The September 28, 2011 episode of The X Factor started hot in the cold rainy Chicago auditions.
First up were Brock and McKenna Sollinger who have been singing together for four years. McKenna calls the duo “best friends.” Brock, on the other hand, is madly in love with her and has not told her yet. Well, not until she watches tonight’s episode. Man, I wish I could see McKenna’s face as she learns…
The duo received a standing ovation from the audience singing Colder Weather by The Zac Brown Band. The judges followed by giving the pair four votes to advance.
L.A. Reid: “You just made my day, I really enjoyed you.” Cheryl Cole: “Your harmonies were spot on and your vocals so controlled.” Paula Abdul: “I think your vocal blend is lovely.” Simon Cowell: “Your voice is sensational.”
Watch Brock & McKenna’s (Or Makenna) performance video clip below:
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?
AUDITIONS: THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE BIZARRE:
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.”
And there was 13-year old Rachel Crowe who started the show and said she wanted to win so she could get her own bathroom (she lives with 8 people). She sang a full-throated Mercy by Duffy:
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.
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I recently attended a taping of The X Factorand was quite impressed by the talent which remained on the show at that point – there were 72 hopefuls at that stage.
At today’s Television Critics Association press panel, Simon Cowell discussed key details and dates of the show which is sure to be a hit:
Why was Cheryl Cole replaced after auditions were already held in two cities:
“We felt that she was going to be more comfortable doing the UK show than the American one [and] I thought it would be been good for the show over there.” What is the grand prize?
$5 million plus a feature in a Pepsi Super Bowl commercial.
Key Show Dates: Wednesday, Sept. 21 – Season Premiere Wednesday, Oct. 5 – Contestant Boot Camp Begins Tuesday, Oct. 25 – : Finalists Revealed Wednesday, Nov. 2 – First Live Performance Show Wednesday, Dec. 21 – Live Season Finale, Part 1 Thursday, Dec. 22 – Live Season Finale, Part 2
Cheryl Cole is having a really really bad week. Not only was she replaced as a judge for the American version of The X Factor, she may have also lost her job at the U.K. version as well.
The Daily Mailreports that Cole has refused to take any calls or meetings with producers of the show after she was offered “an olive branch” from them to return to the British version as a judge.
Per The Daily Mail‘s sources: “Cheryl will not be returning to the British ‘X Factor. She hasn’t returned phone calls. And you can’t exactly negotiate with someone who won’t even speak to you.”
Former Destiny’s Child singer Kelly Rowland will fill the vacated seat on the British judges’ panel along with hip hop star Tulisa Contostavlos from the group N-Dubz, Gary Barlow of Take That and longtime judge Louis Walsh. Meanwhile, former Pussycat Doll singer Nicole Scherzinger, will take Cole’s spot on the American show.
Here is a pic of Cheryl with Paula Abdul during Cheryl’s short stint on the American version of The X Factor:
Well, the rumor mill was right. The last seat on the judges’ panel for the upcoming The X Factor has been filled by…Paula Abdul.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Abdul just completed last-minute negotiations, perfectly in time for the show’s first pre-taped episode which starts today!
Abdul will join Simon Cowell, Cheryl Cole and Antonio ‘L.A.’ Reid as judges for the new show.
Pussycat Doll and former Dancing With the Stars‘ mirrorball champion Nicole Scherzinger will serve as co-host for the show, along with Steve Jones, a British TV personality.
The adorable Paula confirmed the news of her new gig herself by sending this message via her Facebook page and Tweeting the photo of herself and fellow judge Cheryl Cole below:
Paula Abdul: “Facebookers, yes yes yes I’ll be judging on X-Factor. There’s a ton of stuff going on right now, but I’ll pop in as much as I can. love you ALL & thank you for your constant, love, support, encouragement & just EVERYTHING! xoxoxoxoP”
What do you think of this line up? Do you think it’s a good idea to reunite American Idol judges Cowell and Abdul in a whole new setting?
L.A. Reid was the first judge confirmed for the U.S. version of X Factor this year. And he may have beat Simon Cowell to the punch and let the cat out of the bag: He has confirmed that long-rumored judge Cheryl Cole will be sitting next to him on the judge’s panel when the show premieres in the fall.
Cheryl has been a judge on the British version of the show since 2008.
X Factor will be going against some tough competition but Reid is confident the show will do great. He says “We’re gonna compete against American Idol just fine. I’m confident. But along with Simon Cowell and Cheryl, I don’t know who the other judge is.”
AskMen revealed its 10th Annual “Top 99 Most Desirable Women” list today and after the more than 5 million votes were counted, Gossip Girl actress Blake Lively came out on the very top.
Check out the top 10 winners below and then go to AskMen.com for the full list!
1. Blake Lively 2. Mila Kunis 3. Sofia Vergara 4. Selita Ebanks 5. Miranda Kerr 6. Cheryl Cole 7. Scarlett Johansson 8. Katy Perry 9. Anne Hathaway 10. Jessica Pare
