Two Siouxlanders get call-back for 'American Idol'
By Alicia Ebaugh Journal staff writer | Posted: Saturday, August 11, 2007
Yessss!!
At least two Siouxlanders were handed a ticket to stardom -- or at least a step closer to it -- at Friday's auditions for the hit FOX show "American Idol."
Siouxland Idol winner Katie Admire, 17, and 23-year-old operating room technician Drew Emanuel were seen being handed a coveted "golden ticket" after their auditions -- a yellow sheet of paper that producers said signifies each earned a call-back audition for the show.
"It's a little overwhelming," an overjoyed Admire said just after emerging from the Qwest Center in Omaha with her mom, sister and cousin. "They handed me the sheet, and it's just good news from there, so we'll see what happens."
Their elation wasn't shared by most of the thousands of other "Idol" hopefuls who converged on the Omaha events center to audition. Their disappointment was obvious as they walked, one by one, out the front doors after being told they "weren't 'American Idol' material."
Deanna Cohoon, a 17-year-old from Little Rock, Iowa, had spent the past three days in Omaha with her parents as anticipation for her audition built. Her hopes weren't dashed when she wasn't selected to move on, though, she said.
"I want to do it again next year," she said. "Now I know exactly what's going to happen. ... I know I can do it, and this won't stop me."
An official count of how many people auditioned Friday wasn't available from "Idol" public relations staffers by news deadline, but senior producer Patrick Lynn said at a 6 a.m. news conference that more than 7,000 people were expected to attend. Recent auditions in San Diego and Dallas each brought crowds of 12,000 to 14,000, but Lynn said he was not disappointed with the lower turnout in Omaha -- the smallest city to host an "Idol" audition so far.
"We didn't know what we were going to get," he said. "We've never really been to the center of the country before."
Omaha popped up on the radar as an audition site in part because of Dan Mirvish, director of the 1995 film "Omaha the Movie." Lynn said he knows Mirvish and had heard good things about the city from him.
"I think we're going to find good talent in Omaha," Lynn said. "We have a really good feeling."
Chants and cheerleaders
Between 5 and 6 a.m. Friday, contestants crowded into sections of gates that stretched all the way around the block to the back of the building to begin a tiring day of filming and a seemingly constant stream of singing. Some of them waved signs reading, "Sanjaya gave me hope" (if you know "Idol," you'll get the joke), and "Simon Cowell for President in 2008." One young man from Missouri even had his best friend dress up as a cheerleader in support of his endeavor -- and she got on TV three times.
After two hours of filming, the hopefuls were let into the arena to find their seats. But they found they couldn't relax even then, as producers led them through another hour-and-a-half taping spree. They were asked to ham it up for the cameras and follow various chants for use on "Idol's" preview shows for its seventh season, most followed by an enthusiastic, "Woooo!" with clapping and fist-pumping.
"That camera's got a wide-angle lens, and you could be in the shot even if you don't think you are," a producer yelled to the crowd. "If we catch you sitting down, we're not gonna be happy!"
Dozens of repeats of the chorus of the Bruce Springsteen song "Born in the U.S.A." followed before auditions began just after 10 a.m.
Admire, who was kept in a room beforehand with the winners of other FOX-affiliate TV station "Idol" contests, was in the first group to step up to the nine tables stretched across the arena floor -- and she was the first to walk away with her "golden ticket."
"Everyone was singing at the same time," she said. "They asked me to sing another song and I did; then I was asked to step up to the table."
After those winners auditioned, contestants were led to the floor, section by section, and the rounds went quickly throughout the morning and afternoon. Four people at a time stepped up to the table, getting 30 seconds each to sing. The producer at that table told them whether they were going home empty-handed.
'Another door opens'
Fighting back tears, Sioux Cityan Antoinette Samayoa said she wasn't upset that her producer/judge told her she "wasn't what 'American Idol' was looking for."
"I sang as hard as I could, as well I could. I gave it everything," the 28-year-old said. "I was a little disappointed ... but just because this is over doesn't mean I won't stop trying."
Samayoa has scored an audition next week with an online series for TheNext.tv called, "Making the Next Hit," hosted by rap star Lil' Wayne. There she can showcase the lyric- and beat-writing talents she's been cultivating since the age of 13.
"I know that when one door closes, another door opens," she said.
Admire and Emanuel will be invited back to Omaha next month for round two of "Idol" auditions, and, if all goes well, to round three in November to audition before Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson. The two said they signed confidentiality agreements with the FOX network that prohibit them from divulging any more information about their "Idol" status. No other Siouxlanders previously interviewed by the Journal made it through to the next round.
In coming weeks, auditions will be held in Atlanta, Charleston, S.C., Miami and Philadelphia. The show returns to the air in January.
Stay tuned. We'll keep you updated on our local rising stars' quest to become the next American Idol.
Journal staff writer Sam Burrish and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Alicia Ebaugh describes what it's like to audition for American Idol. Click here: http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2007/08/11/news/local/341CA891947085EF86257334000F4C15.txt
See video of the contestants: Click here: http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/video/vid_archive/20070810_idol404K/20070810_idol404K.jpg
Please run logo with breakout that reads: See video and hear an audiocast from audition central, and read about Journal reporter Alicia Ebaugh's "American Idol" tryout at siouxcityjournal.com
At least two Siouxlanders were handed a ticket to stardom -- or at least a step closer to it -- at Friday's auditions for the hit FOX show "American Idol."
Siouxland Idol winner Katie Admire, 17, and 23-year-old operating room technician Drew Emanuel were seen being handed a coveted "golden ticket" after their auditions -- a yellow sheet of paper that producers said signifies each earned a call-back audition for the show.
