‘Idol’ worship in Pasadena

It’s a tough job trying to become the next “American Idol.” But an estimated 6,000 amateur singers are willing to do it.

A throng of aspiring stars -- most of whom spent the weekend sleeping on the ground and dining on fast food -- were expected to be lined up outside the Rose Bowl in Pasadena today when the last round of national auditions for the second edition of Fox’s hit talent show, “American Idol,” kicks off.

Numerous wannabes started arriving as early as Thursday to be first in line for the tryouts, which will continue until Friday. Their goal is to be the next Kelly Clarkson, the winner of the first “American Idol,” who scored a million-dollar recording contract and a No. 1 single.

By Sunday morning, a vast river of sleeping bags, air mattresses and tossed pillows wrapped around the surrounding fields and parking lots at the stadium as contestants lounged, played cards and launched into impromptu -- and sometimes unwelcome -- performances.

Christina Lewis, 19, who drove in from Mesa, Ariz., reclined on a mattress just outside the bowl near the front of the line. “This is something I just have to try,” said Lewis, who plans to perform Mariah Carey’s “You’re So Cold.” “I know my chances may be slim with all these people, but I just wanted to have fun.”

Jesse Clark, 21, who came from Stockton, wasn’t intimidated: “I’m turning a negative into a positive. I just want to sing.” His dedication to music was illustrated by his sideburns, which were shaved in the shape of a treble clef.

Tens of thousands of novices in Detroit, New York, Atlanta, Nashville, Miami and Austin, Texas, have already tried out for the upcoming edition of the series, which is expected to start early next year on Fox.

Last summer, “American Idol” became a cultural phenomenon whose popularity caught even Fox network executives by surprise. They had expected it to be just a low-cost, youth-oriented summer series.

But the show, with its fresh-faced contestants, a harsh British judge and call-in polling that let viewers vote for their favorites in elimination rounds, grew in viewership until it became the most-watched TV show in its final weeks.