Inqlings | 'Idol' stars at secret audition

August 16, 2007|By Michael Klein, Inquirer Columnist

Look all you want later this month when American Idol comes to town to conduct auditions, but Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell will not be in the house.

The expected thousands of auditioners Aug. 27 will warble at the Wachovia Center for a team of producers, who will pick the best (and point out the worst). Those who move on in the competition - and that's anywhere from 150 to 400 people - will entertain executive producers. The better ones from that screening will sing here for Abdul, Jackson and Cowell at a secret session later that week. That's where Jackson will say such things as, "You're going to Hollywood, dawg!" Typically, between 15 to 30 people from each audition city get tickets to LAX.

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Rules and sign-up info are at www.americanidol.com.

TV news news

Fox29 morning anchor George Mallet has given notice after 11 years, bound for Milwaukee. His last day has not been announced. Fox29, whose chief Mike Renda said he'd "miss his passion and enthusiasm for the news," has not named a successor. Lips are sealed about Mallet's destination station, but I know it's WTMJ, Milwaukee's NBC station. Once the solid No. 1 in town, WTMJ is trying to restore its luster; this week, it changed general managers. Queried yesterday if Mallet was coming aboard, news director Bill Berra told me: "I can't say." Mallet, who turns 47 next month, didn't return messages.

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