Atlanta Offers Heartbreaking Stories On ‘Idol’

One auditioner lives in his car, while another lost recently lost her father

You may have noticed an emphasis on heart-wrenching stories during this year’s “American Idol” auditions. And in that regard, Atlanta did not disappoint.

The contestant most people will be talking about is Josiah Leming. The 18-year-old from Morristown, Tenn., has been living in his car for months, but his family had no idea — they thought he was staying with friends. That’s probably no longer true, assuming there are any televisions within driving distance of his hometown.

Leming was confident before the judges, telling Simon Cowell, “I can win because I have more ambition and more motivation than you’re ever gonna meet in an 18-year-old.” He also looked to buck a trend by singing an original composition, which has worked approximately zero percent of the time in the past.

His result, however, was different. Even though the judges were flummoxed by his British accent when he sang, he’ll get the chance to abandon his car for a nice hotel room in Hollywood, at least for a night or two. “You’ll never regret this. I guarantee it. Not a day in your life,” Leming said, taking the early lead as a fan favorite should he reach the final 24.

Then there was Asia’H Epperson, whose father was killed in a car accident while she was driving to her “Idol” audition. The 18-year-old said that she’d just called him half an hour before his death to tell him she was on her way to audition. “It was kind of hard,” she said. “But he’s here with me today and it’ll be ... it’ll be good.”

The singing was actually not that good, as Epperson changed her song at the last minute to “How Do I Live” by LeAnn Rimes. That’s a tough song to sing well and, under the circumstances, it was too big for her voice. Of course, once she told the judges the reason she was changing things up was to honor her father, and related the story of how he died, their hearts melted and they sent her through to Hollywood.

“I like you. And that was tough. That was tough. You sang that very well. Well done,” Simon said.

“I thought you were excellent. The circumstances were unbelievable, but you worked it out,” Randy Jackson agreed.

And, the topper: “I think your dad would be very proud of you,” courtesy of Simon. The only thing better would have been a quick cut to a commercial for tissues for the audience to cry into.

From beauty queens to rockin’ nurses
Leming and Epperson may have been the best stories, but numerous others from Atlanta took full advantage of their airtime and made it through to Hollywood.

Brooke Helvie came to the auditions wearing her crown from the Ms. South Florida Fair. Ordinarily that only leads to merciless mocking and an early hook from the judges, but the 18-year-old was fully aware of that danger, saying that her goal was to prove to Simon that pageant girls can sing.

And sadly enough for Simon, she could. Her cover of the Jackson 5’s “Who’s Loving You” got her three yes votes. But as soon as she left the room, Simon called her “possibly the most annoying person I have ever seen in my life. I actually didn’t want her to sing well.”

On the other hand, Amanda Overmyer was not crowned Ms. Anything, and doesn’t appear to be a candidate to enter a beauty pageant anytime soon. The 22-year-old from Indiana was one of the many hopefuls this season looking to take on the role of “Idol” rocker, and had the requisite blasé attitude. She insisted that she was satisfied working as a nurse. “I’m happy either way. It’ll just be a matter of whether they dig it or not,” she said.

They dug it. Overmyer continued the Janis Joplin revival from auditioners this season, choosing to begin her performance with “Mean Woman,” and the judges ate it up. “I think you’re authentic and real, and I love you,” Paula Abdul said. The rock ’n’ roll nurse, as Randy put it, sailed through to Hollywood.

Alexandrea Lushington is only 16, and brought her 93-year-old great-grandmother to the auditions. That has to be a record for the widest age disparity in one room in the history of the show, but at least they sent the whole family home happy by cheerfully sending her to the next round.

Joshua Jones also made it through, but probably won’t need to take more than a couple of days off from his job as a glass cutter. Though he sang well, the judges were disturbed by his “demonic” eyes and finally had him sing with his back to them. “It’s something we should have done to Clay Aiken years ago,” Simon said, though he still proved to be Jones’ lone no vote.

Two seats away from fame
Among those who didn’t make it was J.P Tjelmeland. His hook to get before the judges was that two years ago, he sat two seats away from Carrie Underwood when she began her route to stardom. But after his second chance in Atlanta, it looks like that will always remain his claim to fame.

“I am not that bad. Was I that bad?” he asked the judges.

“My pen has more charisma,” Simon replied.

Eva Miller was shocked that she didn’t make it. The judges were shocked that her performance wasn’t just an act to get on television. Falling down while dancing to “A Thousand Miles” by Vanessa Carlton will do that.

But Nathan Hite was the most memorable of those who didn’t move forward. Hite, 16, is repeating ninth grade in Savannah, Ga., presumably because he doesn’t spend nearly as much time on his homework as he did coming up with witty rejoinders to the judges’ criticisms.

After Hite finished, Simon dismissed it by calling it “a bedroom audition.”

“Does he keep this written down on a piece of paper or something?” Hite asked.

“Do you want to be a smartass, or do you want to listen?” Simon responded. And it went downhill from there.

When Ryan Seacrest asked Hite what Simon meant by the “bedroom audition” comment, Hite responded “Maybe it’s the fact that I refused to spoon with him so he wouldn’t let me through.”

In fact, Simon said that it sounded like someone singing along to a record in their bedroom with the door closed, proving the long-uttered parent’s lament true. Teenagers just don’t listen.