CSULB Housing Office celebrates it's first BEACH IDOL contest

BEACH IDOL

Above: Top-20 performer at the
 Live "Beach Idol" show.
Photo taken by NPingle.

On Wednesday, April 20  residents were treated to their very first "Beach Idol" competition emulating the real "American Idol" competition inclusive of auditions, a live show, eliminations and a voted winner. 


Housing residents were treated to a grand show hosted by resident assistants, Kimmberly Wehrli and Jordan Baranco-Bibb this past week. "Beach Idol" recently held at the Pointe celebrated its first grand show, with a mass turnout and positive audience support. The event consisting of three components: try-outs (filmed and played on Channel 3 prior to the actual show), a pizza party for finalists, and of course, the live show. 

Above: Anthony Haines "Beach Idol" contestant
 image from audition.
Photo taken by NPingle.

Entry to the Beach Idol final was open to all residents and attracted a large amount of dorming residents. "The response to our event was wonderful. From the amount of residents who auditioned, 50, all the way to the amount of residents that showed up to see the event," said co-event organizer, Jordon Baranco-Bibb. 


Co-event organizer,  Jordon Baranco-Bibb said the inspiration behind the show came from his and Wehrli's love for the original show, "American Idol" and for song and dance, "We really enjoy the fun yet competitive sides of the residents. We thought Beach Idol was something that residents can not only come to perform and compete, but it would also be a show for audiences to enjoy." And this it certainly was. 


Dennise Bender, an RLC resident and spectator of the final live show noted that despite the show being entertaining there was certainly room for improvement, "I thought it was a good event, pretty successful, but I think it went on for a really long time. I think they could've done with maybe a few more intermissions or had each contestant cut their song down to a certain time limit, because it lasted for a really long time."

Dennise Rodriguez, a Los Alamitos resident auditioned for the competition and was even placed in the elite top-20 performers. Rodriguez says in hindsight there was much for her to improve on "I wish I wasn't so last minute on my decision to audition and actually had my lyrics down. I was so embarrassed when I forgot my lines but in terms of performance, I would have liked to have been more comfortable before an audience," said Rodriguez. 


In terms of a second season, it seems there is much room for improvement to make the show bigger and better. " I think a lot of students attended to watch their friends which was really nice, but in talking to some of the other students, they didn't really know when auditions were or anything, so maybe it would have been more fully embraced if it was better advertise," said Bender. 


Baranco-Bibb wants to expand the show to include the wider CSULB community. " I wish we could expand this event for audiences and performers outside of the residential halls," said Baranco-Bibb. "This is an event I would like to see done for the whole school. Maybe I am dreaming too big, but who knows." 


Maybe next year we will see CSULB Beach Idol.