So today, I auditioned for American Idol. Yup... THE American Idol. And, 12 hours later ... I'm still standing, but not as one of the future competitors.

But I guess, let's start at the very beginning (a very good place to start) ...

I was copy-editing the paper last week and noticed a piece on the American Idol auditions. I found out they were the very next week, and at the Dallas Cowboys Stadium (the new one in Arlington). And I got excited. And wanted to be involved in the coverage in someway. I mean... it's right down the street and I could get PAID to go!

Somewhere along the line, it got pitched that I could audition and be the "inside man" since the press can't go into the stadium. So ... it was decided. I'd register to audition and spend the day tweeting about the experience.

I got Becky to be my supporter (you could only bring one person for this initial audition), and prayed that my cold/sore throat would go away before this morning. I also had to think of some song choices... fast.

So in a week ... I somehow had to prepare for this. I picked Lauryn Hill's "Tell Him" and I also had "Love Song" as my back-up song.

I wanted to register super early to be able to audition earlier in the day, but that didn't work out (and as I learned later WHEN you registered didn't really bare any weight on your audition time. People who registered THIS MORNING got to audition WAY before me. Which really sucked).

Becky and I get to the stadium around 7:30. People had been there since 5am. Check out the Guide Live blog at  www.dallasnews.com to get vingettes about some of the crazy characters who were there. A guy in a chicken suit (didn't make it); a guy wearing heels, a thong over white jeans, angel wings and carrying a Zac Efron cut-out (didn't make it); a girl in a bumble bee costume (didn't make it); three guys in afros (made it) ...

Tweeting was a blast. I kind of wish I could repost my every tweet on here! But you can go back and check 'em out at www.twitter.com/Guidelive_goes.

Anyway, I was in the last group to go. My throat was dry again and hurting. And I get down and sing (far from my best, even I will admit) and was told... "vocally, in comparison to those who went ahead, I'm sorry..."

Which was funny. Since I should have gone sometime in the middle. Which would have upped my chances probably since 50% of the people who made it through (maybe more) were ushered to the next round all sang in the middle of the day. The producers were hard-core at the beginning and the end of the day.

Simon, Randy, Paula, et all were not there today. Basically, this was a 12 cubicle deal... 4 people to a cubicle. Sing for like 20-30 secs. Get a yes or no. If you get a no, walk the super long walk of shame. If you get a yes, go to another room, fill out some paperwork, get taken back to the audience to do some footage filming, and I think they come back later tonight to sing infront of the Executive Producer.

In the winter/late fall, the big judges (Simon, et al) will come and do what we all see on TV. They will edit bits of today and that day together and make it seem like it happened all in one day.

The process was long, tiring, overwhelming and not really worth it. But I sat around cool people. And got to tweet all day about it. I would do it again, if I had a group of friends who wanted to go. And we'd make it a party.

It's a super contrived process. So I didn't really EXPECT to make it to the next round. But I guess, I won't lie ... it'd have been awesome if I did :)