Imagine my delight when I checked into the FOX screener room looking for Glee episodes, only to find an American Idol XIII preview! FOX has released 13 minutes of footage from the first audition city, Boston.
The new panel looks promising. Yes. It ALWAYS does at this stage of the game. The magic of editing can make any interaction look good, any person seem competent and knowledgeable. Even last season’s trainwreck panel got good reviews at first.
But Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez and Harry Connick Jr. seem to at least like each other, and there’s quite a bit of interaction. The Harry-Keith comedy hour is going to be a beautiful thing.
As the preview flipped through a montage of Idol alums including, Candice Glover, Phillip Phillips, Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson and Carrie Underwood, Harry Connick Jr, opines on the pop culture relevance of Idol,
“The idea of being a part of the discovery process of these young entertainers is really exciting,” says Harry. “It’s the biggest format for young artists. It attracts the greatest talent. There’s no other show on television that has such a roster of success.”
The talent previewed is a mix of the good and the not so good. One boy, named Troy, started off his audition as a joke, bragging about receiving standing ovations, and twerking for the judges (producers wasting no time capturing that annoying phenomenon on camera). But then he surprises the panel with a pretty rendition of “Over the Rainbow” and the judges let him through. Jlo advises that he work on his music so people take him seriously. “It’s a long shot,” says Harry before all 3 in unison say, “But it just might twerk.” They went their.
The director has introduced some snazzy new elements. For instance, as the judges are joking after the audition, the frame turns into an instagram-like split screen, with Troy running down the hall in one corner, and his family waiting to hear the news in another.
During another audition, as a pretty blonde shares her love of sports with Jennifer (they both played track in school), Harry and Keith begin their own conversation behind her back. “So Harry, what were you doing the other day?” asks Keith. “I went to the bar and got drunk because nobody knew who I was!” quips Harry.
“People always forget the power of intimacy,” says Keith, in another segment, probably referring to a hopeful’s performance. Harry gives Keith faux bedroom eyes, “I’d like you to remind me of the power of intimacy Keith.” As Keith rolls his chair closer to Harry, Jennifer groans, “Again! This is getting really weird!” and in another clip she says of Keith and Harry’s shenanigans, “You’re both sick people.”
“Jennifer, I will slap you on national television,” jokes Harry. “That will never happen,” laughs Jennifer. In another scene, he whispers that he likes her lipstick as she giggles, “You’re so stupid!”
The dynamic the preview paints has Jennifer, sitting in the middle, playing the “straight man” to the comic stylings of Harry and Keith. Harry seems to LOVE teasing her. I have a feeling we’re going to get so much more of Keith’s dry wit now that he’s got Harry to bounce off of, and an atmosphere that isn’t fraught with tension.
And how’s this for a combo. A White Guy with Guitar…in a wheelchair! Harry and Keith lend the singer a hand, lifting his chair on to the platform. “And now I’m exhausted,” says Harry, “See you after lunch!” he says as he bounds for the door.
Harry compares mensa scores with a pretty, blonde, self-proclaimed genius (Harry has the higher number). She also claims to have perfect pitch, to which Keith remarks, “In Nashville, do you know what they say the definition of perfect pitch is? It’s when you throw a banjo in the dumpster without hitting the sides.”
A contestant confessing to Harry that he’s heard “you’ve been tough all day,” gives me hope that Harry will be the truth teller.
The preview ended with a cute (VERY CUTE) 17 year old guitar strummer named Sam, who performed a lovely version of Ed Sheeran’s “Lego House.” We get his backstory too. He’s living with his grandparents. He takes care of them. They dote on him. It’s adorable. We catch a glimpse of Sam strumming at a local coffee house in Bradenton, Florida, where he’s from.
It’s clear. Along with the humor, the White Guy With Guitar is making a comeback to American Idol XIII.
A couple of other notes: The audition room got a sleek, modern update. There are NO winners photos in the room. I think the producers have given up cramming the room with them. There’s a Boston logo behind the singer. And a fake Boston skyline behind the judges.
As I do every season, I remain optimistic about the upcoming season of American Idol.
