was pretty ticked off when I heard this, but then again, everybody left happy. The girls pulled off their hoax; Idol got their entertaining segment (I have to admit she fooled me too! She fooled everybody except Simon, who saw through her, but even he seemed to buy it before it was done!). You wonder how many more radio stations will try to pull this off. Just one week in, a couple of American Idol hopefuls have already put themselves on the radar. Scooter Girl, also known as Nicole Tieri, seems to have garnered the sympathy vote. Her candor regarding her struggle with anorexia has struck a chord with viewers. Entertainment Tonight has already done a segment with her. And the email I'm getting seems to suggest that Jesus Roman is building a fan base that could rival Ruben and Clay's! Also a word about a past contestant: Carmen Rasmusen performs "Be With You" in the film Pride and Prejudice. She also has a small role in the film. You may remember she has already performed in some dates with Dave Matthews last summer. "Be With You" has been getting airplay on Utah radio stations. Sting7 has been a respected published writer for 16 years, as a music editor, entertainment critic, columnist, and interviewer. He also has a curious love for pro-wrestling! You can email Stinger at stingseven@yahoo.com. Be sure to sign up for the RealityNewsOnline/FoxesOnIdol e-mail update so you can stay informed about new articles on both sites! For all of our articles, check out our sections on American Idol, American Juniors, Fame, and Canadian Idol. Also make sure to check out RealityNewsOnline for recaps and articles covering other reality TV shows. For even more news about reality TV, be sure to check SirLinksALot! View Printable version of this article
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