A new frenzy as ‘Idol’ auditions resume

updated 10:31 p.m. ET Aug. 8, 2006

PASADENA, Calif. - About 10,000 "American Idol" hopefuls showed up at the Rose Bowl on Tuesday with wide-eyed dreams of becoming the next Taylor Hicks or Carrie Underwood.

After waiting all night and standing in line for hours, most contestants got less than a minute to sing a few bars — and then the boot.

Michael Taylor, 21, of El Monte, who works at a customer call service center, was among those quickly dismissed from the tryouts. Fox publicity representatives were more sensitive, saying he "was not moving forward."

"This is just a stepping stone for me and I'm looking past it," said Taylor, who asked an observer if he could sing a few notes to demonstrate his talent. He had a nice soulful style — but obviously not nice enough.

Pasadena was the first of seven cities where producers of Fox TV's talent show planned auditions for the upcoming sixth season. Approaching the Rose Bowl, roads were clogged as auditioners hurried to meet the deadline to line up. Outside the stadium, early arrivals gathered — some huddled under blankets, some wearing headphones and silently mouthing lyrics. Others did last-minute makeup checks.

The generally subdued early morning crowd roused itself occasionally, once when sample breath mints were tossed into the crowd and other times when TV news crews went on the air.

At 8:30 a.m., almost four hours after the official lineup time, producers started letting people in. The crowd wrangler urged the throng to cheer — but "no pushing." Media were not allowed to watch the auditions.

FREE VIDEO Tone deaf? Aug. 8: “Countdown” host Keith Olbermann talks to Q104.3’s Maria Milito about the latest round of “American Idol” auditions. Countdown

The elimination process was surprisingly quick, said Ryan Duitch, 17, of Los Angeles. The hopefuls stepped forward four at a time to one of 14 judging stations. Each station was manned by three producers looking for that special "Idol" magic. Each hopeful had all of about 20 seconds to showcase his or her talent.

"Not what we're looking for," Duitch said he and others were told. But he, like other contestants, said this wouldn't stop them from pursuing their passion.

"Now we take him out to lunch and tell him how wonderful he is," said the teenager's girlfriend, Faith Altman.

Some contestants got what they came for.

Carrie Jo, 24, of Louisville, Ky., said she moved to Los Angeles recently to pursue her dreams of being a singer and dancer. On Monday night, she was pulling her regular shift as a waitress at Monty's, a Los Angeles restaurant. At work, bartenders made pseudo matching registration wrist bands and had her sign them as a gesture of good luck.

Hours later, she and her mother, Dottie Hubrich, also of Louisville, were camped out at the Rose Bowl to be among the first in line.

Carrie Jo, who sang snippets of Patsy Cline's "Crazy" and two other songs, said she was the first one to be passed through to the next round, which is scheduled for next month.

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