New American Idol Judges Liven Up New Jersey Auditions

Curious viewers tuned in Wednesday night to see how new "American Idol" judges Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler fared with the "Idol" contestants. If the New Jersey auditions are any indication, we're in for a kinder, gentler "American Idol." Tonight had more of a focus on promising contestants than whack jobs, and helpful advice in favor of giggling fits. Not that there weren't a few collapses into laughter, some thanks to crazy contestants and some due to Steven Tyler. "American Idol" once again has a judge whose verdict you're waiting to hear, but instead of Simon's acerbic witticisms, we get Steven's batsh-t crazy witticisms. So far it's just as much fun.

Drumroll, Please

"American Idol" ramped up the drama right at the start of the night, showing us a dizzying montage of news headlines and entertainment TV clips from the previous months, all speculating on who the new "American Idol" judges would be. We then got a peek at a stadium full of crazed "AI" fans, hanging on Ryan's every word as he introduced the new judges panel. Randy Jackson got love, Steven Tyler got crazed screaming, and Jennifer Lopez induced fainting fits and fannish seizures of euphoric delight. It was definite proof that the "American Idol" producers made the right choices.

Next up was a vetting of the judges and new mentor/producer Jimmy Iovine of Interscope Records. Jennifer Lopez said she was excited about the whole concept of "American Idol," and getting to "take someone and change their life." Steven Tyler advised prospective contestants to "sing like you do when no one's looking." He made it clear he was looking for someone unique, and hopefully the "next Janis Joplin."

"American Idol" is clearly more popular than ever with wannabe "Idols." Reportedly they had more tryouts than ever, numbered at 125,000. The audience got to see tons of audition craziness, powerful singing and powerful denial, preparing us for the balance of two hours ahead of us.

Singer Rachel Zevita

"American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest joked with Randy that his prep school look for the first day of judging was a little "Britney Spears." Randy declared it was in honor of the "new school"--presumably of contestants and of "AI." The judges then called in their first "American Idol" hopeful, Rachel Zevita. Turns out Rachel competed in season 6, but got cut on the first day in Hollywood.

Rachel told the "American Idol" audience that she'd decided maybe this wasn't her path, until she one day exclaimed: "What the hell is wrong with me?" Determined not to give up, this operatic style singer turned up once again. She was instantly overwhelmed by the presence of the judges, particularly when J-Lo recognized her from watching the series at home. Singing "Hallelujah," Rachel Zevita showed less power than she had 4 seasons ago, and it was obvious her nerves were affecting her timing on the verses.

Jennifer Lopez led the "American Idol" judges in her appreciation of contestant Rachel, though she was forced to admit it "wasn't the best audition you could give." She decided to put her through on the merits of her previous auditions in season 6, however. Steven Tyler was happy to jump on the bandwagon, and decided they could "water that flower and let it grow." Randy Jackson called it a victory for Rachel Zevita, and she's going to "American Idol" in Hollywood.

Contestant Caleb Hawley

Steven Tyler started off the next "American Idol" audition by asking Caleb Hawley "why are you here?" then added, "We're all here 'cause we're not all there." After earning laughs from the contestant as well as the judges' panel, Steven proceeded to totally get into Caleb's performance of Ray Charles' "Hallelujah I Love Her So." Steven grooved and clapped along with Caleb's spirited singing, mouthing the words as the contestant went along, and elevating the positive energy in the room.

When Caleb was finished, Steven was full of praise for Caleb's "American Idol" performance and the rich character of his voice. Jennifer admired his tone, and added "I think you're cute." Randy was happy to go along with the vibe and vote Caleb Hawley on to Hollywood. Caleb was thrilled and good-naturedly told Steven he'd felt like he was "in the band with you."

A Hit and a Miss

Next up was a 15-year-old student in a performing arts school, Kenzie Palmer. The "American Idol" judges initially split on her performance, with Steven not "feeling the pizazz," and Jennifer Lopez thinking she was one of the top singers they'd seen thus far. Randy felt Kenzie's voice was impressive for her age, J-Lo urged her to "take it up a notch," and Steven finally caved in and added his yes vote. "You guys are crazy," Jennifer admonished her fellow judges afterward, feeling they'd missed how talented Kenzie was.

The streak of good news ended with "American Idol" contestant Achille Lovle, who sang Madonna's "Dress You Up" as if it were a mournful religious chant. When she sensed the judges weren't impressed, she mentioned how her vocal coach was helping her with her accent. "It's not the accent," Jennifer stressed. Steven tried to soften the blow. "You've got the drama, but no notes." Randy followed Jennifer's lead with, "It's not your thing, baby." When Achille left, dejected, Jennifer Lopez let out a wail of frustration. "Why did I sign up for this?" Clearly upset at having to trample anyone's "American Idol" dreams, Jennifer cried, "I hate saying no!"

