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‘Idol’ narrows competition to 24 singers
Erin
Carlson
NEW YORK—The tears flowed on “American Idol” Wednesday night as the show
trimmed the competition to 24 semifinalists. They were mostly happy
tears for the 12 guys and 12 gals who made the cut on the final night of
Hollywood week. The winners included teen singing prodigy David
Archuleta and Janis Joplin soundalike/respiratory nurse Amanda Overmyer.
Brooke White, who claimed in her audition to have never seen a rated-R
movie, was beside herself with emotion before learning her fate from
Simon Cowell and company. The verdict: Yes! Cue more crying. One of the
biggest upsets of the night was the elimination of 18-year-old Josiah
Leming, who seemed to be a judge favourite until his shaky rendition of
“Stand By Me.
Leming said he thought he was a shoo-in to make it to the finalists’
ranks; in keeping with the night’s theme, he too cried after the judges
delivered the bad news. Next Tuesday, the top 12 male singers are in the
hot seat on the Fox talent contest, and, on Wednesday, the women follow.
The men are: Archuleta, 17, Murray, Utah; Colton Berry, 18, Staunton,
Va.; Robbie Carrico, 26, Melbourne, Fla.; Jason Castro, 20, Rockwall,
Texas; David Cook, 25, Tulsa, Okla.; Chikezie Eze, 22, Inglewood,
Calif.; Garrett Haley, 17, Elida, Ohio; David Hernandez, 24, Glendale,
Ariz.; Luke Menard, 29, Crawfordsville, Ind.; Danny Noriega, 18, Azusa,
Calif.; Jason Yeager, 28, Branson, Mo., and Michael Johns, 29, Los
Angeles by way of Australia. And the ladies: Overmyer, 23, Mulberry,
Ind.; White, 24, Van Nuys, Calif.; Joanne Borgella, 25, Hoboken, N.J.;
Kristy Lee Cook, 24, Selma, Ore.; Amy Davis, 25, Cedar Lake, Ind.;
Asia’h Epperson, 19, Joplin, Mo.; Alexandrea Lushington, 17,
Douglasville, Ga.; Kady Malloy, 18, Houston; Ramiele Malubay, 20,
Miramar, Fla.; Syesha Mercado, 21, Miami; Alaina Whitaker, 16, Tulsa,
Okla., and Carly Smithson, San Diego by way of Dublin, Ireland. |