Remember Panda Ross, the 42 year old singer with the big voice who was carried out of auditions on a stretcher last season? She auditioned again in New Orleans this year, and according to a Yahoo Music source, ”Panda came onstage and said she had driven 600 miles to see Simon again. A few people recognized her, but it was only when she said her name that even the audience remembered who she was. She looked great and must have lost at least 80 pounds. [Editor’s note: Panda underwent gastric-bypass surgery last year.] She was still telling Simon how much she loved him, and she told the judges she had been working hard and wanted a second chance.”
Well, Panda updated her fans on Facebook to let them know she was cut:
GM all my Pandafandas happy sat morning.I wrote a statement yesterday giving you guys a update on my season3 Xfactor trip but it got erased accidentally. So many of you know I auditioned in New Orleans before the judges singing Barbara Lynn’s you’ll lose a good thing the experience laughter and talent God allowed me to bring to that stage left the rm standing to there feet it was phenomenal all the judges ranted and raved over my performance Simon said I was a tiger and if he lost me this season he’d lose a good thing I guess he forgot what he said after they have me 4yeses they flew 218 acts to bootcamp left us sitting in a rm 15 hrs only giving us a turkey sandwich apple and glass of water only to come out about the 9th hr to tell us bootcamp was canceled and they chose there top 40 from our initial audition ppl were crying cuz there first auditor wasn’t that great they didn’t get 4yeses and they barely made it so ppl were devastated cuz we never got to open our mouth and sing one note everyone thought I was a shoe in but when I heard the announcement I said to myself there gonna screw you so I immediately started comforting others who had never been through this and like cattle they hauled us all on stage pick there 40 and to everyone else’s surprise they didn’t call my name don’t worry I’m good I was alittle disappointed because I wanted you guys to experience more of what I had to offer In the overall package. I have audition for the voice twice Sunday best twice and Xfactor 3times so as far as reality singing shows its not for more but I’m on a mission and god has big plans for me and working on some tv stuff what I really need is for y’all to go to www.pandaross.com and purchase my oldie cd it has bring it on home and the song I did in New Orleans I need finances to continue the journey god bless and y’all stay intouch for more updates
What’s interesting about her post is the revelation that the contestants were assembled for a bootcamp that was cancelled at the 9th hour, without ANY further auditions. All decisions were based on initial auditions. And if the Daily Mail is to be believed, Simon Cowell is off on a boat with his “harem” cruising the Mediterranean.
How exactly will the producers proceed with those middle rounds? FOX head, Kevin Reilly, told the reporters assembled at the Press Tour last week, that along with the cash prize being reduced $1 million dollars from $5 million, that the producers are doing a “brand new thing” with the middle rounds that will involve the judges. Also, the groups are reverting back to the season 1 categories: Boys, Girls, Groups and Over 25s (last season it was Teens, Adults, Groups and Overs).
X Factor premieres on FOX September 11 at 8/7c.