Embrace the Stereotype

"American Idol" loves to boil its audition cities down to landmarks and stereotypes, but in this case the New Jersey contestants were happy to oblige. (Was anyone else hearing "Saturday Night Live" player Fred Armisen, acting as former Governor Paterson, sneering "New Jersey" derisively in their head every time Ryan mentioned the state? No, just me? Okay then.) In any case, we got a lot of fist-pumping and "How you doin'?" and other "Jersey Shore" homages. We even got a how-to on making big hair.

Tiffany from the Block

"American Idol" contestant Tiffany Rios was excited about comparisons between her and hero J-Lo. A Puerto Rican dance instructor with a self-proclaimed impressive "front and back," Tiffany had been happy to have a famous role model who proved "you don't have to be a stick figure." Once confronted with her own idol, Tiffany broke down into tears, explaining how her mother had taken her to see Jennifer's movie "Selena" and at six years old she'd decided to become a singer.

Visibly moved, Jennifer came out from behind the "American Idol" judges table to give Tiffany a hug. At this point, Steven and Randy shared a fist bump over their apparent mutual ogling of J-Lo's own impressive "back," as Tiffany would say. Once Jennifer was seated again, the "AI" judges got the shock of the day when Tiffany launched into an original song and opened her jacket to reveal a bikini top with giant metal stars prominently placed. "America needs me," Tiffany warbled, "for higher ratings on TV."

The "American Idol" judges decided to see if there was anything beyond the spectacle, and asked Tiffany to sing something else. She closed the jacket again, "'cause [the song] is more emotional." She then launched into loud, but in-tune vocals that surprised the panel once again. "I"m so happy you sang that," Jennifer said, relieved. "You have a really good voice." She then urged the contestant to balance doing her own thing with being taken seriously. Then Tiffany got the incredible news that she was going on to "American Idol" in Hollywood, with three yes votes under her belt. You gotta know that all the nervous contestants outside were thinking, "The girl with the STARS made it?"

Queen of Nice, Jennifer Lopez

Next we got a recap of all the bad singers of the day, and how much trouble "American Idol" judge Jennifer Lopez had saying no to them. Steven was often a softy himself, telling horrifically bad contestants that "I'm not sure if it's your forte." But J-Lo had the most trouble, gritting her teeth and hoping someone else would say no so she wouldn't have to. Even when she reached her breaking point, telling an awful singer, "This is not for you," she crumpled as soon as the gal left, moaning, "I feel so bad!"

Singer Robbie Rosen

Things picked up on "American Idol" with 16-year-old contestant Robbie Rosen. He and his family tugged on our heartstrings with is tale of a childhood illness that put him in a wheelchair for several months, uncertain if he'd ever walk again. Robbie confessed he'd been watching "American Idol" since he was seven, instantly making any home viewer over 30 feel a thousand years old. Robbie was confident in his lifelong dream of becoming an "American Idol."

After charming the "American Idol" judges, Robbie launched into his version of "Yesterday." Cutie Robbie was charismatic and had definite skill with his notes, though his tone was a bit whispery--possibly a case of nerves. The judges were thrilled with the performance, with Randy praising his "crazy mad vocals" and the way Robbie "marinated on the notes." When asked if they should vote, J-Lo abruptly replied "No! You're going to Hollywood!" As Robbie went to spread the good news to his family, Steven declared Robbie the "best of New Jersey."

Once a Rocker...

After showing us crazy people sleeping on the street while waiting for their "American Idol" audition, the "AI" cameras introduced us to all the people excited to meet the judges--including Ellen. Oops. Then we got a montage of girls flirting with their rock hero Steven Tyler, and Steven happily flirting back. Kara got blasted for being a lecherous "cougar" last year for similar stunts; it'll be interesting to see if Steven gets that much flack. Somehow I doubt it. I don't care about the flirting, of course, that's showbiz. I only care about the hypocrisy of the critics and fans, slamming a woman for behaving like the dudes they admire for that very same behavior.

Being Nice Can Only Last So Long

Even the happy-go-lucky "American Idol" judges crumpled under the pressure of so many bad acts. Boy scout Chris Cordeiro, dressed in a green plaid shirt, khaki shorts and a straw hat, let us know in his "American Idol" bio that he'd done his own public service video for his community, about the dangers of texting and driving. While a noble effort from a sweet kid, a videographer does not a singer make. Chris tackled Sinatra hit "My Way" with a very bad, tuneless monotone.

The judges were harsher than they'd been all day. There were jabs about the outfit, where Jennifer asked if he was going fishing, and Randy adding that it looked like "Camp American Idol." After the performance, Steven said that with Chris' look (which included straight bangs and dark-rimmed glasses,) he'd been expecting the contestant to "knock us out" with a surprisingly powerful performance. Not so much.

