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Learn more- The "American Idol" auditions landed in Milwaukee, Wisc., for the first time in 10 seasons (yes, that's "ever"). And Season 8 favorite and Milwaukee native Danny Gokey was on hand to help excite the crowd.
But the first big audition of the night was a 16-year-old baseball player from Garner, N.C., named Scotty McCreery gave some good, old-fashioned, deep-voiced country vibes that made Jennifer Lopez smile. Scotty's audition prompts Steven Tyler's previously teased quip, "Will hellfire save matches, (bleep) a duck and see what hatches." Steven is surprised to learn he can't say that on TV, while Scotty moves on to Hollywood.
An awkward-looking fellow in a red polo shirt, khaki shorts and sandals named Joe Repka is an aspiring radio disc jockey and gets some pointers from Ryan Seacrest before his audition. He's a charming enough guy who seems to be up for a beating from the judges. And he is. After much buildup, he gives a wildly off-key rendition of Billy Joel's "For the Longest Time." He's panned, but the judges encourage him to stick with the radio gig.
A 15-year-old girl from Littleton, Colo., drove her family most of the distance from her hometown to Milwaukee. She recalls being 5 when she watched Kelly Clarkson win Season 1. Emma Henry sings Cyndi Lauper's "True Colors" with a bit of a raspy, bluesy voice that seems to captivate the judges. Steven doesn't know why, but says he loves it because it's "got a lot of character." Jennifer tells her to keep working on her "special quality" and "tone that nobody else has." Randy isn't sure she's yet ready, but doesn't make an official vote. Jennifer says no, but Steven says yes. When it's down to Randy, she cries and he tells her he's worried she'll "get swallowed up" in the competition. With a bit of encouragement from Steven, Randy tells her she's got another shot and send her on to Hollywood. After Emma leaves the room, Jennifer tells Randy his first instinct was right and that Emma will "get eaten up in this competition."
A montage of four awful singers, including a guy who did a little martial arts routine to his version of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance" and later asked Randy for a sip of his Coke Zero.
Apparently, Milwaukee is home to one of the world's biggest music festivals, called "Summerfest." Singer Naima Adedapo, 25, works maintenance at the event, cleaning up the grounds, but hopes to one day grace a stage and provide for her daughter with a singing career, crying as she talks about this dream. She sings Donny Hathaway's "For All We Know." A strong, smooth voice, Jennifer and Randy like her, and Steven says she's "all that." She's through to Hollywood.
We got a little glimpse into the "rift" between J.Lo and Seacrest as they joked about how they can't stand each other and their ways, just before watching a cameraman gets stomped in the face while trying to film a guy doing a backflip over him. What followed was brief montage of two singers, including a 54-year-old dentist with an oversized toothbrush.
A bar mitzvah singer from New York named Jerome Bell, 27, put forth a smooth, soulful rendition of Marvin Gaye's "Let's Get It On." The judges were excited and completely in agreement that he's going to Hollywood.
A 15-year-old name Thia Megia flew out from California to Wisconsin because she couldn't stand waiting until the auditions hit the west coast. She tells Randy she's been seeing him on TV since before she knew how to read. She sings Adele's "Chasing Pavements." Steven and Jennifer give dreamy smiles while she sings and both say yes, along with Randy, and Thia's going to Hollywood. Ryan then tells us that every 15-year-old who walked into the judges' audition room walked out with a ticket.
A Civil War re-enactor named Nathaniel Jones strongly shares his feeling that his father is "not a hippie" (despite his long beard and bandana) because "hippies believe in sex." Dressed in his full Civil War regalia, Steven says it was "outstanding," and after Randy laughs Steven says he isn't sure it's right for "American Idol." Jennifer says no and Randy agrees, saying, "We kind of got the measure of what you are."
Mason Wilkinson, a 23-year-old construction worker, has trouble facing the judges before he starts singing. He turns his back to them for a moment -- a long moment, which doesn't let up ... for a while... and then... after much delay... he... finally... starts singing. And he's terrible.
Molly DeWolf Swensen, a White House intern and Harvard graduate from Seattle, tells Randy he punched her in the face (and there is video evidence, which is quite hilarious and shown twice). She sings Otis Redding's "Sitting on the Dock of the Bay." Steven loves it and Jennifer says she loved Molly's lower pitch. With three yes votes, she's off to Hollywood and Randy tells her to "tell Obama we need you!" Even more good fortune: They show the replay of Randy punching her in the face once again.
After a successful Day 1 in Milwaukee, the judges happily bounce into the audition room for Day 2. Haley Reinhart, an 18-year-old who was bounced by the judges last season, Randy, the only judge on hand to send her packing last year, is the first to say yes this time, and he's followed by an enthusiastic Jennifer and Steven, and Haley is Hollywood-bound.
Tiwan Strong, a 29-year-old day care teacher, gives an energetic rendition of "Twistin' the Night Away." Steven says he sees a sparkle in Tiwan's eyes, Randy likes it and Jennifer is thinking about it for a moment before voting yes.
A certified public accountant and auditor named Steve Beghun, 27, says he doesn't have many friends because of his occupation. Steve hits a high note that reverberates and Steven says he's "disturbingly great," just before the rest of the judges agree to send him to Hollywood. He tears up as he walks away looking at his golden ticket.
Vernika Patterson, 20, tries to sing "Loving You" but trips up because, as she says, "the lady's looking at me." She's talking about Jennifer, who agrees to look away. Jennifer and Steven tell her it isn't going to work, and Vernika gets upset and asks whether it's because she's "not skinny like these other girls." She walks right by Seacrest outside the audition room and continues to insist she can sing better than half of the contestants (still, that leaves roughly 50,000, right?).
Albert Rogers III, 24, does a half-decent Barack Obama impression before stepping in front of the judges. Steven tries to be nice, saying he likes it but it's not for the show. Randy says it was "terrible, and a joke."
Scott Dangerfield, a 22-year-old student teacher, is mocked a bit by the judges for his vivid red lips. He's a somewhat awkward looking dude, but his bluesy voice earns praise from Jennifer, who says he might be one of her favorites. Randy and Steven say yes and Scott is heading to Hollywood.
After a quick ode to the Green Bay Packers, Megan Frazier proves she's not quite as good of a pop singer as she is a Packers fan. She sings an operatic version of Justin Bieber's "Baby." Randy admits he's long been looking for a self-composed opera version of Justin Bieber.
A rocker chick named Alyson Jados, 26, walks in and Steven is in awe, saying, "You look like you could be one of my ---" He stops himself before adding, "nope, can't say it." Before going into the room, she said she'd lose it if Steven sent her to Hollywood. Steven gives her a hug. She says she's singing "Come Together" by The Beatles (and it's worth noting Aerosmith did a pretty famous cover of the song, as well). Steven asks her to sing more and she launches into "Dream On," while admitting she can't do the final high notes -- so he does them for her. Getting a bit serious, Steven says she's "very pitchy" and jumps all over the place. Jennifer seems to like her. Randy says no, Jennifer says yes. Suddenly, it's down to Steven, and he let's Ally's dream live on.
Chris Medina, 26, from Chicago is the last audition, but it's clear his story was saved for last (the judges are wearing the clothes their wore on Day 1). He talks about his fiancee, who suffered a traumatic brain injury in an accident in 2009 and was in a coma for a month and a half. Since then, he's been caring for her with her mother as she still needs constant care. He sings nicely and the judges ask him to bring his fiancee in so they can meet her. In one of the sweetest moments you'll ever see, Steven bends down and tells Chris' fiancee, who seems mostly unable to speak, that Chris sings so beautifully because he's singing for her. He's going to Hollywood.
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