American Idol is Back - Season 7 Better Than Ever

Or is American Idol Season 7 the biggest anti-climax of the year? As the show opened with the Philadelphia auditions screened on Tuesday night, there was nothing different from previous seasons and it was the same old formula of finding the worst auditions and making them a global laughing stock, not that they didn't ask for it. But while there remain millions of fans worldwide, season 7 of American Idol looks tired and even the judges seemed jaded. Simon lacked his usual venom and Randy was quieter than past years. Hell, even the auditions were not as hilarious as the past seasons.

One that stuck in the mind was that of the hairy belly dancer guy who even bothered to listen to Paula Abdul's sickening advice to shave it off. And he did! Ouch! If you thought all that hair made it disgusting, wait till you see a totally clean shaven upper half of a fat wobbly guy dressed in belly dancing kit!

You gotta give American Idol credit though - the first audition episode unearthed some gems already and I am sure many are just waiting for their first American Idol sex scandal for Season 7. There was the training martial artist cum wrestler Kristy Lee Cook who sold a horse just to get to the auditions. Hot chick fit mama! Keep your eyes out on Kristy Lee Cook let's hope she gets through to the finals and hangs around, word is she was once under Britney Spears' label and has had a record album out before but did not make it. And the last one on the first audition - goody two shoes but looks deliciously quirky. The girls had their eye candy as well with that dreadlocked chap but that was about it for girls on American Idol season 7, but enough to leave imaginations running for the next Kelly Pickler or Jessica Sierra!

According to ratings released by Nielsen, American Idol season 7 was the lowest rated in four years, down 13 per cent from last year. But the surprising news is that the show still beat its competition from other shows. Wow that's quite a statement and you can betcha there are still hordes of American Idol fans who can't wait to catch more of the show.