Stay Connected
Atlanta Black Star/Entertainment
Entertainment

American Idol 2013: Former Judge Steven Tyler in Drag (Video)

Posted byBy Julia Cox | Published on: CommentsComments (0)

Steven Tyler Drag – American Idol 2013 finished up the audition rounds last night, making a final stop in Oklahoma City.  Somehow, Oklahoma delivered  the wildest contestants we’ve seen all season–some of whom even made it through to Hollywood.

First up was Zoanette Johnson, 19, a zany woman “who came to take the crown.” After singing The Star Spangled Banner complete with almost cartoonish runs, Zoanette urged the judges to hurry up in their deliberations because she had a lunch date. Nicki was obviously all about Zoanette, as she’s become a mother hen for  hot-mouthed, wacko contestants. Mariah and Randy looked less confident, but allowed her to go through to Hollywood.

http://youtu.be/7QaxF0brB3U

The crazy continued for the audition of Halie Hilburn and Oscar (a puppet).  Halie, 27, is a ventriloquist and country singer. First, Halie sang a version of “I Wanna Be a Cowboy’s Sweetheart” with Oscar interrupting every few lines to yodel. Despite the odd setup, Halie had a great voice.  The judges made her put down the puppet and sing solo. “I think Oscar is holding you back” said Keith. Mariah concurred, suggesting they “sever ties.” After what was possibly the most strange audition in Idol history, Halie made it through to Hollywood.

http://youtu.be/FxY24-fog00

A rare sweet moment in the night came during 13-year-old Kayden Stephenson’s audition. Kayden suffers from cystic fibrosis, a terminal illness with an average life expectancy of 35.  He wanted to audition for Idol as soon as he was eligible.

After Kayden sand Stevie Wonder’s “I Wish,” the judges were unanimous. “I think so many children would be inspired by you,” said Nicki. Mariah said she thought “girls would fall onto the floor” when he walked into the room.  Kayden was then given his golden ticket to Hollywood.

http://youtu.be/GGbuXM1ScSg

To end the already unorthodox night, former judge and Aerosmith frontman Steven Tyler appeared in drag, initially posing as a contestant. He called himself “Pepper LaBeija,” after the legendary Harlem drag queen. To laughs from the contestants (and a slightly uncomfortable grimace from Mariah) Tyler then broke his act and wished the new judges good luck in the live shows.

Dude looks like a lady, indeed.

http://youtu.be/4QY5TVqWlTM

Still independent.

We hope this story was worth your time. For over 14 years, Atlanta Black Star has stayed Black-owned and independently run. We didn't get here by waiting on ad budgets that were never built to prioritize us. Our readers did that.

Corporate support for Black media has always been thin. Outlets like ours get roughly 1% of the $170 billion spent on U.S. advertising each year, and that margin is shrinking further as advertisers walk back the DEI-linked commitments they made in 2020. That's the backdrop. It's not why we're asking.

The wider picture isn't any steadier. Newspaper ad revenue has fallen more than 80% since 2005, and local newsrooms are closing at a rate of roughly two a week nationwide. When outlets go under, it's rarely the ones built to center a Black perspective from the ground up that get to stick around.

We know a request for support isn't why you came here. But without readers choosing to fund this work directly, the depth of reporting we can do at home and abroad shrinks along with everyone else's. If you're not in a position to give, that doesn't change how much we value you as a reader.

If you are able to, a recurring contribution does more for us than a single one-time gift, because it lets us plan the next investigation instead of just the next invoice. It takes about 30 seconds, no long form, no account. Thank you for continuing to support independent journalism and freedom of the press.

Give once Give monthly Support another way

Related Stories

Back to top