'American Idol' Sneak Peek: Katy Perry and Luke Bryan Channel Lionel Richie
Ahead of American Idol’s third round of auditions tonight, this season’s judges Luke Bryan and [...]
Ahead of American Idol's third round of auditions tonight, this season's judges Luke Bryan and Katy Perry are channeling their inner Lionel Richie.
In an exclusive sneak peek ahead of Sunday's episode released by Entertainment Tonight, Bryan and Perry slip into a couple of wigs a la Richie, and the results are simply hilarious.
"Wait, I brought you gifts, too!" Richie says in the clip, presenting Bryan and Perry with a couple of presents. "I'll stand right here between the two of you as you pull them out."
"Oh wow, this is great," Perry enthuses, quickly putting on the wig. "Hello," she sings to the tune of Richie's 1983 ballad, as Bryan chimes in, "I can see it in your 'fro! I can see it in your 'stache..."
Perry is known for her playful shenanigans on Idol and had fans talking after her kiss on the lips with contestant, Benjamin Glaze during the show's premiere episode. Though the kiss was met with some criticism, Glaze told ET that the whole thing was "fun and games," and although he didn't make it to Hollywood, he was grateful for the publicity.
"I was a tad bit uncomfortable," Glaze said in a phone interview with The New York Times. He said he had been reflecting on the stolen kiss since he filmed the audition in October. "I wanted to save it for my first relationship. I wanted it to be special."
"Would I have done it if she said, 'Would you kiss me?' No, I would have said no," he continued. "I know a lot of guys would be like, 'Heck yeah!' But for me, I was raised in a conservative family and I was uncomfortable immediately. I wanted my first kiss to be special."
However, Glaze couldn't deny that the exposure from the show benefited his music. He wasn't picked for the show, but his audition was featured heavily in promotions, and the exposure drove traffic to his own independent endeavors online.
"So in that way," he said, "I'm glad she did it because it's a great opportunity to get my music out."
Glaze said he talked at length with his friends back home about the audition and the kiss.
"They agreed with me that it didn't really count," he said. "It was lip contact versus a romantic situation with someone you care about. That's what a real first kiss is."
As previously reported, American Idol's premiere beat out The Voice as the two reality shows went head-to-head the night of March 11.
While ABC's American Idol premiere night had brought the network its best ratings since November 2014 and its largest audience since October 2012, the competitions second night was down 22% in the key demo, dropping from a 2.3 to a 1.8. It also saw a 20% drop in viewers, going from 10.3 million on Sunday to 8.4 million on Monday.
American Idol airs Sundays and Mondays at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC.