American Idol came to Lock Haven: Students performed for cash prize
Steph La Sota
Issue date: 11/10/04 Section: Features
Sophomore Jessica Tobine was awarded the title of "University Idol" at the Haven Activities Council sponsored event Friday evening.
The University Idol competition was set up to imitate the popular television show "American Idol," where aspiring singers perform, are critiqued by a panel of celebrity judges and voted off the show one by one by American viewers.
Eddie Dove, senior, acted as judge Simon Cowell, infamous for his blunt honesty and discouraging comments. Dove received boos and jeering from the audience when he told contestants, "Not to be rude, but you just can't sing" and "It almost sounded like she had four knuckles shoved in each nostril."
Senior Tom Donovan played the role of judge Randy Jackson who is known for the phrase, "Yo, Dawg." Donovan based his scores off the audience's reactions to the performers.
Diane Sessions, a long time student at Lock Haven University and a resident advisor in Smith Hall, acted as the most popular and beautiful judge, singer and choreographer Paula Abdul. Sessions kept her comments sweet and encouraging just like Abdul does on the show.
The competition began with 10 hopefuls all aiming for the $250 grand prize. The judges scored each participant after their performance and the top five scorers moved on to the second round. After the five contestants got a second chance to impress the judges and audience only two were chosen to go head-to-head in the third and final round.
Sophomores Danielle Kilcoyne and Jessica Tobine were the final two contestants competing for the cash prize.
Throughout the competition Kilcoyne wowed the audience and judges with her vocal range singing songs like "Killing Me Softly" by the Fugees and an a cappella version of "Unchained Melody" by The Righteous Brothers in the third round.
Tobine got the audience moving during her second performance with the country hit "Any Man of Mine" by Shania Twain.
The audience got to pick the winner of the competition by a measure of applause. Tobine was chosen to win the money and the title of "University Idol."
Tobine was happy about her win, despite uneasy feelings during her last performance.
"I didn't feel very confident about the last one," said Tobine, referring to her last performance when she sang "What a Girl Wants" by Christina Aguilera. The singer was unfamiliar with the version of the song that the deejay played causing her to falter during her performance.
Kilcoyne was happy for Tobine and pleased to be a part of such great competition.
"If they do it again next year I'll be back to duke it out!" said Kilcoyne with a smile. "It was fun and we all really got along."
The University Idol competition was set up to imitate the popular television show "American Idol," where aspiring singers perform, are critiqued by a panel of celebrity judges and voted off the show one by one by American viewers.
Eddie Dove, senior, acted as judge Simon Cowell, infamous for his blunt honesty and discouraging comments. Dove received boos and jeering from the audience when he told contestants, "Not to be rude, but you just can't sing" and "It almost sounded like she had four knuckles shoved in each nostril."
Senior Tom Donovan played the role of judge Randy Jackson who is known for the phrase, "Yo, Dawg." Donovan based his scores off the audience's reactions to the performers.
Diane Sessions, a long time student at Lock Haven University and a resident advisor in Smith Hall, acted as the most popular and beautiful judge, singer and choreographer Paula Abdul. Sessions kept her comments sweet and encouraging just like Abdul does on the show.
The competition began with 10 hopefuls all aiming for the $250 grand prize. The judges scored each participant after their performance and the top five scorers moved on to the second round. After the five contestants got a second chance to impress the judges and audience only two were chosen to go head-to-head in the third and final round.
Sophomores Danielle Kilcoyne and Jessica Tobine were the final two contestants competing for the cash prize.
Throughout the competition Kilcoyne wowed the audience and judges with her vocal range singing songs like "Killing Me Softly" by the Fugees and an a cappella version of "Unchained Melody" by The Righteous Brothers in the third round.
Tobine got the audience moving during her second performance with the country hit "Any Man of Mine" by Shania Twain.
The audience got to pick the winner of the competition by a measure of applause. Tobine was chosen to win the money and the title of "University Idol."
Tobine was happy about her win, despite uneasy feelings during her last performance.
"I didn't feel very confident about the last one," said Tobine, referring to her last performance when she sang "What a Girl Wants" by Christina Aguilera. The singer was unfamiliar with the version of the song that the deejay played causing her to falter during her performance.
Kilcoyne was happy for Tobine and pleased to be a part of such great competition.
"If they do it again next year I'll be back to duke it out!" said Kilcoyne with a smile. "It was fun and we all really got along."
