For most people, sitting at home last summer watching American Idol was nothing more than entertainment. For junior Liz Goshert, her love of the show earned her the chance to interview American Idol stars Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini.
Goshert's interview, which will air Jan. 20 on TRL to coincide with the premier of American Idol's second season, was the result of an MTV contest.
On a trip to New York City with a friend, Goshert decided to see if they could get stand-by tickets to MTV's Total Request Live. They ended up getting into the show that day.
"We had gone to get our hair done and just decided to go for it," Goshert said. "After we got our tickets, they took us on a tour."
During that tour, they asked if anyone was a fan of American Idol. Goshert, along with another audience member, were selected to take part in a contest that would be on the show.
"We sat in a break room where the disc jockeys would come and get their coffee," Goshert said. "A lady told us how to act, to be really excited. They actually bumped the original guy because he wasn't excited enough."
Goshert and the other contestant were told five things that Simon Cowell, an American Idol judge notorious for his harsh criticisms, supposedly said. They then had to say whether he actually said it or not. Both got three out of five right. For a tie breaker, they had to guess how many cd's of Kelly Clarkson's single, "A Moment Like This," were sold in the first week. Goshert was the closest.
"I was really excited and nervous for her but I had a feeling she would win," said Leah Cece, an Indiana University junior who was on the trip with Goshen. "It was funny because she was getting the crowd into it."
Goshert's friends said they were shocked to see her on the show.
"Our friend Josh in Boston called us," said junior Jessica Landis, Goshert's roomate. "I turned it on and they were interviewing her. I couldn't believe it."
For winning the contest, MTV flew Goshert to Miami Tuesday to visit the site of the American Idol movie and interview Clarkson and Guarini, the winner and runner-up, respectively. MTV paid for all lodging and transportation. She returned Wednesday.
Though Goshert will be able to ask her own questions, she will be provided with some topics she should talk about. Goshert also gets to take a guest with her.
"I'm taking my cousin Lee Ann Green because it's her birthday this weekend," Goshert said. Green is a Ball State freshman.
Despite the TRL experience, Goshert said the trip was almost a disaster.
"I'm really excited. In New York, we just had the worst luck," Goshert said. "We found a cockroach in our $180 hotel room."
They also had to change rooms after discovering the water was only scalding hot and then got locked out of their room.
"I'm surprised we got in because we didn't even take a shower and we were in dirty clothes," Goshert said. "When she picked me... I thought I would lose because I had such bad luck."
Goshert said she started watching American Idol last summer.
"My dad actually got me hooked and then it became a tradition," Goshert said.
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