Top 10 Worst American Idol Auditions of All Time
What in the heck was that? Welcome to WatchMojo.com, and today we're counting down our picks for The Top 10 Worst “American Idol” Auditions of All Time.
For this list, we'll be looking at some of the most awful performances from the audition round of “American Idol”. We'll be focusing primarily on the contestants' singing abilities, but we'll also be considering their attitude and physical performance.
#10: Renaldo Lapuz
Renaldo Lapuz is certainly an interesting character. Right off the bat we know this guy is something special, as he struts into the audition dressed like he’s going as a pimp for Halloween, complete with a cape and extravagant hat. And then it just gets better, as he proudly announces that he’ll be singing an original song called “We’re Brothers Forever”. He proceeds to yell rather than sing the abysmal lyrics and dramatically gestures with his arms as if he’s wowing the audience at an opera. Renaldo is a fun dude (and the judges think so, too), but a singer he is not.
#9: Larry Platt
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Following in the tradition of people writing their own songs, Larry Platt wowed the judges with his composition titled “Pants on the Ground”. And we have to give him credit – the song is catchy as hell (but probably not in a good way). Larry, who Simon admits is a “little” over the age limit of 28, has a ton of fun singing and dancing, and the judges clearly love it as well. Like Renaldo Lapuz, Platt is an entertaining guy, and his audition is great… for a hearty chuckle. His audition was prime viral material, and it provided Platt with his fifteen minutes of fame.
#8: Nicholas Zitzmann
Nick Zitzmann is undoubtedly one of the most memorable “American Idol” auditions. The show immediately acknowledges his odd personality through its editing, and you can tell that Simon takes notice of Nick’s eccentricity the second he walks through the door. Nick doesn’t help himself by saying that he has been “kind of the leader voice” of choirs in the past. He proceeds to absolutely butcher Simon’s favorite song, and the judge’s mixture of disappointment and anger is beautiful to behold. Nick is equal parts creepy, awkward, and incredibly bad at singing, but it makes for terrific entertainment.
#7: Derek Stillings
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Derek Stillings tried to be the next Justin Timberlake. He ended up becoming a national laughing stock instead. Derek struts in like he’s a member of NSYNC, complete with white tank top, baggy blue pants, and backwards visor, and he tries his absolute darnedest to mimic their smooth dance moves. Unfortunately he’s not quite as smooth. His dancing is incredibly awkward, and his singing is even worse, as he sounds like a mumbling adult putting on a baby voice. We don’t know about you guys, but we wouldn’t have minded hearing the chorus. Why did you have to stop him, Simon!?
#6: Isadora Furman
Isadora Furman apparently makes a living as a clairvoyant reading palms. Too bad she couldn’t foresee how badly this audition was going to go! Isadora claims that she sounds like various musical legends, including Stevie Nicks and Janis Joplin. She actually sounds like…well, let’s just say you should turn the volume down less someone in the other room think you’re watching something nasty. The resulting panning shot of the judges’ disbelieving faces is a thing of beauty. To make matters worse, she defended herself and disrespected the judges after Simon called it “fantastically terrible,” and Simon refused to give advice due to her nasty attitude.
#5: Steven Thoen
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Steven Thoen claims that he can hit the high notes and that he can sing as well as Freddie Mercury. But Freddie Mercury he is not. In fact, he disrespects the memory of Mercury by attempting to sing “Bohemian Rhapsody”. Steven proceeds to butcher the song by singing like a mouse, and he oftentimes attempts to sing so high that the notes get caught in his throat. And, like most bad singers who think they’re good, he awkwardly defends himself from the judges before storming off in disappointment. And attempts to exit through the wrong door. You can’t make this stuff up.
#4: James Lewis
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You know it’s bad when even Paula starts laughing. James Lewis gave us one of the funniest auditions of all time with his oversized mustard yellow suit and horribly awkward performance of “Go Down Moses”. We don’t even know where to start with this one. The incomprehensible lyrics? His deep, nasally voice? The stiff arm gestures? The unintentionally hilarious delivery of the song? His attempt to wow the judges with a different song? No matter what aspect of this horrendous performance you find funniest, it’s clear that James does not have what it takes to be the next American Idol. But a viral internet sensation? Now that’s a different story.
#3: Mary Roach
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Mary Roach is certainly a memorable one. Her actual performance is bad enough, as she awkwardly swings her arms in an attempt to dance and sounds like a runner trying to talk and catch their breath at the same time. The way the judges simply stare at her after her performance is a fitting conclusion to her abysmal audition. She initially takes it pretty well before storming off and having a bit of a breakdown in the hallway. She then proceeds to yell and curse at the judges before giving one very creepy final performance for the camera. We think the “Psycho”-like music is rather fitting.
#2: William Hung
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William Hung is easily the most infamous “American Idol” contestant of all time. From the get go, Hung became a national sensation due to his incredibly awkward demeanor, heavy accent, and, most importantly, his so-called singing. Hung looks like a child on stage, complete with his tucked-in shirt and adorable little arm motions, and his voice is no better than that of a six-year-old’s. Hung took advantage of his fame for quite a while before retiring from music in 2011 and securing a job as a technical crime analyst. We’re glad he found success there, because he definitely wasn’t going to find it with his singing. Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions. Trista Giese Ian Benardo Jacqueline Roman
#1: Keith Beukelaer
Just when you thought it couldn’t get any worse than William Hung, in comes Keith Beukelaer. Keith struts in with his oversized sweater and declares that he will be singing Madonna’s “Like a Virgin”. We’re not sure if he was trying to be seductive or what, but he proceeds to bring out some incredibly weird and flamboyant dance moves while nasally squeaking his way through the song. If that wasn’t bad enough, he proceeds to sing “I Wanna Dance with Somebody” with the exact same voice and moves. Randy is right to cover his face, as we can barely watch this through the computer screen. Just imagine being there in person.
