My Three Seconds of Fame

Chances are, you saw my big fat face filling the screen on the SLC auditions for AI.  Yes, that was me.  I was there supporting a friend (Zach) who had made it to the third round of auditions.  Getting to see Randy, Paula, Kara and Simon was actually the third audition that Zach went to.

The first audition was in the Energy Solutions Arena.  We had to go a day early to get a wristband and then were corralled into the arena the next day for a mass audition.  (See here for complete narrative) Ten tables were set up with two producers each and four contestants were shuffled through and given 30 seconds each to WOW the producers.  

Either wow them with your amazing talent or cause them to silently snicker in mockery.  Both instances would get you to the second audition, two months later.  

Zach wowed the judges with his amazing talent and made it through to the second round.  He had to fly back from Seattle to SLC two months later to see a second round of producers.  The producers recognized him at the airport, told them they were fans, had checked out his music online and were so cool with him.  He seemed to be on his way.  Only 50 or so contestants made it through to the third and final audition. Don't be fooled.  Those thousands of people with signs and screaming supporters did NOT see the celebrity judges.  It's so funny how they edit the show to make it look totally different than what it really was.  

So Ryan came into the "holding room" where the final contestants would be waiting for up to 8 hours to see the celebrity judges and gave them all a little speech and told them not to concede, to fight for their place if they felt they were good enough.  When they were filming him, they had the camera pointed directly at me (because he was standing right in front of me during his speech) and I was freaking out.  I was already kind of acting a little star-struck with Ryan always around so I just played it up.  That's the gorgeousness you saw on the show.  

Also, when they were interviewing the Osmonds who were there, I gave up my chair to Ryan because he didn't have a seat to sit in the middle of them.  Then he gave it back to me and I was in heaven again.

They called Zach out to sing for the judges and about 30 minutes later called us to go see the results.  We waited outside the doors where he would emerge triumphant or disappointed and I was so nervous.  We stood lining the wall and I was at the very end because I was just a friend and there were 4 other family members there.  Ryan asked Zach's mom if she was nervous and she said, "No, but she is," and pointed to me.  Ryan held out his hand for me and I held it for like 3 seconds.  It was awesome!

Zach came out without a golden ticket and I was POSITIVE he was just joking and was going to whip it out of his coat or something.  But he wasn't joking.  He said they didn't like his song choice and he had told them ok and left.  I couldn't believe it and blurted out, "This show is rigged!" Ryan and Zach's mom gave me the evil eye and so I shut up.  But I still can't believe he really didn't make it.  I know they do turn down a LOT of people with true talent for their own interests.  I guess they get who they want on the show and THEN let you feel like you chose the winner.  

Check out Zach's widget under my Jason Mraz on the right and YOU tell me!  All the vocals are him, especially the scatting.  I am still flabbergasted that they passed on him.  

I think he's different and soulful and talented and they missed it on this one.  They didn't even show him on camera barely at all!  They edited SO MUCH out of that day, it's pretty sad. Maybe the economy is hitting their show, too...

We did meet two other people during the auditions who were awesome and who DID make it to Hollywood.  Moorea and Frankie are two super cute girls who have some pretty sweet vocals.  We'll see what happens with them and the gonna-screw-you-crew in Hollywood.  It was fun being "famous" for a day and a half, though.  Thanks to those of you who saw me and said something about it.  It made it a lot more fun!!

Moschetti, out!