American Idol trimmed down to 24 semifinalists
Category: Career, Entertainment
The Fox talent show, “American Idol” trimmed down the competition Wednesday night, leaving 24 semifinalists – 12 men and 12 women – to vie for the “Idol” title and a record contract. The decision-making finale will be held in May. The twenty-four contestants are happy to be told they’re in the semifinals. And the unhappy 16 who are eliminated tend to not get a whole lot of airtime, so that usually doesn’t sap too much positive energy.
“Idol” hopeful Marisa Rhodes broke down in the elevator after she was told she wasn’t going through to the next round, saying “I don’t get it.”
“I wasn’t expecting this at all — and nobody was,” Rhodes said later.
Next Tuesday, the top 12 male singers are in the hot seat, and, on Wednesday, the women follow.
The men are – drumroll, please – Sligh, 28, Greenville, S.C.; Sanjaya Malakar, 17, Federal Way, Wash.; Brandon Rogers, 29, Los Angeles; Philip Stacy, 29, Jacksonville, Fla.; Blake Lewis, 25, Bothell, Wash.; Rudy Cardenas, 28, Los Angeles; Paul Kim, 25, Saratoga, Calif.; A.J. Tabaldo, 22, Santa Maria, Calif.; Nicholas Pedro, 25, Taunton, Mass.; Chris Richardson, 22, Chesapeake, Va.; Jared Cotter, 25, West Orange, N.J., and Jason “Sundance” Head, 28, Porter, Texas.
And the ladies: Melinda Doolittle, 29, Brentwood, Tenn.; Gina Glocksen, 22, Naperville, Ill.; Haley Scarnato, 24, San Antonio, Texas; Jordin Sparks, 17, Glendale, Ariz.; Stephanie Edwards, 19, Savannah, Ga.; Leslie Hunt, 24, Chicago; Alaina Alexander, 24, West Hollywood, Calif.; Sabrina Sloan, 27, Los Angeles; Lakisha Jones, 27, Flint, Mich.; Nicole Tranquillo, 20, Philadelphia; Amy Krebs, 22, Federal Way, Wash., and Antonella Barba, 20, Point Pleasant, N.J.
Tags: American Idol, American Idol 2007, Top 24 American Idol
