HOORAY FOR HOLLYWOOD! Here’s your American Idol 11 Hollywood Round Part 2 recap post. I’ll be live blogging tonight at Entertainment Weekly. Do join me there if you’d like! I’ll be back here as soon as the episode ends on the East Coast to post videos, polls and a full recap!
Entertainment Weekly Live Blog
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Tonight’s episode of American Idol really needed to be 2 hours. The 1st hour set up the drama, but now we have to wait until next Wednesday for the payoff. The two-parter would would have made more sense as a 2 hour reality-mini movie. If the Idol schedule hadn’t changed the two part groups night would have at least aired on consecutive evenings.
I am almost certain there has never been an Idol episode before that contained no performances. There was recap of last night’s show at the beginning and snips of the groups rehearsing, but nobody took the stage tonight. Well, The Betties took the stage, and it was fade to black–another Nigel Lythgoe cliff hanger!
For what it was—1 hour of reality television—it had its entertaining moments. Chief among them was the absolutely hilarious Heejun Han, whose dry quips at the expense of one of his group members, a megalomaniac psycho cowboy had me ROLLING.
The Symone Black sitch–the girl who fainted. Of course she was OK. She regained consciousness and went to the hospital for some IV fluids…just like I predicted. There were lots of snarks about the judges not moving in to help her, But Jennifer did eventually hop the desk to see if she could do anything, and seemed genuinely concerned. Randy eventually joined her. Kids formed a prayer circle for for Symone. The medic asked for some soda and eventually Symone she was able to stand up and walk out with her father, heading for the hospital.
We also see what happened to Symone’s lineup. She and Jeremy Rosado make it through to the group rounds. Special needs teacher, Lauren Mink and Ethan Jones (His dad was in rehab) were cut.
185 hopefuls survive the cut to the group rounds.
Ha ha…I loved the montage of past season’s Hollywood weeks! “Bling bling and shine on baby!” “I DON’T DO GROUPS” “IT’S NOT JUST YOUR DREAM AT STAKE HERE”. Oh the memories!
Speaking of which…don’t these kids watch Idol? Of course the producers aren’t going to let them stay in the groups they formed days ahead of time with their buddies! The scramble to form groups of 4 or 5 that contained both group 1 and 2 hopefuls, per Ken Warwick’s orders, took up a lot of the hour.
Tonight’s main players: Alicia Bernhardt, who was so annoying, she couldn’t find a group who would stick with her. I totally lolled at the youngsters who only knew “Joy to the World” as a Christmas song. And there was “Tent Girl”, Amy Brumfield, now known as “Patient Zero” who introduced very nasty stomach flu into the group. She scares the devil away with Jesus!
Note to hopefuls: You don’t tell someone not to make you sick, and then run to hug them. That’s a total #fail.
There was also Brielle Von Hugel or Miss Bossy Pants and her equally bossy mom (Brielle was in a group with Pia Toscano last year). Because of her prior experience she took charge of the group. Mom proudly says of Brielle’s “executive style”, “She rules the roost.” Bitchy mom trashes one of the kids. “I don’t want to be a stage mother,” she says disingenuously, “But they all agree.”
Symone comes back from the hospital and HER stage parent daddy takes over. “I’m not a stage dad,” he helpfully explains, “I’m just a father that’s helping his daughter achieve her dreams. They call them mentors. I’m soon to be a famous mentor.” YIKES. Symone finally finds a group and ditches dad so they can get to work.
As the night wore on, hopefuls began to drop like flies from Amy’s stomach flu. We’re treated to lovely scenes of kids barfing into garbage bags. YAY.
By the next morning, the Betties fall apart over lack of sleep and preparation, but they’re up first and….cliffhanger! We’ll have to wait until next week to find out what happened.
After Symone’s Fall & Final Judges Decisions
First Groups Start To Form
New Groups Part 2 & MIT Form
Groups Part 3 – The Bettys & Brielle’s Groups Form
Groups Part 4 – Seymone Returns & Make You Believers Form
Groups Part 5 – Those Girls & That Guy, The Bettys & MIT Struggle
Groups Wrap & Prepare To Perform