Outside, "American Idol" host Ryan Seacrest was hanging with Chris' family, trying to get Chris' mother to sing a bit of "My Way" for the cameras. Embarrassed, Mrs. Cordeiro wrapped her arms around Ryan and buried her face in his chest, but finally managed to sweetly sing a few bars of the song. "You squeeze on 'way,'" Ryan teasingly noted as she clung to him the whole time. Inside, unfortunately, her son had gotten the bad news. "Dog, you should be howlin'," Steven told Randy when Chris had departed. "How did you do this for ten years?" Jennifer asked, clearly flustered.

From Bad to Worse

Next we saw another string of "no" votes for New Jersey contestants from the "American Idol" judges. We knew we were in for it when "AI" zeroed in on Michael Perotto, a nerdy looking kid dressed in pink and green plaid, who illustrated how he would burp whenever he was nervous. Thanks for sharing. Inexplicably, he chose to sing "Proud Mary," which made his lack of singing talent ten times more obvious.

Apparently slap-happy from the day of auditions, Steven Tyler and Randy Jackson encouraged him, clapping along and dancing in their seats until Jennifer Lopez begged them to "make it stop." Then Steven asked a perturbed Michael if he ate "a lot of paint chips as a child?" He then stressed that "American Idol" had a higher standard. Determined to prove he was that higher standard, Michael launched into a Fantasia Barrino song.

The judges were horrified. "What we have here is a failure to communicate," Steven deadpanned, "vocally." Jennifer Lopez told him his "imitation of a woman's voice" was not going to get him anywhere, but maybe he could try Broadway. Randy cut her off, telling Michael: "Don't sing anywhere." As with many of the delusional "American Idol" contestants, Michael insisted "I've been singing for years. I think people would tell me if I suck." They just did, apparently.

"American Idol" Contestant on Crack

There's really no way to fully describe contestant Ashley Sullivan, the self-proclaimed "awkward 'Idol.'" She jumped, the danced, she wept, she made funny faces. She showed the home audience the crumpled Britney Spears photo she keeps in her pocket for inspiration and luck. Ashley was confident in her abilities, and kind of pushy about it: "I want everybody to have to hear me sing."

Ashley tackled her "American Idol" audition by launching into a shouty, guttural version of "Gimme Gimme" from "Thoroughly Modern Millie." When she saw the mixed reaction from the judges, she asked, "Is that a no?" J-Lo told her she was adorable, but it was for Broadway. Ashley insisted that she wanted to be the show-tune "Idol"--"Pop needs to get with Liza Minnelli." That comment landed a laughing Steven Tyler in her corner, and her heartfelt pleas and sobs tugged on J-Lo's heartstrings. Randy voted no, but Jennifer and Steven were in, both enjoying her "unbridled enthusiasm." Randy told them they were "both crazy."

For her part, Ashley Sullivan was over the moon at the idea of fulfilling her dream, and of traveling to Hollywood. Before this, "New Hampshire was the most exotic place I've ever been!" she enthused. Okay, we're starting to see Steven's point.

North Carolina Girl, Victoria Huggins

After all the Jersey and New York accents it was a bit to hear the extreme North Carolina twang on "16 and 3/4"-year-old Victoria Huggins. Dressed in a pretty pink print frock and bouncing off the walls with her enthusiasm, Victoria was happy to show the "American Idol" audience just how determined she was to go far in the competition. Her oft-repeated words of wisdom were to live each moment to the fullest, and she kept a video diary to capture each one of those moments. Definitely a sign of a reality TV star right there.

The whole "American Idol" experience was nothing but golden moments for Victoria. "I got to touch and hug Ryan!" she said with glee, adding girlishly, "I think he liked me." For her audition, Victoria sang "Midnight Train to Georgia." She definitely had some power in her vocals, but the melody belonged to some other song completely.

Despite the less-than-perfect vocals, Victoria got voted in on personality. Randy voted her in just because of her pixie-ish "Yo-yo Dog!" Steven liked that her dress left "just the right amount showing." Jennifer said yes and Victoria was on to "American Idol" Hollywood. "Most personality ever on 'Idol,'" Randy enthused.

Ending Day One on a High Note

"American Idol" tried to inspire tears in the home audience once again, and successfully. Next up was contestant Melida Ademi, a war refugee from Kosovo, whose family won a "green card lottery" to come and make a more peaceful life in America. Melida's mother compared their opportunity to their "golden ticket to America," just like they hoped Melida would get a golden ticket to Hollywood. How can you not cheer on a sweet family like this?

