Do the judges meet EVERY SINGLE one of those who sign up for an audition?

Good question, I was wondering the same thing. My cousin wife tried out for this season in Dallas. I haven't talked to her to see what she actually had to do and if she made it to Paula, Randy, and Simon. Shes a good singer, but I don't think she made it to Hollywood.

As others have said. They do castings before anyone gets to actually meet Simon, Paula, and Randy. That is why they have so much film of people at home and at work. They know who they will be using in the auditions for television. They also try to weed out the people who are there intending to make fools of themselves just to get on TV. Obviously many of those people get through anyway. The real goal I think is to weed out boring people, whether they are good or bad singers.

My husband's cousin tried out for Canadian Idol. I can't for the life of my understand why she didn't make it onto the show. She did participate in New Brunswick Idol and made it down to the final 3. I was actually there the night she was eliminated. :( Anyway, she did tell us that she went through about 10 different auditions for Canadian Idol. When the producers see someone they know don't deserve to go to the next round but think they will make great television, they ask them if they want to go on and I believe they have them sign a waiver giving permission to air their terrible audition. In the end it is a talent contest, in the beginning it is a television show. They are looking for ratings. They really don't have to show the auditions at all. The auditions are more of a teaser until the real thing comes along.

I have heard that they have to audition for producers and other people first, and they only let people through that are either really good or, well, you see, really bad. It's part of the "process" of the early shows to have people on there who are not as good because it's entertaining to a certain part of their audience. You would think that if there was someone there to see people and judge before the T.V. judges that only the good ones would get through, but that's not the case. I would think that it would suck to have been caught in the middle, personally.

I don't think everyone makes it to meeting the judges - I'm sure they have people weeding out the few that actually make it to the judges but I'm not really sure of it. I just can't imagine that the judges have time to meet all the people who audition.

From what I've read and heard, there are many levels of auditioning that occur before you get to audition for Randy, Paula and Simon. Different producers audition different groups of people and then decide who they want to go forward and for what reason. It has been said that there is at least one producer who won't put anyone through to the next level if they are normal. Like they say "It's a TV Show; not a Talent Show!"

I am so glad that you asked this question. This season is the first American Idol that my hubby and I have watched. We were just commenting the other evening that there would be no possible way that Paula, Simon, and Randy could watch all of those thousands of people. I have read the posts of those before me and I see that the singers are screened before getting to go on TV. I do feel it is a shame to take some poor singers just to air the audition for rating purposes. That is horrible. Of course, I'm sure the person signs a waiver and knows that they are going to be on TV and be made fun of.

you know that's a good question, cause they sure don't show all of them. and if they did i could see why they would have a bad att. afteh a long d.

Paula, Simon and Randy look just about worn out don't they? I think they should have a screening committee before they get to them. It seems like an audition only takes less than a minute so who knows how many they do a day...