Arizona Jail Goes Sing Sing Over "Idol"

Posted Mar 22nd 2007 12:18PM by TMZ Staff

Not only are they behind bars, they're ready to sing in one! What a con test!

Maricopa County Sheriffs have developed their own version of "American Idol," called "Inmate Idle," in which 15 jailbirds battle for lockdown supremacy, not with homemade shivs, but with their singing! According to reps from the Sheriff's Office, the competition is an attempt to boost morale and give inmates a positive way to spend their jail time.

The vote for the six finalists will be held tonight, with Alice Cooper set to judge tomorrow night's live show. It's rumored that basketball legend Charles Barkley is interested in sitting at the judge's table as well.

The Sheriff who greenlit the event, Joe Arpaio, is notorious for his "unique" treatment of prisoners -- his inmates wear pink jumpsuits and live in tents in the middle of the Arizona desert. No need to say that anyone's singing could get them arrested.

Filed under: Wacky & Weird, American Idol


Tags: inmate idle, InmateIdle

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1. You have got to be kidding!

Posted at 12:39PM on Mar 22nd 2007 by WTF

2. Most of them are better than Sanjaya.

Posted at 12:40PM on Mar 22nd 2007 by lt

3. Laughing MY ASS OFF! now thats a tv show i would watch! hey Simon go be a judge in Jail and bring Paula!

Posted at 12:54PM on Mar 22nd 2007 by 20

4. I think that is a great idea...I commend Joe Arpaio for doing that. :)

Posted at 12:56PM on Mar 22nd 2007 by Vikki

5. H I L A R I O US

Best story on TMZ ever, ROFLMAO

Posted at 1:03PM on Mar 22nd 2007 by miapocca

6. Sheriff Joe Arpaio is AMAZING!!! Read up on this sheriff, He should run for PRESIDENT!!!

SHERIFF, You get TWO SNAPS from me!!!!!

Posted at 1:06PM on Mar 22nd 2007 by Newport Beach

7. A REAL punishment would be to have to sit through hours and hours of this bad singing. I'd rather sit in a roach-infested cell with a slop bucket and a boloney sandwich than endure a moment of anything 'Idol'.

Posted at 1:16PM on Mar 22nd 2007 by News Junkie

8. Sheriff Arpaio has done some good work on getting people to turn their lives around.
some wear it as a badge of honor to have been in his jail. And yes these guys sound better than some of the Idles.

Posted at 1:17PM on Mar 22nd 2007 by W.AZ.

9. I think its funny as hell. I used to work there at the 4th ave jail....this idea has been in the works since 05 and I remember most of the inmates hating the idea so am suprised that it made it this far.

Posted at 1:19PM on Mar 22nd 2007 by catie

10. IS THAT GUY BO BICE? LOL

Posted at 1:19PM on Mar 22nd 2007 by Lena

11. Prison sounds like fun! If I ever get locked up I hope it’s there!!!

Posted at 1:19PM on Mar 22nd 2007 by Shannon

12. Sounds retarded. But at least Alice cooper is a judge. After being a serious alcoholic for so many years, Alice cooper has sopposedly become a Christian and has supposedly opened a center in Arizona to keep kids from getting in trouble and to build a constructive life. Says a lot for that guy. so he is a fitting judge. This entire thing really is not too bad an idea, but I certainly see a side of it that is pretty goofy. Hey, commit a serious crime and then go sing in jail, Good grief.

Posted at 1:30PM on Mar 22nd 2007 by Mike

13. Wow! what fun they are having. Can we take a minute from our make believe world and remember these men are criminals and are in jail for a reason. I wonder if the victims are having as much fun....

Posted at 1:40PM on Mar 22nd 2007 by Amber

14. Pink????

Some jails are going this color..So funny!

Posted at 1:46PM on Mar 22nd 2007 by Pink Lady

15. Sheriff Joe did this last year too. And for those that think his jail and treatement are a walk in the park, think again. He's known as one of the toughest Sheriffs around. (Ah-Yup, tougher than John Wayne even.)

On the other hand, Arpaio is constantly in the news out here for one reason or another, he's the king of all media hype. And it works...but at least he can back up his talk.

As for Alice, he's a gem and an asset to the community. He does some great things for the kids in the Valley. We need a few more like him!

Posted at 2:02PM on Mar 22nd 2007 by AZLass

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