I had the best of intentions. I woke up on Sunday morning, fully intending to wake up early & get to the Darling Harbour Convention Centre by 8:30am. But my grown-up dinner party the night before made it virtually impossible for me to get out of bed before 9am! (But it was totally worth it! See previous blog entry "Our Grown-Up Dinner Party in June.") But get up I eventually did. I got dressed in the outfit picked out by my personal dresser for the day (Thuy), made up my face, slipped on my boots & drove to the Convention Centre with Ravi & Captain Booger Features in tow. I was quietly confident, having rehearsed my song ("I Need to be in Love" by The Carpenters) the night before to Tung (he asked) while cooking the entrees (fajita frittatas). When we got to the Convention Centre my excitement bubbled up inside me - No crowds! The forecourt was completely deserted. Maybe all the teen Idol-wannabes had auditioned in the last 2 days. I couldn't believe my luck. I raced up the steps. Upon entering the Convention Centre I could see some people in the lobby rehearsing. I could also hear people singing somewhere far off. I strode up to the bouncer who asked if I wanted to register. I said I did - but I also asked him how many people were waiting to audition. He said that 400 people had registered already. Being past 11am I asked him how many of the 400 had the judges gone through. He said 100. That meant that I would have to wait 7.5 hours for my turn. I baulked. My bubble burst.
I was faced with a decision. Did I really want to wait for 7.5 hours in an auditorium full of better singers, singers who had rehearsed more than once that week, singers who took this more seriously? Going into this I was well aware that I would have to wait in line but 7.5 hours??? I hate to say it, but I couldn't bring myself to wait that long. That would have been my whole Sunday gone! I could think of more productive, enjoyable things I could do in 7.5 hours instead of waiting - like spend the entire day with Captain Booger Features & Ravi, write my plays & stories, etc. So my dream to audition for Australian Idol evaporated there in the lobby of the Convention Centre. But not to worry - Ravi, Captain Booger Features & I went to yumcha at Chinatown.
I did gain enlightenment through my experience, insight through 2 perspectives:
- I can understand why the judges (Marcia Hines, Mark Holden & Kyle Sandilands) get really crabby, rude & insulting to Australian Idol wannabes, especially those that lack singing ability. I would be crabby too if I had to see singer, upon singer, upon crappy singer, upon singer, upon ugly singer, and so on for days on end. I'd probably get impatient with those who think they can sing (when they can't) for wasting my time.
- I can understand why Australian Idol wannabes get upset in the face of rude insults from the judges. These contestants probably had to either brave the cold & wet, & camp out in the queue from the night before, or wait for half a day in order to get 2 minutes with the judges. All that pressure weighing down on them, thinking they can't blow this opportunity, their audition has to be perfect, and so on. It didn't seem right to count myself in this company.
Maybe I'll do a short film about what it's like to prepare for Australian Idol auditions (that I did do). A humourous take on the non-birth of a star! I hear Tropfest calling . . . .
Picture originally uploaded by Buntekuh.
Just when I thought future Australian Idol blog entries would be limited to the television show, it rears its golden head again. Ravi was driving me to work this morning and we were listening to 2DayFM breakfast radio. A caller was telling Kyle & Jackie O that she was at Idol auditions on Sunday. She wanted to thank Kyle for his support despite the fact that she didn't make it in. Kyle remembered her - tall, long blonde hair, great voice, had auditioned for Idol in the last few years without making it past the first round. He had okayed her to move to the next round but Marcia & Mark pooh-poohed that idea. The caller went on to tell the radio audience that she was currently performing in 'The Grease Show' & was lead singer in a party band - & she still failed to graduate to the next round! And here I was thinking, Thank God I didn't throw away 7.5 hours last Sunday! If she didn't make it through, what chance did I have of bettering her record? I hope her fairytale has a happy ending. Tomorrow Kyle promised to call Mark and get her to sing again to them live on-air. If more than half the listeners vote to have her graduate to the next round, then she is through. I love it when I hear of people who have the grapes to go for what they want, even in the face of naysayers!
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