Melida sang "If I Ain't Got You" and the judges were unanimously impressed. Steven Tyler liked that she didn't overplay her beauty, and focused on her beautiful voice instead. All three judges voted yes, and Melida is going on to "American Idol" Hollywood.

The Singing Waitress

"American Idol" contestant Devyn Rush has had plenty of experience singing in front of crowds; she's a singing waitress in New York's Times Square. The 20 year old made her bosses happy by doing a little PR for the restaurant, talking up their menu. It seems likely Devyn is a favorite at the restaurant, as she wowed the home audience and judges with her rich, bluesy performance of Billie Holiday's "God Bless The Child."

Steven called it "delicious." Randy called it a "bait and switch" because he'd felt her super-casual attire didn't fit with her voice that had "just the right amount of sauce." Jennifer told Devyn that her "voice is the star," and that she needed to "dress and act that way," to create a complete package. The "American Idol" judges voted her in, and she's off to Hollywood.

It's All Bad

You have to take the good with the bad on "American Idol," and the judges next hit a patch of the bad. We saw snippets of tuneless singing, chaos in the audition room, and Steven half-jokingly swearing at Randy for being too harsh with his critiques. We got a segment on Yoji "pop" Asano, a Japanese fan of Michael Jackson who boggled minds by performing "Party in the U.S.A." while doing the moon walk and robot dance moves.

A highlight of the bad-singer-montage was Steven playfully complimenting an "American Idol" contestant on his black and white plaid shorts, saying "I almost wore those shorts today." Now that's a heck of a mental picture.

The Next "American Idol"

After two days of grueling auditions, Steven Tyler was ready for the light at the end of the tunnel. "Please be the next 'American Idol,'" he pleaded with Staten Island contestant Brielle Von Hugel. While they weren't blown away by Brielle's sweet vocals on "Endless Love," the judges were charmed. Steven liked the whole package, her personality, smile, and the flower in her hair.

Randy then asked her to bring her father in, a former singer who had luckily beaten a bout with throat cancer. Jennifer told Brielle that she was young and had a "tiny bit of work to do," but she voted "yes." Randy agreed. "You've got potential." They informed the happy father and daughter that Brielle was going on to "American Idol" in Hollywood, and Brielle earned even more sweetness points by telling the judges "It was an honor meeting you."

Final New Jersey "American Idol" Contestant

Travis Orlando was an earnest boy from the Bronx, who with the help of his loving twin brother, had kept his singing dream alive during some tough years for their family. His father improved after an illness had caused them to lose their house and move into a shelter, and while they're no longer in such dire straits, Travis confessed that they were still living "paycheck to paycheck."

Travis charmed the judges right off the bat with his T-shirt that confidently proclaimed "It's gonna be fantastic!" Travis rushed his way through "Eleanor Rigby" and Jason Mraz tune "I'm Yours," but despite the nerves, it was clear this boy had singing talent and could control his notes. Randy told Travis he liked the singing, "but you gotta shake out the vibe." J-Lo complimented his "pretty tone" and Steven added the third yes vote, sending Travis to "American Idol" in Hollywood.

Travis' brother and mother then launched themselves into the room to scream and celebrate with Travis, then the two brothers hugged warmly as Travis broke down with intense emotion. It was a moving scene from a close knit family. Travis definitely has talent, and I'm hoping we'll see more of him as "American Idol" progresses.

"American Idol" New Jersey--The Verdict

The "new school" of "American Idol" was a pleasant, entertaining surprise. It was a welcome relief to have more of the focus on the talented contestants, and some legitimate advice to those who needed to up their game once they get to Hollywood. The new panel of "American Idol" judges have an excellent rapport, and seem more inclined to have a good time above all. I'm enjoying this new vibe, and Randy Jackson is all the better for it. Having been something of a foil for Simon all these years, now Randy is the "veteran" of the table, and the new judges show him a lot more respect. They all act like equals, and I'm hoping it stays that way, because it has inspired Randy to be more helpful and interesting to the "American Idol" contestants--and us.

As for the contestants tonight, I didn't see anyone I was particularly crazy about--I'd probably put Devyn Rush and Travis Orlando at the top of the list. "American Idol" gave out a staggering 51 golden tickets in New Jersey, so it's likely some we've seen tonight will get cut right away, and there are no doubt some gems we haven't gotten a glimpse of yet. "American Idol" doesn't like to show its hand all at once. These are early days, too, and some of the contestants that were nervous and a bit warbly tonight could easily hit their stride later and knock our socks off. And as TVOvermind discovered, we may have a few almost-stars already in our midst. We'll have to keep tuning in to find out.

Next up for "American Idol" auditions: New Orleans. Watch FOX every Tuesday and Wednesday at 8/7c. Check local listings to verify times, as they are subject to change.