Pittsburgh: "Family Matters"

As I suspected, Phillip Phillips was the one everyone was buzzing about from last night’s auditions. And no, I am still not caught up from last night…

But I did catch every second of tonight’s episode and just as I predicted, there were some faces from our area among the ones we saw. Here are some of my thoughts…

Heejun Hun (How Am I Supposed to Live Without You) was one you were sure was going to be terrible. And the judges thought so too…

Reed Grimm (Theme from “Family Matters”) is my favorite so far. I was like the judges. I thought singing that song—though a good one—was crazy. But he was awesome and I’m hoping he’ll be the next Blake Lewis…

It’s nice to see Chase Likens from Point Pleasant audition again. It looks like the judges liked him. By the way, if you haven’t seen him in any Marshall University productions, Chase is also a very good actor…

I also really liked Creighton Fraker who sang an original song about “Idol” for the judges. He had a very unique sound…

If he doesn’t get chewed up and spit out in Hollywood, Milford, Ohio’s Eben Franckewitz could go a little ways…

Wow! How heartbreaking was Travis Orlando’s (“Isn’t She Lovely”) story? His mom walked out for another relationship while his dad is ill? I’m so glad the judges let him through…

Shane Bruce from Moundsville, WV, was a little heartbreaking as well. I agree with the judges that he wasn’t good enough to go through, but it was still sad. I’d like to see him come back next year too, but I’m guessing he’d have to drive a lot further than Pittsburgh. I think he should have gone with “In the Still of the Night,” the song he was singing for his fellow coal miners. And speaking of which, JLo clearly knows nothing about West Virginia or she’d understand why Shane’s a coal miner. It’s in his blood…

And am I the only one who thinks it’s a little sad that the only way Shane knew the gorgeous “Hallelujah” was from “Shrek”?

Yes, Hallie Day’s audition was great and will probably be the one everyone talks about since Reed was so early in the show. But I think the real highlight of her audition was not the performance as much as how she picked all the best parts of “I Will Survive” for the audition. It was very savvy…

Don’t forget the next audition episode will air Sunday after the NFC Championship Game (around 10 p.m.). We’ll head to San Diego where the show mistakenly set up camp at a military base in front of a launch area. Trust me. There will be some crazy moments…

So what do you guys think? Have you picked any favorites yet?