After months and months of hype, The X Factor premiered Wednesday night and reunited Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell after a couple of years of TV separation.
The show also included Cheryl Cole, briefly, before she was cut by the show for unknown reasons, L.A. Reid, and Cheryl’s replacement Nicole Scherzinger.
Below are the best and worst audition performance videos of the night, but before we go there, is it me or did you guys also find Cheryl Cole too cute to be axed by the show?
Chris Rene, a 28-year old trash collecter and a recovering cocaine addict with a son who is trying to turn his life around performed his own original song Young Homie:
L.A. Reid said of Rene, “I’ve worked with some of the greatest hip-hop artists, like Jay-Z and Kanye West, and all of my boys would be proud of me today to tell you that you are the truth!”
Simon said, “Maybe you need the show, maybe we need you.” Paula told him, “you are a bright light,” while Nicole played off of his original song lyrics telling him, “Honey, I’m trippin’ on you.”
Siameze Floyd, the Prince impersonator copy-cat who said he wants an energy drink named after him when he reaches the level of mega-stardom that he is convinced is his destiny. Here he is, wearing a mesh see-through shirt, lift boots, and exploding with energy:
Nicole Nikki Collins, event planner from Maryland who would not take no from the judges while butchering Mariah Carey’s Emotions:
Stacey Francis, single 42-year old mom of two who changed her own life forever by singing Aretha Franklin’s Natural Woman:
Marcus Canty the 20-year old who got a two-year window from his mom to pursue a career in entertainment or go back to school reminded LA Reid of Bobby Brown and Simon of Usher:
Simone Battle, the “fierce” USC student who wants to be a pop icon who people ask to sign their babies. Simon and L.A. could not see eye to eye on Simone’s talents as she sang La Roux’ Bulletproof:
Boy band The Answer who sang Adele’s Rollin in the Deep and Happy Birthday to Nicole:
14-year old John Lindahl who sang Forget You by Cee Lo Green:
Oh and last but not least, the supposed classically-trained Geo Godly who made Paula Abdul sick by taking off his pants and singing I’m A Stud:
“That was offensive, disgusting, distasteful, upsetting—get him out of the building, please,” L.A. demanded.
Rachel Crowe is awesom