Ian Benardo

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Ian Benardo
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Background information
Born November 29, 1980 (1980-11-29) (age 27)
Bronx, New York, New York, USA
Occupation(s) Singer, dancer, internet phenomenon
Years active 2007-
Label(s) Liza Productions
Associated acts American Idol, So You Think You Can Dance?
Website MySpace Profile
Ian Benardo at the Internet Movie Database

Ian Benardo is a singer and dancer from New York, United States. He rose to prominence after his 2007 appearances on the popular US talent competition television shows, American Idol and So You Think You Can Dance? Videos of these appearances have become widely available on the internet, popularising Benardo as an internet phenomenon.[1]

Contents

[edit] Biography

Ian Benardo was born November 29, 1980 in the Bronx, New York. He attended P.S. 24 and the LaGuardia High School for Music and Art. He studied at SUNY Geneseo and majored in Sociology in 1998. After one year he left and traveled to Israel where he resided part-time for the next six years. He holds dual American/Israeli citizenship. He currently lives in New York City.[2]

[edit] Talent show appearances

Benardo's appearances on reality/talent contest television shows brought him to public attention. In both contests, Benardo was rejected at the first audition and had his performances harshly criticized by a British judge, each resulting in an angry confrontation. Benardo's act was characterized by his outspoken claims to superstardom[3], his argumentative style, camp retorts and inventive use of language.[4]

Benardo's first appearance was on So You Think You Can Dance? (season 2) in 2007, in which his dance entry was criticized by the judging panel. During the ensuing altercation, judge Nigel Lythgoe told him "you're wasting our time". He subsequently appeared as a contestant on American Idol (season 6). His performance of the popular song Gloria was criticized by the judge Simon Cowell as "rubbish". During the confrontation, Benardo demanded to see Cowell's working visa and questioned his eligibility to work in the United States.[5] [6] Video clips of both these television appearances are now widely available on the internet.[1]

In spite of the criticisms of the judging panels, Benardo went on to release an album, Gloria, which included cover versions of the Umberto Tozzi song, "Gloria", and the song "Better than you". Benardo also promotes himself via his own MySpace profile and personal website.

Following his talent show exposure, Benardo was interviewed on Larry King Live.[7]

[edit] Discography

"Gloria"

  • Released: August 7 2007
  • Format: CD
  • Label: Liza Productions
  • Writer: Umberto Tozzi, Giancarlo Bigazzi, Trevor Veitch, Ian Benardo, Friedlander, Jorio
  • Tracks: "Gloria (radio edit)", "Gloria (dub)", "Better Than You (Radio Edit)", "Better Than You (extended mix)", "Better Than You (dub)"

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b These videos are widely available on video sharing sites such as YouTube; however, Wikipedia's linking policy prohibits direct linking to videos which breach copyright law.
  2. ^ Ian Benardo at the Internet Movie Database
  3. ^ Northeast: Shout-outs to Grandpa, Grandma and 'Cher the Messiah'. USA Today (2006-14-08). Retrieved on 2008-05-30. “I see myself as an intergalactic star. They won't just love me in America but on other planets.”
  4. ^ - "I exuberate fantasticism!" Benardo, Ian. Interview. So You Think You Can Dance?. Fox Television New York. 2007. Retrieved on 2007-02-19.
  5. ^ Reality TV World (2007-01-25). 'Idol' auditioneer Ian Benardo asks judge Simon Cowell for work visa. Retrieved on 2008-02-19. “Simon has built an empire by sitting in a chair and being bored and British, and I just wanted to know if he is legally allowed to be making millions of dollars off us.”
  6. ^ By Don Kaplan (2007-01-25). 'American Idol' Reject Slams Simon, Gets Escorted Out by Security Guards. Fox News. Retrieved on 2008-05-30.
  7. ^ Larry King Live: The Greatest Interviews at the Internet Movie Database