HE OR SHE won't get much fame. There's no fortune to be had, either.
But ASU's Sun Devil Idol might get to sing the national anthem at sporting events. Which puts him or her right up there with such current singing sensations as Texan Alina Tatum, 14, a country singer, and Alexz Johnson, also 14, and the Canadian star of the Disney Channel's sci-fi show, So Weird.
They both started out singing the national anthem at sporting events and local rodeos. So consider being elected Sun Devil Idol as the next step toward catching up to those prodigious 14-year-olds.
ASU Programming and Visual Arts conceived the live talent competition, to be held Friday, after spending the summer watching the country become absorbed in the FOX network's show, American Idol.
"It's like a bad train wreck. We've involved ourselves thoroughly in it," Joy Klein says of the latest national television obsession. The show ran throughout the summer and began with 22 contestants. Judges voted off contestants each week until the finale that aired Tuesday and Wednesday left one winner. The winner was promised fame, fortune and a record contract. They got to skip right over the national anthem step.
While the national show may be more about sensationalism than talent, Klein hopes to showcase some campus talent Friday.
"We wanted to do a talent competition with a twist," she says. "It's to go with the buzz [of the real show]. To get as close to American Idol as possible in one afternoon."
Auditions for wanna-be Sun Devil Idols begin at 4 p.m. Friday. Contestants will sing a cappella in front of two judges.
The group will be narrowed to 10 people who will then sing in front of an audience and three judges at 7 p.m. Friday evening. The 10 finalists will select a song to perform from a karaoke menu. The winner will be decided by applause vote.
Klein said the Sun Devil Idol might still have a long way to go toward stardom.
"I can't promise a record contract," she says. "We'll try to get them famous on campus."
Klein says the programming and visual arts staff has been working with the ASU athletics department to slate the future Sun Devil Idol to sing national anthems at some home games.
"It depends on how good a sport the winner is," Klein says.
Klein says she thought turnout for the event would be good with finalists phoning their friends to come watch the evening show and students who live on campus looking for something to do.
"We know we'll get a pretty good residential turnout," Klein says. "All the freshmen who have been hanging out all summer waiting to come to ASU and watching American Idol."
Maureen Salloom, a student worker for programming and visual arts, developed the event with Klein and will participate as the Paula Abdul-esque judge. Tom Studdert, coordinator of University traditions, will be another judge, and a yet-to-be-named faculty member will be the third judge Friday evening.
Tom Murray, a broadcasting junior, will emcee the event.
Murray says he thinks he's a far cry from Ryan Seacrest and Brian Dunkleman, who emcee the real show.
"I'll do my best to be a Hollywood pretty boy, but if you're looking for the American Idol guys, it's probably not me," he says.
Murray says he was glad to see the new spin on a talent show.
"I think the TV show is a lot of fun," he adds. "It's good to see ASU doing a spin-off on something new that people are into. They've done Singled Out for a long time," he adds, speaking of the old MTV dating show, "and that show has been off the air forever."
Studdert will play the "mean judge" in Simon Cowell's place. Cowell, a talent agent, has gained a reputation as the heartless judge during American Idol's run. Studdert was unsure whether he would rip the contestants to shreds or not.
"I don't think I'm much like Simon," Studdert says. "At the same token, I'm supposed to play that role."
Studdert says really horrible acts might get a "don't-quit-your-day-job" response, but "if they're just kind of horrible, I'll go easier on them."
And ASU might even let them sing the national anthem.
Reach the reporter at sara.thorson@asu.edu.
