NEW YORK - "American Idol" presented "the best of the rest" Wednesday, unveiling a number of good singers - and some duds, too.
The episode featured footage that wasn't shown in the latest round of auditions, which were held in seven cities last summer. (Next week, 172 hopefuls will face judges in the tense, tearful Hollywood phase of the Fox network talent contest.)
A 23-year-old named Ebony, who arrived for her audition on roller skates, made the cut. "Well, you could sing the phone book and it wouldn't matter," judge Simon Cowell told the beauty. (It's pretty clear that Cowell has a taste for those with soulful voices and/or pretty faces.)
He doled out compliments to 26-year-old Lakisha, who commanded attention with an excellent rendition of Aretha Franklin's "Think," and to Tami, a throwback to singers such as Janis Joplin.
"I really, really like you. You're like something or someone who would have been a big star in the '60s. ... 1,000 percent yes," he gushed to the 29-year-old pedicab driver from Colorado.
Cowell turned cranky when confronted by tone-deaf performers such as 28-year-old Alexander, who scored a hug from judge Paula Abdul for saying she was his inspiration.
"You'll never be a good singer," Cowell snapped.
Among those also given the thumbs-down were a Bo Bice wannabe, a young woman with questionable fashion sense and a sweet guy who professed his love for Abdul - and sang out of tune.
