Season 7 Opener: City of Idol Love

Season 7 opened tonight with auditions in Philadelphia, PA, and I was inexplicably, yet thoroughly entertained. How can this be, you ask, even though it's the 7th time? I don't know myself...other than to say, people are so amusing. We even saw some originality, which I thought was impossible at this point....and saw lots of raw talent, which suggests to me that Idol is still a relevant means to discovering a new pop star.

Where to begin? With the highlights: Randy's new look! Loved it. Opening guy who lost 204 pounds! Congrats, and he could sing, too! (Too bad Simon was so rude in suggesting that he "looked hungry" as he left the audition room.....hhmmmph.....) Liked Melanie, the Fantasia-esque backup singer for Taylor Hicks...hope she doesn't go the way of Brandon Rogers....LOVED the "I Love Rock and Roll" montage...truly amazing and hilarious. Also want to follow Chicago's Angela Martin's Hollywood "de-weddingization" and follow the farm girl from Salem, OR (remind you of Carrie, too?) (Seacrest will be following her, too, from the looks he was giving her...)

Temptress was one of the more memorable Idol hopefuls from tonight's show, and what struck me most was the contrast between the picture of the too-young girl caring for her ill mother, taking on so much responsibility (and looking older than 16) versus the child with the huge tears who cried uncontrollably at being told she was not through to Hollywood...the judges going out into the hallway with her to greet her family was a cool moment.

I only counted two Christmas songs (an unusual and good thing given this was filmed in July??) and am still trying to figure out why Philly garnered the largest-ever audition crowd...my husband summed tonight up well (as that guy's chest hairs were being waxed off) that "you just don't know what's going to happen next!"

Memorable lines from Simon: "Keep your batteries in your calculator" to the financial services planner who couldn't sing; in response to the song, how do I get you alone? : "You wouldn't." To the tone deaf Star Wars fan as she left the audition: "Give my love to the wookiee"....and finally, in response to the challenge that Simon couldn't take the squeaky-clean final auditioner to the Dark Side, "Give me a week, Brooke."

Meanwhile, Paula fended off a couple of serious suitors, referring to one's "centerpiece of hair" and enduring the serenade of another promising to "caulk her" if she were a tub, among other things. Okay, he was scary. That is what security is for!

And we're off, folks!