American Idol season 5
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The fifth season of American Idol began on January 17, 2006 and will end on May 24, 2006. Returning this season to judge are Simon Cowell, Paula Abdul, and Randy Jackson. Returning to host is Ryan Seacrest.
Auditions
Auditions were held in seven cities in the summer and early fall of 2005 in the following order:
- Chicago, Illinois
- Denver, Colorado
- Greensboro, North Carolina
- San Francisco, California
- Las Vegas, Nevada
- Austin, Texas (later stages of auditions were held in San Francisco because of Hurricane Katrina and the number of evacuees in Texas) [1]
- Boston, Massachusetts
Unlike Season Four, no guest judges were involved during the auditions.
Eliminated Contestants
Early auditions
- Holly Corrente worked at a rehabilitation facility. Auditioned in Boston and eliminated there.
- Rhonetta Johnson had a diva attitude and potty mouth. Made negative comments, mostly about and directed to, Paula Abdul after being rejected by the judges. Eliminated in Greensboro auditions.
- Chonna Clepper auditioned in Greensboro dressed in almost nothing. Before entering the audition room, she was rude to Ryan Seacrest.
Hollywood Round One
The first round of Hollywood consisted of two days of solo performances of one of tweleve pre-selected songs, to a piano and background vocal accompaniment, with each singer singing on one day and touring Los Angeles on the other day.
Of the 175 hopefuls who made it to Hollywood, 99 were selected to move on to the next round. Among those cut from at this time were:
- Kenneth "Chase" Bush auditioned in Greensboro with a Whitney Houston song
- Jeffrey "Ryan" Baysden auditioned in Greensboro. He was told by Simon, "finally, a Ryan with talent!"
- Steven David, Jr. auditioned in his Air National Guard uniform in Greensboro, danced with Paula, and turned out to be married.
- David Hoover aka "Crazy Dave", sent through by Randy and Paula in Chicago. He is the first "bad" singer ever to be sent on to Hollywood.
- Ronnie "R.J." Norman was profiled as the "Cocky Guy" in Austin. He cried when he was eliminated in Hollywood.
- Jayne Santayana auditioned in San Francisco, sang "Sweet Love" by Anita Baker.
- Joshua and Jarrett Simmons are the younger set of male twins that auditioned together in Chicago.
- Zachary Smits was a 17-year-old, auditioned in Chicago.
- Jordan Southerland auditioned dressed as a firefighter in Greensboro.
- Heather Ward was the African American woman who surprised the judges by singing Gretchen Wilson's country anthem "Redneck Woman" in Las Vegas.
- Kendra Winston was the mother of three children, grew up in 42 different foster care situations, auditioned in Greensboro.
Hollywood Rounds Two and Three
The remaining 99 hopefuls competed in Round Two, which was three- or four-person groups singing one of six or so pre-selected songs, and then Round Three, which was a solo a capella performance. After these rounds, 55 were cut, including:
- Meredith Bandes
- Leah Barrettsmith, one of the two sisters who auditioned together in Chicago and were profiled as "small town" girls.
- Matthew Buckstein
- Rochelle-Elaine Dye came to her Denver audition with several friends and family who had her named spelled out in t-shirts. Said she was about to be evicted.
- Sarah Enouen
- Michael Evans
- Hannah Freeman
- Gina Glocksen was profiled as a dental assistant and the lead singer in an all-girl band, auditioned in Chicago.
- Anthony Hansen
- Rickey Hayes was a music major, auditioned in Austin
- Jason Horn, Funeral director, auditioned in Austin with "You Raise Me Up".
- Ashley Jackson, "fit model", sang with her mouth closed, auditioned in Austin.
- Josh Jordan
- Garet Layne Johnson, profiled as the "Wyoming Cowboy," auditioned in Denver, was advised to get voice lessons before going to Hollywood. He was featured as part of a Brokeback Mountain parody called "Brokenote Mountain".
- Mecca Madison was the 18-year-old high-school senior and belly-dancer. Auditioned in Las Vegas.
- Celeste Scalone
- Tyra Juliette Schwartz came from New York and was dumped by her boyfriend shortly before auditioning in Greensboro. She was a former contestant on Making the Band.
- Marcy Smith
- Halicia Thompson sang the theme from A Different World and kissed Simon. She auditioned in Greensboro.
- Nicole Turk
- Tatiana Ward auditoned in Boston. Simon compared her to his pet poodle, and complained that her singing was too "old fashioned." Randy and Paula let her through.
- Lauren Weckerly
- Shawna White was 16 years old, wore pigtails that inspired yodeling from the judges, auditioned in San Francisco.
- John Williams sang a Michael Jackson song and did a dance in San Francisco, Simon wasn't impressed with his "routine", but Randy and Paula put him through.
- Megan Ziegler was first seen in Hollywood, where she had a bad case of laryngitis, but managed to sustain her voice.
Final Cutdown
On January 23, 2006, after a considerable time lapse from Hollywood Week, and after the audition shows began to air on January 17, the judges reviewed tapes and considered early audience reaction to the contestants. Without any additional performances from the contestants, the judges then reduced the the remaining 44 contestants to 24 semi-finalists in a Pasadena, California hotel. Among those eliminated at this point were:
- Brooke Barrettsmith, one of the two sisters who auditioned together in Chicago and were profiled as "small town" girls.
- Megan Bobo
- Jessica Santos
- Antonio Bridges
- Derrell and Terrell Brittenum, older set of twins that auditioned together in Chicago. In Hollywood, Terrell quit after mistakenly thinking his brother had been cut. After an apology, the judges allowed both brothers to stay in the competition. They made it to the final 44, but they were disqualified in January 2006 after being arrested.
- Bobby Bullard
- Bobby Dillard
- Syd Harcourt
- Eugenia Littlejohn
- Mark Locklear
- Crystal Stark
- Brianna Taylor
- April Walsh, sang the song It's Oh So Quiet by Bjork in Denver.
- Stephanie White
- Nick Whitten
Semi-finals
The semi-finals began on February 21, with the names announced on February 15. There will be three shows each week for the three weeks of the semi-finals.
There are no format changes from season 4; it will feature 12 male singers and 12 female singers (24 total), with two of each being eliminated each week.
The 24 semi-finalists, announced February 15, 2006, along with their songs performed on the show, were:
Girls-Eliminated
- Ayla Brown is from Wrentham, Massachusetts. Her father is a Massachusetts state senator, and her mother is a local television personality at WCVB-TV. She has a college basketball scholarship at Boston College. She originally auditioned in Boston, Massachusetts, singing Ain't No Mountain High Enough.
- 1. Reflection (Christina Aguilera)
- 2. I Want You To Need Me (Celine Dion)
- 3. Unwritten (Natasha Bedingfield) - Eliminated
- Kinnik Sky is from Duluth, Georgia. She auditioned in Greensboro.
- 1. Get Here (Oleta Adams)
- 2. Here For the Party (Gretchen Wilson)
- 3. If I Ain't Got You (Alicia Keys) - Eliminated
- Heather Cox is from Jonesville, North Carolina. She auditioned in Denver.
- 1. When You Tell Me That You Love Me (Diana Ross)
- 2. Hero (Mariah Carey) - Eliminated
- Brenna Gethers is from Mount Vernon, New York. She auditioned in Boston.
- 1. You Are The Sunshine Of My Life (Stevie Wonder)
- 2. Last Dance (Donna Summer) - Eliminated
- Stevie Scott is from Fair Oaks, California. She auditioned in Denver.
- 1. To Where You Are (Josh Groban) - Eliminated
- Becky O'Donohue is from Dobbs Ferry, New York. Her original audition was in Boston with her twin sister (who didn't sing due to recent throat surgery). Simon praised her looks, but said no to her voice. She was let through to Hollywood by Randy and Paula.
- 1. Because The Night (Patti Smith) - Eliminated
Boys-Eliminated
- Gedeon McKinney is from Memphis, Tennessee. He auditioned in Chicago.
- 1. Shout (The Isley Brothers)
- 2. A Change Is Gonna Come (Sam Cooke)
- 3. When A Man Loves a Woman (Percy Sledge) - Eliminated
- Will Makar is from The Woodlands, Texas. 17 years old, originally auditioned in Austin with "Ain't Too Proud to Beg" by The Temptations.
- 1. I Want You Back (The Jackson 5)
- 2. Lady (Kenny Rogers)
- 3. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) (Marvin Gaye) - Eliminated
- José "Sway" Penala is from South San Francisco, and he auditioned San Francisco.
- 1. Reasons (Earth Wind & Fire)
- 2. Overjoyed (Stevie Wonder) - Eliminated
- David Radford is a high schooler from Crystal Lake, Illinois. He originally auditioned in Chicago.
- 1. Crazy Little Thing Called Love (Queen)
- 2. The Way You Look Tonight (Frank Sinatra) - Eliminated
- Patrick Hall is from Gravette, Arkansas and was seen for the first time in Hollywood.
- 1. Come to My Window (Melissa Etheridge) - Eliminated
- Robert Bennett, Jr. is from Denver and also auditioned there.
- 1. Copacabana (Barry Manilow) - Eliminated
Top 12
- Ace Young is from Denver, and he auditioned there as well. At that time, Randy called him one of the best he'd seen so far this season. After he sang 'Father Figure', Simon Cowell said that Ace had the 'X-Factor'
- 1. Father Figure (George Michael)
- 2. If You're Not The One (Daniel Bedingfield)
- 3. Butterflies (Michael Jackson)
- 4.
- Bucky Covington is from Rockingham, North Carolina. He auditioned in Greensboro.
- 1. Simple Man (Lynyrd Skynyrd)
- 2. The Thunder Rolls (Garth Brooks)
- 3. Wave On Wave (Pat Green)
- 4.
- Chris Daughtry is from McLeansville, North Carolina. During the audition round, he was profiled as a "Rocker Dad." He originally auditioned in Denver.
- 1. Wanted Dead Or Alive (Bon Jovi)
- 2. Hemorrhage (In My Hands) (Fuel)
- 3. Broken (Seether)
- 4.
- Elliott Yamin (pronounced Yah-Meen) was born in 1978 in Los Angeles, California and grew up in suburban Richmond, Virginia. He started singing at the age of 5 and did not have any formal training. He auditioned for American Idol in Boston.
- 1. If You Really Love Me (Stevie Wonder)
- 2. Moody's Mood For Love (James Moody)
- 3. Heaven (Bryan Adams)
- 4.
- Katharine McPhee's mother is a vocal coach. At the time she auditioned in San Francisco, Randy said her audition was the best he'd heard yet this season. At the end of the first semi-final song, Simon Cowell said that he had heard four very good singers that evening and that Katherine was the best among them. She is from Sherman Oaks, California.
- 1. Since I Fell For You (Barbra Streisand)
- 2. All In Love Is Fair (Stevie Wonder)
- 3. Think (Aretha Franklin)
- 4.
- Kellie Pickler is from Albemarle, North Carolina, but was born in New Orleans, Louisiana. She was profiled as a skating waitress, her mother left when she was two, father a drug addict and in prison. Pickler lives with her grandfather and originally auditioned in Greensboro.
- 1. How Far (Martina McBride)
- 2. Something to Talk About (Bonnie Raitt)
- 3. I'm The Only One (Melissa Etheridge)
- 4.
- Kevin Covais is from Levittown, New York. 16 years old, sang "You Raise Me Up" in Boston.
- Lisa Tucker is from Anaheim, California, and she auditioned in Denver. Simon called her the "best 16-year-old" ever to audition on the show at the time of her original Denver audition. She has been seen on Star Search, and lost to young Tiffany Evans.
- Mandisa is from Antioch, Tennessee. She had a successful original audition in Chicago, after which Simon made jokes about her size. He later apologized after being confronted by Mandisa.
- 1. Never (Heart)
- 2. Cry (Faith Hill)
- 3. I'm Every Woman (Chaka Khan)
- 4.
- Melissa McGhee is from Tampa, Florida. She auditioned in Denver.
- Paris Bennett, the granddaughter of Ann Nesby, sang a song by The Dixie Chicks at her original audition in Greensboro. She is from Fayetteville, Georgia.
- 1. Midnight Train to Georgia (Gladys Knight)
- 2. Wind Beneath My Wings (Bette Midler)
- 3. Conga (Gloria Estefan)
- 4.
- Taylor Hicks is from Birmingham, Alabama. He is gray-haired, performed "A Change Is Gonna Come" at his original audition in Las Vegas.
- 1. Levon (Elton John)
- 2. Easy (The Commodores)
- 3. Takin' It To The Streets (The Doobie Brothers)
- 4.
Song Themes
- March 14th ~ Stevie Wonder Songs
Elimination History
| Semi-Finals | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week: | 2/23/06 | 3/2/06 | 3/9/06 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Contestant | Result | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Paris Bennett | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kevin Covais | Bottom 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bucky Covington | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Chris Daughtry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Taylor Hicks | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Mandisa | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Melissa McGhee | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Katharine McPhee | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kellie Pickler | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lisa Tucker | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Elliot Yamin | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ace Young | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Gedeon McKinney | Eliminated | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ayla Brown | Eliminated | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Will Makar | Eliminated | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Kinnik Sky | Bottom 3 | Eliminated | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Jose Penala | Eliminated | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| David Radford | Eliminated | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Heather Cox | Eliminated | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Brenna Gethers | Eliminated | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Patrick Hall | Eliminated | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Stevie Scott | Eliminated | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Robert Bennett, Jr. | Eliminated | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Becky O'Donohue | Eliminated | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Controversy
- In January 2006, twins Derrell and Terrell Brittenum were charged with forgery and theft after allegedly using a false identity to purchase a car. [2] This occurred after the "Hollywood" portion of the show was filmed, and the twins were subsequently disqualified. [3]
- In January 2006, the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) expressed concern about the show's portrayal of some contestants: "The real offense here was in the producer's decision to add insult to injury by turning a contestant's gender expression into the butt of a joke." Damon Romine, Entertainment Media Director, on January 20. [4]
- In January 2006 The National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance, NAAFA accused the show of being discriminatory towards its plus sized contestants[5]
- In February 2006, it was discovered that José "Sway" Penala was reportedly signed to E-Deal Records with his band 6th Day, at the time of his audition.[6]
Trivia
- In the top 24, 2 contestants are from Georgia, 3 are from New York, 4 are from North Carolina, 4 are from California, 2 are from Colorado (one now lives in California), and 2 are from Virginia (one of them now lives in North Carolina). One state, Arkansas, was represented for the first time in the semi-finals.
- In the top 12, 2 contestants are from Virginia (one of them now lives in North Carolina), 2 are from California, and 3 are from North Carolina.
See also
External links