'Extra magic' just enough for 'Idol'
| Wednesday, Jan 27 2010 04:27 PM
Last Updated Thursday, Jan 28 2010 10:16 AM
'Idol' in person
Jim Ranger offered his take on the surreal audition experience.
On the judges: All three are a lot shorter in person. "When Kara walks in a room, wow," Ranger said of the "amazingly beautiful" Kara DioGuardi. And can all of Simon Cowell's nastiness be an act? Ranger said Mr. Mean is actually very nice off camera.
On Avril Lavigne, who voted against Ranger: He said it was hard to see the celebrity judge because her sweatshirt hood covered her head the entire time (Simon referred to her as a "devil" because of the horns on her hoodie). But, in any case, Ranger didn't care much about the celebrity judge -- it was the three regular judges he was there to impress, especially Cowell.
On the other contestants: Ranger said the audition was a blur and that contestants were herded through like cattle. He talked a lot with the folks around him -- most of them younger and inexperienced performers -- as they waited during the daylong process. They told him they were glad to have him around because he was a calming influence. "I felt I was doing pastoring there."
"My phone kept going off. I am extremely happy I have unlimited texting."
-- "American Idol" contestant Jim Ranger
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Local singer Jim Ranger has advanced to the next round on the TV show American Idol.
Simon, Randy and Kara might be the toughest judges in America, but Jim Ranger, Bakersfield's great hope to become the next American Idol, is pretty good with pressure.
"I've done four National Anthems at Lakers games and I sing in front of 2,000 to 2,500 people every week -- I was mentally really prepared," said Ranger, a pastor at New Life Center in the southwest. "That's when it became real. I tried to soak in every moment I could and took mental snapshots."
On Tuesday night, more than 30 of Ranger's closest family and friends congregated in the living room at his parents' house to watch the audition, taped over the summer, which yielded a golden ticket qualifying him for the Hollywood round next week.
The group waited silently, anticipating Ranger's appearance.
When they saw the line of 11,000 hopefuls fill the Rose Bowl, a joyful noise erupted -- hand claps and a few "woo-hoos!" filled the room even before Ranger's appearance.
"I wanna see Daddy," said Ranger's 5-year-old daughter, Laila, at the first commercial break. She didn't have to wait long: Dad was the second contestant.
"I think he's always been the next big star. He's got the extra magic in his voice -- he can touch people's hearts," said James Ranger, his father.
Ranger sang "Drive," a song he wrote several years ago in Arkansas. The song is about a drive he and his wife took one afternoon while they listened to music with the windows down and no destination in mind.
"It is my go-to song. It defines who I am. It's about being thankful for the small things we have," Ranger said.
Celebrity guest judge Avril Lavigne was the only one who voted against Ranger, commenting about his life as a pastor, husband and father of three. Lavigne felt he had too much to juggle personally to become a pop star.
"I do music and I am a pastor, but I can be a pastor anywhere," said Ranger about Lavigne's negative comment. "God's not going to give me more than I can handle."
Ranger, a fan of the show from the beginning, stood with a humble smile next to his wife, Camilla, who said she was nervous to watch the audition.
"It's so exciting, it's been a journey. It's just nice to have his name out there," said Ranger's wife of seven years.
Ranger said he was anxious to watch because the experience hadn't entirely sunk in yet.
"I've lost 45 pounds since then. I forgot how much bigger I was. Then to see my facial expressions -- that was a trip; I didn't hide emotions very well," he said.
A few hours before the show aired on the West Coast, family and friends in Arkansas started to call and text, saying they saw him on TV.
"My phone kept going off. I am extremely happy I have unlimited texting," Ranger said.
The singer's stress-free journey might seem too good to be true, and it kind of is. Ranger tried out for last season's show -- in New Jersey.
The Hollywood auditions had passed and, last minute, friends encouraged Ranger to fly to the East Coast and try out. His buddies raised $2,500 to pay for his plane ticket, hotel room and a rental car.
After being turned down (singing the same song that impressed judges this time), Ranger said he would not audition again. But his brother, Jon, who wanted to try out himself, coaxed Ranger into changing his mind by saying he wouldn't audition without him.
"It was cool to see at least one of us make it through," Ranger's younger brother said. "It's never been about competition."
That first audition apparently was great preparation because Ranger displayed poise and nerves of steel for his second try and slept like a baby the night before.
"I don't want to come across as arrogant. I felt comfortable with who I was and, most importantly, I wanted it -- but it wasn't the end of the world," said Ranger, pumped from the experience.
He didn't realize how much his golden ticket to Hollywood meant to him until he saw his wife, kids and parents waiting anxiously outside the audition room.
Ranger can't say much about what comes next, but fans can see him on the show next week in Hollywood or catch an upcoming performance with his band Soulajar at 7 p.m. Feb. 16 -- Fat Tuesday -- at Fishlips Bar and Grill.
