The first season of “American Idol” held auditions in New York, Chicago, Dallas, Miami, Atlanta and Seattle. Seven short seasons later, Louisville is added to the agenda. Finally, area hopefuls will have their chance to show Randy, Paula and Simon just what they’ve been missing by skipping our city. Well, maybe.

In order to make it to the televised auditions, a few hoops must be jumped through. First, Louisville’s brightest had to register over the weekend, then come back to Freedom Hall on Monday for the initial audition (which means waiting in line for hours, and scoring face time was hardly guaranteed). If chosen, they will get that chance to sing in front of the judges on the finish line at Churchill Downs in September. The numbers don’t need crunching to prove that chances of going to Hollywood are pretty low, especially with spots built in for those picked for their anti-talent and ratings-boosting potential.

Despite the odds, thousands showed up for the first round of auditions at Freedom Hall Monday. Many have followed the show religiously, which has become a pop-culture icon. To experience even a small part of the show is alluring for many.

“As a fan of the show, I am curious to see the audition process and if I can get past any preliminary rounds to get to an audition with the (real) judges,” said Eric Moeller before auditioning Monday. Singer-songwriter Teneia Sanders is laid back about the experience. “I’m just gonna show up and sing,” she said. Sounds like a good plan to me.

But who knows: Despite my cynicism and skepticism, the next Idol might be discovered here in Louisville. We know we’ve got the talent, but is Idol’s process too finicky to actually find it?

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