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Chris Medina’s brain-damaged fiancee, many thought the mea culpa might make something to do with that. Instead, we got to watch Steven mouth the F-bomb. Oh, ‘Idol,’ after 10 years, you still don’t understand that wit is not your strong suit.Getting down to business, Austin offered up a list of future Top 40′ers, which you can learn about here if you’re up for some spoiling. And it seems with Simon Cowell off the bench, the judges are all around giving those who let nerves get the better of them a 2nd chance. Case in point: 17-year-old British expat Hollie Cavanagh. The teen’s first try at an Etta James’ classic “was all over the place,” according to Steven. Randy Jackson accused Cavanagh of hitting something like five different keys during her performance. Jennifer Lopez offered the shaken and tearful teen a 2nd chance, and she nailed it with Miley Cyrus’ ‘The Climb,’thus earning a fine to Hollywood. Of course, it wouldn’t be a proper Texas audition episode without a genuine cowboy in the house. Twenty-three-year-old rancher John Wayne Schulz filled the quota nicely with his movie star good looks and well-received rendition of Brooks & Dunn’s ‘Believe.’ Unlike other self-styled country singers we’ve seen so far (Milwaukee’s Scotty McCreary comes to mind), Schulz’ vocals have the voltage to check out of country, should the challenge arise. Though we’ve been told there won’t be as much force on this year’s contestants to stretch outside their chosen genres.Seventeen-year-old student and Ryan Seacrest obsessive Courtney Penry was played up as another gag contestant. But the teen demonstrated talents beyond stalking Seacrest and doing a mean Chicken Dance, with her hold on Sugarland’s ‘Stay.’ Steven cited Penry’s “star quality,” while J.Lo said the teen’s vocals “had parts that are very strong points and parts that had weaknesses.” Randy said no, despite acknowledging her “pretty good” vocals, but J.Lo and Steven saw the girl – who named Ryan Seacrest “the sexiest man alive” – through to Hollywood. After a troop of pranksters and tone deaf contestants (including a woman in an armadillo costume), a troika of strong singers came through. Watch out for rocker Caleb Johnson, who nailed a quite unusual audition choice in Soundgarden’s ‘Rusty Cage.’ Shauntel Campos impressed the judges with a Bill Withers’ classic and Alex Carr earned high praise for his spot-on hold on Luther Vandross’ ‘A Household Is Not a Home.’ I just wish we got to see more of these three and less of the armadillo girl. Austin also brought forth another power couple in 19-year-old suit salesman Nick Fink and 21-year-old receptionist Jacquelin Dunford. Both earned spots in Hollywood, despite their schmaltzy gimmick.But the two biggest stand-outs of the dark have to be 20-year-old Tennessean Janelle Arthur and 19-year-old Californian Casey Abrams. Arthur’s first shot at Duffy’s ‘Syrup & Honey’ didn’t blow the judges away, but after Steven asked for something “a little more uptempo,” Arthur brought the goods with Shania Twain’s ‘No One Needs to Know.’ And Abrams threw the judges a curve ball when the self-described Seth Rogen lookalike walked into his audition with a melodica. But his interpretation of Ray Charles’ ‘I Don’t Need No Doctor’ not entirely got him an instant, unanimous “yes,” but also brought the trio out of their seats, dancing all the way backstage. Tomorrow night we’re off to the City of Angels! For a crown at who to search out for, check out our Top 40 spoilers!‘American Idol’ airs Wednesdays and Thursdays at 8PM ET on Fox. Read the rest of this entry »

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January 11th, 2010 Cowell says he’s leaving ‘American Idol’PASADENA, Calif. â#8364;#8221; Simon Cowell says that this will be his final season on “American Idol.” The cantankerous judge said that “The X Factor,” a record he created and is a hit in Britain, will join Fox’s schedule next year.

January 10th, 2010 LONDON – Simon Cowell has stated that he is convinced that American Idol will remain to expand with or without his presence.

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