American Idol Latest: cheers for Mulberry native Amanda Overmyer
McKenna Klinkhamer, 13, cheers for Mulberry native Amanda Overmyer on Tuesday night at End Zone Sports Bar and Grill in Lafayette. Overmyer sang “Back in the U.S.S.R.” on “American Idol 2008.”
The End Zone Bar and Grill in Lafayette was home to dozens of Amanda Overmyer T-shirts, Amanda Overmyer signs and Amanda Overmyer wigs.
With a raucous crowd in attendance, the signs were held and the shirts and wigs were worn Tuesday night to support the 23-year-old “American Idol” contestant from Mulberry. One long dark wig with the blonde-streaked bangs was worn by Lafayette’s Rick Lynch.
Overmyer led off the episode with “Back in the U.S.S.R.” It was the second week in which all of the “American Idol” contestants sang Beatles songs.
“I thought she did pretty good,” said Lynch, who saw Overmyer perform live years ago when she was with the local hard rock band Steeleto.
He has been an avid watcher of Overmyer’s since the “Idol” season began.
Local radio station WXXB-FM 102.9 has been holding “American Idol” viewing parties for weeks at the End Zone. Tuesday’s was busy as “Access Hollywood,” the syndicated tabloid show, was taping the party. The footage will be aired tonight.
The syndicated show airs at 10:30 tonight on WNDY in Indianapolis (Channel 10 on Comcast in Lafayette).
Steve Forrest, senior news producer for “Access Hollywood,” said it’s been a tradition for the show to go to the “Idol” Top 12’s home cities for the last few years. Forrest was impressed with the turnout and enthusiasm displayed for Overmyer.
“This was as good a viewing party as viewing parties get,” he said. “Lafayette showed its true colors and pride for its hometown hero. It’s good to see such love and admiration.”
With “American Idol” shown on the End Zone’s many TVs, including a very large screen in the family dining room, Overmyer’s fans screamed and cheered loudly every time she was shown on screen, and they clapped along during her song. After her tune, many gave Overmyer a standing ovation.
Brookston’s McKenna Klinkhamer clipped blonde extensions to her dark hair to emulate Overmyer’s look. The seventh-grader at Frontier Junior High School sported one of the many “Rock on Amanda” white T-shirts complete with a cartoon hand giving the rock sign — one of Overmyer’s favorite gestures. Klinkhamer has been a fan of Overmyer’s since the start of the season, too.
“She has a deep, unique voice and she’s different than everybody else,” she said. “She has a really great personality, too.”
John McMahan, who attended choir classes at Delphi Community High School with Overmyer, was ecstatic to see his old friend make it so far on “Idol.” He expects to see her go even further. “I think she has a really good shot of pulling this off,” McMahan said.
McKenna Klinkhamer, 13, cheers for Mulberry native Amanda Overmyer on Tuesday night at End Zone Sports Bar and Grill in Lafayette. Overmyer sang “Back in the U.S.S.R.” on “American Idol 2008.”
[...] mavrixonline.com wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptAmerican Idol Latest: cheers for Mulberry native Amanda Overmyer McKenna Klinkhamer, 13, cheers for Mulberry native Amanda Overmyer on Tuesday night at End Zone Sports Bar and Grill in Lafayette. Overmyer sang “Back in the U.S.S.R.” on “American Idol 2008.” The End Zone Bar and Grill in Lafayette was home to dozens of Amanda Overmyer T-shirts, Amanda Overmyer signs and Amanda Overmyer wigs. With a raucous […] [...]