Idol Ends Auditions With a 2-for-1 Special

We got a happy hour deal on American Idol Thursday as the show visited two cities in one episode for the very first time.

The judges hit up both New York and Puerto Rico for the very last round of auditions. And though the contrast in the crowds couldn’t be more obvious, both delivered quality kooks and contenders.

It was easy to see which of the two categories Adeola Adegoke belonged in before she even sang a note. From the second she told everyone that she was so confident she actually quit her day job, you knew it was bound to be a disaster. The joke there is so obvious that you don’t even need to say it — unless of course you’re Kara, who clearly did. Simon on the other hand felt the need to call the girl’s boss and actually get her job back, hopefully on the condition that she never sing in public again.

That message clearly wasn’t conveyed strongly enough to Alexis Cohen aka last year’s “Glitter Girl,” who returned this year — to torment me, I presume. This time around, Alexis apparently dedicated her audition to her Dad, who must have crossed her big time to deserve that kind of a tribute. Simon told her “I think we’ve fully established now that you can’t sing.” Thank you for that thorough examination.

Somehow, it didn’t take as long for the judges to determine the same for Joel Contraras. Anyone who turns himself into a giant-sized “GuyPod” – complete with click sounds – and sings “Can you Feel the Love Tonight” while clutching a lion puppet has to get serious creativity points. Unfortunately for Joel, that’s not enough to get you to Hollywood.

Cute little brothers, and bongo banging families, however, are. We saw this clearly with Monique Torress and Patricia Lewis Roman.

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I’m still not sure what exactly Nick Mitchell aka’s “Norman Gentile’s” gimmick was but I know that he’s the only contestant that’s ever (intentionally) made me laugh out loud – both for his audition and the priceless look on Seacrest’s face when he actually emerged with a ticket Hollywood.

And while I don’t get how Melinda Camille’s going to up uplift humanity by dancing naked in her house, I can say that seeing her sing really did made me happy. Besides, the show already has just about every version we could possibly think of, maybe it’s time we add “Nudist Idol” to the mix.

But until then, everyone should just keep their clothes – you too, Bikini Girl – as we gear up for next week’s Hollywood round. Because with, not two, but eight cities worth of contestants in the mix now, no one’s giving anyone a shirt off their back.