"It's a little overwhelming," an overjoyed Admire said just after emerging from the Qwest Center in Omaha with her mom, sister and cousin. "They handed me the sheet, and it's just good news from there, so we'll see what happens."
Their elation wasn't shared by most of the thousands of other "Idol" hopefuls who converged on the Omaha events center to audition. Their disappointment was obvious as they walked, one by one, out the front doors after being told they "weren't 'American Idol' material."
Deanna Cohoon, a 17-year-old from Little Rock, Iowa, had spent the past three days in Omaha with her parents as anticipation for her audition built. Her hopes weren't dashed when she wasn't selected to move on, though, she said.
"I want to do it again next year," she said. "Now I know exactly what's going to happen. ... I know I can do it, and this won't stop me."
An official count of how many people auditioned Friday wasn't available from "Idol" public relations staffers by news deadline, but senior producer Patrick Lynn said at a 6 a.m. news conference that more than 7,000 people were expected to attend. Recent auditions in San Diego and Dallas each brought crowds of 12,000 to 14,000, but Lynn said he was not disappointed with the lower turnout in Omaha -- the smallest city to host an "Idol" audition so far.
"We didn't know what we were going to get," he said. "We've never really been to the center of the country before."
Omaha popped up on the radar as an audition site in part because of Dan Mirvish, director of the 1995 film "Omaha the Movie." Lynn said he knows Mirvish and had heard good things about the city from him.
"I think we're going to find good talent in Omaha," Lynn said. "We have a really good feeling."
Chants and cheerleaders
Between 5 and 6 a.m. Friday, contestants crowded into sections of gates that stretched all the way around the block to the back of the building to begin a tiring day of filming and a seemingly constant stream of singing. Some of them waved signs reading, "Sanjaya gave me hope" (if you know "Idol," you'll get the joke), and "Simon Cowell for President in 2008." One young man from Missouri even had his best friend dress up as a cheerleader in support of his endeavor -- and she got on TV three times.
After two hours of filming, the hopefuls were let into the arena to find their seats. But they found they couldn't relax even then, as producers led them through another hour-and-a-half taping spree. They were asked to ham it up for the cameras and follow various chants for use on "Idol's" preview shows for its seventh season, most followed by an enthusiastic, "Woooo!" with clapping and fist-pumping.
"That camera's got a wide-angle lens, and you could be in the shot even if you don't think you are," a producer yelled to the crowd. "If we catch you sitting down, we're not gonna be happy!"
Dozens of repeats of the chorus of the Bruce Springsteen song "Born in the U.S.A." followed before auditions began just after 10 a.m.
Admire, who was kept in a room beforehand with the winners of other FOX-affiliate TV station "Idol" contests, was in the first group to step up to the nine tables stretched across the arena floor -- and she was the first to walk away with her "golden ticket."
"Everyone was singing at the same time," she said. "They asked me to sing another song and I did; then I was asked to step up to the table."
After those winners auditioned, contestants were led to the floor, section by section, and the rounds went quickly throughout the morning and afternoon. Four people at a time stepped up to the table, getting 30 seconds each to sing. The producer at that table told them whether they were going home empty-handed.
'Another door opens'
Fighting back tears, Sioux Cityan Antoinette Samayoa said she wasn't upset that her producer/judge told her she "wasn't what 'American Idol' was looking for."
"I sang as hard as I could, as well I could. I gave it everything," the 28-year-old said. "I was a little disappointed ... but just because this is over doesn't mean I won't stop trying."
Samayoa has scored an audition next week with an online series for TheNext.tv called, "Making the Next Hit," hosted by rap star Lil' Wayne. There she can showcase the lyric- and beat-writing talents she's been cultivating since the age of 13.
"I know that when one door closes, another door opens," she said.
Admire and Emanuel will be invited back to Omaha next month for round two of "Idol" auditions, and, if all goes well, to round three in November to audition before Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul and Randy Jackson. The two said they signed confidentiality agreements with the FOX network that prohibit them from divulging any more information about their "Idol" status. No other Siouxlanders previously interviewed by the Journal made it through to the next round.
In coming weeks, auditions will be held in Atlanta, Charleston, S.C., Miami and Philadelphia. The show returns to the air in January.
Stay tuned. We'll keep you updated on our local rising stars' quest to become the next American Idol.
Journal staff writer Sam Burrish and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Alicia Ebaugh describes what it's like to audition for American Idol. Click here: http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/articles/2007/08/11/news/local/341CA891947085EF86257334000F4C15.txt
See video of the contestants: Click here: http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/video/vid_archive/20070810_idol404K/20070810_idol404K.jpg
Please run logo with breakout that reads: See video and hear an audiocast from audition central, and read about Journal reporter Alicia Ebaugh's "American Idol" tryout at siouxcityjournal.com
Story Comments
Read More and Post Comments 7 comment(s)
Please note: The following are comments from readers. In no way do they represent the views of The Sioux City Journal or Lee Enterprises. We will not edit or alter your comments, but we do reserve the right to not post or to remove comments that violate our code of conduct. No comment may contain potentially libelous statements; obscene, explicit or racist language; personal attacks, insults or threats. Terms of Service
Renae wrote on Aug 18, 2007 1:33 PM:
anonymous wrote on Aug 13, 2007 4:27 PM:
Anonymous wrote on Aug 13, 2007 4:10 PM:
annoyed wrote on Aug 13, 2007 1:45 PM:
angered wrote on Aug 13, 2007 1:42 PM: