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Wednesday, January 31, 2007

UPDATED: DFW native booted from American Idol days before Hollywood round

By Alan Cohen

Updated 09:17 p.m., February 6, 2007

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UPDATE: Akron and his cousin both appeared on the February 6 episode of American Idol, and there was no mention of Akron not making it to Hollywood.

Akron Watson holding his "golden ticket" to Hollywood after auditioning for Randy, Paula, and Simon.

Akron Watson holding his "golden ticket" to Hollywood after auditioning for Randy, Paula, and Simon.

DFW native Akron Watson fondly remembers the day that he auditioned for American Idol - Season 6 in San Antonio. Although Randy didn’t like Akron’s singing, Paula and Simon both voted to give Akron a pass to the next round of auditions in Hollywood.

“I think that was like the triumph of my life,” remembers Akron.

Immediately following his greatest triumph, Akron received a phone call from one of the show’s producers. American Idol wanted to send a crew out to Akron’s DFW home to put together a feature about the young singer that could be used during the show. Akron was excited by the opportunity to share his background with the American Idol viewers, and tell everyone about the obstacles he had already overcome in his life.

Akron Watson tells about his entire American Idol experience

“We talked about everything,” says Akron. And that included his days of skipping school, chasing girls, drinking, and even pleading guilty to possession of marijuana after a police officer found no more than a doobie’s worth of pot in his car. It also included the personal wakeup call Akron got when his brother died, and his dedication to being a good Christian from that day forth.

In the weeks after the crew came out to interview Akron, he received numerous e-mails from producers at American Idol with information regarding his trip to Hollywood for the next round of auditions. Naturally, Akron grew more and more excited by the opportunity to become the next American Idol as the Hollywood round neared. But then, less than a week before he was supposed to get on a plane headed for Los Angeles, Akron received a disturbing phone call from a representative of the show.

Akron Watson proves he really can sing with a couple of tunes just outside the <i>Pegasus News</i> offices

Akron Watson proves he really can sing with a couple of tunes just outside the Pegasus News offices

“I was supposed to leave that Monday, they called me on a Thursday,” explains Akron. “They said we’re not gonna let you go. And I asked ‘why?’ And he said ‘Well I’m not really sure’… and then he gave me some alternatives for what I should say to people if they asked why I was kicked off … He told me to tell people that I was now an alternate ... That would protect [me] and protect the show.”

One might guess that the pot bust would be the reason for Akron not making the show, but others have made it all the way to the finals with felony arrests. Besides, he told Idol all about his past when they sent a crew to interview him, so they obviously knew about that already.

Yesterday, I spoke twice with American Idol PR representative Alex Gillespie to see if the show had any official explanation for why Akron was not allowed to tryout in Hollywood. When I first talked to Gillespie, she told me that she would find out exactly what happened for me. Then when I spoke with her later in the day, she apologized and told me that the show would not ever be giving a reason for Akron’s elimination from the competition.

As the Fox network’s air-date for the American Idol San Antonio search nears, Akron Watson has no clue whether they will even show his audition on television. His dream has been taken from him. Worst of all, he still doesn’t know why and maybe never will.

If you'd like to show your support for Akron Watson, go leave him a comment on his brand new "Bring Ak Back" MySpace site

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Comments

Alan Cohen Staff

Extra note: For anyone that think the name Akron Watson is familiar, you may have caught him acting in plays around town or even in some independent films.

http://www.blackenblues.com/currentsh... http://www.wormthemovie.com/photogall... http://www.jameswjohnson.com/plant/in...

2 years, 5 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

hakoop Anonymous

Don't know. He didn't sound that good on the first song. But the second was pretty good.

2 years, 5 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Matt Anderson Verified

I wonder if he's already under contract or has an agent based on his other work, and AI just doesn't want to deal with it.

2 years, 5 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Alan Cohen Staff

Check out Fox 4 news tonight at 9 and 10 - they will be doing a feature on Akron including video interviews from back when they were doing coverage of the San Antonio tryouts.

2 years, 5 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Mike Orren

Mike Orren Staff

Here's Fox 4's report:

http://www.myfoxdfw.com/myfox/pages/H...

Thanks for the mention, y'all...

2 years, 5 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

lavis22 Anonymous

I know Akron we volunteer at The Black Academy of Arts and letters. He is one of the nicest men I have ever met. And the he can sing his head off. He not only impressed me but also Ella Patterson from the hit show rock, and Mrs. Della Reese even commented on his gracious behavior. Akron you are the man in my book and if you ever read this I still have the pictures of your facial expressions from meeting Louis Gossett Jr. and Kim Fields.

2 years, 5 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Mike Orren

Mike Orren Staff

Looks like another contestant from the San Antonio trials has some trouble with the law:

http://www.realitytvmagazine.com/blog...

I wonder if she got to Hollywood?

2 years, 4 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Michael Davis

Michael Davis Verified

Wow, y'all made TMZ.com. Gossipy, yes, but well read by millions.

http://www.tmz.com/2007/02/07/idol-ho...

2 years, 4 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Mike Orren

Mike Orren Staff

According to one American Idol blog, cuts by phone are not unusual:

http://mjsbigblog.com/2007/02/06/audi...

Happened to several contestants last year:

http://mjsbigblog.com/2006/01/31/38/

Readers of USA Today think there's got to be some deeper reason for the cut:

http://blogs.usatoday.com/idolchatter...

MSNBC has picked up too:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17028850/

I just hope that a fair portion of the readers coming in for this story are local and will stick with us...

And as an extra treat, the cousins' auditions:

2 years, 4 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Mike Orren

Mike Orren Staff

The Miami Herald's music writer thinks this is ridiculous:

http://miamiherald.typepad.com/idol_w...

UPDATE: As does NBC5i http://www.nbc5i.com/whattheel/109563...

2 years, 4 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Mike Orren

Mike Orren Staff

AI producer says it wasn't the pot, and that he doesn't know (or care) why Fox kicked Akron off -- but that it was their call.

http://www.amny.com/entertainment/am-...

2 years, 4 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Mike Orren

Mike Orren Staff

RealityTV Magazine interviews Scott Savol, who went on season 4 of Idol with a record about the background check process goes and how he sees the Akron situation:

http://www.realitytvmagazine.com/blog...

2 years, 4 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

Mike Orren

Mike Orren Staff

Got an update note from Akron:

Hey, it's Akron.

I just wanted to communictae with my group of e-mail friends and tell you,"Hello". Some of you I haven't spoken with, in person or by e-mail, in quite some time, and I ask your apologies for that.

I've been working on an entertainment career for a few years now, and I appreciate your support and patience with me. My goals are still in place, and my success so far is because of people like you. Thank you.

I pray that everyone of your lives is blessed abundantly right now or in the near future, and that your paths be narrow and smooth. I look forward to hearing from everyone sooner or later, so until then, "If we spend our time loving, we'd have never been in debt..."

Akron Watson

"I have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, this diminishes fear." - Rosa Parks

1 year, 8 months ago ( Link to this comment | Suggest removal )

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