American Idol

Last night's San Diego auditions of American Idol proved that now that episodes are down to an hour, we'll be seeing a much smaller percentage of Hollywood-bound singers. Ryan Seacrest told us that 31 people made it, but we only heard from six.

From those six, one thing became abundantly clear: there are no frontrunners. The winners we saw were a mixed bag. Some were OK, some were quite good, but half were totally unlikable.

Let's start with Tetiana Ostapowych, who wins the award for having the least marketable name ever. Heck, even her first name makes her sound like a reject from America's Next Top Model or Pussycat Dolls Present. Then Simon Cowell handed her the kiss of death, saying she's not as good as she thinks she is. He's right, and I don't like her.

I also didn't like Perrie Cataldo. Sometimes sob stories work, and parading out an adorable kid being raised by a single dad is a doozy, but what I didn't like was his inability to be straight with us regarding how the tyke's mother died. Wrong place, wrong time, wrong people, wrong situation, wrong everything. The notion of “wrong place, wrong time” is something reserved for innocent bystanders, but based solely on the way he carried on with the excuses, it sounded to me like the mother was in a situation of her own doing.

Call me a monster if you must, but there's more to that story than we got, and if this guy makes it to the top 24, it will certainly be coming out. At least former meth addict Jessica Brown was upfront about her past.

The third unlikable victor was Michael Johns. Maybe it's the Australian accent, but he came across as way too cocky to me. I kind of wished Russell Crowe would just punch him in the face.

In opposition to these people, you have marginally likable folks like the now legal immigrant Cathy Smithson and her overly tattooed boyfriend as well as David Archuleta, who overcame vocal cord paralysis and resembles a cross between Ryan Pinkston and Oliver from The O.C. Seriously, look them up if you don't know them, because the similarities are frightening.

Who Will Make the Top 24?

But for me, the cream of last night's crop was none other than Samantha Musa. Not only did she nail her audition, but she loves Simon. I mean, REALLY loves Simon. That makes her aces in my book, and she has the look, the voice and the Simon support to make it far.


For more on American Idol, please read:
San Diego Auditions Live Thoughts
San Diego Auditions: The Good, the Bad and the Baffling


-John Kubicek, BuddyTV Senior Writer
(Image courtesy of FOX)