Day 2-Kansas City

Okay,so I didn't do so well keeping my promise to update the blog on Thursday. I told you Wednesdays weren't so good for me. I will tell you that watching Idol via DVR went quicker than the previous night. Kansas City is the home of David Cook, and some of my pretty awesome aunts, uncles and cousins (including my little God daughter who is still too young to understand the draw of American Idol).
First up is Chelsea Marquardt, a darling blond who by all appearances seems to be the Idol package. She seems intelligent and sweet and incapable of grossly overestimating her talents, but she does. Simon said it sounded like a cat being thrown off the empire state building and Randy added that it was that, plus the sounds of sirens. Paula and Kara try to build her up a little, but she chalks it up to a bad song choice. Hopefully she will watch herself on the show before she puts herself through that again.
Ashley Anderson picks a Leona Lewis/Simon Cowell number and within the first line Simon was correcting her lyrics. I absolutely hated the bangs and the black eyeliner, but I thought her voice was fine and she went through quickly to Hollywood week.
Casey Carlson was up next and talk about a cutie. I loved her little dress and cowboy boots, her hair, and her darling little voice. She has a lot of potential and I can't wait to see what happens to her when she starts working with a band.
After a few stupid human tricks we are presented with Brian Hettler, the opera (and I use that term loosely) trained bearded guy with the bizarre voice. Randy laughed through it. He tells them that people think he sounds like Josh Grobin, and then he sings and he doesn't sound anything like him. He isn't going to cry, but a whole lot of other people are happy to cry on camera, especially a young woman who screams "NO" in a hysteric fit that should only be reserved for loss of life. (I confess it sickly humored me and I watched it a couple of times).
After a few crappy auditions, enter James Michael Avane butchering Alison Krauss, Bill Vinson singing Reflection from Mulan(where do these people come from?), and my personal favorite, Deandre Hopkins butchering Amazing Grace.
Von Smith tells us a little more about his phlegm than I was interested in, and then sings the loudest version of Somewhere over the Rainbow in recent times. The judges send him through, but I don't see him sticking around long.
Lo and behold, Jason Castro has a baby brother. Michael Castro has a completely different voice and sense of style, but the failure to communicate well or get excited about anything is all Jason. He sings "In Love with a Girl" and cracks me up when Kara says he looks like he has a secret and he responds with "maybe I don't even know it".
We move then to a banana song from a man in a yellow suit.
Matt Breitzke, the laborer with a wife and son impresses with "Ain't no Sunshine". Randy isn't buying it, but the other 3 love him and he humbly takes his gold ticket out the door.
Jasmine Joseph sings Somewhere over the Rainbow in about 10 keys and as she realizes the judges aren't liking it, she slowly stops smiling and walks out.
Jasmine Paige-Furny, our small town girl from the land of Oz, lives with her 93 year old Grandma ("these are my crazy pills) and rocks out Crybaby. The judges love her.
India and Asia, the rapping sisters come on the scene next and sing and Ode to Randy about getting too big to go to the bathroom. Asia is not a singer, but her little sister India is a crack up and has a nice voice. They send her on to Hollywood.
Jamar Rogers sings a somewhat affected "California Dreamer" and has a great voice, but the cheek piercing is hard to look at. His best friend Donny Gokey is a grieving widower of one month. He sings Heard it Through the Grapevine and blows the judges away.
After Danny came Anoop-dog, singing with a soulful funky voice that was unexpected. Simon and Randy tell him to work out the wardrobe before Hollywood. I like the guy, he is smart and funny. I love to be surprised, and this one surprised me.
Time for KC best and worst, singing "Signed, Sealed Delivered".
Two cheerleaders do a show for Columbia Missouri native Andrew Lang. He sings My Girl and has a nice voice but is too theatrical for the judges. The cheerleaders cry, but Andrew takes it in stride.
Asa Barnes, a band teacher with a young daughter, sings "The way you make me feel", and although I personally thought it was out of his range, he is good. The judges like him and his voice and he sails through.
We always have the undiscovered star. Cue Michael Nicewater, whose own mother has tried to explain to him that he can't sing. We are tortured with the horror of an original song written to his mother, and despite Paula's loud groan, one to his Grandmother as well. Simon's laughter makes him cry.
Dennis Brigham dreamt that Simon thought he was the best of the day, and after jumping around singing "With You", Randy, Kara and Paula put him through. Simon was not amused.
Mia Conley is our Lovin You attempt for season 8. It is never a success. She tells the camera that God will get the judges and she will be a star anyway.
Thank God the last one up is Lil Rounds, the mother of three whose family has been displaced by a tornado. She sings All I do and is fantastic. She is classy, talented and reminds me of Melinda Dolittle with better stage presence and personality. I can't imagine she won't be in the top 10.
I will be back to type again in 2 1/2 hours my friends, and I will be exhausted but I will try not to let you down.
Tune in now....