The X Factor season 3 auditions rolled into New Orleans on Tuesday. Check out photos and a video of judges Paulina Rubio, Kelly Rowland, Demi Lovato and Simon Cowell from the two-day shoot. Host, Mario Lopez was also on hand to help out.
Highlights, including quotes from the panel!
- “I’m gonna make a prediction, it’s gonna be all about girl groups this year.”- Simon Cowell
- “I thought X factor would be fun this year with me and three girls on the panel. Be careful what you wish for! It’s different! And I love it. A very different show this year. I’d does feel time for a change.” tweeted Simon Cowell
- Panda Ross, the 42 year old singer with the big voice who was carried out of auditions on a stretcher last year is back. “Panda came onstage and said she had driven 600 miles to see Simon again,” an audience member revealed to Yahoo Music. “A few people recognized her, but it was only when she said her name that even the audience remembered who she was. She looked great and must have lost at least 80 pounds. [Editor’s note: Panda underwent gastric-bypass surgery last year.] She was still telling Simon how much she loved him, and she told the judges she had been working hard and wanted a second chance.”
- A hopeful “smothers” Simon Cowell with kisses: A singing male-female hairdresser duo took the stage to sing, and as they learned they were not making it through to the next round, they asked to give the judges a hug, an onset source tells E! News. “The guy asked the judges if he could give the girls a hug,” the source says exclusively. “After hugging all the judges, Kelly even said what a good hugger he was, Simon held his hand out to shake hands and the guy instead just gave Simon a bear hug. His singing partner, who was on stage, was jealous and she ran straight up to Simon, grabbed his face and started kissing him all over his cheek and neck—Simon couldn’t escape it!”
- “Excuse me Simon, I have to ask this man a very important question. Can you please lift your shirt up?” – Kelly Rowland
- “I could see you singing in your garden on a sunny day with birds flying around you, and bunnies and a rainbow.”- Simon Cowell
- “I like your hair.”- Simon Cowell to a contestant. “It looks like your chest hair.”- Demi Lovato.
- “I like you, I think you’re a nice guy, I just wish you sang better.” – Simon Cowell. “Yeah, me too.” – Contestant.
- “I’m actually a big fan of Simon.”- contestant. “Why?” – Paulina Rubio
- I can’t….. Umm… Care to explain
@SimonCowell??? pic.twitter.com/yVrSkZPOqc – Demi Lovato (really click on the pic. It’s hilarious) - A weird five days. Started with eggs on bgt. Flew to New Orleans. Filmed auditions and on the second day a guy performed in a chicken suit. – tweeted Simon Cowell
http://youtu.be/Xb1g72tZZII
