American Idol Needs to Hold All of Its Auditions in the South

American Idol has released its audition cities for the upcoming season of competition. The show's organizers obviously have a strategy, choosing cities for each part of the country as well as the hometown or a city near the hometown of the previous season's winner. I say forget that. Hold all of the auditions in the South since most of the show's winners and finalists come from our part of the country anyway. Okay, and maybe hold one each in New York and L.A. But that's it.

The show is holding auditions in Kansas City, Missouri because that's recent winner David Cook's hometown, and in Salt Lake City, Utah because that's runner-up David Archuleta's home. That's dumb. You're not going to get much talent from either of those cities. The most-watched show on TV is even holding auditions this year in San Juan, Puerto Rico. That's dumb, too, just like it's dumb to hold presidential primaries there (but at least votes from Puerto Rico count on Idol).

These guys should be posted up in Time Warner Cable Arena. Or maybe Bank of America Stadium.

There are two Southern cities on the list: Louisville and Jacksonville. But no Atlanta or city from North Carolina. Past Atlanta auditions have garnered several show finalists, and we all know the impact North Carolina has had. Season three winner Fantasia Barrino is from High Point (and now lives in Charlotte). Clay Aiken is from Raleigh (and attended UNC-Charlotte). Chris Daughtry, probably the singer in addition to Carrie Underwood, who will have the most long-term musical success, is from a small North Carolina town. And there are several other past finalists from North Carolina (Bucky Covington, anyone?).

Second to North Carolina's influence has been Alabama, which is home to winners Ruben Studdard (he's getting married today, by the way) and Taylor Hicks.

So American Idol needs to stop trying to be fair or diplomatic and simply concentrate most of its auditions in the South. And it's time to hold one in Charlotte. Let contestants from Utah and Puerto Rico make the drive. It makes for a more compelling story anyway.

American Idol Season Eight Audition Cities
San Francisco, CA
Louisville, KY
Phoenix, AZ
Salt Lake City, UT
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Kansas City, MO
Jacksonville, FL
East Rutherford, NJ