Steven Tyler was on his best behavior judging American Idol" Wednesday night as the Top Twelve girls performed during the live show’s semifinal round.
He had to be, because pretty 16-year-old contestant Shannon Magrane’s big, strong, ex-pro baseball player father was in the audience.
Earlier this season, Tyler earned the stink eye from former St. Louis Cardinals pitcher Joe Magrane – and most fathers in America – for describing the teen volleyball player as being, “hot, humid and happening” during her audition in Savannah, GA.
Last night, Magrane faced a nervous-looking Tyler for the first time since his daughter’s audition. The 6’6” athlete jokingly challenged Tyler, “Do we have a wrestling mat here?”
“I didn’t mean it,” Tyler pleaded. “It was a moment!”
An exceptionally laid-back Magrane replied, “It’s cool, it’s cool.”
Shannon Magrane, for her part, knocked out a respectable rendition of Kathy Troccoli's “Go Light Your World.”
“That’s a way to come out swinging,” declared judged Randy Jackson. "You got a big voice. Every time I hear you sing, I'm so impressed."
“You gave me goosies,” praised judge Jennifer Lopez. “Gorgeous.”
Overall, Magrane and most of the girls did pretty well on “American Idol” during the live auditions, but the fairer sex has had a lousy track record on “American Idol” for the past few years.
A woman has not won the top spot on the singing competition since Season 6 when Jordin Sparks earned the title. But with this year’s crop of talent, that may change.
“Is one of these faces our first female winner in five seasons?” host Ryan Seacrest asked the audience as he walked past the twelve hopefuls lining the “American Idol” stage.
If 16-year-old Jessica Sanchez’s performance last night was any indication, she has a decent shot at winning the title.
Despite having battled a bad case of swollen vocal cords earlier in the week, all three judges gave the teen a standing ovation after she sang a dazzling version of Jennifer Hudson’s hit from “Dreamgirls,” "Love You I Do.”
“That girl can really sing!,” said a flabbergasted Jackson after Sanchez’s performance. “I would say one of the best from the last two nights.”
Other standouts from the evening included Elsie Testone and Jen Hirsch, who both belted out Adele’s “One and Only.”
Skylar Laine rocked out “Stay with Me” by the Faces, earning Jackson’s praise of “Tina Turner (gone) country."
Hollie Cavanagh’s version of Christina Aguilera’s “Reflection” had Tyler declaring that she was one of his favorites.
The one real turkey of the night was Halley Johnsen’s peculiar interpretation of the Eurythmics “Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This).”
“It was a bit of nightmare for me instead of a dream,” noted Jackson.
Jackson also pointed out to Seacrest that he and the other judges may have given “some passes” when they judged the boys’ performances the previous evening.
“Who knows,” said Jackson. “The girls might win the two-night rally, Ryan!”
Up next: A “super-sized” results show, plus the wild card competitors are revealed.
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