American Idol Dallas tryouts yield mostly talented singers

by Alex Bentley

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For those who watch the show for the good singers rather than the bad, the Dallas auditions were a breath of fresh air.

Just over seven months after the initial auditions at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, American Idol finally aired the "best" of those who stood in line that day (despite how they make it appear, auditions in front of the judges were held months later at the W Hotel in Dallas). However, unlike some episodes (like Tuesday's Los Angeles auditions), the Dallas show actually focused more on the good singers than the delusional ones.

Most of the episode featured actor Neil Patrick Harris as a guest judge, and the producers played up the supposed disagreements that he and head judge Simon Cowell had over the course of the day. One of the biggest ones they had (or at least that was showed) was over Denton singer Kimberley Carver, who went against the norm and sang an original song. Simon thought her soul/jazz voice wasn't "current" and wouldn't hold up against other singers in the competition, but Harris (along with Randy Jackson and Kara DioGuardi) heartily disagreed. Thanks to NPH's support, Carver was sent to Hollywood. Judge for yourself:

Other standouts during Harris's stint as guest judge included Irving's Erica Rose, a former kid singer on Barney and Friends who impressed the judges with both her voice and her dominatrix outfit (complete with whip), and Dave Pittman, a man afflicted with Tourette's Syndrome except, curiously, when he sings.

For some reason, Harris wasn't able to commit to the second day of auditions, so Joe Jonas (of, yes, the Jonas Brothers) stepped in. While not as effusive (or interesting) as Harris, he was presented with a number of good singers, including Todrick Hall of Arlington, who, like Carver, sang an original song. It was a gimmick song that included lyrics tailored to Idol and the three main judges, but it was actually one of the best of the night, with all four judges agreeing to send him to the next round.

All in all, 31 people were given golden tickets to Hollywood. Unfortunately, none of the people I met back in June were featured (save for the random shot of the chicken guy or one of the rocker girls in line). But for those who watch the show for the good singers rather than the bad, the Dallas auditions were a breath of fresh air.