Randy, Simon and Paula in the Big Apple

According to NY Daily News, Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell were at the Chelsea Piers yesterday in Manhattan auditioning the lucky hopefuls who passed through to the third round:

L. McKay, a 23-year-old student and part-time secretary who drove from Lansdale, Pa., has tried out for “Idol” three times before. “And four is my lucky number, ” she said.

Talking before her audition, McKay said this time she’s going to sing a song she wrote especially for the judges. She declined to sing a few verses, but admitted it was a sort of serenade to Randy, Paula and Simon.

Scottie McLaughlin, 26, works as a host at Madame Tussaud’s, where he regularly rubs elbows with wax renditions of Cowell and company. This was his third time in front of the judges. The last time he tried out (for season three), Cowell told him to lose 20 pounds. And he did.

“I’ve done what they told me to do, ” said McLaughlin. “I lost the weight. I changed my look. I feel like I’ve come a long way.”

McLaughlin planned to sing Lionel Richie’s “Hello.”

Songs Simon does not want to hear: 

I’m bored of girls singing Mariah Carey, Whitney Houston, Celine Dion – because they’re not going to be as good. I’m totally over ‘Falling’ by Alicia Keys. I can’t hear that song again or ‘I Believe I Can Fly’ or ‘At Last’ by Etta James. I just can’t hear them, or ‘Crazy’ by Patsy Cline.

Preliminary auditions are set to take place in Memphis Tennessee this Sunday.