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 American Idol 2007 Minneapolis Auditions Local Reactions

Minnesota “American Idol” wannabes should be proud: The show’s producers thought the Target Center auditions in September were bad enough to make up Tuesday’s season premier.

No surprise to the gazillion people who know “Idol’s” over-tread but ever-popular formula, the first few weeks are all about people making fools of themselves. And Tuesday’s two hours of Minneapolis footage were full of more cringe-worthy moments than this year’s Vikings season.

Plenty of our local entrants were to blame, er, thank.

Thank you: Jessica Rhode, 21, of Cottage Grove, who ate up the first few minutes of the show crying before the camera — first, when she heard Jewel was the guest judge, and then when she got turned down by her and the other judges.

Thank you: Jason Anderson, 16, of Burnsville, who earned his 15 seconds of fame not by singing, but by juggling and cursing (the latter directed at Simon Cowell).

Thank you: Tashawn Moore, 27, of Minneapolis, who couldn’t get out more than three consecutive words from Prince’s “Kiss” before forgetting the lyrics.

Prince’s performance on last year’s “Idol” finale was shown as a way to bridge the two seasons.

“No better place to start than Prince’s hometown,” host Ryan Seacrest said.

Both Seacrest and judge Randy Jackson (once a producer for Soul Asylum) shelled out dim one-liners as the applicants proved to be less than princely.

“The Midwest has turned into the Midworst,” Seacrest cracked.

The second half of the show went better. Michelle Steingas, 19, of Excelsior, was voted to the next round after singing Deana Carter’s country hit “If This Is Love.” Matt Sato, 16, of Maplewood, got to tearfully call his mom after singing (appropriately enough) “California Dreaming.” And Sarah Krueger, 19, of Eau Claire, Wis., struck gold with “Somewhere Over the Rainbow.”

Two other winners had stories as impressive as their singing.

Rachel Jenkins, 21, of Minnetonka, is an Army Reservist with a husband serving in Iraq.

Denise Jackson, 16, of Madison, Wis., ate up the camera with her version of the “Dreamgirls” standout “And I’m Telling You I’m Not Going” as much as her story about being born to a crack-addict mother. That certainly beats Clay Aiken’s geek-to-riches story.

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