American Idol: Season Seven; Idol in the ATL

February 5, 2008-—"American Idol" is in Atlanta, and as the episode opens I'm overcome by memories of my former idol-mates. Tamyra Gray, EJay Day and RJ Helton were all great talents from Atlanta. I'm confident that this city will bring out an idol that can not only sing, but be authentic as well.

Joshua Jones, 26, is the first contender. He works with glass for a living and he loves it. So emphatic about his love of glass work, why he wants to be an Idol, and leave glass behind, is uncertain. However he's given a big back-story, so you know there's something to this guy. Either that or he's so bad that all-night diarrhea would be better than listening to his singing. He performs Queen's, "Don't Stop Me Now."

There's definitely something there and I want to say that he's good. Yet his eyes resemble those of Jeffrey Dahmer, or someone that's in desperate need of an exorcism. Watching him scares me. The judges likely feel the same because they make him sing with his back to them. I don't see how this guy could make it all the way through the finals like this. Regardless of this awkward take on Queen's song, the judges hear something in him too and decide to put him through to the next round.

JP Tjelmeland, whose claim to fame was sitting two chairs behind Carrie Underwood in season four, decides to come back and give Idol one more shot. He decides to sing a Rascal Flatts number, "Me and My Gang." Not being familiar with this song, or how it's supposed to sound, I'm going to leave this one up to the judges—-no, wait. Despite however the song is supposed to sound, he's not that good. I can hear that.

Simon complains that Paula has a hard time saying, "no," to the contestants, so the AI audience is taken through a, "Paula Can't Say No," montage. It's not very thrilling.

After a commercial break, we meet "a small town girl" from a low-income household by the name of Asia'h Epperson. She's very cute, bubbly and seems like the girl next door; but then she shares that within thirty minutes of her leaving for the auditions, she got message that her father died in a car accident.

How could anyone possibly sing LeAnn Rimes', "How Do I Live," after this happening, on "American Idol," without falling to the ground, curling up into fetal position, rock themselves and cry hysterically? I couldn't do it, nor would I want to try, but she does and delivers the most passionate, most emotional performance of that song I've ever seen. It's so powerful in fact that Paula can't compose herself and has to leave
the panel.

It's one of those rare, authentic moments that Idol never shows. It's real and it's awe-inspiring. She of course, and deservedly so, continues on to Hollywood.

"GO GATORS! Hi! I'm Miss South Florida Fair, and I'm here to show Simon I can give him a performance that isn't pageant-worthy," says Brooke Helvie. She looks like an amalgam of the Clueless character Cher Horowitz and Legally Blonde's Elle Woods.

She lets us know she's choosing The Jackson 5 number, "Who's Loving You," and I'm thinking there's no possible way a girl this obnoxious is going to be decent. She's better than decent. She's really quite good. I mean, she's still annoying and her fake tan is borderline tangerine, but she's good. So, she goes through.

Then, the AI audience is treated to an "Everyone Sing Fergie's, 'GLAMOROUS,' But Do It Really Bad," montage. It's lame

Then Eva Miller comes strolling through the door like she's the next big thing, professing her love for Simon and how much she's infatuated with him-—a clear overcompensation for lack of talent. She warbles through Vanessa Carlton's, "A Thousand Miles," and dances like the character Elaine from "Seinfeld." She drops her song lyrics onto the floor, trips on them and falls to the ground.

Alexandrea Lushinton, 16, is a makeover just waiting to happen. She brings an entourage with her that looks like a little military. She's prepared to deliver, "My Funny Valentine," and I love it. She nails it and she goes off to Hollywood.

Nathan Hite, also 16, has that demeanor like a I-die-my-hair-black-and-red-because-I'm-angry-at-the-world thing which isn't always attractive. His audition is deemed a "bedroom audition," by Simon and is given the axe. Although I will give this guy an A for sense of humor. As he walks through to the other side, he's met by Ryan and claims, "I didn't make it because I refused to spoon with Simon." Love it.

Then we come to Amanda Overmyer, 23, who bares a really striking resemblance to another of my former Idol mates, Nikki McKibbin. A nurse by day and Harley rider by night, there's something very Janis Joplin about her in the best way possible.

When she opens her mouth, she doesn't disappoint. She sounds like a combination of Janis, Pink, and Beth Hart, but not even that comparison does her justice. She's become my new favorite female. She's edgy. She's raspy but more than that; she's ultimately the most authentic person that I've seen hit that Idol stage thus far. She's the girl that won't be molded. She can't be. She is who she is, and that's pretty killer. It's a unanimous decision—-she's off to Hollywood.

Last, 18-year-old Josiah Leming who lives in his car, sings an original composition. I hate when contestants do this because it's difficult to get a grasp of whether they're on key or not. He's from Tennessee, but sings with a slight English accent, and Simon jokes about it. He's definitely got something different, I just don't know what it is and if it's really as interesting as the judges make him out to be. He gets a shot though, and for a few days Leming will get to experience life living outside of his car.