Post by Inside Australian Idol on May 14, 2005 1:03:16 GMT 10
Wishing for a slice of Idol fame
By Nassim Khadem
May 14, 2005
Last year's Idol winner Casey Donovan gets a birthday kiss from James Mathison, left, and Andrew G.
Photo: Paul Harris
Victoria's first contender for Australian Idol 2005 appeared at the gate of Moonee Valley Racecourse at 8am on Thursday.
"She asked me where the queue started, and I said there was no queue," said Martin Harris a security guard at the ground. "But that's what I call dedication."
Thousands of would-be stars spent all night waiting, enduring temperatures below 7 degrees, for the first day of Melbourne auditions yesterday.
Most were 16-year-olds who ditched school. Wearing thick coats and sheepskin boots, and wrapped in quilts, the singers partied and disturbed locals.
The first person to line up, audition and get knocked out was contestant No. 40,001, Renee Fugard, 16, from Werribee. Dressed in a cowgirl outfit and singing Kasey Chambers' A Little Bit Lonesome, Ms Fugard kept smiling even after being rejected. "I sang the verse and the chorus and they said 'it was good, but not today'," she said. "I will try again next year."
It took more than two hours before a success signal - the waving of the blue number tag. It was Carly Cassidy, 26, from Wantirna, wearing a lion costume to suit the song she had chosen from The Lion King, I Just Can't Wait To Be King. Before her audition, Ms Cassidy said she had no expectations of getting through. "They probably won't take me seriously but I am just doing it for fun," she said.
Last year's winner, Casey Donovan, was there to offer encouragement. "I just told them, go for gold," said Donovan, who turned 17 yesterday, had the whole room singing Happy Birthday as well as getting kisses from Idol hosts James Mathison and Andrew G.
By day's end, 2000 people had auditioned and 40 had been shortlisted by Network Ten executive producers Greg Beness and Stephen Tate.
About 5000 people are expected to audition today and auditions continue tomorrow. On Tuesday contestants appear before the "real judges" - Marcia Hines, Mark Holden and Austereo's Kyle Sandilands. The show should screen in July.
www.theage.com.au/news/TV--Radio/Wishing-for-a-slice-of-Idol-fame/2005/05/13/1115843369789.html
By Nassim Khadem
May 14, 2005
Last year's Idol winner Casey Donovan gets a birthday kiss from James Mathison, left, and Andrew G.
Photo: Paul Harris
Victoria's first contender for Australian Idol 2005 appeared at the gate of Moonee Valley Racecourse at 8am on Thursday.
"She asked me where the queue started, and I said there was no queue," said Martin Harris a security guard at the ground. "But that's what I call dedication."
Thousands of would-be stars spent all night waiting, enduring temperatures below 7 degrees, for the first day of Melbourne auditions yesterday.
Most were 16-year-olds who ditched school. Wearing thick coats and sheepskin boots, and wrapped in quilts, the singers partied and disturbed locals.
The first person to line up, audition and get knocked out was contestant No. 40,001, Renee Fugard, 16, from Werribee. Dressed in a cowgirl outfit and singing Kasey Chambers' A Little Bit Lonesome, Ms Fugard kept smiling even after being rejected. "I sang the verse and the chorus and they said 'it was good, but not today'," she said. "I will try again next year."
It took more than two hours before a success signal - the waving of the blue number tag. It was Carly Cassidy, 26, from Wantirna, wearing a lion costume to suit the song she had chosen from The Lion King, I Just Can't Wait To Be King. Before her audition, Ms Cassidy said she had no expectations of getting through. "They probably won't take me seriously but I am just doing it for fun," she said.
Last year's winner, Casey Donovan, was there to offer encouragement. "I just told them, go for gold," said Donovan, who turned 17 yesterday, had the whole room singing Happy Birthday as well as getting kisses from Idol hosts James Mathison and Andrew G.
By day's end, 2000 people had auditioned and 40 had been shortlisted by Network Ten executive producers Greg Beness and Stephen Tate.
About 5000 people are expected to audition today and auditions continue tomorrow. On Tuesday contestants appear before the "real judges" - Marcia Hines, Mark Holden and Austereo's Kyle Sandilands. The show should screen in July.
www.theage.com.au/news/TV--Radio/Wishing-for-a-slice-of-Idol-fame/2005/05/13/1115843369789.html