American Idol Fan Site | Who got voted off American Idol

Simon Cowell said his villainous TV image is a product of “bad editing.” Paula Abdul said she really is “sweet and lovable,” and Randy Jackson said, “I can only be who I am.”

The three “American Idol” judges were hard at work Thursday, three months before the megahit show makes its season premiere in January.
More than 8,000 singers auditioned for “Idol” producers at FedExForum Sept. 4 and 5, and fewer than 100 of those survived the cut for auditions Thursday and today at Memphis Cook Convention Center.

The auditions before the actual judges produced a few winners Thursday who exited a second-floor ballroom with a yellow sheet of paper signifying they will advance to Hollywood as finalists. Each contender is sworn to secrecy with nondisclosure agreements signed with “American Idol.” The secrecy preserves an element of surprise for the show’s premiere when finalists will be revealed from seven cities where auditions were held this year.

Cowell, the judge with a reputation as the blunt, sometimes venomous critic, took a break from his evil TV persona Thursday to compliment one contender as the judges took a midday break. Fox TV wouldn’t identify the woman except as a Tennessee woman who is a backup and sessions singer. “There was one very good girl today,” Cowell said of her.

Abdul said the woman “was fantastic,” reminding her of the reaction when judges first heard 2004 “Idol” winner Fantasia Barrino, the contestant who since has earned four Grammy nominations.

Cowell said Memphis is the last of seven audition cities where he, Abdul and Jackson are making final cuts before the show’s premiere. So far, he has heard only one Elvis imitator among the finalists. “Thank God,” he added.

Of the show’s penchant for producing winners from the South, Cowell said the South seems to support its singers more than other parts of the country in phone-in voting. “All of our winners have been from the South. You get behind your talent. Taylor (last season’s winner Taylor Hicks) goes back home to Birmingham, and the whole town shows up to greet him. Katharine (runner-up Katharine McPhee) goes home to Los Angeles, and three people showed up.”

Abdul said judging the show is true reality TV: “There is no acting, no scripting on the show except for Ryan Seacrest (the host).” So, when she and Cowell appear to be angry with each other they probably are. “No kidding, it’s a love-hate relationship,” she said, sometimes depending on whether Cowell is in a bad mood when he arrives. Abdul said that as an artist herself, she supports the performers as much as possible. Abdul was a supporter this season of third-place finisher Elliott Yamin, but she and Jackson said Yamin is on the verge of signing a recording contract.

Jackson said viewers will see the same format in January they are used to seeing. “If you’ve got something that’s really, really working, why change it?”

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