Former ‘American Idol’ host spills on ‘cruel’ auditions that left him crying backstage: ‘These kids were…’
'American Idol' is once again grabbing major headlines, but not for the right reasons. Renowned for giving wings to aspiring singers to hone their vocal talents, 'American Idol' has been churning out superstar singers like Carrie Underwood and Kelly Clarkson. However, not everything is what it seems. Former 'American Idol' co-host Brian Dunkleman opened up about the cruel treatment of the contestants on the show, and the details are truly heartbreaking.
Dunkleman, who co-hosted the first season of 'American Idol' with Ryan Seacrest before quitting ahead of Season 2, recently opened up about his time on the show. On the 'Still Here Hollywood' podcast with Steve Kmetko, Dunkleman recalled what he witnessed during the auditions. "You're spending a lot of time with these kids in the line, and you're getting to know them; you're getting to know their parents," he said, adding, "There was a stretch for an hour straight where kid after kid came, and every one of them was bawling. And I thought, 'What is going on?'" as per The US Sun.
He admitted the experience deeply affected him, revealing, "At one point… I just went and found a corner behind the curtain. I just started crying." He then added, "I don't know why it affected me so much. Maybe because I've auditioned so many times. I know how it’s not easy. It's not easy to put yourself out there." Dunkleman further recalled witnessing a heartbreaking moment during auditions, sharing that he saw a young girl who explained that her father sold his tools to get her to the audition. But after it was over, she walked out of the room with "dead eyes," and was "shattered."
Dunkleman also talked about the tone of 'American Idol' Season 1, saying, "I just didn’t understand why that was necessary. But it was very, very cruel that first season." He added, "And that's kind of what made the show such a hit, how mean [former judge Simon Cowell] was." He explained his discomfort with how auditions were handled, saying, "I don't believe that you should set kids up to be humiliated like that. You're putting them in front of cameras, and I can hear them [go]. 'Oh, this girl, she thinks she can actually sing. We're going to crush her.' She's 16."
Despite his criticisms of the process, Dunkleman clarified that he didn't want to "badmouth" anyone and later praised the judges, describing Simon Cowell as a "really nice guy" with a "great sense of humor." Dunkleman then praised his former 'American Idol' colleagues, saying, "I just adore Paula. Love, Randy. Such a nice guy… That guy is exactly what you see. Just a really, really sweet guy." Notably, the singing competition recently grabbed major headlines when judge Luke Bryan stopped by the Taste of Country Nights and talked about Carrie Underwood's future on the show.
When asked about Underwood, who joined as a judge in spring 2025, Bryan said she "really enjoyed it." He added, "I know she had a great time in the role." As for her future on the panel, Bryan shared, "My prediction would be highly favorable." However, he wasn't as certain about his own return, admitting, "Idol is kind of a year-by-year, 'Do we do it or not?'" Even so, Bryan stressed how much he values the experience, saying, "Last year was really, really incredible with Carrie and Lionel and Ryan, and the main thing is just have fun with American Idol and have fun with the kids [contestants]." He wrapped up with a hint of mystery, saying, "We'll see what happens."