A frenzied crowd of 150 students packed the Atchafalaya Room with energy fitting an LSU football game. They cheered, screamed and some brought signs to support their favorite contestants.
Tigers after Ten hosted Late Night at the Union, its second event this semester, which included the first LSU American Idol competition.
“It’s time to crown a new American Idol!” said Robert Blanchard, the contest’s D.J., beginning LSU’s first American Idol competition at the Union on Friday.
The event had four judges who emulated the style of the judges on Fox’s TV show, “American Idol.”
“We’re looking for some hidden talents that we know must exist on this campus,” said D’Ann Morris, finance and administrative services manager and one of the judges. “I plan to be firm but fair.”
Jason Tolliver, contracted auxiliary services associate director, played the role of Simon, a critical and honest judge on the TV show.
“I revel in my role,” he said. “I like it; I think somebody needs to be honest and tell them how they sound, because some contestants don’t need to be here.”
Kinesiology senior Levar Anderson was one of the students Tolliver blasted with his comments.
“He doesn’t know what he’s talking about,” Anderson said jokingly when referring to Tolliver’s comments.
Contestants said they had a good time during the competition.
      Agricultural business junior Sharanda Strong was a crowd favorite with her high-energy performance.
“I think I got the party started,” she said. “I was just doing it for fun, to liven up the mood.”
Music performance freshman Kellie Cundiff said she was nervous and excited about entering the competition.
Communication studies freshman Jessie Tucker came to the event to support her friend Cundiff. Tucker said the song Cundiff sang had sentimental value.
“When she was seven, she spent all day decorating her mom’s room for her birthday,” Tucker said. “For her mom’s birthday party later that day, she sang to her mom ‘I Will Always Love You,’ and her mom cried.”
Cundiff made the final round of the three-hour event. She patiently waited for the results of the scores.
After the judges tallied the numbers, they announced Cundiff as the winner.
Cundiff said she enjoyed the event, partly because she knew a lot of the people she competed against.
Cundiff finished with a final score of 198 out of 200 points. Judges gave her a Coca-Cola body pillow and an American Idol CD for winning the contest.
“I’m really glad I got to be a part of the first American Idol contest at LSU, and I hope it continues,” she said.
While signing her autograph on another contestant’s poster, Cundiff said she is going to keep the experience in her mind and cherish the memory forever.
Others said they enjoyed the event.
“I thought this was the best LSU Late Night program I’ve seen since I’ve been here,” said political science freshman Trey Smith. “I was amazed at the number of people that were brave enough to get in front of all these people.”
The event had more than 150 people in attendance, and the Union program as a whole had about 1,200 people.
Not all students came for the American Idol event.
“I came to have safe, substance-free fun with my friends at LSU,” said mass communication sophomore Rick Moore.
Dance aerobics, break dancing, video games, a Cranium tournament, free bowling and pool, massages, board games, and tile-painting were some of the other events enjoyed during the night.