How Not to Get on American Idol  1/23/06

Of course the really good ones get on. And the really bad ones. But according to Executive Producer Nigel Lythgoe, speaking in a recent telephone press conference, if you're a middle of the road talent, you might as well just stay home. Only the good, the bad (and perhaps the ugly), but never the boring, are invited to sing before Randy, Paula and Simon. And only the most interesting of those are ever seen by viewers.

But does that mean that a really bad audition will guarantee you your15 minutes? No, says Lythgoe. Those who try to be dreadful enough to get on TV, "frat boys on a dare," are easy to spot. They may be included in a montage, perhaps, but will not be featured like, for instance, William Huang.

In Lythgoe's opinion it is not the dreadful, but the deluded, who make for good television. There are those - and Huang is the perfect example - who believe that time and effort will get them to the brink of superstardom. Who needs talent if you're willing to put in the time? And if the judges would just put them through, Hung and other believe, and they could have the opportunity to work with an Idol coach, their dreams will become reality. This is America, after all.