SEASON SEVEN OF AMERICAN- IDOL IS JUST TWO MONTHS AWAY.
AUDITIONS WERE HELD IN SEVERAL CITIES---WHICH INCLUDED ATLANTA AND CHARLESTON.
SO DOES THAT MEAN WE'LL SEE MORE SOUTHERNERS NEXT SEASON OR MAYBE ANOTHER FINALIST FROM OUR AREA?
"It's a good party town."
RANDY JACKSON SAYS THATS WHY HE LOVES SAVANNAH.
AND IT LOOKS LIKE HE'S NOT OUR ONLY FAN.
"Ryan dont we love Savannah, were southerners. The south shall rise again."
NOT ONLY DO THE IDOL JUDGES LOVE SAVANNAH BUT THEY LOVE THE SOUTH...AND THEY HOPE THIS REGION IS REPRESENTED A LITTLE BETTER IN SEASON 7'S FINALS.
"I didn't like the finals last year because I think I like to see the south represented in the final of the show, " said Simon Cowell.
THERE WERE FOUR SOUTHERN CONTESTANTS IN SEASON 6'S TOP 12... CHRIS SLIGH FROM SOUTH CAROLINA, MELINDA DOOLITTLE FROM TENNESSEE, PHIL STACEY FROM FLORIDA AND OF COURSE SAVANNAH'S OWN STEPHANIE EDWARDS.
BUT THE FINAL TWO WERE JORDIN SPARKS FROM ARIZONA AND BLAKE LEWIS FROM WASHINGTON.
"I think it's important that we do get a great contestant from the south because without that contingent I don't think the show works as well, " added Simon.
SO THIS YEAR THREE OF THE SEVEN AUDITION CITIES WERE IN THE SOUTH.. AND RANDY JACKSON SEEMS TO FEEL PRETTY GOOD ABOUT THOSE CHOICES.
"We just feel that the south is coming back stronger than ever."
HISTORICALLY .. SOUTHERN CONTESTANTS HAVE BEEN QUITE SUCCESSFUL...IN FACT, ALL SIX IDOL WINNERS HAILED FROM SOUTHERN OR SOUTHWESTERN AMERICAN STATES..
KELLY CLARKSON FROM TEXAS, RUBEN STUDDARD AND TAYLOR HICKS BOTH FROM ALABAMA, FANTASIA BARRINO FROM NORTH CAROLINA, CARRIE UNDERWOOD FROM OKLAHOMA AND JORDIN SPARKS FROM ARIZONA.
AND WHILE SOUTHERNERS HAVE DOMINATED THE COMPETITION VOCALLY.. ONE THING THAT WAS MISSING AT THIS YEARS CHARLESTON AUDITIONS WERE THE SUPER CRAZY COSTUMES... RANDY AND RYAN HAD THEIR OWN THEORY TO WHY THAT WAS THE CASE.
"Are you saying that the people in the south are smarter, that they dont have to act like bufoons. They don't have to dress up cause they have great personalities. I like this girl."
AND I LIKED RANDY TOO.. AFTERALL HE'S PULLING FOR THE SOUTH.
"AMERICAN IDOL" RETURNS WITH A 2-NIGHT, 4-HOUR PREMIERE TUESDAY, JANUARY 15TH, AND WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 16TH RIGHT HERE ON FOX 28.
