Given the level of fear on display from the judges, I think the only way they're going to manage cutdowns is through closing their eyes and pointing in random directions.

Steven might go on Day Two.

Oh no, not the Miley song. GAAAAAHHH

Where are those seizures when you really need them.

The current singer may be having one.

Excuse me while I go rodolfo into the toilet.

Is that something like rotfl-o?

*chuckles*

I fled the room.

Literally. No mute button, no hands over ears. I just got away from the television as quickly as possible.

And the toilet already had a line. Figures.

He works on a ranch and his Dad is ready to butch Ryan right up.
Sob story--Mom has cancer, wants son to try out for her.

Drag the parents in, oh jeez.

He's a good ol' boy with a cowboy hat and a twang.

Not bad, really, although I would supposed he'd be limited to C&W with his tone.

And in the tradition of so many AI contestants before him, here's yet another child semi-star trying to revive his career.

http://www.thebatt.com/2.8522/singer-schulz-balances-his-music-and-his-age-1.1213003

VFTW claims he wasn't really Grammy-nominated: he only made it to the point where his release was being considered for nomination. (Like submitting a Best Picture promotion for Vampires Suck: you had five dollars and an extra copy, so why not delude yourself for an hour?) But the release is real, if not exactly immediately available through Amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Ropin-Dreams-John-Wayne/dp/B000AMEKRC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1296739783&sr=1-2

Not reviewed. Well, that's gonna change pretty soon...

Interesting. I nailed it on the C&W possibility, although that's no surprise after hearing the first few seconds of his song.

I don't know if he made the top 40 according to the spoilers (I'll look it up later and won't mention it in these ECST thresds), but I would guess he's got a budding, if limited, career ahead of him.

Yeah, like that's the first time Ryan's ever had belt buckle damage.

Okay, maybe the first time on his hand...

Courtney who is in lurve with Ryan.

This cannot end well.

Well she has the crazy eyed thing down.

Steve fishing for a aren't I pretty too complement, doesn't get it.

She can do a Chicken, will her singing be any better?

*bawk bawk!*

She's a neurotic nut case. Reminds me of some gal a lot like her in a previous season (was it last year?) who could live or die on a yes or no. Don't like the frowning at.all.

Tatianna? This one isn't quite as fame-obsessed. More like Ryan-obsessed. And there's no accounting for taste. (But she's welcome to have that flavor all to herself.)

Bingo, she's the one. Yeah, Titianna wasn't quite in lurve with Ryan as this gal was, but she's immediately who this gal reminded me of with her facial expressions, partly her tone, and her totally live-or-die neurotic nervousness.

For some reason I got the feeling that most of the crazy act was just that, completly put on for the cameras. Time will tell. If so she has a better chance handling Hollywood week than the ones that take themselves to seriously.

And I've got heart-breaking news for her! Not that this won't stop her.

Tatiana has a bit of a Ryan obsession.

http://twitter.com/#!/tatiananicoleai

But we're still chasing the elusive 1-2.

And just when we thought he'd say no some more... we get yes-yes-yes for a trio of contestants.

Boyfriend and Girlfriend met in choir.

Kill.me.now.

J. Lo says interesting takes on the songs they hear a lot.

And they are both through. *gag*

Yikes, what a pair of smoochy-coochy lovebirds!

No matter how good or bad one or the other might sound, it's music to their ears - and apparently the judges'.

Just wait until one is cut and one moves on in some round.

All that sweetness and light is bound to crack under pressure.

Another Hollywood breakup waiting to happen.

I told Rob it'll be funny when Hollywood round gets here and we find out they hate each other because Babyboy found out that Babygirl got a little Steven after the auditions...but then I realized that was my fantasy.

Five minutes to sob story!

Family has been pestering here for years.

Gosh they don't even pretend to be other than rubber stamping them through anymore.

and various other weirdnesses.

It's the chair, right?

Anyway we can stuff all three of them into that chair?

I'm trying (just trying) to picture that...

Melodica player.

No discussion, just yes, in unison.

LAST EDITED ON 02-02-11 AT 10:02 PM (EST)

Sort of has that rockabilly tone (I'm thinking CCR's John Fogerty) and clearly has the rhythm, even if he's a bit monotonic. One of the better people we've heard tonight, although that's not saying much.

He both sucks and blows. And with that hairstyle in Texas? He may not live long enough to reach Hollywood.

Fifty tickets given out tonight. Slightly below my estimate, but still far more than would have been given out in Simon's era. It's almost enough to make you miss Puerto Rico.

It was mercifully limited to just an hour (maybe 40 minutes, sans commercials).